# Gadgets



## dwndrgn (Aug 19, 2003)

What technological gadget is most interesting to you?  

If you've ever read any of the Stainless Steel Rat books, there are lots to choose from.  Harry Harrison  seems to imagine a new gadget for everything!  I think I like the series mostly for the neato gadgets.  ;D


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## Brian G Turner (Aug 19, 2003)

I used to read Stainless Steel Rat!! A very long time ago - probably the first set of sci-fi I ever read. I remember very little about any particular story, excepting that there were generally entertaining. Light but fun reading.


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## dwndrgn (Aug 20, 2003)

They're the Harlequins on the  sci/fi world.  Very fun though!  ;D

Back on thread...I love the transporter from Star Trek - even though I know this isn't one that we will likely see.  Every morning before my hour -long drive to work I wish I could just appear there...


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## Twelve (Aug 20, 2003)

Star Trek:Next Gen also had those amazing food materializers. I always found that to be off the hook. Just imagine that kind of technology, being able to instantly call upon any food in the galaxy.

In that sense, Next Generation was VERY unrealistic...with such a food gadget, EVERYONE would be overweight, trust me.

Meanwhile, the gadgets that have interested me the most are usually found in comics books. I've already made it clear that I love Spider-Man. I love his web-fluid bracelets(in the movie, they changed things so that the webbing comes out of his wrists, but that's not true to the comic).

I've also loved Iron-Man's suit of armor. Put this on, and you can have air-conditioning, go diving in the ocean, listen to any radio station in the world, hook up to the internet, watch tv through your visors, bring up maps anywhere, use the phone, FLY at super-sonic speeds...and are pretty much invincible.

Sorry...I used to be a major comic fan.

12


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## dwndrgn (Aug 21, 2003)

I love the food 'regenerator', but I was under the impression that everything was created from some sort of nutrient mixes.  Maybe that was just one episode and it got stuck in my head.  I know what you mean about getting fat...I would be ordering everything under the sun as soon as the craving came along...mmmm!

I've never read comics so I didn't know that in the comics Spider-Man had bracelets.  Cool.


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## Brian G Turner (Aug 22, 2003)

If I remember right, the Star Trek food dispenser things created the food out of the left-over energy from the annihilation of matter and anti-matter in the Warp Drive. Yum.

But *Twelve* is quite right - chocolate binges all round!


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## dwndrgn (Aug 22, 2003)

Ugh.  Leftover anti-matter?  Sounds yummy.  However, if it can taste like chocolate chip ice cream, I'm all for it!

Some of these cool gadgets we already have - remember 'beam me up Scotty' well we now have the cell phone and walkie talkies that can do this with ease.  Stun guns.

If they can come up with a portable 'tri-corder' I'll be impressed.


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## mac1 (Sep 9, 2003)

> If they can come up with a portable 'tri-corder' I'll be impressed



They did - In about 1996 they made a Tricorder (and called it such) for farmers to check all sorts of enviromental data. It was made a by a Canadian company called Vital Technologies Corporation, and TR-107 TRICORDER Mark 1 is its official title. It is capable of measuring EMF, atmospheric and barometric pressure, light, time and even colour saturation!


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## mac1 (Sep 9, 2003)

Those invisibility suits in Metal Gear Solid were cool too.


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## dwndrgn (Sep 9, 2003)

107 TRICORDER Mark 1 is its official title. It is capable of measuring EMF, atmospheric and barometric pressure, light, time and even colour saturation! 

How cool is that?!  

Bye the way...What in the heck is colour saturation?


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## mac1 (Sep 10, 2003)

I haven't the foggiest either - LOL! My guess would be that its a flashy way of stating somethings colour as a degree of the 3 primary colours, in much the same way that a computer measures colour, but that's just a guess.


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 10, 2003)

Here's a product link...

http://www.stim.com/Stim-x/0996September/Sparky/tricorder.html

Something about that story smells fishy to me...a hoax?


