Nontraditional financial services providers just got another leg up on banks in the remittance market with a new mobile phone service. GSM Association (GSMA), a global trade association representing more than 700 GSM mobile phone operators, and Western Union Company announced late last month an agreement to facilitate the development of cross-border mobile money transfer services
The framework will allow mobile phone companies to offer their customers a service to send and receive low-denomination, high-frequency money transfers using their mobile phones. The first commercial services that make use of the framework could roll out beginning in the second quarter of 2008.
Users of the system will not need bank accounts, giving the unbanked another way around inclusion in the traditional financial system. However, this may spur faster adoption of mobile banking from existing bank customers.
Thirty-five GSMA operators with more than 800 million customers in more than 100 countries are participating in the GSMA Mobile Money Transfer program.
"Remittances are playing a vital role in the social and economic development of India and many other developing countries," said Mr. Mittal. "This initiative will bring down the cost of lower-value and high-frequency mobile remittances considerably and also enable smaller amounts to be transferred in a fast and secure fashion, thereby benefiting millions of people in the developing world."
“Multichannel capabilities are the name of the game in money transfers. As the largest money transmitter in the world by number of agent locations, Western Union is entering the mobile remittance space in a strong position,” says Aite Group research director Gwenn Bezard. “It has already proven there are big bucks in emerging channels, such as the Internet – a $100 million business for Western Union. Even if mobile remittance remains a niche offer for a long time, Western Union has enough scale in its business and enough brand recognition to make it pay off rapidly, certainly faster than any other would-be mobile remittance provider.”
Well, Apple finally did it. The iPhone is officially ready to be transformed into an enterprise application. On Thursday, the Mac maker announced it will offer full support for Microsoft's Exchange corporate server. This will enable Apple to bring push capabilities for e-mail, contacts, address lists, and other enterprise-grade features via a software update in June. This includes security features as well, like remote wipe, support for Cisco IPsec VPN, certificates, identities and WPA2/802.11x support.
The move is probably partly in response to demands by customers in the enterprise market who were looking for a more robust device. They asked and Apple listened. Whether it will knock RIM's Blackberry from its throne as the corporate mobile access gizmo remains to be see, but it certainly has a good chance of doing so due to ActiveSync technology, which eliminates the middleman (RIM server) from the process of accessing one's corporate server.
Of course, I don't think RIM and Apple will be competing much on price since the devices themselves appear to be pretty comparable in that department, depending on storage capacity. It will come down to a war of features. However, Apple might have another a battle on its hands that's more cultural in nature. The Blackberry has been the staple of corporations for years. It's tried and true, in spite of any perceived shortcomings. Will the iPhone gain the same support and loyalty from corporate road warriors that is given to the Blackberry? The iPhone is certainly pretty, but it's also chock full of handy features in a fun, intuitive interface. I know from personal experience the differences in navigating an iPhone (in my case, an iPod Touch) versus a Blackberry (my husband's). The Blackberry certainly does what it's supposed to do, but there's just something about the iPhone interface that takes the user experience to the next level.
But what will an enterprise-enabled iPhone mean for banks? Well, FIs certainly approach all tech acquisitions with security top of mind. The enterprise-enabled iPhone doesn't seem to fall short in that department (see above). I especially like the remote wipe capability. Missing or stolen laptops and other portable devices are a plague on the FS industry. Now, network administrators can zero in on a lost iPhone and prevent sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.
Plus, with the release of a software developer's kit by Apple (also part of Thursday's big announcement), the possibilities for creating applications for the iPhone (including banking-related apps) are endless. There is an m-banking audience out there using iPhones after all.
It will be interesting to watch the iPhone evolve from a "fun" device to a practical device and take its place in the boardrooms of the world. And what you do you think about using an iPhone for work? Speak up in the "comments" section. We'd enjoy hearing from you!
Flashcards have always been one of my favourite teaching tools and with the FaceinHole website I've found a place where I can quickly create my own personalised ones. The site is easy to use. You just need either an image of yourself that you can upload or a webcam that you can take a picture with. Then you choose the picture you want to put yourself into and upload your image. With a bit of resizing and colour adjustment you can have a set of your own personal flashcards in just minutes.
Then you can either embed them in a webpage like these ones, have a link to them on the site or print them up to use them in class as flashcards.
How to use these with students These kinds of flashcards can be used for a multitude of purposes.
They are great for generating stories / personal anecdotes ( The time I met Paris Hilton etc).
