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Around the holiday season we get a lot of e-mails from readers agonizing over what TV to buy. With the economy the way it is, consumers aren't completely shying away from buying new TVs, but they're on tight budgets and appear to be predominantly interested in screen sizes 52 inches or smaller. The big problem with going bigger is that you jump into a whole new price class when you start looking at the Panasonic 58-inch plasma--and it gets worse when you check out Pioneer's 60-incher.

The exception to all this is DLP-based rear-projection HDTVs, where Samsung … Read more

Around the holiday season we get a lot of e-mails from readers agonizing over what TV to buy. With the economy the way it is, consumers aren't completely shying away from buying new TVs, but they're on tight budgets and appear to be predominantly interested screen sizes 52 inches or smaller. The big problem with going bigger is that you jump into a whole new price class when you start looking at the Panasonic 58-inch plasma--and it gets worse when you check out Pioneer's 60-incher. The exception to all this is DLP-based rear-projection HDTVs, where Samsung … Read more

Rear seat entertainment is a pretty cool feature in a vehicle. It adds a little bling to your ride keeping the children quiet in the back seat during longer drives. The problem with installing a rear seat entertainment system is that, typically, you have to either hang a monitor in a bag from the seatback with unsightly straps, which still flops around during spirited driving, or have big rectangular holes cut in your headrests--or worse, your headliner--to accommodate the screens.

The Advent Quick Connect aims to bridge that gap with simple installation, requiring no permanent alterations to the vehicle's … Read more

Let's face it: the Honda Pilot has always looked like a brick on wheels. The new-for-2009 Pilot, with its CR-V-inspired grille, looks even worse. It doesn't get much better on the inside, with a dash dominated by cheap plastics and questionable material choices. As much as we dislike the Pilot's aesthetics, we can say that the SUV feels solid, as though it were machined out of a solid piece of metal. The ride is supple without being floaty, and the cabin is among the quietest in its class.

Read the full 2009 Honda Pilot EX-L review.

A press release describing a new report (PDF) says that rear-projection HDTVs, including DLP-based microdisplays, now serve only a niche market of people who want 60-inch or larger televisions. The report by Quixel research shows that in the second quarter of this year, the 60-inch and larger screen sizes accounted for 86 percent of sales of all rear-projection HDTVs; up from 32 percent in 2007. The firm's spokesman says that the reason has to do value. "The market has changed and there is no value for 42-inch, 46-inch, and 50-inch MD RPTVs, but there is great value in the screen sizes above 60 inch," said Tamaryn Pratt, Quixel Research principal.

… Read more

CNET's review of the Samsung HL61A750 just went up, and if you're still open to the idea of a rear-projection HDTV, it deserves a long look. With the HL61A750, you'll get a 61-inch 1080p HDTV for less than $2,000, which is one of the best screen size-to-price ratios you'll find. Not only that, but the HL61A750 bests the competition in terms performance, with very accurate color and respectable black levels. (Granted, that competition only includes Mitsubishi, as just about everyone else has left the rear-projection biz.)

Perhaps the more interesting question is: how much longer … Read more

Enduring certain ridicule, we have suggested on occasion that the rear-view mirror could become one of the main control centers for vehicles of the near future. Already, there have been versions that have technologies ranging from GPS navigation to built-in camcorders and Webcams. And now there's one that appears to cram in more functions than all of the others combined.

As indicated by its name, the "Multifunction GPS Bluetooth Rearview Mirror System" claims a broad array of features, including a 3.5-inch touch screen, satellite navigation, audio and video players, speakers, SD card slot, five games, and … Read more

Chrysler is hoping that a technology offensive will lure customers back to its brand with the unveiling of a number of connectivity and safety features that it claims are industry firsts. Most notably, the company yesterday unveiled details of an in-vehicle wireless system, which will combine Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity to turn its vehicles into mobile hotspots. According to the company, the new wireless technology will be available in future model-year vehicles and as an aftermarket option through Mopar, Chrysler's service arm, by the end of this year.

Other technologies announced by Chrysler for its 2009 models include:

If Cerevellum sounds like some Latin term from a medical dictionary, it would be entirely appropriate because it's the name of a new heart-monitoring device. But this one isn't attached to your arm or chest--in fact, it's not affixed to the body at all. Try the handlebars on a bike instead.

The Cerevellum doesn't stop there either: While checking your ticker, this gadget also serves as a GPS system and a digital rear-view display similar to those seen increasingly in cars. According to ProductDose, this all-in-one device has a 3.5-inch screen and 32MB of space … Read more