Brooks Digital Marketing

Archive for the ‘Random stuff’ Category

We don’t always blog about digital marketing and some innovations just have to be talked about.

Last night on the Gadget show (UK) I was blown away and please excuse the pun, by an invention called the ‘AIRpod’. No it’s not a lightweight iPod and has nothing to do with the ubiquitous Apple corporation. What this product does have in common is that it is as brilliantly clever and as stylish as anything Apple have ever produced.

The AIRPod is the latest in a relatively recent string of environmentally friendly cars but this little fella (or maybe it’s a girl – I don’t want to offend any of our fairer readers) runs on you guessed it, air!

On first impressions it looks a bit goofy. Sort of like a cross between a washing machine and a recycling bin. It also has a weird wheel set up with two sort of bicycle size ones at the back and a a pair of tincy wincy trolly like wheels situated at the front-centre. For me I can’t see how this is conducive to a comfortable or even stable ride however, last nights reporter seemed to have no complaints.

Steering is by way of a joystick so all that gaming I’ve done on Flight simulators has now proved to have been worthwhile! And it has an incredibly tight turning circle so parking in any City’s limited spaces would be a doddle – watch out scooter riders.

Incredibly at just over 2 metres long it seats 3-4 passengers quite comfortably although at 1.6 metres wide I’m not sure your larger friends would agree and there is even space for some luggage!

In terms of performance the AIRPod is surprisingly successful across distance and speed. For one Euro your AIRpod will take you 200km and at a speed of a safe and not so embarrassing 40mph.

Filling up is very quick and easy using a compressed air filling station (not sure how many of those there are about) and can even be done overnight via some sort of external sucking contraption if you can’t be bothered to do it yourself.

Unlike the Sinclair C5 (the link is for our younger readers to go and enjoy this unsung marvel of the Eighties!) it really has the potential to change urban transport forever with Paris inviting MDI to tender for the city’s “Autolib” but should also enjoy success ferrying people about cost effectively in larger airports, train stations and other urban locations.

Models should be available around the end of 2009 and the demand is already high. It is a real possibility that the AIRpod could be the standard way of getting around for London’s ECO friendly tribes and might well be the next big style statement.

Clearly this isn’t a step in the right direction for petrol heads who surely realise now that it won’t be too long before the primeval growl of a ‘real’ engine will only be heard at specialised racing events and enthusiasts show days like the Festival of Speed at Goodwood.

With all these attributes and at under three grand I think in the AIRpod we might have found the answer to a lot of our urban transport problems.

I can hear West London’s school run poseurs and Jeremy Clarkson crying into their cornflakes but sadly the planet comes first not your egos. Go get yourself an AIRpod.