You can use them to practice a range of grammar structures. The ones below could all be used for 'used to' and students could either ask about the experience or you could make up anecdotes to tell them.
You could get your students to create their own flashcards using their own images and then come to class and tell the class about their imaginary experiences.
Often when students have to talk about their own experiences, they can't think of much to say. Hopefully these flashcards will stimulate their imagination and they can have fun making up stories and anecdotes.
You could even try to convince your students that some of these are true! (I actually used to have long hair and go dancing with Paris Hilton!)
Here are my 'used to' experiences.
I used to play football for Manchester united
I used to go dancing with Paris Hilton.
I used to be a stunt man.
I used to have long hair.
I used to be a bit of an ogre.
I used to play in a band.
What I liked about it
Lots of different pictures to choose from
Quick and easy to create the flashcards
Lots of fun for free and registration necessary
What I wasn't so sure about
Would be nice to have some more ordinary images and perhaps different places around the world.
It only worked with jpg images, not with gif
Watch out. Some of them are less suitable for younger learners
There's so much you can do with good images and personalised ones can be even more stimulating. I hope you find this useful and you get your students creating and talking about some great images. http://www.faceinhole.com
I know that it's easy to be cynical about Microsoft, but every now and then they do produce great things for free! Photo Story 3 is one of those great things, and yes it is free!
Photo Story 3 a piece of free software that you can download to your PC and use to create multimedia photo stories complete with images, transitions, effects,text, background music and your own voice narration.
I know there are a lot of online Web 2.0 ap that do all of this too, but for those of us with slower, unreliable or more expensive connections, it's nice to have a bit of software that can do the job for us without using any bandwidth at all (apart from downloading it of course).
You should be able to download Photo Story 3 from here. It's a 5 Mb download, so that shouldn't take too long even over a dial up connection.
How to use this with students You can use it to create multimedia materials for your students, whether is for use in class or to take home for homework. Here's some things you can do:
Create some narratives for them to view
Create narratives which illustrate grammar points
Create a series of pictures and words which illustrate different sounds from the Phonemic alphabet
Having software like this that can produce a professional looking end product can be really motivating for students and really help them to push themselves to produce accurate polished work. Here's some things you can get your students to do: It's ideal for presenting the results of project work.
Get the students to take photographs and upload them to tell their own stories to the class
What they do each day
What they did at the weekend / on holiday
Stories about their family
Get some pictures from Flickr and get the students to order them and create a story around them.
What I liked about it
It's free
Easy to use and quick to learn
Really liked some of the filter effects
Liked the way you can easily create a wide range of background musics
File sizes were quite reasonable and exports pretty easily for a number of different devices
What I wasn't so keen on
It's a shame that it's so limited in the the formats that it exports to (mainly different sizes of wmv) , but I guess there are plenty of converters you could use if you wanted to change it for an i-pod or something like that.
I also thought that a bit more control over how the text was placed over the images would have been really handy.
There's no version for MAC of course, but if you have a MAC you won't need this as you get lots of nice stuff that does all this for you ready installed when you buy it.
Photo Story 3 isn't a revolutionary piece of software by any means, but I'm sure it can be used to really engage your students in some enjoyable learning.
Phrasr is an interesting new website that allows users to input sentences, phrases or even entire paragraphs and then turn them into illustrated slide shows using Flickr images. All you have to do is type in your phrase and click, you then get an image for each word. If you don't like the image you get then you can change them and when you are ready you just give your work a name and title a click to publish. What you then get is like a slide show of images with words. Here's an example of what it produces. This one is based on the old expression;
Hey guy I just ordered a few Linux cds (Kubuntu and Ubuntu) for free from a site Kubuntu and Ubuntu. You can order them too takes 3-4 week to get them at your home no charges of postage and handling its absolutely free.Shocked ? yeah I was shocked too when got the cds in my hands for free and I tried both Kubuntu and Ubuntu both are cool you must try its better then Windows xp, I must say that. I just took time to take pics of these cds so here is my Collection of Linux Cds ,Check them out :
So Hows that it collection of 20 cds of Linux Kubuntu and Linux Ubuntu for free :-S Take my words it worth a try Both OS rocks !!!
With the rapidly growing mobile phone usage in the country, the concern regarding the safety and responsible usage of it is also at a rise. To deal with this, Samsung unveiled a new range of mobile phones dubbed as "Mobile Tracker Phones" exclusively for the Indian market.
