Take A Ride On The Heathrow Pod

From yesterday you can checked out the new automated vehicles that they have introduced earlier at London’s Heathrow airport. These wheeled little unmanned cars follow a set of tracks around the airport and to the surrounding car parks. From a station at each location, travelers can use a screen to call their own pod to ride on. They indicate the location they’re traveling to and then a pod is summoned to a kind of loading bay where the traveler and up to four others can get on. After the ‘start’ button is pressed, the pods travel a series of sky bridges around the airport.

The pods intelligently move around the tracks knowing where other pods are so as not to bump into them and also knowing the best route to take. Sometimes they wait to get out of a bay so others can pass by them. Currently the pods run from Terminal 5 and two parking lots but we are sure this scheme may be extended. They are quite a remarkable sight as they dash across the skyline.

Check out some of our camera phone shots of the Heathrow Pod experience







via PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2011/08/psfk-takes-a-ride-on-the-heathrow-pod.html#ixzz1VH6QJsKy

Virtual Tablecloth Visualizes Menu Selection

London’s oriental fusion restaurant Inamo St. James integrated a virtual tablecloth into its tabletops enabling patrons to visualize items on the menu as they appear projected onto the plate in front of them. Using overhead projection technology, the e-table engages customers with a touchscreen-like experience as they scroll through items on the menu to view them in real-time, offering an interactive dining experience where patrons can browse and order meals all from within the digital platform.

Additionally, customers can also access live footage from the kitchen or hail a cab using the interactive display.

Inamo St. James, 4 – 12 Regent Street, London, UK


via PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2011/08/virtual-tablecloth-visualizes-menu-selection.html#ixzz1VBEeiZt4

Top Ten Most Expensive Cars in the World

There are several car companies that pride themselves on manufacturing only the highest quality luxury vehicles on the market. Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, and so many more go head-to-head to be the best of the best in a highly competitive industry. But who's putting out the most expensive luxury cars? Check it out...



#10 | Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead
At $447,000 the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead comes in at the number 10 spot. Built as a less formal alternative to the classic RR model, it boasts an aluminum V12 engine, 453 horse power and maximum speed of nearly 150 mph. Chief Stylist of Interior Design for the Phantom Drophead, Charles Coldham explains, "The occupants are surrounded by the finest natural materials, evoking the experience of being on board a yacht."

#9 | Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV
For $455,400, the sleek body of the Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV is offering even more power under the hood. With a V12 engine, 670 horse power and top speed of 210 mph, there is no way you won't be noticed in this flashy, fast-moving super sportscar.

#8 | Ferrari SA Aperta
If you have $520,000 to spend then you got yourself one of the sexiest sportscars on the market. Hurry up and make your purchase, though, because only 80 of these beauties will be produced, with 15 of them going to Europe. With a 670 horse power engine going from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, they're literally going fast.

#7 | Leblanc Mirabeau
$728,000 will get you this go-kart for the street by Koenigsegg. Flying to top speeds of 230 mph, this V8 Supercharged engine was definitely built with the spirit of the race track in mind.

#6 | SSC Ultimate Aero
Coming in at #6 is Shelby Supercars' SSC Ultimate Aero. Going 0 to 60 in 2.78 seconds and reaching a top speed of 273 mph, this speedracer is yours for $750,000. The SSC Ultimate Aero has been taking to the track to really define the word "aero" and break records in the motor industry. They're well on their way with this one.

#5 | Hennessey Venom GT
This futuristic looking vehicle, going from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, will cost you a mere $895,000. Car enthusiasts love this 1,200 horse power supercar for its amazing aesthetic and impressive performance.

#4 | Huayra Pagani
Now this is a showstopper! Even when the Huayra Pagani isn't moving it appears as if it's soaring. It makes sense considering it's V12 engine flies to over 200 mph. If you were worried about the practicality of this low-rider, you'll be pleased to know the ride height actually increases at low speeds so you can smoothly pull into any parking situation. For nearly $1.4 million I'd say that's fair

#3 | Maybach 62S Landaulet
This gorgeous vehicle openly states, "The ultimate in luxury means physical exertion is not necessary." Maybach really means it when their doors close automatically behind you. There is also a parking assist feature, rear refrigerator, fold-down tables and two sterling silver Champagne flutes with your $1.4 million purchase. Oh right, and it has a top speed of 278 mph with 604 horse power. Money well spent.

#2 | Koenigsegg Agera
This $1.5 million supercar is going from 0 to 60 in nearly three seconds and WOWing car lovers along the way. Named for the Swedish verb "to act" this beauty helped celebrate 15 years in the industry for the company. But act fast because their production is limited to 16 to 20 per year


#1 | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport
At $1.86 million dollars this is only a mere toy for the millionaires of the world. With a top speed of nearly 250 mph it is the second fastest car in the world but the most expensive at the moment. Production of these luxury favorites began only two short years ago making car enthusiasts excited in anticipation of what's to come for the Bugatti brand.


