Probably the most asked Trek question

Yep, it's part of their universal translator.

 

In the years before mobile phones, I've gone years without wearing a watch, my estimation of the time being in error of the actual time rarely over 10 minutes, even after several hours had elapsed. Perhaps it is a skill one can develop.

However, considering that the watch function has already been seamlessly integrated into mobile phones in our time, it would be very hard to imagine that such basic functions have not been integrated into their everyday equipment in the 24th century. For all we know, their commbadges automatically register it when an appointment is made ('see you at 1500'), and issue a warning 15 minutes in advance. Or some other (integrated) PDA everyone carries but which we've just never seen onscreen.

 

I think it might be through voice print, consider when Beverly was buying cloth in the market on Deneb Four. Crusher: "I'll take the entire bolt. Send it to our starship when it arrives. Charge to Doctor Crusher."

"I'll take the whole bolt," is the legal agreement to purchase.
"Send it to our starship when it arrives," is the delivery destination.
"Charge to Doctor Crusher," in her voice is the account information.

The same with Uhura in The Trouble With Tribbles, Uhura (before it was gifted to her) intended to purchase a tribble from the bartender. But her uniform possessed no pockets, and she wasn't carrying or wearing a purse. But again she was going to buy the tribble and she earlier stated she was on the station to do some shopping.

Just as with Beverly, (imo) Uhura would have at some point made the appropriate declarative statement, and (thru eves-dropping computers) value would have been transferred from her account to that of the bar's.

 

I like the commbadge idea, but, of course, that doesn't work for TOS!

 

In the Nicholas Meyer version of Star Trek, there would have been a "ship's bell" ringing the quarter hours over the intercom.

 

I thought the most asked question was, "Kirk or Picard?" (The answer of course is Sisko.)

Or:

Why do they go into battle wearing pajamas? They can put force fields around their ships but not their people?

Or:

Howcome so many different planets evolved humanoids? (And no, The Chase isn't really a good answer.)

Or:

Does anyone seriously believe humans would ever evolve beyond greediness?

Or:

Where did Voyager keep getting supplies and power to keep the holosuites going? And howcome nobody noticed Janeway was insane?

Or:

Why do they keep going into caves when every single time, the cave collapses? You'd think after the 20th time, they'd learn.

Oh PS, news about a new TV series (to the extent there is any) gets discussed in Future of Trek.

 

Maybe because no one outside this forum actually cares about it.

 

Have gotten questions about "whatever happen to Worf?"

 

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

 

Greediness: Far less likely in a post scarcity society, and such an economy isn't unlikely at all given certain technological developments we may even have in a few decades (common 3D printing of almost anything, nanotech, dematerialization of products, etc) not centuries. Add to this a space faring society with nearly unlimited resources. Barring catastrophe Star Trek may actually have greatly underestimated post scarcity.

 

I'm not sure I believe we'll reach that. Perhaps I'm too cynical about this, but there'll still be posessions doubling as status symbols. Most probably will be stuff that by definition very few can have, e.g. spacious accomodations at the Champs elysées in Paris, or smack in the center of whatever metropolis you fancy. Original works of famous artists. Hence, even in a replicator economy, there'll probably still be 'scarce' goods in that sense, and therefore, greed.