Gizmodo: bus

Thinkpad Bus Seats Inaugurate New Buttputing Era

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:40:00 EST

First question: How tough are Thinkpad notebooks? Tough enough to be installed in buses and tram shuttles as seats and keep working just fine. Second question: Are the trackpads scrotumsensitive? I like to think they are.

The notebooks—part of a campaign created by Ogilvy Frankfurt—were installed in buses and tram shuttles that lead prospective buyers to Lenovo Roadshows all over Germany. The buses were waiting by train stations and airports to get visitors to the events, offering them the possibility to either surf the web or rest their buttocks while having a key massage. I would like to do both at the same time. [Direct Daily]

San Francisco Bus Stops to Offer Free Solar-Powered Wi-Fi

Dan Nosowitz — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:40:00 EDT

By 2013, San Francisco is planning to construct 360 new Muni bus stops that'll further the causes of both solar power and blanketed Wi-Fi at the same time.

The stops, which should cost around $30,000, may seem expensive, but they'll be pretty energy-efficient. The energy not used by the stops will be fed into the city's power grid, and the stops themselves will use LED lighting, nearly four and a half times more efficient than the current fluorescent. Is it shameful to admit that I'm way more excited about blanketed Wi-Fi coverage than energy efficiency? Because I am. [Popular Mechanics]

50 Cars Assemble 1 Bus

Mark Wilson — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:50:00 EDT

Swedish advertising agency Acne assembled this junkyard monster, a bus sculpture assembled from 50 cars, to make a point about C02 emissions.

As you'll see in the clip below, the sculpture created a bit of a phenomenon, causing traffic jams and a small media sensation. But I included the video for the fun time lapse construction that you can see about a minute in. I just love watching a small army of people complete a several hour project over a matter of seconds. It feels like I'm getting a ton accomplished, just by sitting here. [CR Blog via The Daily What]

Indian Firefox Bus Probably Doesn't Have Wi-Fi

Haroon Malik — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:30:00 EDT

In what appears to be the endless spread of Firefox, a new addition to the unofficial Firefox catalog has been spotted—in India. On the back of a bus. We're guessing the bus doesn't have on board Wi-Fi to make use of its web browser of choice, but we admire the support. Also, if that text in yellow above the artwork doesn't read "Safari and IE blow", well, then we'll eat our cats...I'm seriously mixing up my modern proverbs this weekend. Dammit. [Neatorama]

Bus to the Future

Jason Chen — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:20:47 EST

The Capoco systems driverless bus truly is the bus of the future. Designed to put hundreds of thousands of bus drivers out of work, it has giant windowed sides as well as enough seating for most of a high school basketball team.

The bus itself uses magnets in the road to navigate, and has satellite and intelligent cruise control as well as hazard avoidance and other super-smart stuff. People can "hail" the bus to pick them up at a specific place by using their phones, and will be able to do so within few years (prototype coming in 2008). Getting on the short bus has never been so delightful. – Jason Chen

Futuristic Driverless Electric Bus [Born Rich]

Dual-Mode Vehicle Takes to Road and Rail

Charlie White — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 13:17:21 EST

Is it a bus or a train? This dual-mode mini train is both. The JR Hokkaido Railway Company in Japan has been testing a bus that can switch between steel wheels and street-ready rubber tires, tooling around on the train track as a solo vehicle and avoiding accidents with satellite assistance, and then driving on city streets just like any other bus.

After its successful test run last month, the company vows to make its first trip with paying passengers next April. In addition to its versatility, the vehicle's $150,000 cost is just a seventh of the price of a conventional diesel rail car, and it's easier and cheaper to maintain, too. When these babies hit the road, every street wil be a potential train station. – Charlie White

Dual-mode vehicle a hit in Japan [Sydney Morning Herald, via Jalopnik]