Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit: World’s Highest Tech Roller Coaster?

I remember watching some documentary special on roller coasters, and was very surprised to find that there is nothing holding the cars upside-down on the loop except centrifugal force. In other words, there is very little advanced technology involved with roller coasters, which is why I am skeptical of Universal Orlando theme park calling their Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit “the world’s highest tech roller coaster”.

The 3,800 foot long attraction is unique because it allows the user to select his or her personal soundtrack from many genres, then an individual song. I would hope that Universal would choose “Song 2” by Blur. Just listen to it, and you’ll see why it is perfect song for a roller coaster.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit also has a various LED flashing lights, and fourteen digital video cameras to capture the experience. I can’t help but wonder if the user has the option of getting a video clip of their experience after it is over.

As for the ride itself, it begins with a 167-foot vertical lift that the coaster car climbs in 16 seconds. There are also six “near miss encounters”, where the spectator’s roller coaster car will appear to collide with other cars going around the track. There are also many “Treble Clef” curves, like the one you see in the photo here.

So, if the family is headed to Orlando for summer vacation, you might want to stop by Universal Studios Orlando and be prepared to Rip, Ride, and Rockit. The ride is due to open sometime this summer, but I don’t have the exact date.

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Belkin TuneCast Auto Live FM transmitter

Belkin is back with the Belkin TuneCast Auto Live FM transmitter alongside their very own ClearScan Live software application that will allow both iPhone and iPod Touch owners to gain easy access to their FM transmitter, picking out the most suitable radio frequency to play music in the car.

ClearScan Live allows the iPhone to display the FM frequency and the controls on its screen. This hardware-software combination is the first to utilize an iPhone application to control FM transmission and utilize GPS coordinates to determine the clearest FM frequency at the user’s location. TuneCast Auto Live capitalizes on the ability of iPhone OS 3.0 to enable application control of hardware accessories, with ClearScan Live as the first application to interact with an iPhone FM transmitter accessory. Together, the Belkin hardware and software provide a powerful tool for people to easily control and listen to their music in their cars.

The Belkin TuneCast Auto Live FM transmitter will arrive across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia later this Fall, retailing for $79.99 a pop.

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TomTom White Pearl

Getting lost is no fun, not when you have a bunch of kids sitting in the back row who can’t stop asking the question, “Are we there yet?” Having a GPS navigation system is more or less indispensable these days, especially when driving around has gotten so much more convenient. For folks who tend to drive out of state frequently and head off to unfamiliar places, toting a GPS navigation system is a God-send since you don’t have to worry about folding up any maps once you’ve got your bearings, and there is always the software to blame before your wife lets loose on you a verbal tirade on how you are too stubborn to stop by and ask someone for directions. Hey, you asked the GPS software, didn’t you? TomTom is offering yet another model for the masses - the White Pearl, which is a special edition navigation product with a twist.

The White Pearl comes with a stylish, pearlescent design which makes it ideal for a gift, and it will definitely add a touch of glamour in your vehicle. Each purchase comes with a chic pearlescent finish EasyPort folding mount to match the White Pearl itself, and is based on the TomTom ONE IQ Routes edition, making sure that driving is stress-free all the way to your destination. In addition, TomTom has also thrown in new features such as special Points of Interest including ‘Places to be seen’ and ‘Shop ‘til you drop’, making sure everyone in the family has something to look forward to each time they step into the vehicle with you.

While we don’t know when the US will be getting this device, folks in the UK can get their hands on the TomTom White Pearl from this month onwards via Amazon.co.uk for the recommended retail price of £179.99.

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Bixi, Bicycle Sharing

I have a bike, but right now it is out of commission. At this present time, I would be a good customer for Bixi, a bicycle sharing program.

It works by going to one of the bike stations that you see in the picture here, and borrowing one of the bikes. All a user needs is a credit card, and then the user can ride around freely as they normally would with their own bike. Once the user is done, he or she simply returns it to another bike station.

I am not certain how Bixi keeps track of all of its bikes, but I’m told that the setup is “computer-chip based, solar-powered, and Wi-Fi enabled”.

Montreal is the first North American city to host this program, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t the last. I’ve never heard of Bixi before, but it really is a program that is ingenious in its simplicity.

