This question was covered briefly months ago in another thread, but I can't find the damn thing. Anyway, the Item Attunement Table (p. 55, SM), lists "commlink" as one of the items, costing 10 karma. On p. 54, under Attunement (Item) (adepts Only), it says: "...provides a dice pool modifier to any skill tests involving use, control, or handling of the item equal to half the character's initiate grade (rounded up)...provides no bonus when the item is controlled through an electronic interface (be it digital, VR, AR, or DNI)..." Does this mean that a character could have a bonus when, for example, using a Browse program, but would NOT get a bonus when using the commlink to control a drone or vehicle?

Sounds like you'd get a bonus when bashing someone over the head with your commlink, but not when using it as a computer, just from the quotes.

That's what it seems like to me as well. But then why even bother to list the commlink? Unless it's just an error in the editing.

You can manipulate your commlink manually, without interfacing with it via DNI. In this case, having an Attuned commlink would give you a bonus to whatever you were trying to accomplish using that commlink. You will suffer from the lack of Direct Neural Interface though.

But you don't benefit if the interface is digital (a screen), AR, image linked(DNI), or VR, so it only works in turtle mode with all output being run to a printer? Well, I guess you could get a bonus for running diagnostics on your cyberware and stuff like that as long as you just read the results off a hardcopy.

The output can be digital (as in a screen or image link) so long as any actual interfacing on the adept's end is manual in nature. He has to spin that wheel or move that mouse or type that phrase or ...

You'd probably get the bonus for hardware tests to upgrade/repair your commlink.

Apologies for the thread necro... but it seems an apt question which isn't addressed yet here.

I see keyboards and mice mentioned. What about the red headed stepchild of interfacing w/ AR and commlinks. Gloves (generally seen as pointless when everyones using trodes or datajack DNI's which the attunement disallows).

Visualizing the adept going nuts on the commlink "Minority Report" style, gestating wildly. Not going to have anything in your hands while doing it that's for sure which is a bit of a drawback in a combat situation.

Eh, I'd say the ar gloves would work. Since you are still typing, moving your hands, etc. You just couldn't use trodes/datajack kind of setup.

I managed to answer my own question while reading Unwired.

Here's some help to all of you... page 58 under interface. It says what is included in a manual interface.

You have the basics of the keypad and simple controls (which take a simple action to use). However quote "If you want advanced features, however, you need to access their controls via augmented reality".

Then it lists the manual methods of accessing and interfacing w/ augmented reality (which is necessary to access the full functions of the device).
Quote: "Even without a neural interface, you can access augmented reality, but you have to use special equipment such as goggles or contacts w/ display link, earbuds, AR gloves, feedback clothing and so on (see augmented reality p209 SR4)"

Hope this is helpfull... it seemed kind of pointless to have the commlink in the attunement chart w/o a way to control the damned things .