Formerly known as the prince’s girlfriend

Published 9:00 pm Friday, April 13, 2007

The royal wedding that was never on is off. A British tabloid has reported that Prince William and Kate Middleton, his girlfriend of four years, have split up (http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/04/15/100wir_a2prince001.cfm).

The news was greeted with shock by the many Britons who believed the couple would get married, and with rejoicing by hordes of eligible and wildly optimistic young women.

No-frills travelers, have we got a cruise for you: A voyage on a cargo ship

(http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/04/15/100tra_tl16freighter001.cfm).

The freighters supply all the pleasure of a cruise without any of the pesky inconveniences, such as fancy spas, gourmet meals and extended shore leave. This means you’ll have ample time to walk the deck, enjoy the solitude and think about how seasick you are.

A handful of companies offer the cruises, which run about $100 a day. Be sure to inquire about package deals, which include roomy seats in an airplane cargo hold and a ride on the rails in a nice refrigeration car.

The maker of robots that vacuum and mop is taking a plunge into the pool-cleaning business (http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/04/15/100bus_verro001.cfm).

iRobot’s new gadget, the Verro, can clean a pool in 60 to 90 minutes and suck up a variety of debris, including hair, leaves, little Jimmy’s inflatable shark and, if it’s really hungry, little Jimmy.

— Katie Mayer, Herald staff