You have to bear in mind that even though the book was published in 2004 does not mean that it was written on that same year. Meyer was a new author when she wrote Twilight and for all we know, she might have written that book years before it was eventually noticed by a literary agent and then a publisher. My first story was published four years after I wrote it, so a lot had changed by the time it did make the magazine rags.

Having said that, if the film requires it, I'd say update the technology. This being a film primarily targeted to teens, it is especially important for Bella to be into things like high-speed Internet, cell phones and MP3s.

ya gotta keep up with the times for the movie or it looks old.

I think it depends on the story. If it is a period piece then of course it should have what was available then. With a story like Twilight I would expect modern gadgets.

I... just really cannot even believe you're dignifying Twilight by calling it a book. It's cheap trash, so who really cares?

I think it's mainly the direction the director would like to take the movie should influence how it's portrayed, and since it's based in modern times, what are we to expect? I agree with Katharine that if it's an era based peice it should be based then, except you can see with the Romeo and Juliet movies, the 1968 one is era based vs. the 1990's one which was brought into modern times... It depends on the directors vison if you ask me.

the book never actually states a specific date and time that the events are happening so for me it would only make sense that since it wasnt specified that it would reflect the year the movie is made. im sure in new moon the next movie, bella probably have upgraded to the new macbooks that just came out.

Man, there are some ads on this page that are messing with my browser, reloading so much!

I was trying to say, lol, that I think the change is appropriate since they're targeting teens, although I hardly think many would be disappointed if they'd left the technology the same...they would just be able to match up the book and the movie more. I don't think the change is bad because I, too, got a cell phone and a MacBook between 2004 and today. When the book goes to film within the same decade, these changes in tech. make sense. However, if the book were written in the 1990s and the movie made today, I'd probably want to see the tech. in the book left the same if a movie hadn't already been made about it back then.

JaeB if you're running Firefox you should just get the Adblock plus addon (it's free) - you don't see any ads, ever.

it depends entirely on when the book is set. if it were clearly set in the early 1900s or an earlier time period, it would be a bad choice to include new technology in the movie. if it does not have a specific time period, but it can be gathered that it is fairly recent, it is acceptable to update it with new technology.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with what's already been said:

If the time period of the book is considerably different than when the movie adaptation is made, then the technology then must be the tech in the movie.

As Twilight is set in a relatively present time (as far as I know, I haven't read the books and am not a big fan), then the tech differences are relatively minor. There was fast cable connection available in 2004, and I don't think using the recent generation Blackbook would take away from the movie. If it changes the character significantly, though, then maybe her tech stuff should be scaled back and just use *less* of it.

I think it should. If they don't even stay true to the book's original story why bother with the tech?

sundaygreen -- Thank you for the advice! I installed Adblock on my browser (Flock) and it works!

no because keep in mind that the book was based in the early 2000s
and that was the latest technology then so yeah

if i was really into this, i just know i would have a strong opinion. it seems like as long as it doesnt affect the storyline, it doesnt matter either way but i havent read the book or seen the movie.

this comment is pretty pointless.

Even though it doesn't affect the storyline I am still torn..I loved the book and it seems like it should have stuck, but at the same time I like the update.

Those details are irrelevant to the storyline so update. She needs a mobile or a *reason* why she doesn't have one, and then you have to change the storyline. It's not a period piece so yeah, change.

Not in Twilight's case. In the book, it was meant to show that Bella did NOT have the most current access to the internet. Plus all the future scenes of Bella waiting for the dial-up to connect. And in the later books (spoiler) Edward gives her a cell phone as a condition to visit Jacob. So yeah, it should have stayed true to the book - no matter the time frame.

While I love the movie, the updated gadgets was one of my biggest annoyances.

Haven't seen the movie or read the books, but I think it's okay to update the gadgets as long as it is not anachronistic. If the book/movie is just set in modern times, use modern gadgets. If it is set in 1987, obviously the cell phone and MacBook are out of place.

Considering the book was *published* in 2004, you have to consider that it was *written* before 2004 (probably well-before), so I would expect then, that the technology would be updated in the movie.

If a book specifically gives a time-era, then changing the tech for a movie would be wrong. But with Twilight, it fits.

i agree with wickedcupofjoe
it does mess with the timeline in the later book when edward gives her his cell phone to keep in contact with her and the moments she always emailed her mom instead of talking on the phone.

even though twilight never tells us what year it is I always thought thats what kept the town of Forks so real. they were behind in the times and it proves that bella wouldn't have a cell phone let alone all her friends and she has a dial up connection because she doesn't spend her every moment on the internet like most of us. she is always keep the house organized and making charlies dinner and spending time with edward.

I'm torn. I always wondered why Bella didn't have a cell phone in the book. The Cullens however had their special tiny silver cell phones. I assumed it was because a) Bella didn't have a lot of money and b) She always had an old-fashioned feel to her. Kind of how I couldn't imagine Bella wasting time on Facebook, she'd rather be reading a book.

I can definitely see why the film makers gave Bella a cell phone, lap top, and mp3, but I still think they should have followed along with the book. Bella should have had the old school dial up because it is after all her dad's house which according to the book is old fashioned and pretty much the same since Bella's mom left. Not to mention that Forks was meant to have that small town, slightly behind the times feel.

I didn't even realize the difference with the technology between the book and the movie. Too busy staring at Rob, I suppose. But wickedcupofjoe & ericahinsz definitely made good points.

It totally depends on if they want to make the movie true to the book or not.

that Nokia 7360 is not new. i've actually had mine for almost 2 years.

I think they should have followed the book. She didn't have access to the best and there was one point in the book where Bella having a phone would have negated an "incident".

Still, I do understand why they did that.