On: Show HN: Mantaphrase, an app that lets you convers...

[noonespecial]

Nice. The "universal translator" is the 'Trek thing' I'm looking forward to getting next. Seems like the race is on between the replicator and the translator.

[jackpirate → noonespecial]

I'm not super optimistic about either, but 3d printing is nothing even remotely like replicating. We haven't even started on that problem.

[noonespecial → jackpirate]

Radio telephones were invented in the 40's. Even in the late 80's cell phones were nothing like communicators.

Now, in most places on earth, I can tap my phone and say a name and get the person on the line.

I am very optimistic. I'm tired of the dystopian naysaying that seems to be so popular these days. The future is full of win.

[devilshaircut → noonespecial]

I think he means that they are two fundamentally different devices. 1980s cell phones still do voice communication. A replicator, unlike a 3-D printer does not simply reproduce a shape. It also reproduces the constituent matter.

[noonespecial → devilshaircut]

My cell phone doesn't call starships in orbit via 'subspace' radio either. With the hairs and the splitting.

[MattRix → noonespecial]

Check out iTranslate on iOS if you haven't seen it. Voice-to-voice translation between dozens of languages.