IN JUSTLUXE.COM

Architecture: Loft 24-7 - Sao Paulo, Brazil

Ideally, wouldn't we all like to live in a climate where outdoor living is possible year-round? And wouldn't we love to live in a space where the divide between indoors and outdoors is non-existent? São Paulo-based Fernanda Marques achieved this idealistic balance in her Loft 24-7 residence, presented at the CasaCor exhibition in São Paulo, Brazil.



In the 250-square-meter (about 2,700 square feet) space, Marques has erased the barriers by using "outdoor" elements inside and "indoor" elements outside and creating easy visual links between the two. Limestone, rough stone, steel, glass, wood paneling and furnishings that speak to the architect's modernist style, all create a harmonious, seamless environment where you are never quite in and never quite out.

Why Cars From The Past Are The Way Of The Future

We are wondering why it is that car manufacturers are tripping over each other inventing boring and redundant “super modern” and “high design” cars, when the end result is a sea of lookalikes. One can no longer recognize a “premium” make from a lower-end car, certainly not by distinctive and recognizable design features.



They are unimaginative, uninspiring and suffer from a serious case of follow-itis. As opposed to being leaders and, in particular, design leaders. We see design tweaks and add-on features advertised as if they were a revolution when in fact, there’s nothing really significantly new or exciting. No wonder so many are giving up cars altogether. Why spend all that money to get what?



Our hopes are up a bit with a sighting of the carbon fiber-bodied “Bella Figura” Bugnotti. It is Delahaye USA’s tribute to Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean, and it was inspired by the 1937 classic Type 57S. This retro beauty will debut at the Retro Auto at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Aug. 13-15 in Monterey, CA.



We are all for going back to the basics, to looking at the best and most beautiful models of the past and resurrecting them. For example, there is nothing to add to the iconic design of a classic Saab. It was designed for minimal drag and that was partly the reason why the Saab was such a hot ticket as a rally car in the 1960s. And they had 3-cylinder engines, too.



Imagine if we could again drive cars this cool? Of course, they’d have the relevant and useful modern technology and electric power as well. Why is that not possible? - Bill Tikos


In the Cool hunter

THE CHARGE BOX

In a world that is obsessed with mobile phones, PDAs, iPods and the like, we are perpetually draining and recharging our batteries. In-home refuelling is a cinch, but the same cannot be said for public places where electrical outlets are typically guarded against unauthorized recharging.

The ChargeBox offers a solution, which consists of 6 small lockers, each with 4 unique chargers that can power 90% of our mobile devices. Users simply plug in to the charger that corresponds to their device, make payment with a coin or via SMS, lock their box and return when charging is complete. The ChargeBox will top up your battery for 40 minutes at a cost of £1. Already a big hit in parts of East Asia and the UK, it's only a matter of time before ChargeBoxes spring up in a mall, airport, or coffee shop near you. by Harold C via Springwise

Disk+Mouse Concept Fits Your Optical Drive

By Don Michael Acelar De Leon on August 1, 2011


In the age of thumb-drives and sending files to the cloud, we barely get to use the optical drives mounted on our laptops, if at all. Created by designer Seung Han Jung as an entry to the 2011 Sparks Concept Design Awards, the disk+Mouse concept is an attempt to make use of space that previously exists in your computer to store your mouse for easy transport. The pointer stores flat but pops up into a cone-shaped mouse. Thinner and more portable, the disk+Mouse seems to be a potential alternative to wireless mice that require a separate carrying container.




via PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2011/08/diskmouse-concept-fits-your-optical-drive.html#ixzz1TrgcFQxR
via PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2011/08/diskmouse-concept-fits-your-optical-drive.html#ixzz1TrgVB4tR

Department Store Eases Check Out Lines With Mobile Technology

Nordstrom recently rolled out 6,000 iPod Touches at 116 of its stores in an effort to reduce check-out wait times. The US department store chain already uses Apple iPads in its Personal Styling Department. The new iPod Touches will be able to read credit cards and bar-codes. Consumers with credit cards will be able to walk up to a store representative, purchase an item on the spot, and receive an automatically e-mailed receipt. Retail associates will also be able to obtain inventory information by scanning item bar codes. The retailer plans on distributing equipped iPods to all of its stores, as well as expanding the capabilities of these devices.

Nordstrom



via PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2011/08/department-store-eases-check-out-lines-with-mobile-technology.html#ixzz1TrexEjr9