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Latest Gear Live Videos
Recently unveiled at the IFA 2007, the Navigon 2100 features a 3.5-inch anti-glare touchscreen, simplified menus, and spoken directions with its text-to-speech. Their Reality View displays geometry and road sign text with automatic speed warnings. The exclusive technology provides 2D and 3D, photo-realistic, virtual views of intersections. Look for the navigational device this fall with an MSRP of $249.00. We wonder if the future of such gadgets will provide us with back seat drivers and directions to the nearest pit stop.
Read More 
| BetaNews
Gallery: Navigon GPS Speaks
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Inflight Power Recorder Takes to the Sky
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Misc. Tech, Transportation,
If you do a lot of flying, the Inflight Power Recorder plugs into any passenger seat audio jack and outputs regulated power to the attached USB charging cable/connector. It’s available in four units, the basic one for $34.99, the iPod/iPhone bundle for $44.99, the Blackberry model with a mini-B tip that will also work with some MOTOs and RIMs for $44.99. For heavy gadget hogs, the Power Executive comes with with both tips for $49.99.
Read More | Inflight Power
Gallery: Inflight Power Recorder Takes to the Sky
China Announces Crazy Soldiers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Editorial, Transportation,
Just as the American Hummer was created as an offspring of the military Humvee, the Chinese car company Dongfeng developed the EQ2050 for theirs, complete with Cummins turbodeisel. Now they have taken that idea and created a civilian version called the Crazy Soldier. The new vehicle is to be launched early next year, at prices starting at about $185,000.00, hoping that telecom and forestry companies will see this is as a nifty knockoff. We hope they check the composition of the paint before they release it, thinking that the name of the vehicle may in fact end up describing its drivers and passengers.
Read More | edmunds
Gallery: China Announces Crazy Soldiers
First Space Hotel Planned for 2012
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation,
What began as an idea from former aerospace engineer Xavier Claramunt may become reality in 2012. Galactic Suite will be the first hotel in space and allows a round-the-world experience in only 80 minutes. Booking a room doesn’t come cheaply, as a 3-day stay will cost $4 million. While there, guests can wear velcro suits to crawl and stick around their pod/rooms and will be able to see sunrise 15 times a day. Claramunt, the company’s director, says that the hotel was created keeping in mind that each pod had to fit inside a rocket.
“It’s the bathrooms in zero gravity that are the biggest challenge,” says Claramunt. “How to accommodate the more intimate activities of the guests is not easy.”
Even if we had sufficient funding to travel to the posh resort, we think we will pass, as we get a bit nauseous just eating in revolving restaurants.
Read More | CNN
Gallery: First Space Hotel Planned for 2012
Plan an Adventure Without the Hassle
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Internet, Transportation,
Andrew Playford loves adventures, but would rather not have to plan all the details. With a little effort, he came up with Signature Days, over 3 thousand different trips that completely supply everything for the traveler. Think of being able to give a someone a hang gliding, scuba or helicopter lesson, or sending your kid away to Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy Camp in New York for a week. And, if you want to hint around for a gift for yourself this upcoming holiday season, tell your loved ones that you want a VocationVacation so that you can become a dude rancher, pit crew member, or Schooner captain.
There are all kinds of options on the site with prices to fit every budget, and each experience is provided by an independent verified partner. You can also opt for a gift voucher that will allow the bearer to choose her/his own adventure. Andrew’s words say it best, “You can create the charade that you are the most thoughtful, creative person on earth and disguise your inherent complacency with a few well placed clicks.”
(Thanks, Tony)
Read More | Signature Days
Gallery: Plan an Adventure Without the Hassle
Mr. Wu Creates Bots Out of Trash
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation,
Wu Yulu has never been to college, but somehow he has managed to take others’ trash and turn it into his own treasures. For every creation he comes up with, he modestly numbers and names it Wu, too. Apparently Mrs.Yulu is not crazy about the fact that her husband not only spends most of his time playing with his toys, but burned down the house once while the evil scientist in him was at work. We have no doubt that when the Wu Rickshaw Robot is discovered on a grand scale, he will be raking in the big bucks.
Read More | YouTube
Gallery: Mr. Wu Creates Bots Out of Trash
Look Cool While Listening to Tunes
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Transportation,
The Activesound MP3 Sunglasses allow listening to music with only their tiny earbuds. Just push play and you are ready to roll while listening to up to up to 4 hours of playback with a built-in lithium ion battery. With up to 1 GB memory, they also have a handy USB 2.0 connection for changing your tunes on either PC or Mac. The flip-up glasses are made with distortion free polycarbonate lenses for filtering out UVB and UVA rays 100% and weigh less than 50g. Available at BB shopping for £49.99 (~$99.99.)
(Thanks, Ian)
Read More | BB-Shopping
Gallery: Look Cool While Listening to Tunes
Who Needs a Concept When You Can DIY?
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Transportation,
The Brush and Rinse Toothbrush on the left features a concave back to create a mini-water fountain to your mouth so that no one will catch you slurping out of the faucet. Although you can purchase one for only $3.00, we understand that there are only 27 original prototypes in existence and that they are available for $1,750.00 each. We took our average toothbrush and attached a measuring spoon to the back with a twist-tie and it worked just fine. We suppose we could let it go for a mere $1,000.00, since our version is a one-of-a-kind and very slightly used.
Read More | Amron Experimental
Gallery: Who Needs a Concept When You Can DIY?
Transparent Kayak-Canoe for Viewing Under the Sea
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Transportation,
What could be more fun than white water rafting during these humid summer days? Taking this kayak-canoe hybrid out for a dip in the water may be just more of an adventure with its transparent polymer hull that allows you to see all the flora and fauna beneath you and your buds. The watercraft is made with a lightweight anodized aluminum frame and comes with two double-headed paddles, a water bailer, and two flotation devices on the off chance that there is something down there that looks like it wants to be where you are. Available at Hammacher Schlemmer, you will need to do some serious vacationing to make the $1,459.95 toy pay for itself.
Read More | Hammacher Schlemmer
Gallery: Transparent Kayak-Canoe for Viewing Under the Sea
Advantek Networks Speaker Multi-Tasks
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio / Video, Transportation, Video Games, Wireless / WiFi,
Advantek Networks has a new portable Bluetooth ABT-SPK-A8 speaker that will stream sound from MP3 players, CD/DVD players, and handheld gaming devices for up to 10 hours of play on its rechargeable battery. With its built-in mic, it provides hands free conversation through VOiP via Skype, MSN IM, or Yahoo Messenger with DSP noise cancellation technology so that you can hear clearly over that rush hour road rage. The device will automatically cut off when a call comes in and will auto-return to the music after it ends. If you want to take it with you during a long commute, it comes with a sun visor clip and a flip-out leg stand. You can find the speaker at Ayagroup for $89.95 and other online retail outlets.
Read More | Advantek Networks
