that, sir, is..IMPOSSIBLE!!

[Zeppster]

There was a show on the History Channel not long ago called how William Shatner changed the world, but it was actually about how Star Trek changed technology. A lot of technology came from people watching Trek and saying we need that. Cell phones and opening doors are examples of this. I think both of those were invented after watching Trek. Same with music/computer technology after watching a TNG episode. It even went on to future technologies based on Trek. It also talked about technologies that are impossible. Transport technology is one of those because it would take so much energy to get it done it's impossible to comprehend. And faster than light technology is probably impossible because of Einstein's theories that going faster than light is actually time travel.

 

[RobertScorpio]

There was a show on the History Channel not long ago called how William Shatner changed the world, but it was actually about how Star Trek changed technology. A lot of technology came from people watching Trek and saying we need that. Cell phones and opening doors are examples of this. I think both of those were invented after watching Trek. Same with music/computer technology after watching a TNG episode. It even went on to future technologies based on Trek. It also talked about technologies that are impossible. Transport technology is one of those because it would take so much energy to get it done it's impossible to comprehend. And faster than light technology is probably impossible because of Einstein's theories that going faster than light is actually time travel.

I liked that shatner special. It did present the material in a 'watchable' way..even my daughter (a teenager) was entertained. She was amazed at the tech that came from TREK and other SCIFI shows..

Rob

 

[maneth]

. . . I wouldn't be surprised if the future (within 20 years) brings monitors with built-in cameras and phone conversations, as they used to be, will actually be conducted face-to-face where possible. I can see a small popup window that would be used for the conversation. Google is buying up tons of dark fiber, plus the FCC has yet to open up the wireless broadband spectrum from the old analog television airwaves.

I just don't see phone-with-video ever becoming widely used. Speaking for myself, I don't even want to see the person on the other end of the phone -- and they probably don't want to see my ugly mug either.

Same here. Videoconferencing is one thing, because people are prepared and dressed as if they were going to a business meeting. IMO one reason why video phones never really became a success is that there are plenty of women who can't go to their gate to throw their trash in the can without spending 15 minutes in the bathroom putting makeup on first so that they're fit to face the public (I'm not one of them).

And indeed as has been stated earlier, many sex phone workers are stay at home moms, even if they pretend to be college girls. That pretence would fall down flat if they could actually be seen.

Artificial gravity, transporters and replicators will in all probability remain impossible forever thanks to the uncertainty principle. I'm holding out hope for some kind of FTL comms though, since quantum tunnelling has been showed to work. In any case, Trek didn't invent cellphones, Robert A. Heinlein did in his story Space Cadet, published in 1939. To be fair, though, Trek permeated Western culture in a way a written story never could, so it would be fair to say that Trek popularized the idea aming the general public and helped create a future market for the technology.

 

[scotpens]

. . . A lot of technology came from people watching Trek and saying we need that. Cell phones and opening doors are examples of this. I think both of those were invented after watching Trek.

Yes, before Star Trek, doors didn't open! A lot of them were just painted on the wall. It's amazing how people managed to go from one room to another.

. . . And indeed as has been stated earlier, many sex phone workers are stay at home moms, even if they pretend to be college girls. That pretence would fall down flat if they could actually be seen.

And some of them aren't even women!

 

[Withers]

My generation doesn't even like talking to each other. Whenever possible I'll send a text message rather than actually place a phone call (and that no longer has to do with minutes like it might have ten years ago.) The idea of having someone see my face as I drunk dialed them on New Years is... unnerving at best (My mom just doesn't need to know certain things.)


Replicator technology is the only thing I can think of (outside of maybe warp drive) that could get humanity to where Star Trek was in TOS. I mean, without the ability to feed and clothe everyone, that's going to be pretty difficult. I'm not much of a science guy and I have no idea what principles might be included in replicating matter but if no one is- someone should get on it.


-Withers-​

 

[RobertScorpio]

. . . A lot of technology came from people watching Trek and saying we need that. Cell phones and opening doors are examples of this. I think both of those were invented after watching Trek.

Yes, before Star Trek, doors didn't open! A lot of them were just painted on the wall. It's amazing how people managed to go from one room to another.

. . . And indeed as has been stated earlier, many sex phone workers are stay at home moms, even if they pretend to be college girls. That pretence would fall down flat if they could actually be seen.

And some of them aren't even women!

Gulp!

 

[A beaker full of death]

My generation doesn't even like talking to each other. Whenever possible I'll send a text message rather than actually place a phone call ...

I've noticed that. It seems really dysfunctional to me (speaking as to the phenomenon in general, not you in particular). I don't understand it.

 

[Forbin]

People always say this but it isn't accurate in the slightest. Get back to me when your cell phone can call anywhere on the planet and into orbit without any infrastructure (like cell phone towers or a network of satellites) to support it.

Ya beat me to it.
Not to mention subspace communication over several light years (see Mudd's Women).

The communicators were specialized military hardware designed for a single purpose, equivalent more to a SINCGARS set than to cell phones.

I guess what I was getting at is, cell phones appear to be able to do more than Star Trek's communicators could do (data storage, viewscreens, cameras, and so on). The broadcast capability or cell-tower infrastructure notwithstanding; however, with the infrastucture, it's possible to place a call to or from the ISS. Star Trek communicators were little more than 2-way radios, or advanced walkie-talkies.

You mean just like what soldiers need to carry around, and nothing extraneous?