Articles tagged with "Travel and Tourism"
Self-powered eco-switch for hotel rooms
April 4, 2008 This card-operated wireless switch from Echoflex Solutions offers the hotel industry a solution for reducing energy waste by in unoccupied rooms. (read more...)
Solar gadgets for the great outdoors
A couple of nifty solar gadgets for the outdoors: the Solar Mosquito Guard and Solar-Powered Fan are a steal at just US$10. And the best bit, 10% of all proceeds help send inner-city kids to Earth Day for Kids at the nonprofit Solar Living Institute. (read more...)
America’s largest Ferris wheel
Pepsi has announced it will create America’s largest Ferris wheel in New Jersey. The 287-foot-tall “Pepsi Globe” will be incorporated into Meadowlands Xanadu, a unique sports, leisure, shopping and family entertainment destination in East Rutherford. (read more...)
BT-Q1000 Platinum GPS Travel Recorder
Febraury 22, 2008 QSTARZ, the company behind the solar-powered BT-Q1200 GPS Travel Recorder, has released the BT-Q1000 Platinum - a Bluetooth GPS Travel Recorder that pairs with your PDA or Smartphone to provide satellite navigation and allows users to record up to 200,000 waypoints. (read more...)
Trunki: the ride-on, carry-on, kid’s suitcase
February 14, 2008 The Trunki is a kid’s suitcase with a difference: it’s a seat, a ride-on toy, a carry-on container for in-flight toys and a tow-along bag. The Trunki has a capacity of 18 litres so there’s plenty of room to pack favorite toys and games, snacks and even some spare clothes and at just 1.7 kg (3.8 pounds) and 46 x 20 x 30.5 cm (18" x 7.9" x 12"), it’s easy to stow-away once on board. The integrated wheels and specially designed stabilizers help make a strong base for little ones and the extra wide wheel base allows for smooth cornering. The Trunki is made from strong but lightweight plastic material and kids will love the bright color combinations. The towing handle and shoulder strap allow parents to move quickly if need be and the extra-strong hooks mean they can tow several toddlers at once. (read more...)
Coleman’s Nightlight Airbed for camping kids
February 6, 2007 Kids love camping but as soon as the sun sets, the great outdoors can seem a little scary, especially when they have to crawl into a dark tent. The Coleman Company's solution is the Nightlight Airbed, a kid's camp bed consisting of a comfortable 8-inch thick air-mattress with a built-in nightlight. The 3-LED nightlight lasts for 8 hours, so it will provide a reassuring glow long after the campfire has died down. (read more...)
Solio Magnesium Edition portable solar charger
January 10, 2008 Portable solar charger specialist Solio has announced a new, ruggedized Magnesium Edition which builds on the features of the original (now branded Solio Classic) with greater output (8W), expanded compatability, a higher-capacity lithium ion battery (3.7v, 1800mAh compared with 3.6v, 1600mAh) and a stronger magnesium alloy shell to cope with the rigors of the road. Retaining the same footprint and fan blade design as the original, the Magnesium Edition is compatible with the universal iGo Tip System and includes a female USB cable for iPod, digital cameras and other compatible gadgetry. It can be charged in around 8-10 hours of direct sunlight or in approximately four hours via a wall outlet and can store energy for up to one year. (read more...)
A satellite-navigated history lesson
December 7, 2007 Sick of leafing through travel guides planning your next tour? Now you can be informed about hundreds of historical sites without leaving the comfort of your car. Inspired by hand-held audio guides, the RoadTour SatNav application marries GPS functionality with a lesson in history, alerting drivers to places of historical interest as they motor through the countryside. (read more...)
The HB Special: a driving experience from yesteryear
Classic racecar fans might find this offer appealing: if the idea of owning, restoring and maintaining a 1950s racecar requires too much commitment, why not “experience” one for a week through the twisty mountain roads of Europe? Contrary to the modern trend of making supercars more and more easy to drive with electronic assistance, the Huet Brothers’ Triumph TR6-based “HB Special” is very much an accomplished driver’s car that rewards concentration, skill and finesse if you want to get the most out of it. Mind the dress code, though! (read more...)
Responsible tourism: sustaining world cultures
October 31, 2007 As global tourism in the developing world grows, so too does the awareness of the importance of responsible travel - being mindful of local customs, cultures and ecosystems is vital to striking a safe balance between traditional societies and new world economies. The emergence of terms like “Volunteer tourism” and increasing recognition of travel organizations that seek to promote the practice of providing help or services to the region being visited is evidence that this shift in attitude is continuing to gain momentum. (read more...)