With this new range, the company is targeting all segments of the society as the three mobiles SGH-C140, SGH-X520, and SGH-E250 are entry level and mid-range models.
The main highlights of the new mobiles include new security features such as mobile tracking (MT), emergency SMS, and privacy lock, thus empowering consumers with security during mobility.
Elaborating on the new security features, Ryu Hyun Chul, MD, Samsung Telecommunication India, said, "Samsung understands Indian consumer needs and through our secured phones, we have tried to address three of the lager issues of mobile security i.e. securing mobile phones and preventing any untoward usage or incidents through MT, securing the safety of near and dear ones through emergency SMS, and securing the confidential data's that are stored in that phone."
Firstly let us have a look at the other features of the new phones. To start with SGH-C140 is an entry-level bar phone in a compact and stylish design. It packs 65K color LCD, speaker phone for Handsfree communication, and 16 polyphonic ring tones. It has a screen measuring 3.8cm with a resolution of 128x128 pixels, and the phone comes with an internal memory of 700 KB.
The SGH-X520 has been tagged by the company as the chic slim phone with extra seduction of stunning colors such as Indigo Blue and Wine Red. It's features include FM radio, VGA camera, and 65 K color CSTN LCD screen measuring 4.8cm with a resolution of 128x160 pixels. It comes with an internal memory of 2.8 MB.
The third phone is SGH-E250. According to the company, it is arguably the most fashionable slide-up available at such low price point. It is embedded with VGA camera and the latest multimedia features. Further, it features a 5cm TFT screen, stereo FM radio, video recording, Bluetooth wireless support, 12 MB internal memory and MicroSD slot expandable upto 2GB.
While the most important feature in all the mobile models is the trio security features; mobile tracking, emergency SMS, and privacy lock. So coming to the working of these features, the MT detects the unauthorized usage of the handset. When a different SIM card is inserted, the MT-enabled phone automatically sends an SMS to up to two numbers pre-defined by the original user revealing the IMEI number of the phone along with the new SIM number, thus helping in retrieving the handset back.
The emergency SMS feature helps the user to send an SMS for help when in distress or some kind of emergency. The user has to push the volume key four times consecutively to activate the feature. Once activated, it automatically sends an SMS to up to 10 predefined numbers with text saying "Emergency. Help plz", and after that the phone goes into the 'emergency receiving mode' where user can only receive calls from the 10 predefined numbers. Further, when they call back, the phone automatically receives the call with one vibration.
Lastly, the privacy lock feature enables user to lock all the files and folders inside the phone, thus safe guarding the information against unauthorized access.
During the occasion, Samsung expressed its commitment to continue launching global phones with localized features. In addition, the company also promised to incorporate all the three security features in all it's new and upcoming mobile models.
All the three newly launched Samsung mobile phones SGH-C140, SGH-X520, and SGH-E250 are available at a MRP of Rs 2,579; Rs 6,149; and Rs 8,299 respectively.
Alongwith the release of W880 Walkman, Sony Ericsson has introduced the new K810 and K550 Cyber-shot phones. As expected of Sony Ericsson, the 17-mm K810 boasts a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto focus and Xenon flash whereas on the other hand, the 14-mm K550 packs a modest 2.0 megapixel camera and LED photo light. Both devices support Memory Stick Mico (M2) cards. The K810 has a second camera up front for video calls and supports UMTS 2100 and GSM 900/1800/1900.
These babies will be available at the beginning of the 2nd Quarter Of 2007 in Europe and Asia. No word on the price yet though.
Samsung's Ultra Editions seem to releasing incessantly and if you thought the ones you've already seen or heard about are awesome then the Ultra Smart F700 will sure surprise you. This candybar, with a slide-out QWERTY 'board, is capable of 7.2Mbps (if your heart skipped a beat, we understand) HSDPA as well as EDGE.
It also has an impressive 2.78 inch touchscreen, which sports a resolution of 440 x 240 pixels. A microSD expansion, full HTML browsing, Bluetooth, and an amazing 5 megapixel camera definitely makes this baby a great threat to the iPhone. Since this baby releases next week, we'll have to wait for a week before we can get our hands even near it. No word on the price yet.
According to an Associated Press (AP) report, Research in Motion (RIM) is today unveiling a new version of its BlackBerry smart phone.
The all new BlackBerry 8800, the company says, will replace RIM's signature side navigation wheel with a front trackball that first appeared on the 'for consumers' BlackBerry Pearl last year.
