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Video: BMW 7 Series Hybrid
Not wanting to be left out of the luxury hybrid market created by Lexus, BMW unveiled the ActiveHybrid 7 Series at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. A mild hybrid by definition, the electric motor exists only to assist the gasoline engine. We can't help but to wonder: how much electric assistance do you need with a 4.4 liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 under the hood?
Sony E-Series Walkman is an excellent value
It can't be avoided: any new MP3 player is in direct competition with the Apple iPod, and device manufacturers are well aware of this fact. Some pack their players with boatloads of extras, while others create unique and purportedly useful design elements. Some simply make a product that's just as easy to use, offers a similar array of features, and delivers great sound quality--but then charge less for it. Such is the case with the Sony E-Series Walkman, a flash player positioned to square off against the iPod Nano.
Unfortunately, the E-Series doesn't come in a 16GB … Read more
Sony B-Series Walkman is compact, compatible
Features come and go in the rapidly evolving MP3 player space. One that has enjoyed fluctuating popularity is the built-in USB interface, which lets you connect a device directly to a computer without a cable. This "plug and play" capability is currently out of fashion, but Sony is trying to keep the dream alive with the B-Series Walkman.
The entry-level offering is aimed at active users and is priced competitively at $44.99 for the 1GB model and $59.99 for the 2GB. Battery life isn't as impressive as other Sony Walkmans and the screen is tiny, … Read more
Intel WiMax to go live, will devices follow?
Intel's WiMax wireless technology will finally be unleashed in two weeks. But it's not clear how big a following the technology has among device makers.
Intel and Sprint Nextel will team up to launch the first WiMax network in Baltimore on October 8--what the chipmaker is calling the dawn of 4G broadband because of its high speed.
Sprint will likely announce the rollout next week at WiMax World in Chicago, according to sources familiar with the plans. Sprint's WiMax-based broadband service, called XOHM, is scheduled to go live by the end of this month, according to those … Read more
Sony S-Series Walkman wins Editors' Choice
Sony has come a long way since the release of the NW-MS11 Network Walkman. One of the company's first flash-based MP3 players, the NW-MS11 didn't even play MP3s and was crippled by copy-protection woes and painfully slow transcoding, but even back then, Walkmans were a model of sleek design and excellent sound quality. The S-Series Walkman is a prime example of the reason Sony was the original king of portable music devices. The flash player, which comes in 4GB ($149.99) and 8GB ($179.99) models, is sleek, compact, easy to use, and packed with features. Plus, it … Read more
Vann's has the Sony KDL-40Z4100/B 40" 1080p BRAVIA Z Series LCD HDTV for $1399.97, after $600 savings, plus free shipping.
The 404 185: Where we're banned from using the phone
CNET Tech Editor Matt Fitzgerald joins us on today's show to shoot the film with us on a flurry of random stories from around the Internet, including George Takeiiiiiii's marriage, the inevitable death of TRL, the new POS Dragonball Z movie, the final word in iPhone updates, and more!
The morning starts off with a few crank calls (do I smell a new recurring segment?) that ends with us being forever banned from picking up a CNET telephone. Oh well, phones are overrated anyway. Anyway, I know we all bitch about iPhones incessantly on the show (especially Jeff "Hatin' on Fools" Bakalar), but most of our former qualms are solved by the newest firmware upgrade to end all firmware upgrades, version 2.1! If you have an iPhone, 3G or Edge, do yourself a favor and install the upgrade. Battery life is increased, phone crashes and dropped calls are nonexistent, and no more text lags! After three tries, Apple finally got it right. Now, if only they enabled cut/paste, SMS forwarding, and picture messaging....baby steps, Mr. Jobs, baby steps.
EPISODE 185 Download today's podcast … Read moreElectric Chevy Volt debuts with lofty ambitions
The Chevy Volt was the centerpiece of General Motors' centennial celebration on Tuesday with executives heralding the electric car as the first step in the reinvention of the automobile.
GM Chairman Rick Wagoner introduced the plug-in hybrid car in Detroit, showing a production version with a different look than the concept car rolled out in January 2007.
The company also released photos and a number of technical details, including a projected top speed of 100 mph and two in-car touch-screen controls. The five-door sedan, which GM calls an extended-range electric vehicle, is scheduled to be available for purchase in the … Read more
How 'green' is the electric Chevy Volt?
General Motors at its centennial celebration in Detroit on Tuesday is expected to showcase the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid electric car that carries the heavy expectations of reversing GM's slide and slashing consumers' fuel use.
Buzz around the Volt picked up last week when photos of the production car were captured, showing a less sporty look than the original concept car. But what are the environmental and cost benefits of the Volt?
The Volt will be able to run 40 miles on lithium-ion batteries and get a range of 400 miles from an internal combustion engine that charges … Read more
