If the animorphs had cell phones

[roguebluejay]

So, I think KA mentioned that one of the problems with updating animorphs is the ubiquitousness (is that a word) of cell phones. So I thought we could post plots that would be changed if the character had one.

Extra points if you can erase most of a book

[Essam 293]

Cell phones would be an advantage for Yeerk controllers (especially Tom, Chapman, and The Sharing) since they could communicate with each other much faster and easier. I don't think the Animorphs would benefit from them as much as we might think, because they still can't carry cellphones anymore than they can carry their outer clothing (unless Tobias carries it for them, like the one time when he wore a watch). In between morphs, they'd be just as helpless trying to reach or warn someone. Most pay phones are gone now days too, so even if someone on the receiving end was holding a cell to wait for their cue, they'd be hard to reach, I think.

Also, the internet. A lot more information is available online now. Back when they were writing the series, a 56K modem was the most expensive thing a family could afford, lol. If Ax got his hands on his own laptop, with a wifi connection, I'm sure he could pull some benefits from the technology. More importantly, I think #16 could pretty much have a third of it cut out if it was written now. The whole bit of them going on the airplane just to get to AOL headquarters would be unnecessary, and I'm sure Ax could find someway to hack in, now that the technology is a little less primitive.

[roguebluejay]

Weird you mentioned Tom, because I have a vague memory of Tom using a cell phone in the alternate reality book (Fanboy fail, I can't remember what its called.) But I remember they were in a car and Jake was hiding in the back.

EDIT: Also, you are totally right about them not being able to carry phones in morph, I should have thought of that!

[Terenia]

I think the availability of texting would have made the Animorphs daily lives a bit more secure. Instead of calling eachother at their houses and trying to speak in code and hoping Tom or another Yeerk wasn't listening in, they could use texting. They could have a few key words/phrases that they would simply text one another (in code, of course). Much smaller likelihood of someone unpleasant listening in. Also, if someone did get ahold of their cell it would look like gibberish.

Possible other drawback/advantage. Many/most cell phones these days have GPS tracking systems in them. Good for tracking your enemies, bad for when you want to stay hidden.

[dolphin4077]

I gotta agree with Terenia about texting being really helpful.  I always wondered why the Animorphs never got busted when they got one of those 3 am calls.   

[Essam 293]

Possible other drawback/advantage. Many/most cell phones these days have GPS tracking systems in them. Good for tracking your enemies, bad for when you want to stay hidden.

Exactly. If the Yeerks can track email (#20, from David's computer) and bring down Visser Three and an army of Hork-Bajir in a manner of minutes, imagine how much more of a security risk it'd be if the Animorphs could be tracked via GPS (especially in #49 when their secrets were blown). I suppose they could always purchase prepaid phones for mission use only and then discard them right after. However, the Animorphs were often short on cash, and this probably couldn't have been done more than a few times.

On the plus side, like you said, it'd be useful to track controllers (i.e. Chapman) to find secret locations to the Yeerk Pool, without having to follow them everywhere. I'm sure Ax could find some way to hack into the network and use it against them. If not Ax, then even Erek could help out with that (It probably would give the Chee a bit more to do in the series, tracking down known locations throughout the city).

Something else: with the update to modern times, there'd also be a higher risk for them to finding secluded spots to morph. Think of how many cameras there are everywhere you go: traffic lights, atms, security cams, etc. Plus, there are all those motion sensitive alarms in nearly every store now. It'd be damn hard to sneak in anywhere if they tried to do some those things now.

[powertrash]

I think security cameras would be WAY more of a problem than cell phones.

I really can't think of much of a plot point cell phones would erase. Maybe that Cassie in Australia book...like the people out there would have one? IDK.

[Duff]

Cellphones would also add a problem with their parents. A bunch of 13 year olds would definitely be getting calls from their parents checking in all the time. They would spend alot more time grounded when they couldn't use some of their pretty lame excuses lol

And of course the yeerks could use cell phones to hide yeerks in for easy infestation to every customer (really nickelodeon? thats the best you can do?)

[Chad32]

Kudos for mentioning the cellphone episode. Man, there's no way that would work in the books. The customer would just rip the thing out and panic.

Now I might just say that a bunch of 13 year olds wouldn't have cellphones anyway, but I'd probably be wrong. I'm too old fashioned to understand why someone that young needs something like that.

[Alic]

Every kid has a phone. I see 8 year olds with phones

[Chad32]

Yeah, it's just me and my old fashioned ways. How does an eight year old have the responsibility to keep up with a phone and not drain their minutes with chatting? obviously the parents pay for the minutes.

[roguebluejay]

I work in a school where kids as young as 7 have iPhones!!! iPHONES!!!!!!

[Chad32]

That boggles the mind. Why are parents letting second graders take iphones to school?

[Alic]

Where I live your Iphone would get jacked! You're not even supposed to have your phones at school, I don't see the point. My lil brother is 12 and has a Juke. But he has a lot of after school activities and only uses it to call his mom. Otherwise I don't see the point of children having phones.

[Chad32]

I would think any kid showing something like that would get it stolen. Some teenager sees a little kid with a phone, cell or otherwise, and just yanks it out of his hand. Little kids probably wouldn't pay much attention to what the person looked like or anything. Just run tell their mom that some mean guy took his phone, and the guy sells it off for cash.

We are probably getting way off topic. We Humans have sattelites that can read power meters from space. Yeerk surveillance should have caught them the first time they went into the pool, or soon afterwards.