Gadgety News

Here’s another natty free app for the iPhone!

Anyone living in London, or indeed that visits London on a regular basis, will be aware of our lovely underground train system.

Where it is generally reliable there are those occassions where you have to be somewhere at a certain time and need that up-to-the-minute information regarding the state of the tube.

I got caught out when travelling from my home-base (Chalk Farm) to the Regent Street Apple Store - thinking I’d take a short-cut on the Victoria Line to get me to Oxford Circus - the line was down :0/

So, go and download this fabby freebie and before you dive down to the underground have a quick check on your iPhone :0)

Update!

As of August 16th this great app also features DLR status

Most of have seen those solar-messenger bags that charge your gadgets from the power of the sun - and most are pretty bland looking if we’re perfectly honest.

Well this line of bags from Sakku uses old sails for the material of the bag itself so it’s doubly good for the environment so green points for the win!

On top of the feeling of being eco-friendly each bag comes with its own story.

They are individually stamped with the name of the lake or sea in which the boat was located that they took the sail off of.

The bags range in price from € 175- € 245 or $275-$385 and you can even use PayPal!

Sakkuus via Coolest Gadgets

It’s time to outgeek those that think a GPS/DVD/CD/Mp3 player in the car is the height of in-car tech.

Check out the KNGT icom MK1 which gives you on-the-road multi-media web browsing a-go-go!

Granted, it will work better in its native home of Korea as they must have better wireless coverage than in the average British town - or even some British cities for that matter!

If we were better wi-fi equiped as a nation what could you expect from this little box of tricks?

In essence it’s a dash-based PC with 6.95-inch touchscreen, on-screen keyboard, Wi-Fi, net-based navigation, digital TV, up to 80GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, USB ports, 1.6GHz Intel CPU and a Windows XP operating system.

As for trying to watch that amusing YouTube clip whilst navigating a UK ‘B’ road probably isn’t best attempted - still it’ll be safer than the Multi-Media Scooter!!!

KNGT (via AVING)

Are you a geek that’s also a petrol-head?

IWOOT have the perfect USB hub for you!

For the tiny sum of £29.99 you get a hub that shakes, revs and changes gear.

You know you want one!!

VRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!

Putting London and Marketing together isn’t always a good idea.

Reports have it that deodorant manufacturer Right Guard has created an armpit-based TV advert which has cleverly been dubbed “pitvertising.”

I’m guessing that this would only be useful on the tube, Overland, buses and DLR and the human hording would have to stand all the way.

To be honest, sometimes the tube gets so packed that even this screen would hurt so close up!

Interesting idea and obvioulsy has got people talking ;0,

textually via Engadget 

I love classic VeeDubs. I still have the Californian number plate from my Karmann Ghia Coupe that I had imported back in 2000.

So it’s good to see the Westy getting a revamp.

This hi-tech machine is the Westfalia Verdier Camper.

At the moment it’s a concept but that doesn’t stop me wanting it.  

Forget the ‘basic’ accomodation offered by the original.  This beauty has tech that couldn’t have even be dreamed of when the original camper was built.

Amongst all the tech is an intelligent solar panel system called “SUN TRACKER”.

This system makes it possible to provide electricity to the on-board accessories while the vehicle is in a stationary position. All this is sorted by an on-board computer and GPS to calculate the optimal position for the SUN TRACKER.

It also has pneumatic suspension that lowers the vehicle for improved comfort and better stability whilst stationary.  There’s also lots of hybrid drive technology.

It’s Canadian (cool eh?), sleeps two adults and two kids and will cost around $69,000 a pop if/when it ever gets the go-ahead - please?  ;0,

Via Redferret

Opening up canal-ways is just one way to relieve congestion on roads and offer a greener alternative to the way we transport heavy goods.

SkyHook International and Boeing intend to build the Jess Heavy Lifter (JHL-40).

This airship is able to lift up to 40 tones in one load and travel up to 320 kilometers without refueling.

The craft will have a top speed of 70 knots and will be used to move materials in remote areas including the Northern Territories of Canada.

It will cut the need of building roads (removing trees) in remote and extreme areas and should be plenty of use to the gas and oil companies.

Pete Jess, 55, SkyHook’s president, has been working on this project for 25 years.

“The perception is ‘Oh, it’s going to blow up. It’s a Hindenburg or something like that.’ And it’s going to be our job to educate people as to what this thing is. You can’t get around the fact it’s a large envelope full of helium, and it does look a little bit like a balloon,” said the aviation engineer and former helicopter pilot.

“It’s a blimp on steroids because it’s got more than 20,000 horsepower on it and it’s a serious working machine.” Unlike blimps, the airship is neutrally buoyant. “With the empty weight of the aircraft being supported by the helium-filled envelope, the lift provided by four Boeing Model 234 rotors attached to the airframe can be dedicated solely to lifting the payload.”

SkyHook and Boeing will build two prototypes of the JHL-40 and hope to be flying by 2012.

Source

The Police riding mountain bikes.

The Police on roller blades.

The Police riding scooters.

