article_snippet: For many, Spock holds a sacred spot as not only one of the most beloved characters in all of science fiction, but the earliest example of Star Trek enduring legacy of inspiring innovation in the real world.
article_snippet: Spock first appeared on our television screens in 1966 with the premiere of the original Star Trek series.
article_snippet: At a time when the computer age was only just beginning and the idea of handheld communication devices or tablet computers were fantasies of a far-off future, Spock could be seen working with many of these technologies aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.
article_snippet: As we soon discovered, Spock incredible tools and gadgets weren't so distant after all.
article_snippet: One such scientist was Martin Cooper, inventor of the first mobile phone, who has credited the handheld communicators used by Captain Kirk and Spock as the source of Spock inspiration.
article_snippet: Even though Cooper's original cellular telephone wasn't as compact as Spock's, and most consumers couldn't afford one for some time, it wasn't long before most consumers would become ubiquitous in our world.
article_snippet: The same is true for the handheld computers Spock used to record scientific data.
article_snippet: From these handy gadgets design and function to the name of today's most popular tablet computer, Spock may well have been the first iPad user.
article_snippet: It wasn't just computers and productivity gadgets that Spock brought to life on screen.
article_snippet: Spock was often a proponent of passive resistance and non-violent solutions.
article_snippet: Along with Spock fellow crew mates, Spock presented us with new ideas like weapons "set to stun" that formed the core of the Star Trek ethos.