Subscribe to Gizmag's RSS feed
Follow Gizmag on Twitter
Gizmag Team
The reconfigurable SpaceCamper – compact 5-berth people carrier and camper and load transporter
By Gizmag Team
03:59 October 5, 2009 PDT
The SpaceCamper is not your normal camper van. The SpaceCamper was designed by young German designer, engineer and entrepreneur Markus Riese, the fellow who designed the first folding bicycle with suspension on both wheels (the “Birdy”) and founded German bicycle manufacturer Riese and Muller while still at school. Riese took a year off when he graduated, buying a campervan for 12 months of touring Australia on a surfing holiday. As he worked his way around the vast Australian continent, meeting many other campervan explorers, the concept of the SpaceCamper was born – to build everything a full blown much larger camper has into a T5 transporter, and to be able to reconfigure the layout so that it can be repurposed for use in multiple roles. As usual, he succeeded big time! Read More
Teleavia type P111 - high definition TV circa 1958
By Gizmag Team
14:49 October 4, 2009 PDT
Michael Bennett-Levy's extraordinary collection of early technologies went under the hammer at Bonhams in London on Wednesday with 90% of the 758 lots on offer sold for a total of £683,384. A tidy sum no doubt, but having had the opportunity to examine the treasure trove closely, and the benefit of speaking at length to Bennett-Levy about the significance of key items, we can't help but conclude that many pieces were a steal for shrewd investors. The largest privately held collection of early televisions in the world - including 26 pre-war sets - made up a large slice of the auction and in the first of a series of interviews, Michael Bennett-Levy talks to Gizmag about outstanding items in his collection, starting with the much sought after Teleavia type P111, a rare 1958 console-stand television by Citroën DS designer Flaminio Bertroni that was not only a hallmark in style, but also one of the earliest examples of high-definition TV. Read More
Mechanical bolt-on KERS hybrid for buses offers 30% fuel saving
By Gizmag Team
03:05 October 3, 2009 PDT
It seems that the lessons learned in developing a mechanical KERS system for F1 may yet hold the key to a low-cost, high-efficiency hybrid system particularly suited for the stop-start patterns of buses, which are quite similar to the distances between capturing and delivering energy of those of a race car. Torotrak will deliver a paper at the SAE Commercial Vehicle Congress in Illinois next week showing how flywheel KERS for buses can offer more than 30 percent fuel saving over the London bus test cycle, yet package around an existing transmission. Read More
Honda’s LOOP and HELLO vehicle2vehicle and vehicle2driver infrastructure
By Gizmag Team
10:55 October 1, 2009 PDT
Honda issued a press statement and images of its Tokyo Motor Show exhibits yesterday, raising far more questions than it answered with the brief and cryptic release. One of the primary announcements involved a car2car and car2driver and car2infrastructure communications system named HELLO! (Honda ELectric mobility LOop) and a LOOP portable communication tool that fits in the palm of one’s hand and “allows people and mobility devices to communicate with each other.” The various components of the system look fascinating. Read More
Toshiba's Satellite T100 Series laptops charge while they sleep
By Gizmag Team
10:01 October 1, 2009 PDT
Toshiba's new middleweight T100 Series laptops will hit shelves on October 22, coinciding with the release of Windows 7. Both the 11.6 inch and 13.3-inch models come in at under 4 pounds and feature a LED backlit widescreen display, built-in webcam with face recognition, HDMI port, up to 9 hours of battery life and the company's very useful "Sleep-and-Charge" technology, which lets you power up portable devices when the laptop is turned off. Read More
Mitsubishi i-MiEV CARGO and PX-MiEV Plug-in hybrid crossover concepts
By Gizmag Team
04:29 October 1, 2009 PDT
