I’ve been seeing many a gadget blog buzz about the Hotelicopter today. I suppose this is one of those coolest gadgets that I can’t help but report about either.

The Hotelicopter is exactly what it sounds like: a hotel in a helicopter. It is a Mil V-12 prototype that was originally built in Russia in 1968. It looks like there was a sale after the cold war ended, and someone plans to give the Mil a 5-star hotel makeover with queen size beds, a mini-bar, and even add extra amenities like Wi-Fi.

This is apparently enough to give 18 guests the night of their life. Just imagine spending the night in a room that can cruise at 140 miles per hour.

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Think your life is a little bit boring, and you want to introduce some zest so that you will have something to talk about with friends the next time the whole bunch meets up? Well, perhaps you might want to consider something more extreme in terms of sports with the Xcite Bike. This model looks totally out of this world, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 45km/h with its 49cc engine. The 14″ wheels come with 10″ rims, and is able to pull a maximum load of 120 kg. It seems as though the Xcite Bike will be available only in limited quantities (albeit in different colors, of course), and will cost you $999.99 to bring one home, much to the chagrin of your other half who obviously thinks the money could be put to better use.

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There is no running away from it, that’s for sure. I’m talking about the prevalence of Wi-Fi networks around us, just take a stroll down any street in an urban area and chances are you’ll discover plenty of Wi-Fi networks and hotspots available, ranging from hidden to secured and unsecured ones. Of course, one of the final frontiers for Wi-Fi connectivity would be while you’re in the air, but soon even that ceiling will be removed 30,000 feet in the air. Alaska Airlines is the latest carrier to offer the in-flight Wi-Fi option for passengers traveling on a specially equipped Boeing 737. This service will rely on satellites instead of cellular towers in order to keep the entire plane connected to the Internet, giving you another alternative to keep yourself occupied instead of relying on boring old in-flight movies.

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I guess you can call it a rite of passage for drivers where ending up with a flat battery is one of life’s curveballs. After all, most of us have suffered from one dumbfounded moment where we forgot to turn off the lights of our car only to realize that the battery’s as dead as dead can be once we return. With the Car Starter and Torch, you don’t have to worry about asking for help elsewhere (and getting fleeced by unscrupulous mechanics at the same time), as it is able to juice up your car’s battery in less than 15 minutes!

This must-have car gadget provides emergency power to recharge your battery and start your engine – without going near the bonnet and without jump leads! The Car Starter uses a 12V lead that plugs conveniently into your car’s cigarette lighter and recharges a dead battery in less than 15 minutes. LED indicators show the charge status of your vehicle battery, as well as the charge condition of the Car Starter. There’s even a built–in 12V DC socket suitable for powering gadgets like your mobile phone, PDA, car vacuum and tyre compressor!

£49.95 is the asking price for this tool, and it even comes with a built-in torch just in case of emergencies.

Trust the state of California to be a pioneer in many ways, and among them include the push for a much greener environment through the use of recycling, organic farming, good urban planning with ample public transport as well as the use of environmentally friendly products – that includes naturally made items and vehicles, of course. Electric vehicles are still a long way off from becoming the norm as our roads are currently clogged with petrol guzzling cars and trucks. Despite that, hybrid vehicles have made some inroads and today marks another milestone – Coulomb Technologies, the leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, dropped the good news of the City of San Francisco having installed its Smartlet Networked Charging Stations at City Hall.

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Parents can’t keep a keen eye on their kids all day long, and they have even more to worry about when young adults in the home get their driving license (and a sense of restricted freedom), thinking that they are able to roam the world and drive at breakneck speeds while feeling invincible. Everyone goes through that rite of passage in their lives, but for parents who suspect that their kids might be doing something else, there is always the Driving Activity Reporter.

This is the device that monitors a car’s activity and provides a detailed report of places, routes, and speeds traveled. It uses a 16-channel GPS receiver to track the movements of the car to which it is attached (internally or externally, using the device’s built-in magnet for covert purposes), storing locations on its built-in flash memory that holds up to 100 hours of driving activity. Removed from the car, the reporter connects to your computer’s USB port, and the included software allows you to view the time, date, and precise locations visited–even how fast a driver was traveling–using animated digital street maps. The data can also be examined using Google Earth (a free application from the Internet) for precise satellite pictures of locations visited. Durable, water-resistant frame enables operation between -15° to 185° F. Two AAA lithium batteries (required) provide up to three weeks of operation; device will enter sleep mode if it does not detect car movement within two minutes.

Sounds like $229.95 worth spending, and suspicious spouses will also find this to be an extremely useful tool.

Remember the panic that gripped many parts of the world last year when oil hit record high prices of nearly $150 a barrel? Taking your car out for a spin then was a much slower affair from the days where fuel prices were dirt cheap (or at least, more affordable), as you realized that your foot is not made out of lead after all and there is no need to floor the accelerator each time the traffic lights turn green. Well, many people have even resorted to taking the public transport at that time as well, while others decided to go green with a bicycle instead. Human-powered transport seems to be the way to go forward, but with lower fuel prices right now as things go back to normal, will the Pumgo Scooter be able to stand a chance? It will be introduced at the New York International Toy Fair on February 15 -18, 2009, so if you’re interested to take a first hand look at it, head on to the Javits Convention Center during those dates.

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Trust the Japanese to come up with ever safer methods of driving, and the latest would be the IT-Assisted Road Information System from Nissan. This system is in its infancy at the moment being in a research state, but ultimately its goal is to use cell phones and GPS receivers to provide advance warning to drivers concerning potentially dangerous situations and conditions, and this includes driving on the wrong way on freeway ramps – definitely useful when one has had a wee bit too much to drink when partying. Not only that, this system will also warn drivers of reducing and increasing speed at uphill and downhill grades. It would be interesting to see whether such a system will be implemented worldwide or not, but hey – anything that helps saves lives? We’re all for it.

Source: Navigadget