Top 5 smart wearable vendors in the world

    Market research company IDC's latest data showed that a total of 21 million smart wearables were shipped in the third quarter of 2015, up by 197.6% year-on-year.

    As a rather new area, market players change positions frequently. China's BBK, owner of a children's phone watch brand Xiaotiancai, outperformed Samsung and broke into the top five clubs, gaining a market share of 3.1 percent.

    Let us have a look at the top 5 vendors.

    No 5 BBK

    Shipment volume: 0.7 million

    Market share: 3.1%

    People can watch a video on the website of Guangdong Xiaotiancai Tech Company Limited to know more about its phone watches.

    No 4 Garmin

    Shipment volume: 0.9 million

    Market share: 4.1%

    Garmin's new fenix 3 multi-sport GPS training watch is displayed at the 2015 International CES, a trade show of consumer electronics, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan 7, 2015.

    No 3 Xiaomi

    Shipment volumes: 3.7 million

    Market share: 17.4%

    The Mi Bands, developed by Xiaomi's ecosystem company Huami Co Ltd, has a function to track the user's heart beat while in motion.

    No 2 Apple

    Shipment volume: 3.9 million

    Market share: 18.6%

    Customers try to use an Apple Watch in an Apple retail store in Hangzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, April 24, 2015. The watch went on sale on April 24 around the world.

    No 1 Fitbit

    Shipmen volume: 4.7 million

    Market share: 22.2%

    Various Fitbit devices were displayed outside the New York Stock Exchange on Jun 18, 2015, when the company got listed.

    With 830 students aged between 12 and 8, Lochaber High School, at Fort William, is one of the largest secondary schools in the Highlands, It covers a huge area and many of the students come from small communities (社区) and travel up to 40 km to get into school each day, In the past, the school covered a much larger area and many students had to stay in one of the school dormitories, or-if older to live with local families, but other high schools have opened in the West Highlands, so the catchment area（责任区域） for Lochaber High, though still very large, is not as large as it used to be. Students travel into school by car, by bus, or by special minibus each day, and some come on foot or by bike. Most students live in Fort William itself, or in one of the surrounding villages.

    At the end of their high school life, and after getting higher or advanced higher grade exam results, most students decide to move on to some form of further education. Some students can remain, taking specialised courses at the West Highland college, but most leave home in Lochaber and go south or east to cities, Many young people in this area feel that there are not enough opportunities here, Going to a city certainly means new friends, a whole new lifestyle, and a more exciting night life.

    Even though Fort William is, in a way, small and far away from cities, as far as I am concerned, it is a great place to live. There is a real community atmosphere(氛围)here, and many people know, or are related to, many other people. There is always something to do or see in Fort William and there is no excuse for being bored! But there is one thing that is certain for everyone, that is, Highland hospitality. It is still very real, very alive! People look forward to seeing you!

    For many years, machines have been doing work that people once did, including some difficult jobs. Search and rescue operations in dangerous environments are often seen as the first areas that will employ high technology robots. But there is another area where they may soon take jobs traditionally held by human beings: the restaurant industry.

    Teams from around the world competed in early June at the DARPA Robotic Challenge Finals in California. A team from R. O. Korea and its robot, called DRC-Hubo, won first place in the competition. The second and third place finishers were from the United States.

    The robots were required to drive a vehicle, climb up steps and do mechanical work. Such activities are easy for humans to perform, but more difficult for machines.

    Not all of the competitors were successful. The failures showed how difficult it is to design effective walking machines.

    Recently, crowds gathered for the food machinery and technology show in Tokyo, Japan. They witnessed a robotic chef preparing food. Other machines cooked, baked tasty pastries and even made sushi.

    Akihiro Suzuki works at Yaskawa Electric, a company that develops robots. He says robots cannot do everything a human can, but they are able to work without becoming tired.

    He says robots cannot taste food, change heating levels or seasonings to get the best flavor. But he says if a food can be easily prepared, a robot can repeat the same movement to reproduce the same meal.

