General Tech and Gadgets

This page serves the purpose of referencing and educating those who may not be privy to the more common assets which various civilizations have grown accustom to in the world of advancement past the information age, and glass age of various cultures.

Devices

These are typical electronic pieces of equipment one should expect to see, encounter or use on a common basis.

SLAT

The SLAT is a universal currency within the White-Belt. It consists of two forms that can alternate freely between via its users, but in its entirety, it is a 'virtual' currency, or crypto-currency.

A Slat is a small, thin electronic device in the shape of a credit-card from the 20th century, that uses a encryption technology that is closely-guarded for securing crypto-currency upon its internal hardware and then exchanged to a establishment or individual. The cost of a slat is nil to produce, or sold, as their value is what is upon the device itself. They are mass produced to be exchanged, and the usual practice is for a person to carry multiple upon themselves and 'charged' when needed, or to preload certain amounts for quicker transactions. A stack of Slats are usually paired with a electronic communication device. Refer to 'PDA' below.

The function of the Slat is simple. Upon being inserted, the Slat is encrypted and paired to the user's credential account, where the device can be injected with a value, or withdraw from that value. The currency is then 'floating' as it is then put upon the Slat. It is then exchanged as a physical currency to the appropriate party. The other party can then withdraw from the loaded Slat as they see fit, and return it, or keep the device.

PDA (Personal Data Assistant)

The PDA, or E-Comm, Comms Device, Phone, Tablet, Data-Slate, or whatever slang a individual uses refers to the basic tool most denizens have on their person. A multi-function device with a screen used to store data, take video or photos, and a good number of other features, along with communicating with the Net. This is to retrieve information, send communication of various types, in a localized area, usually just upon the same planet or cluster of a planets with satellite bodies and moons.

A PDA can be bought or leased third-party from authorized vendors and manufacturers, but a fair bit of individuals feel the ones loaned by the banks which they establish accounts with work as expected. They are relatively cheap, but not free.

Technology

Net

The Net. This refers to the form of intercommunication and data networking of which individuals can access via the correct hardware and devices. There are various scales, which require certain technologies to work.

Interplanetary & Satellites: Relatively quick, if not instant transmission and reception within this vicinity. Servers, databases, proxies and the like to local services

Intersolar & Orbiting bodies: Two methods, via networking stations positioned between planets to bounce signals which take some time, but one can expect intermediate transfer and reception, save for a few seconds to a minute in delay, and low-tier entanglement communication meshing (SQECM). The latter is usually reserved for government bodies, corporations for data security and military assets.

Galactic: There are multiple methods of networking at this scale. One is the method of mass-caches bounced from system-relay stations, to Mass-Comm-Relay Stations placed between solar systems. Data is collected in a massive packet over the course of 2 to 4 weeks time-scale, and is then projected to other Mass-Comm-Relay Stations via quantum entanglement to disperse and sparse the correct data to other solar-system communication arrays. This is the most cost effective method for relatively quick handshakes between transmitters and receivers. A second method is 'Courier' systems that most freight-liner vessels come equipped with. It was far slower, and based upon trade routes. A ship's 'Courier' system matches its next destination with information and data that will needs to be deposited in or nearby to that system, is uploaded, and then dropped off when able. The third method, is quantum entanglement communication (QEC). This is mainly used by empires and large governing bodies and corporations for instantly matching stock-market results, postings, sell and buy listing, conducting management over the sector or territory, or military communications of various purposes. The access to this system is severely limited. The only caveat is the Emergency Communication Service (ECommS) that piggy-backs upon the QEC network in times of dire and catastrophic emergency, or a cataclysmic event has been witnessed.