Video;

[truthdecided]

[Today, Akechi presents a rather peculiar object to the Pearls: a smartphone, circa 2016. Certainly state of the art, by Bottlecap Bay standards, but more importantly is the music playing from its speakers.

Soothing, smooth jazz... How he's missed it.]

I'm not entirely sure how, but it seems I've been reunited with one of my belongings from home.

[He shuffles around the phone, brushing off some glitter.]

It took some doing to operate it in my current state, and I'm not certain how I'll keep it charged. If any electric types wish to volunteer their services, I would greatly appreciate it.

In turn, it may be possible to use my phone to better record data and take photographs on missions. I will have to be careful with it, of course. It may have a shockproof case and screen protector, but it is hardly invincible.

Still... If anyone else received technology, perhaps we can pool resources. This has a great deal of potential.

Comments

[truthdecided]

Indeed. Texts are similar to emails, albeit sent via a person's phone number rather than an email address. In both cases, messages are sent electronically and near instantly.

[Perhaps that will clarify things a bit. Though, that begs the question of what Bigby's base technology level was before...]

[wolfcut]

[ Bigby's personal base technology level? Bad, even for the eighties. ]

So the exact opposite of a fax. [ He hates sending those too, for what it's worth. ] Then what machine do you use for emails?

[truthdecided]

Well, those with computers may favor their laptop or desktop devices, but you can send emails on a mobile phone as well. It simply requires the internet.

[Which... well, obviously, isn't as feasible here, for a multitude of reasons.]

[wolfcut]

Oh. Those. [ He's definitely heard of computers, but the longer he can go without actually interacting with one, the better. ] Thought they'd be a fad.

[ The disdain in his voice is noticeable. Also, he's still not touching whatever this internet is. It just sounds like a rabbit hole he does not want to go down. ]

[truthdecided]

Oh, no. They've become a staple of everyday life. Computers, video games, mobile phones... The internet. You are expected to keep up with the times in order to succeed in the new millennium.

[There's a hint of amusement in his voice, though it's not as barbed or as smug as it could be.]

[wolfcut]

[ You're killing him, Akechi. ]

... Video games too?

[ Slightly less offensive, because even a literal child knows how to move a joystick, but why does he suddenly feel so sick to his stomach. All this because people can't be bothered to use a damn a phone as a phone? ]

Okay, fine. I'll bite. What the hell is the internet.

[truthdecided]

[Hmm... How to put this....]

The internet is a vast connection of networks that allow people from all over the world to connect via their computers, phones, or video game consoles and interact with one another. It contains what we call "the world wide web," full of various web sites that contain everything from articles to streaming video and even personal blogs, where one can write about any topic they so desire.

There are wider forums and message boards for people to communicate over a shared interest, share photographs, artwork, and more, and one may even find platforms dedicated to sharing music. In short, it's a little bit of everything and has rapidly integrated itself into the day to day lives of people the world over.

[wolfcut]

[ There's the equivalent of a dial tone happening in his brain right now. He is so completely checked out of this conversation. ]

You're just proving my point that phone calls are easier. We don't need all that.

[ Why is any of that necessary. Who let this happen. How can he avoid ever having to deal with this in the future. ]

[truthdecided]

Phone calls are fleeting. The internet allows communications to remain archived. Likewise with information, resources, images, video...

[There are benefits, in his eyes. It's worth the complications.]

[wolfcut]

Sure, but so does a tape recorder. Or hell, a pen and paper. Archives existed fine without any internet.

[truthdecided]

A tape recorder doesn't provide the visual feedback of a webpage, which can store articles, archived images, and video and sound. And it's not as though other forms of archival have ceased to exist.

[Really, they aren't mutually exclusive.]

However, the internet provides more accessible archives.

[wolfcut]

Not what I meant. I know video recordings and... article storage already exists.

[ Microfilm. He's thinking of microfilm. ]

I'm saying people are complicating already solved problems. Mixing actual archives with chit-chats and pictures sounds like a real hell of a mess.

[truthdecided]

Perhaps it's merely the generational gap between us that makes it all rather mundane to me. I was born in the late 90's, so the internet was already growing steadily more integrated into everyday life.

[Still, he chuckles at the prospect of early internet.]

Though, thankfully, dialup is largely a thing of the past. In the early days, one had to either get a secondary phone line or sacrifice their ability to make calls while they surfed the web.

[wolfcut]

Yeah? [ He scoffs. ] Well, I'm ancient, so make that more than a few gaps between us.

[ Joking. Obviously. Maybe. ]

Good thing I'm not planning to waste my time on any of that when it eventually happens.

[truthdecided]

No one is obligated to, though you may find yourself pressured to adapt with the times, depending on your career.

[Who is he to say, really? It's not as though he knows that much about Bigby.]

Obviously, that's hardly an issue here.

[wolfcut]

[ Would it actually make his life easier as a sheriff, or just infinitely more frustrating? He's definitely leaning towards the latter. ]

I can manage fine without it, and if I can't, I'll have my librarian do it. [ Then again, putting the drunk flying monkey on the world wide web does not sound like a good idea either. Ugh. ] ... Whenever we're out of here, that is.