So what exactly are the methods of communication in Night City?

[The Minted Lady]

I've seen people with smart phones in their hands. I've also seen people making calls through their implants, which causes their eyes to glow. But what's made me thoughtful enough to write this post is paying attention to the picture-in-picture you get from people when you're on a call.

Sometimes that person is in a black background even though they are animated. I am thinking this is just an "avatar" of the person, created by their communication software. It can even be customized so their avatar looks a certain way all the time.

Then, there are times when the person shows up in a place. Panam around a campfire, Kerry on his couch, Misty in her shop, etc. True, this could still be the avatar plugin with some added background, but it seems like they're actually doing a video call to you, and I wonder about it. No one's holding the phone or other device they might be talking to. Maybe there's a sturdy enough kickstand behind the phones in this future so they can be propped up for this sort of thing? Or maybe they use something else like a drone? We'd probably hear some noise if they were doing that.

Thoughts?

[Silverbane7]

duno about drones, but folks like T-Bug are using their cyberdeck to call you i think. (might explain why she always looks like she is half asleep when calling me)

mobile phones, smartphones, they are slightly different that what we are used to.
all the com devices pretty much use something developed around the 45's called 'Agent'
think of it as the communication operating system.

when you see folks using 'smartphones' they are using the cheaper external 'Agent' while those using implant version sprang for a more expensive version.
its a planner, alarm, phone...all the things we use for them.
tho i expect the internal ones don't have all the functionality of the handset versions (have yet to see someone shaking their head about cause they lost a game of 'gangoon gank' on their internal Agent XD, unlike folks with the handsets) they DO have the 'holocall' function.

think the reason some folks have plain backgrounds and some don't, is preference.
some folks prefer 'darkmode' and others like to have a background.
(i wonder what V's have? wonder if there are other colours, if there are, then Violet wants purple, Veronica wants blood red, and Valerie would have metalic silver XD)

and we can hear some noises. we hear Gilchrist getting smacked if we call Meredith Stout.
again, maybe some people have 'mute external sounds' turned on.

if you are interested in the lore, why not grab some of the parts from here
https://rtalsoriangames.com/downloadable-content/
the 'cyberpunkRED rules FAQ' might have some of the detes for you.
i know there was mention of the Agent in the full version of the CyberpunkRED ruleset book, i remember reading it as i was skipping about from section to section.

[The Minted Lady]

Ooo, fascinating.

I still think there has to be some form of video call. I do remember in one gig, I eavesdropped on a Valentino who was talking to an Arasaka agent via computer. We couldn't see the Arasaka person, only hear them. But I'd bet they could see the Valentino, whether he wanted to be seen or not.

Good lord, though. I couldn't imagine trying to use an implant for my phone needs. My mind wanders too much. Next thing I know, I'm dialing my gramma while watching the worst part of an R rated movie.

[Silverbane7]

Originally posted by The Minted Lady:

Ooo, fascinating.

I still think there has to be some form of video call. I do remember in one gig, I eavesdropped on a Valentino who was talking to an Arasaka agent via computer. We couldn't see the Arasaka person, only hear them. But I'd bet they could see the Valentino, whether he wanted to be seen or not.

Good lord, though. I couldn't imagine trying to use an implant for my phone needs. My mind wanders too much. Next thing I know, I'm dialing my gramma while watching the worst part of an R rated movie.

Don't worry.
From what I can see, its a conscious thought thing.
You'd have to concentrate and focus to call/speed dial I think.
Otherwise the Joytoys would have huge phone bills while ahem, working.
(Remember what Judy says, about cutting out all the stuff in their BD's where their minds wander to grocery lists, birthdays ect)

Think 'holocalls' probably just use a virtual you, as you said (avatars)
We know there are virtual games due to 'Elflines online', the most popular virtu mmo in cyberpunk (tabletop) in 2045.
So its not that far fetched that having an Agent can give you the same (be it handset or implant. Rogue uses a phone, so does Wakako, but both have had holocalls to V.)
And, I saw a video on YouTube where the person recording used the 3rd person mod to watch V's face when they were in a call. Her lips moved.
So when you take a call you talk like normal
(Probably explains why folks didn't run quite so fast when we first reply to Johnny in the diner. They assumed we were making a rather angry call lol)