1) When creating characters, I know that your gear is limited by 12 availability - but what about if an item is restricted or forbidden? Can starting characters take those items? Is it common to have a houserule that bars them, or perhaps limits them? (as in, you may have 1 "F" item at char gen, for example).

2) Commlink Question A: I'm not entirely sure I get these. How does one 'navigate' through the various menus? Even while shopping, for example? I know that the user sees images, but how do they manipulate them? I remember a small part in SR4A that mentions a scroll-wheel on the commlink itself? *Really?* I would think that there would have been advances in 70 odd years - looking something like in Minority Report when he uses his hands to select/move/etc.

3) Commlink Question B: When you're having a conversation with someone, can the people around you hear what you're saying? Obviously, I would think that the person on the other end is for your ears only, right. Also, is subvocalization technology used to respond? Is it that good in 2073?

Thanks for your answers, folks!

1) Nope. The R and F only matter during game play. The only restriction that matters in character creation is the number.

2) You've got your choice. If you're using an AR glove, you'd be doing the handwaving thing. If you're using a trode net, or any other direct neural interface, you're manipulate it through mental commands. If you're using the physical interface on the outside of your commlink, you'll be pushing buttons and whatnot.

3) With a trodenet, skin link, or any sort of hardwired Direct Neural Interface (like a datajack), there's no sound involved at all. You think it, the commlink translates thought into text or speech and broadcasts it. For subvocalisation, I'd imagine someone with really, really good hearing who's really really close could pick up what you're saying, but that'd be about it.

Note that R items need a license to carry and F are not allowed at all, from a legal perspective. So, while the number is all you care about to say whether its allowed in chargen or not, the R normally gets players buying fake licenses and the F normally has them only carry them on runs, not during day-to-day errands.

1) You can start with F or R items, as long as the availability is 12 or lower (or 20 or lower if you take the Restricted Gear quality from RC). The limiting factor is getting caught with illegal goods. Make sure to take fake licenses for R goods.

2) You can manipulate the comlink manually using interfaces on the link itself (like wheels or buttons), by using AR interactives like gloves, or by DNI links (intrusively with implanted datalinks or non-intrusively with various trode devices). All assuming you are not just going full VR using a SimLink, but are instead walking around normally. See Unwired p. 58 for more on PAN Topology and Interface.

3) They can hear you unless you are using DNI for the conversation, or are using a subvoc mike in which case they have a penalty to hear you. I don't think RAW states whether they can hear what is being said to you, but they probably can, using various devices to improve their Perception (Hearing) tests if they are speaking out loud through your receiver. Might be a high threshold, especially with an earbud.