Boeing Building Planes with Planes
April 2, 2008 Category: Travel No Comments »
Meet the Boeing Dreamlifter, a modified 747 that is being used to transport the major pieces of the upcoming Boeing 787 Dreamliner from factories around the world to final assembly in Everett, Washington. Check out the short video below. It really is a very neat blip on the whole operation. Follow the jump for some specs. [Giz > Boeing]
Garmin Making Big News On Last Day of March
April 1, 2008 Category: GPS, Travel No Comments »
The first announcement yesterday was a new “Send to GPS” option now available for Google Maps and MapQuest. Available today, just plug in your Garmin unit via USB and send your waypoint(s) with the click of the button. Of course this isn’t as cool at doing it wirelessly with the new Dash, but I have a feeling that soon enough Garmin, along with the other GPS manufactures, will be sporting the same wireless coolness. This would most likely mean Garmin could take wires out of the equation.
Garmin’s other big news comes in the mobile phone GPS category. Samsumg mobiles equipped with GPS will be using the Garmin Mobile(TM) XT platform for their interface. It features Nuvi-style operation with “turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions.” The Garmin Mobile app is receiving several updates on WinMo, BlackBerry and Symbian OS’s, including Google Live Search.
Hit the jump for press releases and links.
$18,000 Inflight Showers? Who Else but Emirates Of Course
March 25, 2008 Category: Travel No Comments »
Emirates is really taking to leading the way in airline luxuries. Not only will their fliers be able to use their mobiles, but starting in October, first-class will have the option to take a hot shower midflight. The high price is due to the increased carbon footprint. (I doubt anyone willing to pay such an exuberant amount for a shower gives two sh*ts about what it may do to the environment.) I’m intrigued to see what the first-class part of the plane will look like since, you know, since it’s only 18k for a shower. Of course, I have to give props to Wilson’s Photoshop skillz. (the full-size is slightly NSFW) [Gizmodo]
Garmin and Kenwood Team Up for In-Dash GPS
March 24, 2008 Category: Technology, Travel No Comments »
Garmin is set to be Kenwood’s exclusive GPS supplier for the company’s 2008 line. The new multimedia units feature either built-in or optional Garmin navigation. Garmin has some University of Tennessee blood in the company, with UT grad Min Kao at the reigns. That, and the fact that Garmin is the worldwide GPS leader, shipping 31 million units, makes me happy because I have wanted an in-dash receiver for my GTI, but I have passed on similar GPS-toting options that did not have Garmin inside. All that is left to do now is get one of these companies to put out some information on the upcoming devices. [I4U]
EDIT: Kenwood and Garmin have actually been doing business since 2006. This year will actually be the first joint development and advertising of new products between the two companies. In the past, Garmin simply supplied its GPS chips.
The Cellphone is On Its Way to Inflight Use
March 22, 2008 Category: Cell Phones, Travel 4 Comments »
Emirates, a Dubai-based airline, has claimed to allow the first mobile phone call on a commercial flight. A specially outfitted Airbus A380, with electronics that keep the phones from interfering with the all important plane systems. The airline has courtesy rules in place, and the flight crew is able to put use to an end. Deployment in the U.S. and other countries seems to be on the horizon. [Gizmodo > BBC News]
The New Must-Have International Travel Translator
March 20, 2008 Category: Technology, Travel 1 Comment »
Wow, what a busy morning for M Dashboard. I must be distracted, with today being the end of the work week for me. Anyway, the Lingo Voyager 5 Talking Translator appears to have everything one could new when traveling to unfamiliar lands. Not only does it sport translation both directions, but it ’speaks’ over 46,000 common phrases used worldwide. Too in FM radio, voice/memo recording, currency converter, 200 city world clock with alarms, calculator, calendar and headphone jack, I’d say this is worth the current $250 price tag at X-Treme Geek. [Oh Gizmo!]
