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The influence of Star Trek on tech
Mary Chieffo stars as L’Rell (left) and Chris Obi is T’Kuvma in Star Trek: Discovery. (Image: Jan Thijs/CBS Interactive)
What kind of tech will Star Trek: Discovery feature?
Star Trek: Discovery takes place in the 2250s. To put that in perspective (barring any changes to the official Star Trek timeline) the USS Enterprise has already been in service for several years — it launched in 2245 under the command of Captain Robert April.
Read also: Photos: A glimpse of the iconic scenes and gadgets of Star Trek (TechRepublic)
With that in mind, the technology featured in Discovery will look pretty familiar. Tricorders look very similar to those from the original series, as do phasers and communicators.
Where some of the big differences come in is the series’ two ships: The Shenzhou and the Discovery. The feel of both ships is very different — the Shenzhou is clearly an older vessel that straddles the line between the NX Enterprise and USS Enterprise eras, while the Discovery is sleek, shiny, and new, both inside and out.
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How can I watch Star Trek: Discovery?
You can watch Star Trek: Discovery on CBS All Access starting on September 24th. CBS will also be airing the first episode on TV at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, but the time may vary since it’s following football and 60 Minutes.
Only the first episode will be aired on TV and available online for free. The second half of the premiere, and all episodes thereafter, require an All Access subscription.
International viewers in 188 countries will be able to watch Discovery on Netflix. In Canada, the series will be on Bell Media’s Space channel and OTT service CraveTV.
Read also: How we learned to talk to computers, and how they learned to answer back (PDF download) (TechRepublic)
So, what part of Discovery are you most excited for? Is it filling in the gaps of the Federation-Klingon war? Is it the possibility of encountering younger versions of original series characters — maybe a young Kirk, or seeing the Enterprise under the command of Captain April?
There’s a lot to look forward to in the latest Star Trek series. Here’s to it boldly going where no series has gone before — and for many seasons to come.
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