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 24, 2003)

Back to gadgets -   -   - while in school one of the most eagerly awaited inventions was the TV watch. Oh, how we dreamed of a watch that would allow us to watch TV in class!

Decades later and I'm sure they were once erleased in Japan...but I've never noted them being marketed here.

Maybe I could still want one, for entirely nostalgic reasons. Especially if it could pick up satellite.


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## littlemissattitude (Oct 24, 2003)

Of all the tecnological gadgets that I've seen in literature or film, I think the one that fascinates me the most is the ansible - which appears in Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" and the other novels in that series. I don't think he invented the idea, but gives credit to another author for coming up with it first - unfortunately I can't think of the other author's name right now. I keep wanting to say Ursula LeGuin, but I don't know that she is the one.

Anyway, the ansible allows instantaneous communication across the universe without regard for the speed of light. This is an intriguing possibility.


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## dwndrgn (Oct 24, 2003)

How about the Babel Fish?  Wonderful idea - being able to communicate with anyone.  Not really a gadget, but if a gadget was invented we could call it the Babel Fish.  I do know that somewhere, someone uses that name for some sort of computer language translator or some such thing already.


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## Gnome (Oct 24, 2003)

dwndrgn said:
			
		

> How about the Babel Fish? Wonderful idea - being able to communicate with anyone. Not really a gadget, but if a gadget was invented we could call it the Babel Fish. I do know that somewhere, someone uses that name for some sort of computer language translator or some such thing already.


Then there's the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster - always wanted to feel like I had my brains dashed out with a brick.


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 25, 2003)

Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster? Used to serve those up in a nightclub in Hull called "Spiders". Basically, mix a lot of spirits together with a few other things and served in a pint glass  Not many people ever had two pints. Never realised the name came from Adams.


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## littlemissattitude (Oct 26, 2003)

I said:
			
		

> Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster? Used to serve those up in a nightclub in Hull called "Spiders". Basically, mix a lot of spirits together with a few other things and served in a pint glass Not many people ever had two pints. Never realised the name came from Adams.


Sounds like the punch at a party I went to in junior high.  Honestly.  I watched it being made.  I had the good sense, thank goodness, not to partake.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  As I recall, several people got violently ill.


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## Siverax (Apr 6, 2004)

Good afternoon fellow trekkers or trekkies, I am writing to determine if anyone has purchased a Tricorder Mark 1 TR-107 model unit that was for sale by Vital Electronics a canadian company that went bankrupt a few years back. I understand from my research that only 10,000 or so models were actually produced however they are no longer available anywhere, obviously. I am seeking to purchase one if any individual who has purchased one and still possesses all the parts and software that came with it including the instruction booklet and the unit is in pristine condition, still so possesses it and is willing to part with it. I would pay as high as $200 however it is negotiable. Please contact me if you have one or any other star trek memorbilia for sale. Thanks again, Jeff (347) 733-7254 or Siverax@hotmail.com or Dreamknighttrio@aol.com


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## Brian G Turner (Apr 7, 2004)

Hi *Siverax*, and welcome to the chronicles-network. 

I'm afraid I don't know what's happened to the Tricorder Mark 1 TR-107 - but good luck in your search.


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## Siverax (Apr 7, 2004)

hello Brian, thanks for replying, I understand that you do not know where I can find a Tricorder Mark 1 TR-107 however i am appreciative that you replied. I am also grateful to you for making me feel welcome to this service. I hope that we can talk and get to know one another. Anyway, what do you think is the best of the five series so far? Talk to you soon, also anyone else feel free to answer. Jeff


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Apr 7, 2004)

Hi, Siverax. Have you tried eBay?

We have a Star Trek section here in the Movies & TV forum where you could jump in and liven things up if you want! I've only seen the classic series, NG, and bits of Enteprise and Voyager...I guess my favourite would be the original series, followed closely by NG. VOyager just didn't appeal to me, but Enteprise looks like it may be fun!