The 41st Tokyo Motor Show in October looks set to lift the veil on the first wave of Japanese electric cars we’ll actually see in mainstream distribution, so it’s incredibly exciting to see what will be rolled out as we are entering the pre-announcement period for the show. Mitsubishi’s MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle ) lineage gets two new offspring concept cars – the PX-MiEV (PX stands for Plug-in hybrid crossover) and the i-MiEV CARGO. The CARGO in particular looks like it will fill an immediate need for emission-free delivery vehicles in the world’s most congested cities and, not surprisingly, although it’s classed as a concept, the company is currently accepting pre-orders for delivery in April 2010. Read More
New electrically-powered 2012 sports bag from Live Luggage
By Gizmag Team
18:32 September 30, 2009 PDT
We've written about the electrically-powered Live Luggage system before (here and http://www.gizmag.com/new-lightweight-electrically-powered-suitcase-from-live-luggage/10814/), and the brand's latest offering looks even more useful - it's a powered triple bag sports luggage system designed for sports men and women on the move. The new 2012 Sports Bag is a multifunctional luggage system which includes a large weekend bag for heavy-duty items like ski boots, a multi-purpose rucksack and a large main case, which all zip together to create one powered unit. Read More
Triumph’s Rocket III Roadster gets more power and torque
By Gizmag Team
03:58 September 30, 2009 PDT
Triumph’s three-cylinder 2,294cc Rocket III megamotorcycle has the strongest motor of any two wheeled roadgoing conveyance we’ve ever ridden – nothing else comes even close. As much as we fell in love with the monster, all the Rockets until now have been created with a laid-back riding position which doesn't necessarily suit everybody in general, or mountain roads and city traffic in particular. For 2010 though, the iconic British marque is to introduce a Roadster version with increased horsepower and a 15% torque boost to 224Nm. Anti-lock braking is fitted as standard and ergonomics have been reworked for a more natural around-town riding position. Read More
Today on The Mobiler - Vertu's luxury Constellation Ayxta
By Gizmag Team
08:04 September 25, 2009 PDT
Today on The Mobiler we take a look at luxury brand Vertu's latest handset, the Constellation Ayxta, the imminent release of BlackBerry Desktop Software for OS X, NTT's gorgeous TOUCH WOOD prototypes, CyanogenMod receiving a C&D from Google, and the fact you can buy a Palm Pre for under $100 without a single rebate to deal with. Read More
The Can-Am Spyder gets a trio of fully-faired touring versions
By Gizmag Team
18:49 September 17, 2009 PDT
Bombardier Recreational Products has had a remarkable success with its three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder since the roadster’s launch more than two years ago, and the big news is that the Spyder is to be developed into two streams – one for sports riding and one for touring. The existing GS model will now be designated the Spyder RS (roadster sport) and the new touring range will be designated Spyder RT (roadster touring). There’s also a new special edition Spyder RS-S model, with a host of additional features as standard, three RT models and a purpose-built 622 liter trailer. Read More
2009 BraunPrize shines a light on young design talent
By Gizmag Team
09:52 September 17, 2009 PDT
Young German designer Johanna Schoemaker was last night awarded the prestigious International BraunPrize during a ceremony at the company's headquarters in Kronberg. Schoemaker's elegant Clam OLED Lamp was among four worthy designs shortlisted by the jury from a field of more than 1000 entries from 54 countries. Read More
Ferrari 458 Italia debuts at Frankfurt
By Gizmag Team
04:15 September 16, 2009 PDT
The Ferrari 458 Italia finally saw the light of media flash bulbs on the Ferrari stand at the 63rd IAA Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday after a series of online sneak previews. We've written extensively about the car previously, an evolution of Maranello’s mid-rear engined V8 sports cars and, as usual with Ferrari, the 458 Italia is a concentration of innovation thanks to the company’s racing expertise. Employing exactly the same techniques and methods used to develop the Scuderia’s F1 cars, Ferrari’s engineers concentrated their efforts on obtaining the maximum in terms of efficiency in every aspect of the car, and their commitment was repaid with levels of fuel consumption and C02 emissions that set the benchmark in this market segment – 13.3 l/100 km and 307 g/km respectively in the combined cycle (ECE+EUDC). Read More
