====== The Uplink ======

An evolution of pocket computing and communications technology, the Uplink is a device roughly the size of a smartphone (occasionally called a communicator, commphone, commlink, or pocket router by the less socially inclined) that operates to form a wireless network supporting all of your personal equipment and allowing it to contact other public or private wireless networks. While many pieces of tech have built-in wireless capability, the Uplink allows you to synch them together to serve your needs and operate under the same control hierarchy. It is usually mounted in or connected to a headset (earpiece and glasses) to allow the user to experience AR as they travel, and can be set to operate in active (maintains connections and accepts new inbound or outbound connections), passive (maintains connections and allows inbound connections after verification), hidden (allows inbound or outbound connections to known entities only and denies unknown entities), or silent (disabled entirely) modes.

Because these broadcasts contain identifiable information about the user, people who wish to remain undisturbed usually operate in hidden or silent mode. However, many secure places such as corporate enclaves and military or government sites require passive or active broadcasting enabled as a requirement (and, of course, use this as part of their method of determining whether or not you belong.) Likewise, store transactions can be as simple as scanning the RFID tags of merchandise as well as the purchasing data for your Uplink, requesting you accept charges, and letting you walk out the door without having to bother with a pesty checkout experience, as long as you have active mode enabled, of course.