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Star Trek has a long history of introducing new technology.

TOS & TNG introduced us with new technologies, who got adopted like the communicator as mobile phone. When watching Star Trek (2009) I noticed the computers and consoles have been changed drastically.

However, I didn't notice anything special or new. Of course there was this fancy transparent screen, but we know them at least since Stargate and they are semi reality (Microsoft Surface exists, transparent screens exist).

Which technologies and devices were introduced into the Star Trek universe through this movie? Is there any new tech prediction?

Clarification:
I am looking for those unexplained gadgets used by the redskirts.
Explanations for what they could be would be interesting too.
Since I found at one example (which I don't know the real purpose of) I think there has to be more. Thoughts on their purpose give extra points :)

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    Not really, this movie was made to be a fun action romp, not to explore rational science.
    – DampeS8N
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 12:47
  • I know, and I didn't like that. But since we're here to dicuss and explore sci-fi I'm curious about the details I didn't see.
    – Samuel Herzog
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 13:17
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    Well, it's kind of iffy whether communicators really introduced the idea. There were radio phones in the 1920s, and car phones in the 40s. Martin Cooper, who helped develop some of the modern cellular technologies was inspired by Star Trek (TOS), but he was also drawing on this earlier technology.
    – Martha F.
    Commented Jan 16, 2011 at 17:42
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    "I am looking for those unexplained gadgets used by the redskirts." Red "shirts".
    – Paul D. Waite
    Commented Mar 25, 2013 at 10:55

3 Answers 3

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I noticed the hover bike in the scene where the police chases young Kirk. While the concept of hover bike itself is not new, I believe it is new to the Star Trek universe.

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    all those hover things are far too common. I can remember some TNG episodes featuring wheeled cars. Hover cars and bikes didn't exist I think. +1
    – Samuel Herzog
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 21:42
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    The movies used hovering carts (for cargo and equipment), The Motion Picture in particular.
    – Goodbye Stack Exchange
    Commented Jan 25, 2011 at 5:44
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    Harry Kim makes reference to a hover car (or more specifically asks if a truck is an early form of hover car) in The 37's. I presume they were something that came and went pre-TNG/DS9/VOY times.
    – smalltown2k
    Commented Dec 5, 2012 at 17:57
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None, the movie was built in an almost Fantasy setting compared to how technical Star Trek can be in some episodes.

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    A good one. Did anyone else notice that Romulans looked a little Orcish? :)
    – Goran Jovic
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 14:20
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    Although, to be completely honest, in the original Star Trek, Vulcans are quite Elfish.
    – Goran Jovic
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 14:21
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    You are obviously a speaker of truths
    – Mark Rogers
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 14:28
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    there you go questioning yourself if Star Trek is really sci-fi and not fantasy :D
    – Samuel Herzog
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 17:27
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I believe the capability of being able to transport onto a ship moving at high warp was a new technology, or at the very least before its time.

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