Vehicle Gadgets
Conceptual Gadgets, Vehicle Gadgets
Aircruise: Hydrogen-powered floating cruise ship
I always wished that I was around when blimps, balloons, and other airships were the only method of air travel. The biggest problem with this rather romantic method of air travel was that there was only so much room in the passenger area that hung underneath the inflated area.
As a result, cruising by air could never be as huge as the sea cruise business. However, this Aircruise concept could easily change that.
This diamond-shaped airship runs on hydrogen fuel cells and has a speed of 90 miles per hour. Granted, it is pretty slow compared to a jetplane, but this method of travel is ten times better than First Class.
Vehicle Gadgets
Richard Branson’s underwater plane, the Nymph
You’ve got to admire Virgin CEO Richard Branson. Not only does he have that airline, and he is trying to get the space tourism industry going with that Spaceport America thing, and he now has an underwater plane.
At least, this is the name that my sources are calling, but I’m not certain that I would call this a plane. When I think plane, I think airplane, but my sources don’t say whether this thing can go in the air as well as under the water.
The Nymph can go between two to five nautical miles an hour, and can go 100 feet below the surface. While the wings might not be able to make the Nymph fly, it can go through the water for up to two hours.
Audio/Video Gadgets, Vehicle Gadgets
Jupiter Jack
What do you use your car radio for? Most of us listen to our own MP3 songs anyways, doing away with the need for a local DJ, but for those who prefer an unexpected playlist as well as traffic updates, then the car radio is still a pretty essential tool to have around. With the Jupiter Jack, things are spiced up even more since it will turn your car radio into a speaker phone!
Simply plug the compact Jupiter Jack unit into any cell phone headphone jack, tune your car radio to 99.3 FM and start talking. Enjoy crisp, clear conversation as the sound is transmitted through your car speakers while keeping your hands on the wheel. An inexpensive alternative to costly blue tooth systems. Fits any cell phone headphone jack. Adapters for all cellphones included.
Hmmm – do you think this is work forking out $9.98 for?
GPS gadgets, Vehicle Gadgets
Rideit from IturanUSA
IturanUSA has unveiled its latest product, the Rideit. Rideit boasts of being a waterproof and shockproof global positioning system (GPS) device that was specially designed to work with motorcycles, and IturanUSA is so bold as to offer a guarantee for it to withstand the toughest road and weather conditions. Sounds like something every biker could make do with, don’t you think?
Rideit is the only product on the market that was developed internally by expert technicians and combines an alarm system and tracking device in one. The product designers paid special attention to details like power consumption and sensor placement, and packaged the device with a remote control – another element that no other GPS product currently offers. Other notable features include an internal accelerometer sensor which detects change in bike angles and can analyze on-road accidents, five second motion alert feature, and siren and blinkers output. Customers will also enjoy personalized perks such as alert notifications by e-mail or SMS (text message) and a back up battery.
There is still no word on pricing details, but we hope to see Rideit revolutionize the motorcycle industry. It might not survive a head-on collision with a car or a tree though, so always err on the side of caution just to be safe when riding!
Electronic Gadgets, Vehicle Gadgets
Air New Zealand is redefining coach in a comfortable way
While I was traveling to Las Vegas for CES 2010, the experience wasn’t exactly something that I would love to go through frequently since I felt claustrophobic, being left in a small enough space with very little room to breathe. Of course, if I was in Business or First class things would be very much different, but Economy class gets me to the destination at the same time, so thank God for small blessings in life.
I could go on about how I can’t get out of my seat if I’m sitting by the window, and can’t get to the bathroom with that drink cart going down the aisle, but that really is the job of stand-up comedians.
You really don’t need me to tell you how uncomfortable modern-day travel is. However, this newly outfitted 777 by Air New Zealand could make air travel the “friendly skies” once again. This coach cabin (that’s right, this is coach) has 11 rows of seats that can fold into skycouches, creating a convenient bed for two.
Conceptual Gadgets, Vehicle Gadgets
Smart Fish’s Conceptual one-man plane
Now where have I seen this new concept plane from Smart Fish before? Oh yes, the very first Spy Kids movie!
Remember the scene when Carmen and Juni steal this special plane from their uncle Machete in order to rescue their parents at Floop’s castle? The plane even has the same type of bulky jet engine on the front.
Perhaps the designers at Smart Fish liked the idea of a small plane with this aerodynamic shape that can serve as a one-man flyer. I really hope that Disney does not bring a lawsuit against Smart Fish. That could hinder Smart Fish’s plans to license the tech to the aerospace industry. Smart Fish also wants to do wind tunnel testing as well as an actual flying scale model. If this jet ever does get made, it is planned to have a large range of 3100 miles and fast speed of Mach 0.85.
DIY Gadgets, Sport, Vehicle Gadgets
Snow Chopper made from spare parts
I love seeing DIY gadgets like these. Every time I see one, such as the Star Trek phaser, I can’t help but think: “how does one get the time to build these things?”
I mean, I can barely keep up with my writing deadlines. Therefore, I will give my full congratulations to Bob Sawicki and Toby Weisser for using their weeknights and Sundays to build the snow chopper that you see in the photo.
Sawicki and Weisser are stationed in Antarctica, at the McMurdo Station research center. Sawicki and Weisser were responsible for maintaining snowmobiles at the station, and they decided to use the spare parts for the chopper.
Electronic Gadgets, Vehicle Gadgets
Bike SpokeLit
If you happen to stay in one of the more bicycle-friendly cities around the globe, why not make the most of the situation by equipping your two-wheeler with the Bike Spokelit? After all, it will go a long way in increasing your visibility to other road users, helping you get to your destination safe and sound.
All you have to do is clip the SpokeLit to your spokes (well where else are you going to put a SpokeLit?), click it on and get pedalling. You then have the choice of a constant or a rapidly flashing coloured light. We kind of prefer the constant light on a purely aesthetic level – cycling at the right speed produces that lovely ring of light effect. Of course, it’s more about staying visible on the roads than looking like an extra from Blade Runner, but there’s no harm in looking cool.
Installation is a snap at just a few seconds, while the £7.99 is certainly worth much more than any hospital bill you have to fork out in the event of a mishap.