In fact, this bicycle sharing program has to be big in certain regions of Asian countries like China. I’ve seen pictures of Asian bicycle racks that rival parking garages in the Western world. If Bixi doesn’t have presence in places like these, then it really ought to.

But hey, who am I to offer advice to a bike lender? Right now, I am in need of one. Too bad I’m not in Montreal.

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Robotic Taxi Service

I’m sure all of you remember the movie Total Recall, where Arnold Schwarzenegger rides in a cab that drives itself. It would appear that someone has taken inspiration from science fiction with this Robotic Taxi Service.

It looks a lot like the “Slimos” that we reported on a week ago. Designer Kubik Peter’s automated transport is electrically powered, and can seat about two. That may not sound like much room, but there is a trunk in the back for some luggage.

Now I’m sure you’re wondering: how does the passenger tell the robo-cabbie where to go? I believe the user just makes a selection of cross-streets on a touchscreen controller. I would imagine that the touchscreen would have internet access, so maybe the passenger can watch a little YouTube video while he or she is waiting to get from Point A to Point B.

I’ve noted that the robo-cab looks a little skinny. Perhaps it is prepared for an era where two people can comfortably travel side by side in a lane normally made for one car. Considering that many metropolitan cities have way too many cabs on their streets, they could use an exclusive lane devoted to cabs.

This robo-cab could hearken in an age where a taxi driver is no longer needed. Of course, they could always create the Johnny Cab dummy drivers from the aforementioned Total Recall. Remember that cabbie that could talk and attempt at make conversation with starters like “hell of a day, isn’t it?” Well, if these robo-cabs are ever perfected, I’m certain it will be a “hell of a time”.

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Taga Stroller Trike

For those of you who don’t know the fun of wheeling a baby around all day, you are in for quite a treat. Welcome to days of wearing both your arms and legs out as junior gets pushed around to places that may or not be compatible for wheels.

When my wife and I had our second child, we decided to buy one of those double strollers. Although they “conveniently” hold two kids, they really are hard to get around. What I would have given for the Taga stroller/trike. As you can see, the parent sits in a seat behind the tykes and pedals them to places.

Now, I’m not certain if this is something that you want to take to the zoo or something. After all, do you really want to be the parent who is zipping around on a trike, endangering all the other animal-spectators?

No, the Taga stroller trike is something that you probably want to take on a bike trail, and have a blast cruising many miles until your tykes need a feeding or a diaper change.

The Taga stroller trike can fold up and fit in the trunk. It also has covered seats for rainy weather. Right now, it is only available in Europe, but it really is needed all across the world.

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Electric operated GoCycle Bike

As information becomes easier to disseminate these days, it is no surprise that more and more people are taking up the environmentally friendly route, making choices that will affect our eco-system positively. While there has been some progress, there remains a whole lot more work to be done in the long run. One of the ways to do your part is choosing green forms of transport, and the GoCycle electric bicycle is a decent option if you do plenty of intra-city travel. This is the world’s lightest production electric bicycle, tipping the scales at just 16.2kg. Despite its small size, it is able to move you for around 20 miles before requiring a recharge, and at a top speed of 15mph to boot. Recharge time currently stands at 3.5 hours, and the £1,158 price point will come with a sealed-for-life chain, a decent suspension system to prevent sore buttocks and three-speed gearing.

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Entecho’s Hoverpod

I remember watching an episode of Mythbusters where they were discussing the possibility of hovering technology. Apparently, Adam and Jamie had grown up seeing the same ads on the back covers of comic books that promised an “Air Car”, and I remember these ones too.

The Mythbusters then challenged each other to a race with hovering vehicles that they built on their own. They were able to get them to hover, but getting any forward motion on them proved problematic.

It would appear that Australian company Entecho has figured out an application for hover technology. This fan-forced flying saucer could start a serious transportation revolution as the huge blades spin to give it lift, and the skirt around it gives it directional manipulation.

The hoverpod is capable of speeds of 120 km per hour, with a range of 3 km. I’m not certain what that means, but I believe that it can hover up to 1.5 meters off the ground. This hoverpod can hold about three passengers, and it is quite safe as no blades are exposed.

Sadly, this vehicle is still under development, and has been for the past several years. I hope it comes out soon. I mean, we may be nowhere near that futuristic age of flying cars any time soon, but I would imagine that hovering cars is a necessary step.

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