4. Tablet Computers
There are certain things that both lovers and haters of Apple have to agree on where they lead, others follow. Whilst they didn't invent the mp3 player, the mobile phone or the tablet computer, they certainly redesigned and popularised it. In 2010, they launched the iPad. The very name they gave to their tablet computer should itself be a clue. Because they've been called PADDs on Star Trek for years. Both the modern tablet computers and the PADDs as seen in The Next Generation onwards are very similar in function. They include a variety of functions based on a typical operating system. Whilst the App screen is not a Star Trek function, the fact that Apple went in that direction shows that they had faith in such equipment at a time when industry experts thought that tablet computers would fail. I know that sounds like a crazy thing to say seeing as you can't get on a train these days without seeing someone with a tablet computer of some description, iPad or not. But in those days the PC-centric industry simply did not see a gap in the market, unlike Apple. The iPad changed all that, and allowed a number of other companies into the market which has proven to be healthy competition to inspire further development. Of course there is no distinct statement to say that Apple were directly inspired by the PADDs as seen in Star Trek. But certainly Brent Spiner, better known as Data from The Next Generation, seemed to think so following the announcement back in 2010 he tweeted "Didn't Captain Picard used to play with a pad like that in his ready room? STAR TREK STRIKES AGAIN!!!" Oh and what film did Apple use to demonstrate the ability to play movies on an iPad? Yep, 2009's Star Trek.