Typhoon Floods Destroy Japanese High-Speed ​​Trains worth N108 Billion

The number of victims of Typhoon Hagibis, the 19 in Japan this year, has been increased to 74. Thousands of residents are still without electricity or water after the strong wind that struck Saturday in eastern and central Japan.

The typhoon also drowned ten high-speed trains of 12 cars operated by Japan Railway Co. The typhoon caused torrential rains that caused the overflow of the nearby Chikuma River.

The 120 cars of the ten trains were damaged by the flood. Two of these trains also derailed and one was swept away 10 to 15 meters from their original position.

This figure represents about one third of all trains used on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line. The line connects Tokyo and Kanazawa in central Japan.

Services should be fully restored in a few weeks. To resume the line, rail operator East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) will use spare trains to restore 80% of normal business hours before October 25.

The affected trains will be thrown despite the waterproof characteristics of the landing gear. Operators worry that trains will not operate safely after being submerged for a long time.

According to a specialist in railway systems, the wagons concerned

"Its central parts, including the engine speed control inverters, could have been fatal."

"It would take less time to produce new cars than to replace all the damaged parts."

Each of these fully submerged bullet trains costs about 3.3 billion yen ($ 30 million, or about $ 10.8 billion) in totally new costs.

The world-famous Shinkansen high-speed trains rarely arrive late. Each of these high-speed trains leaves Tokyo Station every few minutes to Osaka and other destinations. Lines are a viable alternative to air transport.

Apple Inc Ready to Unveil Ipads With Facial Recognition

Apple Inc is expected to unveil updates to its Mac computers and iPads that include facial recognition features that have been available in the iPhone line-up at an event in Brooklyn.

Computer Analysts expect a new versions of Apple’s iPad Pro, its higher-end tablet computer that competes with the Microsoft Surface, with thinner bezels and more screen space, along with the face unlock system found on Apple’s newer iPhones.

They also expect updates to the firm’s Mac line-up such as redesigned MacBook Air, Apple’s 999 dollars entry-level laptop.


Apple inc introduced new iPhones and Apple Watches last month, but the older product lines accounted for 45 billion dollars in sales in the most recent fiscal quarter. In comparison, iPhones brought in revenue of 141.3 billion dollars.

“They really wanted to show the world they haven’t forgotten about the iPad and the Mac,” said Mika Kitagawa, a senior principal research analyst at Gartner. OKAY!

Take a look at the thinnest phone in the world from Japan

A 5.3 mm (0.2 inch) thick 4G phone was announced by Japan's largest telecommunications company NTT Docomo.

The compact device, released in Japan next month, is designed to fit into a card holder.

It is part of a trend to offer so-called companion mobile devices to those who already own larger smartphones.

The smartphone weighs 47g and has an electronic paper touch screen, much like e-books.


It will have limited functionality, with calls, text and a network connection, but no camera or device to work with mobile apps.

The phone labeled Card Keitai KY-01L is manufactured by the electronics company Kyocera.

NTT Docomo describes the phone as the "thinnest" in the world, but this claim is likely to be contested by other phone manufacturers.

Rolls-Royce Shows Off Its 'Hybrid Electric Flying Taxi

The British engine maker Rolls-Royce revealed this week the project to develop a hybrid electric vehicle, called "flying taxi", which takes off and lands vertically and could be airborne within five years.

The London-based aerospace giant, based in Derby in central England, has for the first time presented plans for the Farnborough Air Show, while other players have also entered the market segment.

Rolls said it hopes to build a prototype version of its EVTOL over the next 18 months, and could potentially take off in the early 2020s.

The Rolls-Royce EVTOL aircraft will accommodate four or five people, with a flight range of 500 miles (805 kilometers) and a top speed of 200 miles per hour.

"In this market, you will see something like that fly in three to five years, and we will demonstrate the system in two years," said Rob Watson, head of the Rolls-Royce power team.

"At the end of next year, we will be ready for the flight," he told AFP at the group's chalet in Farnborough.

The hybrid vehicle, which has so far cost millions of pounds to develop, will use a traditional gas turbine engine with an electrical system wrapped around it.

Rolls-Royce is also looking for an all-electric product, but not as advanced as EVTOL.

"There is an emerging market for all-electric aircraft, but we think you need a level of demand that any electrical system can not provide today," Watson told AFP.

"So all electric is the way to go around a city, but if you want to travel 200 or 300 miles, if you want to run London to Paris, then you're going to want to launch something that will give you range.

"So we think you'll see hybrid propulsion systems start making this market."

Rolls-Royce is not alone in the hybrid "flying taxi" market.

Other companies studying the sector include Uber, an American taxi company, the Kitty Hawk project supported by Google, Lilium Aviation in Germany, Safran in France and Honeywell in the United States.

United kingdom ready To End Diesel, Petrol Cars Sales By 2040

Britain still plans to end the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2040 and will be out more detail as soon as this week, a government source told Reuters on Tuesday after a report suggested the plans were being watered down.

Reuters reports that the Prime Minister, Theresa May's Conservative government said last year it would be new and diesel cars from 2040 although the Financial Times said on Monday that the plans had been downgraded to a "mission".

There has been confusion over whether the proposals will include hybrid models, which both have an electric and combustion engine.

A government source told Reuters that there had been no change.

"We will end the sale of new conventional oil and diesel engine by 2040," the source said on condition of anonymity. "It's not government policy to ban hybrids."

The earliest ministers will detail the plans, known as "Road to Zero", is on Wednesday but they are unlikely to come up soon, the source added.

The document has already been delayed as Britain's transport, business and environment ministries discuss the final proposals.

Carmakers have been particularly angry about any restrictions on hybrid models, which are seen by some as a transitional technology as the uptake of purely electric cars ramps up.