Volkswagen’s electric E-Up! Concept – 84 mph and 80 mile range
By Gizmag Team
01:51 September 16, 2009 PDT
Volkswagen showed an all-new electric vehicle, the E-Up! Concept, at Frankfurt yesterday, indicating strongly that the car will be very close to the production model we’ll see in 2013. The 81 PS (54 PS constant) front-wheel-drive E-Up! can accelerate to 62 mph in 11.3 seconds before reaching a top speed of 84 mph. The E-Up! weighs just 1,085 kg (it’s lithium-ion batteries weigh 240 kg) and will have a range of over 80 miles. Read More
Lamborghini's open top Reventon Roadster revealed
By Gizmag Team
01:26 September 16, 2009 PDT
Lamborghini pulled the wraps off the open top version of its Reventón at the Frankfurt IAA yesterday and there was no disappointment, other than perhaps the price and production run. Each Reventón Roadster will be sold for 1.1 million Euro plus taxes and on-roads, and less than 20 will be built. Those with the money and influence to get a spot in the queue will obtain what Automobili Lamborghini regards as the “most extreme car in the history of the brand.” The 6.5 liter twelve-cylinder generates 493 kW (670 PS), catapulting the Roadster from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph). Deliveries begin next month. Read More
Lotus announces purpose-built Range Extender Engine
By Gizmag Team
21:27 September 15, 2009 PDT
Designed specifically for the new breed of highly efficient series hybrid vehicles, Lotus Engineering’s Range Extender engine was shown for the first time at the 63rd Frankfurt International Motor Show. In a series hybrid vehicle, the Range Extender engine is attached to an electricity generator and provides a highly efficient source of energy to power the electric motor directly or charge the vehicle's battery. The three-cylinder 1.2 liter Range Extender engine is optimized between two power generation points, giving 15 kW of electrical power at 1,500 rpm and 35 kW at 3,500 rpm via the integrated electrical generator. The battery can also power the electric motor which enables the design of a drivetrain with low emissions, optimized performance and acceptable range. Read More
Citroen's REVOLTe - the electric 2CV
By Gizmag Team
09:44 September 15, 2009 PDT
Citroen showed an ultra-chic plug-in REVOLTe hybrid concept inspired by its iconic 2CV at the Frankfurt Motorshow. Compact, with a visually-stunning low stance, REVOLTe measures just 3.68m long, 1.73m wide and 1.35m tall. Apart from the drive train, the most interesting feature is its original and distinctive three-seater layout - driver’s seat to one side with two passenger seats behind it - is designed to resemble a lounge, with the rear seats taking the form of a contemporary sofa. Read More
The Peugeot BB1 electric four seater just 2.5 metres long
By Gizmag Team
08:55 September 15, 2009 PDT
One of the most visually distinctive cars on show at Frankfurt on the opening day of the world’s most important car show was Peugeot’s BB1 concept car. Looks aside though, the inbuilt practicality of a car just 2.5 metres long and capable of seating four people indicates how the design freedom afforded by electric cars opens the way for reinventing the automobile in every way: architecture, style, interior design, interior space and connectivity. Read More
The environmentally-responsible Qubo Trekking with Traction +
By Gizmag Team
08:34 September 15, 2009 PDT
FIAT is likely to develop a whole new set of cult followers with the release of its Qubo Trekking, a new version of Fiat’s “free space” vehicle targeting nature lovers, outdoor sports and leisure enthusiasts. This original vehicle is also ideal for the non-conformist driver in search of substance with a sense of environmental responsibility. Powered by the 75 HP 1.3 Multijet, and equipped with the new “Traction +” system, the new Qubo Trekking offers performance similar to that of a “light crossover” but with the economic benefits that only a diesel-fuelled 4X2 can offer (27 km per litre in the extra urban cycle). Environmental performance is excellent too (115 g/km of CO2). Read More
