A new system has been created which is targeting the problem of traffic around Heathrow airport among others. A network of 18 driverless pods will carry passengers between the car park and terminal. PRT (Personal Rapid Transport) systems are not new although Heathrow airport will be the first to actually test the system. If the system looks like the picture above then it appears like several passengers and baggage could be carried at a time. In my opinion it seems like 18 might not be enough at Heathrow due to how many passengers fly each day. Time will tell though.

Via: Link Notes

I came across this UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) over at DEGadget today and first impressions it looks like an interesting device. It is white and features a full QWERTY keyboard with a large 5 inch WVGA screen. The keyboard is the main part that got my attention as it is split in the middle allowing it to fold and then the screen also fold in making a more compact device to carry around. It runs Windows XP for an OS and has a 1GHz processor. On the memory side it has 512MB which isn’t bad at all and should be plenty to run the XP operating system. Built in is a 30GB HDD allowing for plenty of storage space while on the go.

Connectivity seems quite good too as it sports GSM/GPRS/Edge and HSDPA. Wi-Fi is built in at 802.11g. USB ports are also built in allowing connectivity with wires. Battery life is not too bad at 2.5 hours with the standard battery although it is possible to jump to 5 hours with an extended battery.

Overall it seems like quite a nice package if you are wanting a replacement for a laptop, but the benefit of a nice sized keyboard.
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Google has recently added six more cities to the line up on Street View at their maps website. You can view street level images of Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Phoenix, Tucson and Portland.

Via: LinkNotes

A lot more then I expected goes on behind the scenes of a shuttle launch over at NASA. The first image shows the shuttle preparing to be attached to the tank.

The second image above shows the tank making it’s way over to the NASA building ready to have the boosters attached to it and the shuttle loaded on.

This image is the tank being positioned to have all the parts attached to it.

Also do not forget the engines need to be added on to the shuttle.

More pictures can be found of the sequence over at Nyike and are well worth your time to check them out.

This small rocket was hacked to include a small CVS camcorder which costs around $20. Attached to the rocket it then launches in to the sky showing the ground below. The cool thing about this is the speed that this thing goes up. For a second view of the rocket launching check out the video below.

I came across this cool video today which shows someone using a 350mW laser to light a match. That’s a fair amount of power to achieve that and something I wouldn’t want to cross paths with. Check out the video above.

360 Desktop is a program which extends your Windows desktop beyond the limits of the screen. It allows for an almost unlimited sized desktop which allows for more room to spread out your work. Images can be used for the backdrop to allow for more of a panoramic effect which from the video demonstration, does look quite cool. To try and imagine how it works, just think of a big circle which your screen has access to a part of. Rotate it around to see various other parts. This is one tool to look out for.

For a full demonstration of what 360 Desktop is, check out the video below.

Via: 360Desktop

Scientists at the University of Calgary recently created a computer model of a human body. The body resides in a virtual reality room known as a Research Holodeck where the the 4D model floats in space by being projected from three walls and the floor. When created, the model had 10 times resolution of any other in the market. For a more detailed explanation check out ScienceDaily who have a full report of the CAVEMan.