Phones in Space?

[Homer Potvin]

In an advanced space-faring society, is there any reason not to call the communication devices that sit in characters' pockets or around their wrists "phones?" They had the "comm-link" in the first Star Wars movie and the "communicator" in Star Trek, but those were obviously developed long before cell phones or smart phones. I can't think of a reason to give it a fancy, unique name... or imagine how the future would weed out the term even if we invented trans-light travel tomorrow. The telephone aspect of our phone is like 1% of its functionality already, but we still call it a "phone."

 

[Madman Starryteller]

Well phone suggests mostly audio functions, even if they can do far more today. While one can call their communication/super wrist computer whatever they want in their story, basing the name on something as ancient as a regular phone might raise an eyebrow. Though it would depend on the reader...

Personally, I'd say give it some fancy cool name that fits what it can do. I still haven't named the wrist watch super computer phones in my universe. But I think I might just call them watches, or bracelet computers. Something simple. Or I might throw something together. Something like... Kroniko? I dunno.

 

[Homer Potvin]

some fancy cool name

That's the thing, though. Common household objects have simple, boring names and are constantly striving to get shorted. Like phone vs telephone, or TV vs television. In POV, there's nothing noteworthy about a communications device.

It might raise an eyebrow, though. Like you said. I'm just trying to imagine how the things in our pockets called phones will be ever be called anything else as the future unfolds. I'm probably over-thinking it, but I have a suicidal vigilance to stamping out sci-fi POV violations that probably doesn't always do me favors.

 

[Madman Starryteller]

Hmm yeah. So how could we simplify these devices' names?

Maybe just "com" or "tek" or "quantie" or... something.

I'm probably also over-thinking it. But I feel like what can immerse the reader more into the world is something that fits the story well as a portable do-all. There it is...

"Doall"

 

[Homer Potvin]

reader more into the world is something that fits the story well as a portable do-all.

I mean, we have those already.

 

[Trish]

Personally (as someone who doesn't write sci-fi so grain of salt, yada yada), I would simplify to something like "clip" or "ring" if worn, maybe something even more basic like "block" or "chip" if carried in the pocket. Reasoning being, we're talking about the future, right? They aren't commenting on how amazing this communication form is. It's BORING to them, mundane, every day. Things that are everyday boring get known colloquially by being reduced to their function in general as time wears on.

 

[Madman Starryteller]

I mean, we have those already.

Whops, I reread my whole sentence and it doesn't make much sense to me anymore.

I meant, what is more immersive for the reader, depending on the story, something called phone, or something more fitting to the story? Something like a "quantie" for a wrist-worn quantum computer?

 

[Homer Potvin]

who doesn't write sci-fi

I don't think I do either. I'm pitching everything as space-fiction moving forward I think. Current WIP is a space-adventure. Take the space out, and there's nothing science fiction-y about it.

 

[Trish]

I don't think I do either. I'm pitching everything as space-fiction moving forward I think. Current WIP is a space-adventure. Take the space out, and there's nothing science fiction-y about it.

That sounds like the kind of sci-fi I could actually write, lol. I don't want to have to learn quantum physics to write a story, lol.

 

[Madman Starryteller]

I don't think I do either. I'm pitching everything as space-fiction moving forward I think. Current WIP is a space-adventure. Take the space out, and there's nothing science fiction-y about it.

Me neither, I basically write space fantasy.

That sounds like the kind of sci-fi I could actually write, lol. I don't want to have to learn quantum physics to write a story, lol.

No worries, a lot of science fiction authors come without any expertise in science.

There are degrees to science fiction, there is your hard, soft, etc.

At the end of the day, though, how we publish will depend on the genres available, and which genre our story fits best. And in my case, even if I write soft science fiction that is basically a space fantasy, my stories likely fall best under the old "science fiction" umbrella.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

I think it depends on how well it fits with whatever you have around it. If the story is full of anachronisms, that's fine. Similarly, if the overall story is closely tied to 21stC life and tech, no problem. If it's far flung and the phone stands as a solitary reminder of today's lifestyle, there would need to be good reason for it that doesn't throw the reader right out of your world.

By your own criteria, you could call it a communications/coms unit that characters reference as CU. Not to be combined with the neuro transmitter, though, for maybe obvious reasons.

