# Tricorders and communicators -- If I were in charge

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tricorders-and-communicators-if-i-were-in-charge/543787>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 19, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tricorders-and-communicators-if-i-were-in-charge/543787 "2010-06-19T17:54:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tricorders-and-communicators-if-i-were-in-charge/543787/1 "2010-06-19T17:54:40Z")

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We’re getting closer to _Star Trek_ all the time. Indeed, our ‘tricorders’ and ‘communicators’ are often in single units instead of separate as they were in the TV show. A ‘smart phone’ has the voice and text communication functions. It has a still camera and a video camera. It has a computer for access to the Internet, which is like connecting to the ship’s computer. It has GPS. Add chemical/biological/radiation analysis capability and we’re there!

But you know what I’d like? Universal access. Connect anywhere, anytime. For free. Somebody has to pay for it, and free universal access would damage for-profit companies and their employees. But we’re talking Utopia here. Ignoring the economic and political realities, but not the technical ones, it would be cool for everyone to be connected without having to buy individual ‘plans’.

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**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tricorders-and-communicators-if-i-were-in-charge/543787/2 "2010-06-19T20:07:31Z")

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I believe it does exist. I saw a store display for a sony device that allows anytime, anywhere use of your existing services, e.g. internet, cable tv, etc. The only problem that I could gather was that you still needed to plug in.

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**Author:** ![Drew\_Kit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Drew\_Kit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Kit)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tricorders-and-communicators-if-i-were-in-charge/543787/3 "2010-06-19T21:23:06Z")

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> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> But you know what I’d like? Universal access. Connect anywhere, anytime. For free.

That’ll require Star Trek sub-space technology before any phone company will take it up. Just now if you were phoning your girlfriend from near the sun the conversation would go:  
No, you hang up!  
(eight minute delay)  
Okay, we’ll both hang up together!  
(eight minute delay)  
Okay.  
(eight minute delay)  
You never hung up!  
(sixteen minute delay)  
Oh, you did.