Now, none of the above really strikes fear into me, a law abiding citizen. 

So I’m guessing that hardened criminals would just point and laugh at that selection quite openly.

Until, that is, they realise that the scooter is the Lamperd Less Lethal’s new T3 Mobile Defender.

The scootery transport comes equipped with a high powered air gun that is considered non-lethal in a body shot, but could potentially kill someone if they were to take a synthetic bullet to the head.

To avoid killing anyone by accident the gun has a holographic sight system to ensure accuracy.

“An eyepiece shows a red target dot, and then transmits an image of the target to a monitor, which relays the information to the gun.”

According to creator Barry Lamperd, if the holographic sight is on target, you can’t miss.

Now, the Americans coined the phrase “friendly fire” so let’s hope that the targetting is that good as it’s due to be rolled out to the US military and then to the police forces for crowd control.

Driving fast.

The main goal for me to pass my test back in ‘89!

Fortuantely I bought my own car as soon as I passed - then, unfortunately, crashed it 3 weeks afterwards.

Well, Tiwi is here for those who also use parental controls on the satellite channels to keep your kids nice and safe.

Using GPS and a smattering of cellular connectivity it issues a verbal warning: “You’re exceeding the speed limit; please slow down.”

Then it emails, text messages, or calls the proper authorities, ie. your parents, if the speeding continues.

I think Van Halens “I can’t drive 55″ is quite an apt track at this point.

Only $549 and $35 a month to spy on your little darlings. 

Tiwi

ZAP mentioned this green vehicle at the Detroit Motor show earlier in the year and it looks like the company has now finally turned out a prototype.

Looking like an American retro-rodded version of the Grinall Scorpion it apparently isn’t capable of moving off the parking lot on its own just yet.

That should soon change as it was reportedly on its way to California where it’ll get fitted with a motor.

The company is apparently promising to have its first cars on the road next year when the Alias here is expected to sell for about $33,000.

Via AutoblogGreen

3 years in the making and now the power assisted Live Luggage is here!

And there will be a “world premier” on June 26th.

The PA series of checked baggage features a 12V NiMH rechargeable battery pack supplying power to the wheels when the handle is gripped and the bag is tilted.

The bags weigh 10.6kg (23-pounds) which is about 3kg (6.6-pounds) more than standard hard luggage, according to the manufacturer.  That means be pepared to be charged (see what I did there?) each time you travel by Ryanair and other budget lines!

The cases are good for about 1.5 miles of assisted travel under a 32kg load - I wonder if you can saddle them?

You feel the need to have powered luggage?

How about when it has a $1,365 (£700) price tag?  So, I guess that the people that fly budget wouldn’t be getting any of these then.

I apologise for the headline but sometimes I just go with the first thing that falls into my little mind.

Back to the story.

Merc have been mulling over which direction to go with their eco-cars and, according to the news filtering through the media, Merc could be out with their electric Smart car in 2010.

During a recent interview, Daimler’s chief executive was quoted as saying that an

“electric Smart [was planned] for 2010,” and he also said that an electric Mercedes model would be arriving “the same year.”

As for the cost he said that it would depend greatly “on whether it sells the batteries or leases them.”

There was even a mention of a fuel cell car in 2010 - I just wonder if there’ll be an AMG or Brabus version >:)

Via Greenlaunches

Looking like the result of a love-triangle between a Segway, Rolly and a Miuro this is the new A.M.P. (Automated Music Personality or Ampbot) from Sega-Hasbro.

Ampbot stands 2.4-feet tall and features an MP3 player / iPod cradle on its back, stereo speakers, and the ability to follow, chase and interact with its owner.

Sound comes out via a 5-inch mid-range speaker in the chest and a pair of smaller tweeters in the shoulders for a total of 12 watts tunage.

Osamu Takeuchi of Sega Toys says,

“The owner can also enjoy being chased around the house by the robot.”

That’s a selling point? Sounds a tad ominous to me!

The Ampbot and controller requires 9 batteries (6x D and 3x AAA) for about 10-hours of continuous music.

Wouldn’t it have been better to have added a charging station? If a robotic hoover can have one why can’t a music-bot?

Ampbot will be out by the end of the year for around $500 in the US and Japan.

The swines!

The people over at Laptop Magazine have not only managed to get all over the Garmin Nuvifone prototype they’ve rubbed our noses in it and posted vids and pics aplenty (links at bottom).

The good thing for us lot is that we can see the UI in action :0)

They say that the screen is nice and big, and the User Interface appears to be very GPS-centric.

On using the QWERTY keypad they reported it as ”spacious enough” and uses an “auto-complete dictionary” (predictive text).

The main page is pretty well set out with a row of icons for calling, searching, and mapping, and finger swipes stream them across the screen.  Smooooooth.

On the device that was tested the applications seem to be SMS, Google Search, email and media player.

Apparently some apps didn’t load properly and some of the display units were frozen in a borked limbo state.

But, as I said earlier, this is a prototype version and I’m sure (hope) that Garmin will have sorted all this out before the release in the 4th quarter of the year.

