So, a big 'ol cyberdeck can be pretty obvious, and certainly not everyone can or wants to be otaku. There's the cyberlimb deck, but if you're having trouble smuggling a cyberdeck somewhere, chances are the limb is going to give you similar trouble. And not everyone wants to devote the essence into a cranial deck, which still shows up on cyberware scanners. So what about this?:
Build a cranial cyberdeck. Don't implant it. Put it in a pocket secretary case, or something PDA sized. Yes, it's more expensive to use cranial parts, but look how tiny! Use a name brand pocket secretary case & screen. There's no reason a cyberdeck can't run the software that a cheap pocket secretary does, so it could emulate one to any casual inspection. It scans as a computer. Yep, that's what everyone was expecting.
Any thoughts?

Neat idea. Although not specifically stated in the description of cranial decks, I would think that there is some portion of the functioning of the deck which is intrinsically tied in to the implanatation process (power, processing, etc.). I don't think cranial decks are simply miniaturized regular cyberdecks. Anyhow, that's what I would say to a player who wanted to try this in one of my games.

If you use a pure DNI connection which bypasses the need for an integrated keyboard, you could have the outer shell resemble anything - an onconspicious piece of office equipment, for example.

Think of it as a glorified PDA - which can then be hooked up to an external keyboard and/or monitor.

So yes, it's entirely possible.

-Siege

Or a related strategy, use a full sized cyberdeck case with only 10% of it filled with cranial parts, and put SOMETHING in the other 90%. Something evil.

you would need several interface parts made special but it could be done. I would say the custom modifications would probably be comparable in price to implantation.

Edward

one thing the original post is forgetting is that neitehr a cyberdeck nor a cyberlimb can be spotted as illegal just by looking at them. how can one tell if a computer contains illegal chips or software without booting it up and doing a diagnostic? and do you belive that lone star have the capasity to run diagnostics on ever cyberterm they see on the street? and whats stoping someone from putting the whole thing in a backpack?

as for cyberlimbs, you need a scanner to atleast have an idea whats in that limb, and are you going to stop every person that walks past you with a cyberlimb?

now if said person is found in a place where he is not supposed to be and cant realy explain why he is there then one starts to investigate. but then a paranoid security force would go over every gadget in your posession...

cute idea anyways, it makes the deck become more like the stuff from cyberpunk2020 and gibsons writeings...

What about a deck broken down in small parts that could be woven into a long coat

The program carriers were basically nuts-and-bolts decker tools that would fit what you're trying to do.

Of course, you're as likely to get scrambled like an egg in any serious battle, but it has potential.

-Siege

How bout just changing the casing so it looks like something else? A briefcase, a toy, plush bear, etc.

<has flashback of the Dolls from Brainscan>

But a heavily modified cyberlimb has low concealability, and that leads to questions. A cyberdeck in one will show up on a cyberware scanner. A teddy bear that beeps in a metal detector or a cyberware scanner leads to questions. A cyberdeck, while not necessarily illegal at first inspection, can lead to questions. Someone can even open it up, turn it on, check your datebook, and the pocket secretary shell program that you've written will make it behave in all ways like a pocket secretary to anyone who doesn't know the secret backdoor, even through the datajack. The only way to tell is with a really good scanner, or to crack the thing open. Either way, if they're THAT suspicious of you, you've already made other mistakes.

Depending on the rating of the scanner and how many successes it got, I would think that the PDA idea (or some other electronic device) would get through even a cyberware scanner that scans for the purpose of electronic devices.
1 success: Something is there. Yup, there's circuitry in that PDA.
2 successes: Something is definitely there, suspect it's nature. Yup, there's probably a computer in that PDA.
3 successes: Knows it's nature. Yes, definitely a computer.
4 successes: Hey, there's a little TOO much computer in that PDA. (activate diversion)

It's the same theory as lying well. You want to include as much of the truth as possible. Therefore, disguise a computer as a computer.

My idea was that this is something that could be carried and even if searched, would not even cause suspicion. It could be carried into a corp facility through the front door and probably sneak past most scanners. You certainly pay a premium for it, but sometimes it's worth it.

Yeah, my posts about "PocketDecks" were back in May of this year. The thread was, "Quick Deck Construction Question."

This was my thought process at the time:

Strip it down and replace a pocket secretary shell with the guts of a mini-deck.

-Siege

eh, i dunno about that. i'd require 2-3 successes, if not more, on an Electronics Background knowledge test, before i allowed Joe Security guard to realize that someone's pocsec had extra parts installed.

Hey, Siege, what are these "Program Carriers" I've been hearing about now and then?

It looked like a geek's version of wolvers.

Three prongs located in the back of the decker's hand were used to jack into a data point. The three prongs carried the basic persona chips necessary for a decker to run the Matrix "naked".

Any data swiped had to be stored on internal memory and the decker had no armor defense, so any damage done by IC went directly to the character.

I'd have to dig out the 1st edition book to find the specific rules, but that's it in a nutshell.

-Siege

A Musician and Decker who builds his Cyberdeck into his Cyber Axe(Guitar). It's pure DNI, but the casing can look like anything. If he a protege he could play music to inplace of a key board.


A key board of a different sort. A Sim Sense Production/Recording deck.

Cheers

QM

EDIT: LOL, my bad.

Program carriers, from memory where a first edition piece of cyberware that slotted your persona programs straight into the system you're trying to deck.

You used willpower as MPCP maybe, or maybe as Bod (as there were only three prongs) and you had to program all utilities on the fly using hacking pool dice (2 pool dice per rating point), and use headware memory as storeage.

They even made an appearance in the opening fiction and cover illustration, but they were never terribly well thought out, and the reasons for using them were always pretty contrived. Interesting germ of an idea never carried to fruition. Once headware decks were introduced it became a bit of a moot point.

Remember one important thing. You can't upgrade the thing in your home shop. A c2 deck is effectively hardwired so just because its not in your head, a micro deck doesn't change very well. Plus, you have to have full size periphrials, ports and FUPS which don't come standard in a C2 deck. What you gain in concealability you lose in adaptability.

Or figure the concealable doo-hickey up to a download point for easy access to the data on a larger machine better capable of handling the necessary operations.

Let's face it, a PDA is quite capable of hot-synching to a larger system.

-Siege

If it wasn’t for the surprisingly low cost of C^2 decks I would say apply the improved compellability mod you will find in SR3 p291. I would estimate a cyber deck’s conceal ability at 2 (I cant find reference). By this rule one hidden in a pocket secretary would cost *1.5 for the size probably twice the price having it hidden behind the pocket secretary interface. remember the box you want to put it in is only conceal 3.

This would make it more expensive than a C^2 version but it would be upgradeable. You would use some parts intended for c^2 some from a pocket secretary some from standard decks and some custom made for the purpose.

Edward