Since the film was released, it is the field of telecommunications which has seen the greatest level of technological advance, as reflected in the development of mobile phones and the internet. So what is the state of affairs in 2015?
In 2015 the mobile phones we know today would seem to have disappeared altogether. One option for people in the future is to communicate using a special pair of glasses with an integrated microphone and headset. Doc is seen wearing such a pair at the start of episode 2. The actual lenses themselves are large and can display textual or visual information that can be viewed by the user.
At Hilldale, sat at the dinner table, Marlene McFly (daughter of Marty Sr) wears these glasses, allowing her to communicate with a friend. Marty Jr also has a pair. When someone calls the house, it is the glasses that ring. The children wearing them know immediately that it's a call from Needles, a work colleague of Marty Sr.
The future officers of the law communicate using a device worn on the wrist. One of the two officers who find Jennifer is seen using this particular contraption.
Finally, in the future, bionic implants have also been developed. One need only look at Griff Tannen to appreciate the scope of future technologies in this field. Clearly the implication is that all necessary tools for communication can eventually be implanted into a person.
It's reassuring to know that phone boxes still exist in the future. When Doc spots Marty Jr before they meet, we can see the latter walking towards a phone booth on the pavement, which he uses.
"I'll take it in the den", says Marty Sr when Needles calls. The den is the room where is hung the giant screen. The screen is capable of displaying 6 channels at once out of at least 247 (number 247 is the Weather Channel). The channels themselves, at least those chosen by Marty Jr, seem hoplessly dull without exception. The only educational choice is the Art Channel which broadcasts (rather garish) reproductions of 19th century paintings. Above, for example, is the "Bal du Moulin de la Galette" by Auguste Renoir (1876, Musee D'Orsay).
Superimposed on the picture is the "INCOMING CALL" message, obviously flashing to indicate a waiting call. It follows that the screen has a video conferencing facility. When Marty stands in front of it, the image shrinks then vanishes. Needles' face then appears as if one was stood in front of him.
|
One would have thought that fax machines were to become obsolete in the future. Not so! In the future, it would seem the Fax machine is still used often. It allows information to be sent to all parts of the house, where print-outs are obtained from special machines. This way, the entire family is soon aware that Marty has been fired, even if he pretends that it was just a joke.
|
|
"Come on, just stick your card in the slot."
Not wishing to be seen as a chicken at work, Marty agrees to Needles' suggestion and places his card in the scanner. Sadly, his boss Fujitsu Ito was monitoring the scan Marty just interfaced. The result : Marty Mcfly is terminated !