Still unsure that the $500 price tag is fixed or that it shall also be available in white.

Laptop Blog - Handson With Nuvi 

Laptop Blog UI Action Vid

Here’s the scene.

There’s 5 of you trying to get yourselves + crates of beer and your tents and backpacks into a battered Corsa and head off to a festival - space saving is paramount! 

It comes down to bringing your tent, backpack or your fold-up chair for the chilled, round the campfire moments of an evening (leaving the beer is NOT an option!).

Solution - bring it all!

This clever tent/hammock/back-pack combo is called Respite.

It converts from hammock to tent by simply pulling the four zippers down to the ground. 

All of the joints are hinged and covered with rubber so it is also easy to change back into a backpack and prevent any pinching in the process. 

The only downside is that any gust of wind whilst in hammock mode would see some of your belonging whisked away from inside your tent - but hey the plus side is if your tent gets flooded at least you can sleep on the roof!

Respite was designed by Ryan Heiser and hopefully this design hits production soon.

Yanko via Coolest Gadgets

Ok people with a scant respect for life. You know who you are; the boarders, downhill mountain-bike racers, base jumpers, free-climbers, free-runners and other adrenalin junkies.

Here’s another thing for you to through yourself down hills on.

It’s the 360 and comes fresh from the twisted mind of designer Francesco Sommacal.

Instead of standing on it like a normal skate or snow board, the user actually sticks his/her feet in the wheels itself, giving a whole new level of control and lunacy!

The offroad styled wheels and tyres allow the 360 to bound across areas that a skateboarder or inline skater can’t normally cover such as loose gravel and grass (remember the trial of inline skate equipped cops in parks?).

Not only is the 360 more versatile, but, as it’s name implies, it is capable of some very cool tricks like flipping end over end.

Unfortunately, the official site does not list a price or availability date.

There has been an update regarding the proposed Anaheim-Las Vegas maglev train.

The floating train project is moving forward as part of a transportation bill signed by President Bush that puts aside $45 million for the 300 mile-per-hour train.

This project initially called for a $3 to $5 billion budget to get things started.

The train is planned to sprint people from Disneyland to Vegas in under two hours!

No word on proposed launches or actual construction, however, it’s assumed that Disney will get involved with some extra cash at some point.

Slashdot

See the future in a Jetsons stylee!

Well, the future if Avcen Limited with their Jetpod T-100 City Flying Taxi have their way.

Described as a VQSTOL (Very Quiet Short Take-off and Landing) vehicle.  The company says it could be in the air by 2010.

Could it be the official Olympic vehicle?

The main idea is to see these sprinting between cities or perhaps the commute from suburbia to the city centre.

Avcen says that 75 of these in London could relieve road traffic of 37,000 return car trips per day all the while keeping things quiet and requiring only short landing strips made of pavement or grass(?).

I dread to think how much the charge for throwing up your kebab in the back on a Friday night would be!

TAXI!!!!!! - Whooooooooooooooooooooosh!

The Contaminated

If you’re looking to make that aircraft simulation a little bit more realistic what you’re probably missing is realistic controls.

The X52Pro is probably as close as you’re going to get short of wiring up a cockpit in your living room.

Saitec have built upon their wonderful X52 and now the MFD screen is interactive so that you can display important in-game information such as the Radio Stack and interact with your games directly.

Shipping with support for Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X, there’s also a Software Development Kit (SDK) included.

Chose between night-friendly red, green or amber illumination for the different LED buttons on the controller. Using the SDK, you can also program the LEDs to react to conditions in your game such as flashing red during a stall or changing colour when pressed.

Here’s a list - and I mean a list - of controls:

Joystick

• Precision centering mechanism, non-contact technology on X and Y axes and constant spring force reduce free play, improve control and increase durability
• 2-stage metal trigger; 2 primary buttons in 1 convenient position
• 4 fire buttons including missile launcher with spring-loaded safety cover for instant access
• Conveniently positioned metal pinkie switch provides shift functionality to double up on programmable commands
• 2 X 8-way Hat Switches
• 3D rudder twist
• 3-position rotary mode selector switch with LED indicators
• 3 spring-loaded, base-mounted toggle switches for up to 6 programmable flight commands
• 5-position handle adjustment system to suit all hand sizes

Throttle

• Progressive throttle with tension adjustment, detents for afterburner and idle
• 2 fire buttons
• Scroll wheel with built-in button
• Mouse controller / hat switch with left mouse button
• 8-way hat switch
• 2 x rotary controls
• Smooth-action slider control
• Clutch button initiates ‘safe mode’ to allow on-the-fly profile selection, or to display button functionality without activating

Grab £140 and kick the tyres before it’s chocks away and out into the big blue!

Now this has to be one of the largest iPod docking stations at the moment; Singapore Airlines are installing iPod docks and 15.4-inch widescreen LCDs in their all-Business Class Airbus A340-500 flights between NY/LA and Singapore.

Each business customer can dock their iPhone or iPod and watch their own movies on the included noise-canceling headphones - Nice touch.

Flights from Newark with this will start May 15th and August for the LA ones