The report says the new device will enter a market far more crowded than the one which was prevalent when the BlackBerry 8700 debuted in late 2005.
RIM claims its BlackBerry 8800 is the thinnest BlackBerry till date, measuring a wee 0.55-inch from front to back. The 8800 is also a tad narrower than the 8700 from right to left, although slightly taller.
Besides, it has the ability to pick up signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites for location tracking, as it comes installed with BlackBerry Maps, an application that can use GPS signals to provide driving directions plus integrate with other applications such as sending a map via e-mail.
The BlackBerry 8800 also comes with a media player and an external storage slot for removable microSD memory cards.
In a statement, Jim Balsillie, Co-Chief Executive, RIM, said it was not a tough decision to switch to the front trackball and ditch the traditional sidewheel, which has been used to scroll through e-mail on every BlackBerry model except the Pearl since the BlackBerry and its predecessors were introduced in the 1990s.
Balsillie added that the response to the trackball has been universally positive, and that 80 percent of non-phone usage on the Pearl involves multimedia applications rather than traditional BlackBerry e-mail. If it is just messaging, users need to do only up-down, and left-right. But if they are doing multimedia, the navigation aspects become more important.
Meanwhile, the BlackBerry 8800, which will be available in the US through AT&T's Cingular Wireless starting February 21 this year, is priced at $300 (Rs 13,246 approx) and will come with a two-year contract commitment. According to RIM, the phone will be available from a variety of carriers world-wide beginning this month.
i-mate has announced its newest Black JAQ3, calling it a must have tool for every professional on the move. The JAQ3 is a mid-range Windows Mobile device, designed to appeal to a wider audience. It is a dedicated messaging device with a full QWERTY keyboard, and a 2.4-inch QVGA touch screen display.
The device offers high data download rates with packed GPRS, EDGE, and Wi-Fi connectivity. With Microsoft Direct Push email, attachments can be viewed/edited in real time. The JAQ3 has buttons and keyboard keys that are nicely domed and raised with tactile feedback, so that users can concentrate on the road while driving instead of having to fiddle with the keys. The rough texture of the keys keeps users' fingers from slipping off of them. The JAQ3 weighs just 160 grams, and features multi-lingual 24/7 support through www.clubmate.com; built in i-mate suite; i-mate device management and file sharing solution for IT support; and secure access/transfer of information on the go; among others. Other interesting features include: i-mate Configurator that detects the SIM card, and configures GPRS and MMS settings according to the network as soon as the device boots up; Search Application that searches the device for various files, messages, calendar entries, notes, emails, etc; and Voice Commander that recognizes voice prompts without storing voice tags in the i-mate JAQ3. Speaking at the launch, of i-mate India, said, "A perfect combination of technology and design, JAQ3 is also one of the slimmest Windows Mobile, & is amongst the technically sound Windows Mobiles available in the market." i-mate JAQ3 is immediately available across the country through the company's wide distributor/dealer network for a price of Rs 25,500.
We don't yet know how many we have or what their condition is, We don't sell to the public (no resale license) We have no idea what our liabilities are in selling them(legal,environmental,etc) and charitable placements/re-use/research/playing with the shiny bits, seems like a better idea.
On a previous topic: having trouble fitting 250mw led into 5mw led lens housing. All components tested and unfocused unit scorched my desk during testing.
40+ electric scooters in various states of repair. The blue one foreground is intact and functional some are totally intact and as yet untested others have minor issues and some are parts machines
Basic specs: Features: • 13 MPH maximum speed with a 6-hr. runtime and 7-8 hr. recharge time • 12AH, 24V battery required and included • 220-lb. weight limit • For ages 14 yrs. and up • 48Hx25Wx48D" deck: 13Lx13W"
(based on ad copy pulled from the web)
If you assume that its total range is half of its top speed times 6 hrs you get 36-40+ miles on a charge. (re)uses:
Well scooters . try putting motor on a mountain bike frame and try to incorporate rear derailer and sprockets to increase range/speed (this may be based on a totally false set of assumptions as I've never seen it done)
24 volt generators for wind and/or other mechanical input.
Can we make a solar powered scooter with the photovoltaics on hand? How a about a very small hybrid with a chainsaw or model airplane motor?