Solar GPS unit tracks your travel experience
October 16, 2007 Here's a clever device for those who return home from holidays with gigabytes of photographs but no idea exactly where they were taken. The dual-powered Super 99 GPS "travel recorder" features the ability to log up to 200,000 waypoints on your journey and supports Geo Tagging of photos along with the ability to share your location with friends via Google Earth. The built-in solar panel also enables the device to operate for up to 48 hours when enough sunlight is available. (read more...)
Aeroscraft ML866: superyacht for the sky officially launched
It’s as big as a superyacht and not quite as fast as a supercar, but it does have a range of over 3000 miles and can do it over land, sea or snow, lingering anywhere you like the view. A new category of aircraft that fits somewhere in between a blimp, airship or dirigible, the Aeroscraft ML866 project was recently presented at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) show in Atlanta, Georgia. The key factor of the ML866 design is that it offers superyacht size and comfort in a platform that can operate independently from airports, meaning that a new class of luxury conveyance is about to become available which appears to trump them all. (read more...)
The Pearl-Qatar: multi-billion dollar man-made island home
An exotic name befits an exotic destination. The Pearl-Qatar is a multi-billion dollar man-made island under construction off the coast of Doha, Qatar covering 985 acres (400 hectares) and fronted by more than 12 miles of pristine beaches. The island retreat is set to become an exclusive home for 40,000 international residents as well as a sought after holiday destination for 800 guests enjoying three marinas, three 5 star hotels, plus almost half a million square feet of retail, dining and entertainment space. These stunning illustrations showcase this extraordinary address as it will look when the ribbon is cut in 2009. (read more...)
New Boardwalk Bullet roller coaster opens in Texas
September 11, 2007 A new roller coaster at Kemah Boardwalk in Houston, Texas offers riders a stomach-dropping 92-foot plunge in wooden carriages. The aptly named Boardwalk Bullet offers a hair-raising ride with a spectacular view of nearby Galveston Bay. (read more...)
Superbungee takes aim at the traditional shoulder strap
August 21, 2007 Laptop bags, satchels and other shoulder bags generally do a fairly good job of protecting what they’re carrying – but how much thought gets put into the primary interface of the bag with the body? Skooba’s Superbungee is a retro-fittable shoulder strap that uses air-cell padding, grippy laminates and “sports-tuned suspension” to minimize carrying shock and perceived weight as you schlep your gear about. (read more...)
Holiday in orbit: Galactic Suite space resort opening 2012
August 22, 2007 ‘Space tourism’ is the latest buzz phrase to hit the high-end travel industry with cosmos tourists already visiting the international space station and now news that a hotel stay in space is as little as five short years away. The Galactic Suite Space Resort, run by directors Xavier Claramunt and Marsal Gifra, aims to offer travellers the “most thrilling and transcendent experience ever” with a stay on board an orbital luxury getaway. Upon arrival at the first ever space resort, guests will be able to experience a new world of sensations including weightlessness, star gazing, amazing views of planet Earth with 15 sunsets in a day - not to mention being aboard a spaceship that takes you from 0 to 28,000kmh in 10 minutes. (read more...)
Free food allergy translations take the stress out of eating on vacation
June 10, 2007 This isn't a gizmo so much as a fantastic free Web service that we see as being exceptionally useful. It's tough enough working out how not to order the monkey brains when you're in a foreign country where you don't speak the language - let alone communicating to restaurant staff and stall vendors about food allergies that could ruin your holiday and even cost you your life. Food-info.net is a great free service that lets you download printable PDF files of more than 200 allergenic food items and their translations in a wide range of languages. (read more...)
DaySafe 100: the anti-theft laptop backpack
June 2, 2007 The petty criminal's work is based on minimal risk for maximal reward - snatching an unwatched handbag, slashing a backpack and collecting the spoils as they fall, sizing up which tourist is carrying a laptop or camera they can easily make off with. Simple measures to make life more difficult for thieves can act as an excellent deterrent, and this is where PacSafe has carved its market niche. Starting out with a slashproof metal net to protect backpackers' gear on the road, PacSafe has extended its line to include quick and practical secure carrybags for a range of urban and travel situations. With the latest anti-theft laptop backpack in tow, Gizmag's Loz Blain reports. (read more...)
