Evacuated Tube Transport could take you to China in two hours

by Meg Nesterov on

Ever look at a pneumatic tube at a bank and think, “Why couldn’t I travel like that?” A new form of high-tech transportation called Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT) could take passengers in car-sized capsules traveling through tubes so fast that you could make it from New York to Beijing in two hours. Unlike pneumatic tubes that work with air and suction, the ETT works via magnetic levitation and frictionless tubes. The ETT could travel up to 4,000 miles per hour for long trips (over twice the speed of the supersonic Concorde jet), or 370 miles per hour for shorter trips, and tubes would be routed like freeways to avoid congestion. ETT proponents claim it’s silent, cheaper than planes and faster than jets, though an extensive network of tube rails would have to be constructed to connect the network.

While the capsules may look a bit claustrophobic, the ET3 consortium claims that the transport would provide more room per passenger than airplanes or cars, and TVs could be provided to “provide distraction from negative thoughts.” Tubes would be constructed with emergency escape hatches and EMT facilities in case of emergency, and the braking system would be automatic with multiple backups (unlike the Springfield monorail).

Licenses for the ET3 concept are said to have been sold in five countries, and you can sign up for the “first 3D Virtual Ride” (coming in Q2 of 2011, oops!) on the ET3 website, but a prototype has yet to be developed. ET3 hopes that with more support, low-cost world travel could be possible in a decade. The question remains, would we still have to turn off our electronic devices for the trip?

Daily deal – D-Link DWL-G730AP pocket travel router for $43.99

by Scott Carmichael on

My deal of the day is perfect for anyone who is regularly stuck in a hotel room with a wired Internet connection. The D-Link DWL-G730AP is a pocket travel router with three different functions; access point, router and client.

In access point mode, it can turn any wired broadband connection into a wireless connection, allowing you to work wirelessly from the bed (or the pool), without having to unwind 40 feet of cable.

In router mode, it can share that same wired connection with others, you are of course in control of who gets access. This is perfect if you want to open your network up to more than one person (perhaps even just yourself and your husband/wife). Instead of having to share your laptop, you plug the router into the wired network jack, and you can instantly share the connection. This is also perfect for a conference room where there is often only a single wired jack in the wall.

The third mode is the wireless client mode; this turns the D-Link into a wireless network adapter, which is perfect if you are working on a laptop without built in wireless access. The device picks up a wireless network signal, and you can plug it into your laptop, and get online.

The D-Link DWL-G730AP comes complete with a carrying case, an AC adapter, a USB power cord and a network cable. You can purchase the D-Link travel router here, shipping is just $2.95, and you can pay with any major credit card and Paypal.