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Latest Gear Live Videos
Japan’s Golden Schachihoko Taxi
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Transportation,
This is how one Japanese taxi company decided to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The Fuji Taxi Group in Nagoya has taken one taxi and painted it gold. Group President Kazuo Ohara from the company reports that it has cost them thousands of Yen in hopes of making it a good luck symbol “in a way comparable to Nagoya’s famous golden shachihoko (a mythical creature with the head of a tiger and the body of a carp.)” We think that it looks mighty fierce, but how much do you suppose the meter racks up per kilometer?
Read More 
| Japan Probe
Gallery: Japan’s Golden Schachihoko Taxi
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Bumper Buggies Available for Toddlers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Toys, Transportation,
More fun than a bumper car at a carnival has to be owning your very own Razor Bumper Buggie at home. Unfortunately, they were only designed for children over the age of three. The cars come in 3 models and can hold up to 55 pounds. They move around at 2 mph for 40 minutes on an 8 hour charge. Made of plastic and featuring dual joystick pads and motors, you can find them online for $89.00. After purchase, hide the breakables, bring in the pets, and think about investing in fencing around your rose bushes.
Read More | Razorama
Gallery: Bumper Buggies Available for Toddlers
New York Cabbies Get Touchy About Touch-Screens
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: GPS, Transportation,
Last week, New York’s Taxi and Limousine Commission approved a plan to install touch-screens in all 13,000 city cabs. The monitors not only let riders pay via credit card, but include GPS technology and info about bars and restaurants. However, many drivers oppose the plan, due to the cost of the screens, credit card fees, and time lost if the monitor needs repair. Some cabbies are even concerned about the GPS tracking their routes (the Taxi Commission states that only pickup and drop-off locations will be recorded). The vehicles will be upgraded starting October 1.
Read More | MSNBC
Gallery: New York Cabbies Get Touchy About Touch-Screens
Avis Aids Travelers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, Misc. Tech, Transportation, Wireless / WiFi,
There may be a little less travel rage when stranded in a strange town. Avis has initiated a service that, for a fee of $10.95 a day, will transmit a Wifi signal to your laptop or other mobile device. Developed by Autonet Mobile, it will keep you informed on car rentals, hotels, and hot spots that you might visit during your next business trip or vacation.
Avis Connect is debuting at San Francisco International Airport and will move on to other large city airports by Q3 of this year. For some reason, the company has yet to release online just which network it is working with, but we figure they are waiting until Hertz first creates a service just like it.
Read More | Avis Connect
Gallery: Avis Aids Travelers
The Stash Helmet or Crash Helmet?
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Transportation,
First came the foldable guitar, then the bicycle in a box. Now we have discovered the Stash Helmet that collapses into 60% of its original size. Still, we are wondering if this is really a good thing, because it seems that any helmet that can fold into itself could possibly fold into your head upon inpact. We are sure that plenty of tests were done before the head cover became available to the public. We think we are going to wait awhile before we invest in this one. The Stash Helmet is available for £49.95 (~$67.00.) at the UK Bike Store.
Read More | UK Bike Store
Gallery: The Stash Helmet or Crash Helmet?
Car freaks will adore this Morning Drive Car Wheel Alarm Clock. Rather than waking up to music or some annoying shock jock, the clock’s tires spin and burn out. The Korean device is powered by three AAA batteries and has a gear shift for hands-on fun. A female voice also comes on, but Babelfish’s translation turned it into “the exorcism wool ning!” Little matter, for anyone who applauds the idea of burning rubber in the morning won’t particularly care what the wake-up call says.
Read More | Buzz (translated)
Gallery: Gear Up in The Morning
Tesla Motors has made a very classy roadster that is 100% electric and can go from 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds! At 200 miles per charge on its ion lithium batteries, this means less than 2 cents a mile at a 135 mpg equivalent. We think that this is a lot better than succumbing to the ridiculous cost of gas these days. Tesla hopes their technology will not only make others aware of alternatives, but will encourage the major car companies to also think green. Last year’s batch is gone, but you can reserve a 2008 model for a price beginning at $92,000.00. The roadster should begin paying for itself by the time your youngest is ready for college.
Read More | Tesla Motors
Gallery: Tesla Features Green Car
Colin Beavan is the subject of an interesting experiment. He and his family are trying to live for one year with absolutely no impact against the environment in New York City. Referring to himself as “No Impact Man,” he is trying to live without creating any waste. The family doesn’t use electricity, take any public transportation (he and wife Michelle share a scooter,) don’t purchase any food that isn’t grown or made within 250 miles, or buy anything with packaging. They don’t take elevators, have given up toilet paper, don’t do coffee (because it is not a local product,) and have a compost box in their kitchen with earthworms to break down the debris.
Beavan is also writing a book about his experience and wants to try to stick to some of these basics at the end of the trial year. He also keeps a daily personal blog online. Sheryl Crow would be proud.
Read More | ABC
Gallery: No Impact Man: Waste Not, Want Not
American Airlines to Test Personal Media Players on Flights
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Portable Audio / Video, Transportation,
Hmmmm….we’re secretly beginning to wonder if someone at American Airlines has been reading Gear Live. If so, maybe our stories on iPod connectivity on airplanes and the Archos 704 were the inspiration for their latest venture. Soon, the airline will offer the 704 to transcontinental passengers, filled with 12 feature films, over a dozen hours of TV and news shows, MP3s, music videos, and audio channels. The PMP will be a free rental for first class folks, but coach-dwellers must pay a small fee. Hmph! Domestic flyers get some PMP love too, as flyers from LA to Chicago will get to sample the Archos 605, loaded with the same content as the 704, but will also include fun stuff for the kids. The test runs began May 1, and will last 4 months.
Read More | PR Newswire
Gallery: American Airlines to Test Personal Media Players on Flights
Last Friday, one of the General Lee Muscle Cars from the TV show “Dukes of Hazard” was sold on eBay Motors. Claiming to be John Schneider’s personal vehicle and modified with a macho 725 Hemi, it netted $9,900,500.00. Apparently 19 of these vehicles exist, two kept by Warner Brothers, while the others are privately owned.
While checking out the facts, we found another of the collection that is up for sale through tomorrow, so if you are truly disappointed that you couldn’t bid on the first one, take a shot at this one that is going for merely $150,000.00.
Read More | eBay Motors
