Is There Life on Mars?

06-19-2310

I don’t know exactly why I do, but for some reason: I just need a COG.

I wasn’t all that dissatisfied with owning a texti. It’s not like I desired more customizable features or apps, or desperately needed a touch screen, or even lusted for a comm that was any more intelligent than the one I already had. Its not even like I want to upgrade, my texti is just broken and I’m getting tired of undoing rubber bands to answer a call. If it wasn’t for a few hardware malfunctions I wouldn’t even be considering getting a new gizmo. Really, I should be content to just get another sturdy little device with a full keyboard, and not have to explore any of the other—more expensive—forms of personal communication.

But instead of being fulfilled by the idea of owning a gadget similar to ones I’ve had for the past half decade, I’m thinking of taking full advantage of this upgrade. But that doesn’t mean I’m not just taking the next step and purchasing a touchi to satisfy my needs, oh no. I’m going straight to the pinnacle of communication devices:The COG.

Well, technically there are other, much more complex gadgets and machines that handle personal communication more efficiently, but those perform many more duties than even the most deluxe smartcomm—and cost a lot more—so they’re classified differently. Examples would be portable and ultra-portable workstations, PDAs, slates and pocket droids; but I’m sure I’ll be discussing things like these some other time.

No, I don’t think I can afford a machine so intelligent that it knows how to charge itself or contact emergency services automatically if something happened to me; nor would I need a clunky datebook with a comm attached to a modular bay. But I do need a handheld device that projects a semi-three-dimensional laser holograph screen upon the thin of air. I know, that’s so 2307, but it’s taken this long for that ability to become affordable to someone like me. This might be one the most technologically advanced time’s our race has ever seen, but only to those who have enough credits to be riding the cutting edge. I’m just catching a little wave here, it’s not like I’m going to go on a full tech-overhaul here. Only the bits I’ve needed to replace.

Not to mention, they’re rushing the release of the AM-4G series to compete with the number of droids that have become available just over the past few months. It will have even more advanced imaging hardware and this and that, and it all seems really impressive, but most important for me is how its availability drives down the prices on the other AM products I’ve secretly wished to possess since their release.

I’ve always been a sucker for cosmo new things though, usually with no real practical function aside from their aesthetic novelty. I’ve always enjoyed owning something that looked edgy or unique, and strived to make sure what I did buy was a little different than everyone else’s because I believed was in some way superior to the trendy model. Maybe getting myself an AM-3G three years too late is just unique enough. No one will still have them around here, I’m sure, though I guess I’d fit right in on the Moon or Uranus, or wherever those things are just coming into style for the first time. On Mars I’ll always look retro.

I don’t mind having the third or even forth best method of personal communication at my disposal. Gork, I didn’t mind having the 6th or 7th best, but they’ve made it inconvenient and bizarrely more expensive to get a texti or touchi; they seem to be pushing the ones that require higher data packages. Probably since the company makes more credits in the month-to-month than the price of the disposable product and they know it. Upgrading to the least expensive but relatively-advanced communication device appears to be the cheapest option I can go with, and I definitely don’t mind if that means I’m going to be using something as astro as a COG from now on.

Although having a Droid might be nice, too… Gork, look at the Droids they have on sale!

PREV: CH. 60 «Planned Obsolescence»

NEXT: CH. 62 «The Pocket-Bot»