All the Star Wars tech that seemed cool in 1977, but we're light years beyond now

"Star Wars is not science fiction" is one of those arguments that gets trotted out a lot, and it's fundamentally true — but tell that to a 4-year-old kid who's just seen the original George Lucas film in a theater in 1977. 

Because that kid is marching straight home to pretend to use a lightsaber, fly a freighter in hyperspace and talk to his sister on a "comlink." There was a lot of sweet, sweet gadgetry we'd never imagined before on that screen.

Some of it has aged well, but not all. Though Star Wars turned 40 on Thursday, much of its tech feels far older because, well, we've surpassed it.  Read more...