2011

Norton 2011 betas go public

You can now grab and stress-test Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security 2011 public betas. These free testers are partially baked previews of the consumer products Symantec will release later this year.

They continue the course that Symantec set for Norton with the 2009 version and appear to retain the fast scan benchmarks of the 2010 version. There's not much that's dramatically new; however, there's a lot more Norton Insight and Quorum data that gets exposed than before. This makes the programs feel more connected to both the Norton Quorum community-sourced protection data and to your own … Read more

2010 Maserati Quattroporte: A closer look

In my last article, we got to see and hear the Maserati Quattroporte, the car most likely to get a woman hot and bothered through the noise it emits in action, according to a study. In 2008, a British insurance company conducted a test to validate this theory; however, I imagine it would be hard to prove such a claim as indisputable fact. However, there are other aspects of the Quattroporte that are true--and that's what today's video is all about. So let's take closer look at the 2010 edition of this Italian stallion.

The 2011 Maserati … Read more

2011 Ford Focus RS500 makes global debut

You won't see this Ford video on American Idol. The limited edition Ford Focus RS500 boasts a muscular 345 horsepower Duratec RS 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine with 339 pound-feet of torque.

The unique matte-black "foil" paint finish and matching 19-inch alloy wheels, make the car as flashy as it is fast.

According to a Ford news release, the RS500 is making its global debut at the 2010 Leipzig Motor Show in Germany today. There will only be 500 individually numbered vehicles made for 20 European markets. The RS500 marks the end of production for the current-generation Focus … Read more

This week is all about car stereos, baby!

I ended last week's blog with a video and blurb about the new lightweight, energy-efficient stereo system designed for the 2011 Chevy Volt by Bose. And then I realized that I'd never done a full-fledged blog theme week about car stereos. But better late than never, right?

And so here I start a new theme all about car stereo systems, how they work, and how they're installed. And just to whet our appetites, I have a video of European cars being made over into bass-thumpin' beat machines. Unfortunately I don't have any specs on the components … Read more

Bose teams up with the Chevy Volt

After all the informative video thrown your way this week, you may be wondering if there's anything about the 2011 Chevy Volt that isn't more efficient than other vehicles. Sorry, but even the stereo isn't one of them. Today's video clip is about how professional audio titan Bose got involved in the making of Chevrolet's electric hybrid car set for release later this year.

In this video, Ed Peper, Chevy's North American vice president, introduces the partnership between the American auto manufacturer and Bose in the conception and creation of an energy-efficient sound system … Read more

2011 Chevy Volt endorsed by the government?

By now I'm pretty certain that most of you are aware of the potential ecological and economical benefits of driving an electric or hybrid car that isn't reliant solely on fossil fuels. Not surprisingly, the U.S. government is getting behind the cause as well, influenced in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The ARRA is the official term for the economic stimulus package passed by Congress in early 2009 to help create jobs and promote investment in American enterprises during the current recession. And when it comes to the conception and push … Read more

Looking back: Chevy Volt at Paris Motor Show

In yesterday's video blog, we looked inside and out at a production version of the Chevrolet Volt electric hybrid that's set to hit the streets later this year. Car and Driver that clip in late 2009 on location in the parking lot of Dodger's Stadium; however, Chevy assembled and presented at least a few other prototypes before finally coming up with the production-ready Volt you may have seen images of. Today, we're showing you one of the other Volt prototypes that Chevy showed at the Paris Motor Show in late 2008.

Sure, the car doesn't … Read more

All about the 2011 Chevy Volt

Seeing as I gave quite a bit of mostly positive airtime to the Toyota Prius last week, I thought it would be good to do the same for a new electric hybrid made stateside that's set to roll out later this year. And in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm referring to the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The Volt marks Chevy's first serious foray into the hybrid car market, and by the looks and sounds of things, this one may make a serious automotive splash.

Today's lengthy but informative video gives us a look … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Outlook's coming back to Mac

Mac users who have long held a disdain for Entourage, the lesser Mac version of Outlook, have something to look forward to. Microsoft on Thursday announced its plans to bring the software program into the Mac fold for the first time, in the release of Office 2011 for Mac, which is due out by the end of the year. We also talk about solar acquisitions, the legal evolution of the government and law enforcement agencies tracking cell phones, and the possibility of $1 iTunes TV shows.

Today's stories:

New Office for Mac still coming this year

Report: Apple to test $1 TV downloads… Read more