This Week in Pods

Photo by Mpho Mojapelo on Unsplash.

I have two pieces of Pod News for you this week! First up: sleep pods on U.K. commuter buses.

The Sun quotes James Cox, CEO of mattress and bedding company Simba:

“For workers and party-goers alike –  the prospect of walking straight into your bed as soon as you’ve finished is the dream, but for many it can involve a lengthy commute home when you’re shattered or a bit worse for wear.”

[…]

“The Snoozeliner service is all about helping people top up some valuable lost sleep time in a design that’s every bit as comfortable as their bed at home.”

The Snoozeliner—which is scheduled to launch in Fall 2018—will include stewards to wake people up before they miss their stops, and an option to order takeout (sorry, takeaways) that will be timed to arrive at a person’s home when they do.

Meanwhile, a Shanghai company called ParkBox is developing smart exercise pods. As Shanghaiist.com reports:

In addition [to dumbbells and other basic workout equipment], the capsules also offer you your very own computerized fitness coach that can make workout recommendations and track your progress.

I’d feel a little unnerved about these computerized guides who are tracking our workouts and timing our takeaways, except for the part where I already have multiple guides installed on my phone.

I’ve also fallen asleep on a bus before, though never in my own private pod.

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