Those digging the specs on Lenovo's Thinkpad T60p laptop but not so down with the basic black look now have another option besides the DIY route at their disposal, with ColorWare announcing that its added the laptop to its multi-colored lineup. The laptop itself remains the same as before, of course, and configurable to some extent, with a 15.4-inch widescreen display and 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor standard, along with up to 2GB of RAM and 160GB of hard drive space. Things depart from the Thinkpad mold when you hit the color selection screen, however, with no less than 28 colors to choose from, including such stylish options as Caution Yellow (seen above) and Cotton Candy Pink. Going for the base model in your choice of color will set you back $2,950 with units shipping in 2-3 weeks, although those that have already sprung for a T60 aren't entirely out of luck, with ColorWare saying they'll soon also be offering an option for you to send in your laptop for a bit of sprucing up.
Laptops have often been thought of as simply a small, portable computer that can be taken anywhere you go (within reason!). There are actually four different types of laptops varieties currently available however, and it is important to know the differences between them, as prices, features and performance can vary greatly between these laptop genres:
Ultra light Laptops – Known as sub notebooks or ultra-portables, these laptops usually weigh no more than 4 pounds, and people who travel frequently usually love these types of laptops. Because these laptops weigh very little, they are easy to lug around in a backpack or laptop briefcase...but they are also very small. Typing on Ultra light Laptops, especially if you have large hands, is downright difficult and uncomfortable...make sure you bring along an external keyboard that you can hook up to your ultra light once you arrive at your destination. Ultra light laptops usually lack a CD Rom drive as well, so make sure you have the proper attachments before leaving home. Battery life on Ultra light laptops is usually excellent however!
Notebooks – This type of laptop usually weighs between 4-6 pounds, with screen sizes from 12-15". As the laptop grows in size, battery life usually goes down as there are usually more devices and a larger screen to power. The Notebook is considered a 'regular' laptop, and usually has a large opening on the side where you can plug-in different devices like a CD-Rom drive, floppy drive, or wireless PCMCIA cards.
Standards – These laptops are the most commonly purchased types of laptops...they offer a full range of built-in features, including wireless connectivity, CD/DVD drives, network interfaces, multiple USB 2.0 ports, nice sized screens (usually 15") and a keyboard that is easy to type on. You won't need to pack along a lot of extra attachments for the standard laptops which is nice. Also, the best deals, discounts and prices can usually be found on standard laptops from all of the major laptop manufacturers.
Extra Large/Gaming – These bests are best suited as a 'desktop replacement'. They are usually much faster, louder and have 17" screens in most cases. The battery life is only about 1-2 hours as these laptops really burn through the power. Their faster processor speeds, larger screens, larger keyboards and heavier size makes them perfect 'home / gaming machines'. Expect extra large laptops to weigh in excess of 8 pounds. These specialty laptops are also some of the priciest, and will almost always have all options built-in...no need to pack around an external keyboard or CD-ROM drive with these laptops...just make sure you bring a couple extra batteries though!
Make sure you purchase the laptop that will work for your needs, whatever they may be…buying a laptop that is too heavy if you are a frequent traveler will leave you exhausted from hauling it around. Buying an Ultra light laptop if you are a gamer will leave you disappointed. Make sure you evaluate your needs before purchasing your next laptop, and you’ll be smiling instead of grimacing in frustration!
Motorola has launched its stylishly sleek entry level phone, the W205, in the country.
With the promise to offer a vibrant, colourful, and innovative experience, W205 boasts a 65K colour CSTN display, enabling mobile users experience one of the richest user interfaces on a mobile device.
The handset is only about 14.9mm thick, supports phonebook memory up to 500 contacts, and can store up to 750 SMS.
Speaking at the launch, Malcolm Dawe, Vice President and General Manager for Mobile Devices, Motorola India, said, "As Motorola looks to connect the next billion handset users, we are continuing to raise the bar for mobility, with innovative features and a rich colour experience for Indian mobile consumers."
The W205 enables users download 32 channel polyphonic ring tones, and features iTAP predictive text messaging with Hindi read/write capability. The phone offers 1MB of storage, and an office quality speakerphone.
It also features a multi character phonebook search function with up to 12 characters, menu colour personalization, lantern capability for dark environments, a calendar, currency converter, and talking alarm clock.
The phone battery supports talk time of up to 470 minutes, with standby time up to 307 hours.
The new Motorola W205 is immediately available on the market at an affordable price point of Rs 2,449.
Here s a sneak peek at the specs for one of Toshiba s Qosmio GXX line of desktop replacements: The Qosmio G40. Not only does it have a 17 1920 x 1200 screen, its dual 200GB hard drives, T7300P Core 2 Duo processor (Santa Rosa) and 2GB of RAM make it rocking!