 

[ps102]

Maybe it's because the term "phone" sounds too much like the present. It is true that the smartphones of today are basically just portable ARM computers with a cellular modem to accommodate calls, texts and data communications (the Internet). You said that already but that's the more "technical" explanation.

In eighty years, I imagine that these portable computers will have evolved significantly both technologically and in form factor. Will we still call them phones? I really doubt it. The reason we call them this now is because we're in a bit of a transitory phase as a society. The companies that started to sell these had to call them phones because that's what society is familiar with. I seriously doubt that they'd sound as appealing if they marketed them for what they really are: "computer with a phone".

So, they chose to market them as phones with extra "smart" functionality because it not only sounds more familiar, the consumer probably also felt more justification in buying a phone and not another computer, which most people had by the time smartphones started gaining popularity. Calling them "phones" is probably just how society is coping, basically.

In the future, as technology advances and higher levels of technological literacy are achieved, we'll probably stop calling them phones altogether. The traditional telephone is outdated now and the PTSN is already being phased out.

All of this is just my opinion. I didn't do research or anything like that. But hey, creative writing is called creative for a reason, you can totally call them phones if you can make it work. Sky is the limit!

 

[Banespawn]

I think the form will have to change to get away from the term "phone."

A smart watch can substitute as a phone, but you wouldn't call it a phone.

In many sci-fi stories/movies, the characters have something they wear on their forearm. It may be part of their armor. In the future, we'll likely go away from handheld devices entirely. I think cybernetics will be much more of a thing.

We already have Neuralink putting chips in people's brains. Why couldn't we someday have implants that allow us to connect to 20G or whatever we have in the future? Both audio and video could be sent directly to our brain, bypassing our ears and eyes. We'll probably have artificial eyes that use the same cameras they use for autonomous driving, but 100 times better. Once we fully master the brain, there's no other part that we can't replace with machinery, and even the brain someday may be replaced. People could be stored and copied like computer files.

 

[Stuart Dren]

You could lean into the perceived anachronistic nature of the term by referring to them in full: telephone. It just means afar voice. Might be a nice contrast.

There's also the term 'mobile' which today is short for mobile telephone, but in the future could be short for mobile device. There are also PDAs, which merely stand for personal digital assistant.

If you want a divorce from utilitarian definitions, popular brands can determine common vernacular (Saran, X-acto). You can call it a LooLoo or a Yuckmuck if you want.

As a reader, it doesn't bother me what they're called. 'Phone' won't hurt my suspension of disbelief.

 

[Madman Starryteller]

One could also name them based on what they access, functions, etc. So, if it accesses a sort of internet, or super web, one could call them "webber" or something.

I think the form will have to change to get away from the term "phone."

A smart watch can substitute as a phone, but you wouldn't call it a phone.

In many sci-fi stories/movies, the characters have something they wear on their forearm. It may be part of their armor. In the future, we'll likely go away from handheld devices entirely. I think cybernetics will be much more of a thing.

We already have Neuralink putting chips in people's brains. Why couldn't we someday have implants that allow us to connect to 20G or whatever we have in the future? Both audio and video could be sent directly to our brain, bypassing our ears and eyes. We'll probably have artificial eyes that use the same cameras they use for autonomous driving, but 100 times better. Once we fully master the brain, there's no other part that we can't replace with machinery, and even the brain someday may be replaced. People could be stored and copied like computer files.

We need a dystopia thread! This is nightmare fuel.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I think I wrote "phone" seven or eight times in the scene today. Now I can't stand it, so I swapped in "comm." It's not terribly important in the macro sense, but in this particular scene there are 6 characters split up at a critical moment and not all of them can get in touch with each other. The mechanics involved have shone a disproportionate light on the devices in question.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm - the name of the device doesn't seem to matter that much if you use the term to the point where you can't stand it.

Here's another point to consider: is there air (or another material medium) in your setting? Sound can't exist or travel in a vacuum.

 

[Homer Potvin]

because they dictate climate and weather patterns.

Hmm - the name of the device doesn't seem to matter that much if you use the term to the point where you can't stand it.

Here's another point to consider: is there air (or another material medium) in your setting? Sound can't exist or travel in a vacuum.

No, but the electromagnetic signal that carries a voice can.