The Audi e-tron electric Quattro with 4,500 Nm of torque
By Gizmag Team
07:49 September 15, 2009 PDT
One of the highlights of IAA 2009 was undoubtedly Audi’s electric Quattro, and the development ecosystem the company is establishing. Dubbed the e-tron, it has four motors producing in total a 230 kW (313 hp) and a stunning 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 lb-ft) of torque, enabling it to accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0 – 62.14 mph) in 4.8 seconds, and from 60 to 120 km/h (37.28 – 74.56 mph) in 4.1 seconds. The car’s lithium-ion battery is stored directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity, and holds 42.4 kilowatt hours, enabling a range of 250 km. Read More
Renault presents stunning electric range at Frankfurt
By Gizmag Team
07:00 September 15, 2009 PDT
Electric vehicles of small proportions are beginning to emerge as the theme of this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and the presentation of a comprehensive range of electric vehicles by Renault, dubbed the Z.E. range, was the clincher. Perhaps more important, was Renault’s commitment to begin selling its new Z.E. range at affordable prices in 2010. Read More
MINI shows production-ready two-seat Coupe
By Gizmag Team
05:07 September 15, 2009 PDT
The pick of the first morning of the Frankfurt Motor Show was the MINI Coupe Concept, one of just two previously unannounced cars we’ve seen so far, the other being the equally minimalist MINI Roadster Concept. The coupe will go into production, has just two seats, and the 1.6 litre twin-scroll turbo motor from the MINI Cooper S. Read More
VW shows 170 mpg tandem diesel hybrid two-seater
By Gizmag Team
04:51 September 15, 2009 PDT
Volkswagen rocked the automotive world at a lunchtime press conference on the first day of the Frankfurt Motor Show with a carbon fiber, half width, 1-liter hybrid electric diesel tandem two-seater car named the L1. When the car makes production in 2013, four years from now, it will almost certainly be the most fuel efficient car available with a combined diesel fuel consumption figure of 1.38 l/100km (170 U.S. mpg), thanks to its frugal motor combo, feather-like weight – 380 kg in total - and an aerodynamic drag co-efficient of just 0.195! Read More
Video: DivX demonstrates DivX Plus HD
By Gizmag Team
03:21 September 15, 2009 PDT
After seeing CE devices that were certified for DivX Plus HD playback at IFA 2009, wondering what exactly what DivX Plus HD was, and finding next to no information about it on the web, we decided to go straight to the source. In short, it's a bunch of nifty stuff for both high-definition content consumers and creators, but if you want to know much, much more, click through for the video of Tim Hanlon talking to DivX at IFA. Read More
Facevsion's FXexpress Pro brings 1080p video conferencing to the mass market
By Gizmag Team
06:37 September 13, 2009 PDT
Full HD video conferencing has been available for some time - provided you can afford to spend over $20,000 on a product like Cisco's TelePresence 500. Until now that is. FaceVsion's FXexpress Pro is an ExpressCard-based hardware accelerator with an HDMI input, capable of encoding and decoding 1080p H.264 video at 30 frames per second in real-time for 1080p video conferencing - and it's available for under $200. Gizmag's Tim Hanlon talked to Facevsion at IFA 2009 - click through for the video. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid
By Gizmag Team
15:34 September 10, 2009 PDT
Having launched its S 400 HYBRID, currently the most fuel-efficient luxury-segment saloon with a petrol engine, Mercedes-Benz is set to show its Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID technology vehicle in Frankfurt next week. Aimed at demonstrating the company’s scalable and intelligently organized set of hybrid systems, and previewing the next model, the compact 15-kW electric motor hardly differs from the S 400 HYBRID, yet is three times more powerful and can be elegantly incorporated into the housing of the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
