Showing posts with label flying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flying. Show all posts

Saturday, July 9, 2011

TechLife on Facebook video chat, flying cars, iPhone 5 release date, and more! (Yahoo! News)




Welcome everybody to TechLife on Tecca TV, where we give you the top 5 technology-meets-lifestyle news stories in only 5 minutes. We hope to bring a little Friday Fun to you every week! If you missed last week's edition, be sure to check out that episode for our take on Google+, a crazy solar 3D printer that makes objects out of sand, and more.


This week we discuss the new Facebook video chat feature, a pair of reading glasses that can sense emotion, a friggin' flying car, a font to help dyslexics, and the upcoming iPhone 5 release date. Be sure to check out the detailed show notes below to find more information on all the stories we covered.


And of course as always, we would love your feedback on this edition of TechLife! Please let us know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to tune in next Friday for another episode of TechLife on Tecca TV!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Would you take a flight in the world’s first flying car? (Yahoo! News)

Others have tried, but the Transition may be the first flying car to enter production

Mankind has dreamt of a flying car for decades, and while most fictional examples appear to use futuristic hover technology, the engineers of Terrafugia have taken a decidedly more practical approach. The company's Transition aircraft has just received approval from the Department of Transportation and is slated to enter commercial production later this year. Taking proven aircraft technology and adapting it for road use has created a craft that performs admirably in both scenarios.

The Transition features folding wings that allow it to go from plane to highway cruising machine in just seconds. A few exceptions have been made in order for the vehicle to squeak by certain safety requirements. The craft's beefy curb weight — much of it due to road safety features — has been scrutinized, as has its polycarbonate windows which are considerably thinner than standard automotive safety glass.

Terrafugia was founded in 2006 by graduates of MIT, with the sole purpose of developing a "roadable aircraft," i.e. a flying car. The Transition is the fruit of the company's labor, and has already taken to the skies to prove its worth. The craft will be offered for sale in late 2012 with an estimated price tag of $250,000. If Terrafugia's plans come to fruition, it will be the first commercially available vehicle that can not only drive to an airstrip, but take to the skies as well.

AOPA via Engadget

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