    One Japanese woman who saw the robots working wanted to bring them home. Masayo Mori says she would like to have a husband who could work like a robot. Suzumo Machinery demonstrated its sushi maker robot. It performs the often difficult work of wrapping the popular Japanese food. Hiroshi Monden is an official with the company. He says people all over the world now eat sushi, but there are not enough skilled workers to prepare for it. He says his machine can help anyone make sushi.

Metro Pocket Guide

    Metrorail (地铁)

    Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer.

Farecard machines are in every station. Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the stations and farecard machines only provide up to $5 in change.

    Get one ticket of unlimited Metrorall rides with a One Day Pass .Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations .Use it after 9:30 a,m. until closing on weekdays , and all day on weekends and holidays .

Hours of service

    Open 5am Mon-Fri             7a.m Sat-Sun

    Close midnight Sun-Thurs.          3a.m. Sat-Sun

    Last train times vary .To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train time posted in the station.

    Train times Posted in stations

    Metrobus

    When paying with exact charge, the fare is $1.35.When paying with a SmatTrip card, the fare is 1.25.

    Fares for the senior/ disabled customers

    Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare .On Metrorail and Metrobus , use a senior/disabled farecard or Smar/Trip Ⓡ card .For more information about buying senior, disabled farecards, farecard or SmarTrip cards and passes , please visit MetroOpensDoors .com or call 202-637-7000and 202-637-8000.

    Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorall services by calling 202-962-1100.

Travel tips (提示)

    Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4and 6p.m.

    If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost &Found at 202-962-1195, Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4and 6p.m.

    If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost &Found at 202-962-1195.

    Backcountry for beginners: the best destinations in Canada

    When carried out safely, your first backcountry trip will leave you lifelong memories, opening a getaway into nature. But the leap from car camping to backcountry requires preparation and learning. Here are some recommended trips for backcountry beginners:

    Grundy Lake Provincial Park

    The park's 9 backcountry sites are a 30-minute paddle (划船) away. Grundy Lake is motor-boat free. Your sites are quiet enough for a true backcountry trip. Each site comes equipped with a fire pit (坑) and a picnic table.

    Bon Echo Provincial Park

    Many visitors don't know about the 25 canoe-in campsites located on Joeperry and Pearson Lakes. A short canoe trip of 30-minute will get you to your campsite. At each campsite, you will find a picnic table, tent space and a toilet nearby.

    Charleston Lake Provincial Park

    Experience the best of the Canadian Shield, and hike or paddle your way to 10 backcountry campsites. Travel time can range from 10 minutes to 2 hours. All sites come equipped with elevated tent platforms, a picnic table, a fire grill, and a toilet.

    Murphys Point Provincial Park

    Paddle through Big Rideau Lake (part of the historic Rideau waterway) to access 14 backcountry campsites. Most are located 5-45 minutes away from the boat launch. You'll find a picnic table, tent space, and a pit toilet nearby each site. Paddle back to visit Murphys' piece of living history: the Mica Mine!

    Remember: backcountry travel requires careful consideration of packing, route planning, meal planning, safety, and your skill level.

    UK-based swimming pool manufacturer (制造商) Compass Pools has announced plans for the world's first 360-degree infinity (无限) pool. Titled Infinity London, the pool would contain 600,000 liters of water, and would sit at the top of a 55-story hotel.

    According to Compass Pools' plan, the pool would feature transparent (透明的) walls and floor, offering views across London's skyline and down into the hotel below. These walls would be made of cast acrylic, a material chosen to make sure that the material is completely clear.

    The main problem with designing the pool was how to make sure entry or exit from the pool without affecting the view. Speaking about this design, Compass Pools' technical director and designer Alex Kemsley explained，"Normally a simple ladder would suffice, but we didn't want stairs on the outside of the building or in the pool as it would spoil the view – and obviously you don't want 600,000 litres of water running down through the building either. The solution is based on the door of a submarine, coupled with a rotating spiral (螺旋的) staircase which rises from the pool floor when someone wants to get in or out."

    Take a look at early models of how the pool might look in the gallery above. At present, no contract has been made but building work could begin as early as 2020.