History Main / CommLinks

* ''Film/CommandoCodySkyMarshalOfTheUniverse'' (1953 FilmSerial). Commando Cody and his assistants wear an insignia badge that's actually a disguised radio, which comes in handy when they are captured and want to secretly let the others know what's going on.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' had cell phone-like devices which from ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration The Next Generation]]'' onwards were built into the Starfleet badges. In "How Creator/WilliamShatner Changed the World", Motorola chief engineer and inventor of the cell phone Martin Cooper states that he invented the cell phone because he wanted a [[{{Defictionalization}} real-life Star Trek communicator]]. ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'' reveals that combadges were already in use in the 23rd century, but were restricted to Section 31. By the 32nd century, combadges are, basically, the smartphones of the future, since they combine communication, tricorder, PADD, and transporter functionality, all in a tiny badge form, by projecting interactive holoscreens in front of the wearer.

* Mobile phones are actually older than you might think they are -- the first commercially-marketed one was made available in ''1946''. It was hardly portable in the handheld sense, though, as it was designed as a car phone. The first device we might recognize as a cell phone was created by 1973 by Motorola, though it was still very bulky by modern standards, weighing in at a little over 2 pounds.
** The ''idea'' of a handheld, video-capable personal phone existed as early as 1956, and Bell Labs even had [[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710051006/http://blog.modernmechanix.com/your-telephone-of-tomorrow/ a mockup]] to show off. The ''technology'' to actually make it happen was what took so long.

* In ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', the first Maiden hands over the Comfork, a crystal tuning fork. Later, the Comfork begins to ring and Link sees an image of his friends back in Kakariko. At first, Sahasrahla disregards Link's voice as having been his imagination, the others eventually realize that the Comfork allows them to speak with Link even though they are on opposite worlds.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' features communicators in the form of ''grass''.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' also has a variation, the whisperweed functions as a communicator once.
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', there is a questline where you use communicators to talk to Brann Bronzebeard (at least on the horde side, where normal communication would be difficult to say the least).

* In the ''Franchise/{{Hitman}}'' series, 47 is usually seen with a laptop or [[BurnerPhones Burner Phone]]; it's only when ''Absolution'' was released when the ICA moved over to a comms-based system, where 47, and other agents, have a visible earpiece. The ''VideoGame/WorldOfAssassinationTrilogy'' has no visible earpiece, but it does imply it, given 47 can hold conversations with Diana mid-mission, meaning it's hidden in 47's ear canal. On a related note, the mission in Hawkes Bay goes one further and has Diana explicitly say she can see the bodies 47's looking at, implying 47's wetsuit has a spycam on his chest somewhere.
* The codec system in ''VideoGame/MetalGear'', which was so advanced there was no external component, only a system of nanites.
** HandWaved frequently throughout the series. The codec is super advanced, apparently: it uses an extremely small cochlear implant to directly stimulate the bones in the ear that are responsible for hearing. It can't be jammed, ever, as long as burst transmission is used (this is actually pretty close to reality), though local transmission can have troubles. The nanites in the body turn the entire human physiological system into a radio antenna for communication...the list goes on.
*** Although at no point is it explained how you're viewing the video feed being transmitted to your inner ear, or how it's more secure to talk to someone a few feet away from you using codec (see ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'') than just face-to-face. I guess it's just [[AWizardDidIt magic]].
* The team in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series has ear-bead communication systems with enough range to contact a starship in orbit.
** There's probably a system (possibly an advanced communication suite) built into the hardsuits that the team wear. Supported by the fact that they always seem to put their hand to their ear, and even talk into their elbow a little when they're communicating with the ship.

* In ''VideoGame/MaxPayne2'', Max and Mona keep in touch via seeming indestructible (and undetectable, since Mona's doesn't get taken when she gets ''arrested'') CommLinks throughout most of the game.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' has Linkshells and Linkpearls that allow communication across continents, dimensions, and time itself. It's a game mechanic, as well, but at least one that's explained. They're also used in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV''.

* The various ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Legend of Zelda]]'' games solve this in different ways. Many games it's just plain ol telepathy that lets Princess Zelda talk to Link. ''Wind Waker'' had the Pirate's Charm, which initially allowed Tetra, and later the King of Red Lions, to talk to Link.

* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' and ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'' have RIG transmissions, both video and audio, that work reliably in adverse conditions and only fail for plot reasons.
* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'': Used by all Terran units (along with plot-driven static in Brood War). One of the Goliath's lines is even "Commlink online". Merges with SubspaceAnsible when entire news networks are able to simulatneously broadcast across multiple planets in multiple star systems.

* In ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager'', the TechnologyMarchesOn aspect of the communicator is explained by spacers preferring the '[[BoringButPractical bare bones]]' model: a voice-only unit with the strength to transmit a signal to an orbiting rocketship, without the AwesomeButImpractical VideoPhone and other gadgets used by civilians on Earth. They also have chin switch-activated radios in their {{Fishbowl Helmet}}s.

* ''Series/{{UFO}}'': In the episode "Computer Affair", when a team of SHADO troops is sent in on foot to attack a UFO, the leader communicates with his superiors with a "wrist radio" version, complete with extendable antenna.

* In the Franchise/{{Hitman}} series, 47 is usually seen with a laptop or [[BurnerPhones Burner Phone]]; it's only when ''Absolution'' was released when the ICA moved over to a comms-based system, where 47, and other agents, have a visible earpiece. The ''VideoGame/WorldOfAssassinationTrilogy'' has no visible earpiece, but it does imply it, given 47 can hold conversations with Diana mid-mission, meaning it's hidden in 47's ear canal. On a related note, the mission in Hawkes Bay goes one further and has Diana explicitly say she can see the bodies 47's looking at, implying 47's wetsuit has a spycam on his chest somewhere.