The other usual basic necessities for such a high configured system are obviously included, but with the 512MB GeForce 8600M GT graphics, an HD DVD-R drive and HDMI 1.3 in the mix makes it even more interesting. The laptop will most probably be out initially in Europe sometime in June, with a whopping price of around 3000/$4000 (Rs.1, 71,070). So this one is just a look-but-don t-touch item for now.
Sand+Time Watch is a project that unites modern technologies and old ways of measuring time. Sand+Time offers its wearer the time in modern electronic hours, but the form of the interface has also been borrowed from an old sand hourglass. The watch functions in two modes. The first, the screensaver, takes the form of a sand hourglass counting a certain time unit set by the user to their preference. (The default setting for the hourglass is to count one minute.) The second mode displays the time in numbers the most common electronic interface for the modern person.
The full sized Matias Folding Keyboard is a USB based product that folds in half making for easy packing and traveling with your laptop this holiday season. For those that love the convenience and portability of a laptop but hate the hassle of the small keyboard, this is the answer. Number crunchers will appreciate the calculator layout of the traditional keyboard, which is infinitely faster than hunting and pecking along the laptop lineup.
In its folded mode - it is small enough to fit in most laptop bags and comes complete with a carrying sleeve - to keep all those muffin crumbs in your bag from sneaking in between the keys.
Other only mildly exciting features include an enhanced number pad (meaning: they added a tab key), and advanced Fn keys (putting frequently used keys in easier reach like the arrow keys page up/down, delete, etc.) and volume controls.
Retailing for $59.95, the product is expected to begin shipping by mid-December with free shipping available on pre-orders placed now. No promises are made for delivery in time for holiday gift giving though they are expected to reach store shelves just in time.
The Dynamic Architecture building, which will be constantly in motion changing its shape, will be able to generate electric energy for itself as well as for other buildings. Forty-eight wind turbines fitted between each rotating floors as well as the solar panels positioned on the roof of the building will produce energy from wind and the sunlight, with no risk of pollution. The total energy produced by this inbuilt ‘powerhouse’ every year will be worth approximately seven million dollars.
Each turbine can produce 0.3 megawatt of electricity, compared to 1-1.5 megawatt generated by a normal vertical turbine (windmill). Considering that Dubai gets 4,000 wind hours annually, the turbines incorporated into the building can generate 1,200,000 kilowatt-hour of energy.
As average annual power consumption of a family is estimated to be 24,000 kilowatt-hour, each turbine can supply energy for about 50 families. The Dynamic Architecture tower in Dubai will be having 200 apartments and hence four turbines can take care of their energy needs. The surplus clean energy produced by the remaining 44 turbines can light up the neighborhood of the building.
However, taking into consideration that the average wind speed in Dubai is of only 16 km/h the architects may need to double the number of turbines to light up the building to eight. Still there will be 40 free turbines, good enough to supply power for five skyscrapers of the same size.
The horizontal turbines of the Dynamic Architecture building are simply inserted between the floors, practically invisible. They neither need a pole nor a concrete foundation. In addition, they are at zero distance from the consumer, which makes maintenance easier.
The modern design of the building and the carbon fiber special shape of the wings take care of the acoustics issues. Producing that much electric energy without any implication on the aesthetic aspect of the building is a revolutionary step in tapping alternative energy sources. Furthermore, this energy will have a positive impact on the environment and economy.
The American company UniModal Transport Solutions developed a concept for a very high-capacity and high-speed Personal Rapid Transport (PRT) network. Pictures and informations of this sky transportation vehicle are showed below.
This SkyTran system operates with individual, two-passenger vehicles, which are propelled and suspended by a maglev system from overhead guideways. These are laid out in a one mile by one mile networked grid throughout the city. A large number of small departure and exit portals are placed underneath the guideways at approximately every 400 metres or at every city block.
SkyTran has no fixed routes or timetables. Users can simply enter any departure portal, get into the first empty vehicle in the queue and select their destination. The vehicle then speeds up on the acceleration lane and enters the high-speed overhead guideway.
At the selected exit portal, the vehicle enters a deceleration lane where the speed is reduced until it stops at the arrival portal. Individual vehicles are capable of speeds up to 160 kilometres per hour within city limits or 240 kilometres per hour between cities. A very short braking distance allows a distance between traveling vehicles of a mere 25 metres. thanks by - hitslot
