Commlinks, Hype or Not ?? Options

[Synner667]

Hi,

Just back from a few days away, and re-reading my SR v4 rulebook..
..Specifically [for the moment] about wireless networks [cross-pollinating the SR info with CyberGeneration info, and some other stuff].


Rereading the stuff about Commlinks, I'm not sure that I see everyone having one..

Base cost is 300¥ [CMT Clip] to actually interact with the world, added is the cost of a display [¥25, Image Link sunglasses] to be able to usefully see the interactive world, and gloves to be able to press virtual buttons [¥250, AR Gloves]..
..So about ¥575 to be able to interact with the virtual world.

The example in the rulebook must be someone with implanted cameras and some sort of realtime optical recognition software, else how would their system be able to put text boxes in the right places [I wonder what the costs are] ??


I earn about £25k/year [about $50k, I think], but I'm not sure I'd want to spend nearly £600 for a portable computer too often.

For many people, not in reasonably wellpaid jobs, would there be a big uptake on them ??
I can't imagine droves of low income people buying them, when they might struggle for rent or food or day-to-day things.


How much coverage would there really be, to cater for the general population [obviously, wealthy people would have nicely infrastructured areas to support wireless networks] ??
Knowing how tech companies are in the realworld, I'm not sure I can see the 2070 ones having installed a huge number of wireless hotspots within 6 years - especially when there were so many repercussions from the 2064 Matrix Crash.


In fact, the Commlink doesn't appear to be anything more than a very powerful wireless smartphone or ultraportable computer [circa a little ahead of now]. with some sophisticated spatial software and the associated hardware.
I don't want to seem a killjoy, but are widespread wireless networking and powerful portable computers really so amazing [the current tech world expect have both of those within the next 10 years] ??

Or is it the interactivity that's the wonderful thing ??
Tho, considering brain-to-machine interfaces will have been around in SR for a while now, I can't see it as being anything amazing.


Do we know anything about the infrastructure for the wireless networks ??