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## spiroxlii (Jan 6, 2005)

[edit by I, Brian: spam removed]


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## The Master™ (Jan 6, 2005)

that looks like a TNG tricorder, not one from the original series..


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## ommigosh (Jan 7, 2005)

There must be loads and loads of really smart gadgets available in the worlds of science fiction.  Douglas Adams'  electronic book  in the HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy for  instance (or the Babel Fish or Infinite Imrobability Drive). 
 I always thought that Dr Who's sonic screwdriver which could open virtually any lock was pretty neat.
 And Iain M Banks' knife missiles are definitely worth swapping your penknife for.


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## The Master™ (Jan 7, 2005)

Hell, Science Fiction is packed to the roof with useful gadgets to mess up the universe with...

Somebody should do a list of them...


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## Neil040 (Jan 7, 2005)

I know the favourite gadget I desired above all else when I was an adolecent schoolboy... the x-ray specs!!!!  Boy did I fancy a pair of them!   well now it seems the damn us govt (and possibly the japs) have invented them but they have over engineered them and are pretending that they are big machines for 'inspecting' people (women) at airport security!  Yeah right!!  Hah!

Second to that... I agree with the star trek transporter please


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## The Master™ (Jan 7, 2005)

HAHAHA... Yeah, we all saw those x-ray specs on the backs of comics... And we never thought of using them on the ladies... *nervous cough*

If it was gonna be a transporter, then it would have to be the later versions... And a site-to-site transporter too!!!  Or the digital conveyor from Galaxy Quest... 

I always wanted a tricorder and a phaser... along with the artificial singularity power source used by the Romulans... And a cloaking device from the Romulans - works loads better than the Klingon version... 

There are other things too... The Tardis...  When I think of the rest, I'll let you know...


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## Princess Ivy (Jan 7, 2005)

a C3PO. and an R2D2. A time machine. A heart of gold (love the infinate improbability drive) and so many more to count.


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## Mark Robson (Jan 7, 2005)

Personally, I'd also like one of Douglas Adams' inventions.  A set of those specs that turn completely black at the first sign of danger.  I reckon I'd only last about 5 minutes on the M40, but hey, at least I wouldn't see the crash coming!


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## ommigosh (Jan 7, 2005)

Yes, that would be the old Peril Sensomatics.  Loved them too.


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## gadgetepoint.co.uk (Mar 5, 2008)

*Gadget Epoint’s Propaganda *
Propaganda brand products available at Gadget Epoint website

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While Propaganda’s retail stores are located in Thailand, one doesn’t need to venture to Southeast Asia to get a hand on their hot items. Gadget Epoint carries the brand, and UK residents can just head on over to Gadget Epoint UK and order online.

Cheesy Coasters (£4.99), like the name suggests, are durable plastic coasters that look like slices of cheese. Staying true to Propaganda’s design concept of utility, they can be used to catch drips and drops from mugs, cups, or glasses. Plus, they’re easy to clean, which is how coasters should be. 

Propaganda’s “innate sense of Thai playfulness” is evident in the Mr P One Man Cry Doorstop (£6.99), a rubber door wedge shaped like a man lying on his back. What’s quirky about this doorstop is that it will hold your door open by its crotch. Available in black, orange, and green.

The Mr P Lamp – One Man Shy (£43.99) is a perfect example of Propaganda’s sense of humor. It’s a lamp that looks like a naked little boy with a lampshade on his head. And guess where the switch is? This unique and hilarious lamp is available in blue, white, and green.

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###

*Contact:*
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* Gadget Epoint UK


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## gully_foyle (Mar 5, 2008)

One would like a spam zapper gadget. Not just a spam filter, but something that zaps it out of existence.


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## Xwing Mom (Mar 5, 2008)

I'l like a holodeck...imagine all the difference places and worlds I could visit...past and present!


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## Xwing Mom (Mar 6, 2008)

Hmmm... on second thought, maybe a stargate.  Just a teensy weensy one in my backyard.


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