Interview with Trek09 prop designer...

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Here:

Link

I think it would be too easy to assume that a prop would never change. It wouldn’t be a challenge for the filmmakers or the fans if nothing ever changed. What comes with the change is speculation, possible ridicule and potential praise - but never in that order and never all three simultaneously. My goal, whether good, bad, or indifferent, is to give the public something to talk about.

Interestingly, the designer says that his original tricorder design was close to the size of the TOS prop, but the producers decided it was too bulky for the characters to carry through some of the movie's planned action scenes.

 

[Michael]

Interesting interview. Thanks for the link, Polaris.

I especially like this bit: "It wouldn’t be a challenge for the filmmakers or the fans if nothing ever changed." That is very true and I'm glad they are feeling that way about it. That's what I call artistic integrity.

 

[Kirk1980]

Like the interview, like the guy.

Not so much like about the designs.

But it sounds like he's at least not slagging off the old designs.

 

[Brent]

Love the props! I like the changes with the communicator and the phaser. It is hard, cause our cell phones now look way more advanced than the original communicator in TOS (albeit without subspace abilities hehe.) So what would a communication device hundreds of years in the future evolve into? I would think right off the bat visual communication would be the "basics" of any communicator of the future. It looks like maybe this new one does that. The phaser also looks neat.

My only concern is the tricorder. I understand it is smaller, i'm fine with that, makes sense. However, looking at the toy prop I don't see a screen or anything. On the TOS tricorder there was a little TV screen on it. I don't see any kind of display on the new tricorder. Maybe it just doesn't show up on the toy and will be there (maybe through CGI) in the movie.

Well, looking forward to seeing it all on the big screen.

 

[shapeshifter]

The display is projected midair ala Star Wars Holography.