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"But the problem with reincarnation is that it's hard to imagine what the storage medium for past lives would be. Not to mention the input-output device. I hesitate to rule it out completely, but I'd need pretty definite proof."
- Arthur C. Clarke
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| Visiphone | ||
| Visual as well as audio communication. |
As far as I know, this is the first use of this clever neologism, certainly as far as conventional science fiction in concerned.
| Beyond a doubt, he was greatly worried for, after muttering to himself a while, he turned to a visiphone which recorded
the image of the party at the other end.
"Section QG32, division KM2937," he called into the instrument. In a moment the face oŁ the official in charge of the indicated division appeared in a small disk mounted on top of the phone. "Mentel Prolack AD8C," said the Superintendent Inspector, "you will have a fast inspection flier ready for use at once with a crew of three. Include a Wexton ray machine." |
| Technovelgy from The Message From Space,
by David M. Speaker. Published by Amazing Stories in 1930 Additional resources -
|
This was a popular term; here it is used by 'Doc' Smith in Triplanetary (1934):
A slightly different spelling of this word was used earlier in a variety magazine, The Black Cat, in 1915; see the entry for Visaphone zoom call in a Harry Stephen Keeling short story John Jones's Dollar.
Then, as she sat upon a bench, recovering her strength, he flipped on the lifeboat's visiphone projector and shot its invisible beam up into the control room, where he saw space-armored figures furiously busy at the panels.
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'Space-sickness is one of the most unpleasant sensations that a human being can experience. Not all are subject to it...'
'...I saw a nice black heavy-looking cloud sailing by just now, and I can get the electrical machine out in five minutes to draw it down.'
'From a distance it could resolve the cosmic rays reflected from various substances.'
'The answer to the dumb student's prayer.'
'He had travelled the space-lanes of the solar system for the greater part of his life...'
'The dinner was excellent. It was completely vegetarian — grown in specially prepared gardens in this Moon base...'
'Telepaths had their sensitiveness enlarged to an immense range by the pin-sets, which were telepathic amplifiers adapted to the mammal mind.'
'It was a relief to enter one of the comfortable autos, whisper a direction down the tube, and just know that you would be taken to your destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest manner.'
'But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced...'
