Trivia / Net Force

• Life Imitates Art: In 1999 when the "virgil" cell phone was described, it seemed wonderful and sci-fi. By 2010 when the first book is actually set, almost everyone has a smartphone that is remarkably close to what is described - a flatscreen LCD touchscreen device a little bigger than a pack of cigarettes, that contains a camera, radio, modem/router, GPS device, TV, internet connection, and other features smartphones actually have.
• Technology Marches On: At one point, a character refers to beepers as though they're still in common use instead of cell phones. All the main characters have smartphones, but they're implied to be highly expensive and in the main cast's case, government-issued. The series is set in the 2010s.