Lmst

If you want prophetic, there's the '#minisec' from Arthur C. Clarke's 1975 novel _Imperial Earth_.

And of course #Orac from #Blakes7 in 1978.

Possibly only Kerr Avon truly twigged that all of the processing power was in the key and the big perspex box with the Christmas tree lights was a glorified base station with the PSU and speaker and simply camouflage for the most part.

https://mastodonapp.uk/@JdeBP/114587658010251638

Orac's key is now realizable as a #RaspberryPi with a 'modular' case from PiHut — I have one. It's the size and appearance of the BBC prop, connects to other computers wirelessly ('Tariel cells'), and has analogue audio output.

The popular #SciFi gadget that we don't have is the '#commlock' from #Space1999 in 1974. Unlike Orac, we have the technology to make full ones today. I suspect that they would go down a storm at SciFi conventions if someone set them up with a LAN, local videoconferencing, and electronic tickets/calendars.

https://mastodonapp.uk/@JdeBP/114590229374309238

Alright. So Orac's key from #Blakes7 exists now, in the real future, as a #RaspberryPi. One can buy it. From a shop.

But where's the Alphan commlock from #Space1999?

Heck, unlike the Orac key this could be done *for real*.

You could do it with a Pi Pico, one of those small breakout LCD displays, a USB miniature numeric keypad, Li-ion batteries for power, a USB-C base station for recharging, some sort of three-boxes case, a WiFi aerial out of the bottom, and some suitable IR control and video conferencing software.

Plus a belt hook.

Unlike an off-the-shelf mobile 'phone, you could even get the screen oriented the authentic Alphan way with close to the authentic Alphan aspect ratio.

And do it SIM-less.

Come on, Pi people! Let's see some Space 1999!

(-:

https://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umcomlock.html

#SciFi #commlock