gear

Remember when Tesla sued "Top Gear" over its portrayal of the electric Roadster running out of electricity and breaking down? Now Nissan is complaining about the show's portrayal of the all electric Leaf.

In a show that aired at the end of July, "Top Gear" presenter Jeremy Clarkson drove the Nissan Leaf to the city of Lincoln, where it ran out of electricity and had to be pushed by helpful bystanders to a charging point.

But Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer, in an interview with the U.K. newspaper The Times, said "Top … Read more

IRVINE, Calif.--Hidden away on an arid stretch of Orange Country land that once housed a Marine base, a wonderland for gearheads exists--complete with super cars, a test track, and custom automobiles lined side-by-side halfway to the mountains. It's the set where the History Channel produces the U.S. version of "Top Gear," the BBC's hit car show.

"Top Gear" returns on July 24, and BBC Worldwide Productions and History Channel invited CNET to visit the set earlier this week on the final day of shooting for the second season.

While show hosts Adam Ferrera, Rutledge Wood, and Tanner Foust shot segments and recorded voiceovers for upcoming episodes, I explored the set and wandered blissfully through the fleet of elite, custom, and wrecked vehicles sprinkled around the studio grounds. I even got to set foot on the esteemed track where The Stig (the show's anonymous racing driver) power-tests some of the world's elite cars. … Read more

The Gears of War Vault from gaming accessory specialist Calibur 11 is a must-have for diehard GOW fans. The two-piece shell with a glossy "bleed out" finish is compatible only with the new Xbox 360 Slim and is held in place via bolts in order to avoid voiding the console's warranty. The firm has also added a handy cradle to hang your controller, though the main highlight is the Infected Omen light feature. This glows in four different colors, including crimson red when the player is temporarily knocked out of action.

At $89.99, the GOW Vault is an expensive kit to own, but the price also includes an opportunity to win an official life-size GOW Cog armored suit replica as seen in the game. Gears of War 3 is slated for a global release in September.

(Source: Crave Asia via Kotaku)… Read more

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I just recently stumbled upon the Turntable Lab in the East Village in NYC. The shop was established in 1999, and the company also has brick-and-mortar shops in LA and Seoul, Korea.

The NYC shop may not have a huge selection of goodies on display, but I was very impressed with the range of products offered. Store manager David Azzoni stressed that customer service is "attitude-free" and totally avoids the snooty vibe sometimes associated with high-end hi-fi shops. For example, if you're new to vinyl and need help picking out … Read more

You know you look good, but sometimes you just want to double-check. You could excuse yourself and go to the bathroom. You could find a reflective window and stare intently. Or you could subtly gaze at your watch.

The Vanity Mirror Watch is a chunky, shiny accessory that looks like it has been designed for a substantial man-size wrist. The marketing photos of a hairy arm sporting the watch are another tip-off that the target customer is a vain male. That probably won't dissuade a fashion-forward woman from picking one up.

It's hard to tell what the $69.… Read more

You can play Angry Birds on your tablet, phone, or Web browser. You can cover your mobile device with an Angry Birds case. There is a board game. T-Mobile created a life-size version. There may even be an Angry Birds movie on the horizon.

In case you haven't reached Angry Birds saturation, you will soon be able to pick up some officially licensed Angry Birds speakers from Gear4. The speakers come in the shapes of Red Bird ($89.99), Helmet Pig ($119.99), and Black Bird ($129.99) and should hit stores in September.

Red Bird works with a 3.5mm cable and includes a stand for a music player or tablet. Helmet Pigs comes equipped with an iPod/iPhone dock on the top of its head. Black Bird's stand includes a dock that will also charge your iPad.

The obvious use for these speakers is to amplify your Angry Birds gaming experience. Just resist the temptation to pick up your Red Bird speaker and fling it at the Helmet Pig speaker. … Read more

LOS ANGELES--Look around the halls of E3 2011, and you might notice something strangely similar about many of the most-hyped games on display. There's Battlefield 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, Uncharted 3, and Mass Effect 3. BioShock Infinite is the third game in that series, and Skyrim is the third modern/console version of an Elder Scrolls game (technically, it's the fifth game in the series, as there were a couple of prior PC games back in the '90s). We've also spotted Saints Row: the Third, Serious Sam 3, and Ninja Gaiden 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution (the third game in that series), and there are probably a few others I've missed.

This collection of third-timers is partially a coincidence, and partly indicative of the industry's addiction to sequels. With production and advertising budgets at or near what Hollywood movie studios have been spending for years, there's a natural, and very understandable, attraction to finding a successful formula and sticking with it.

A trilogy is also a familiar construct from the larger media world that consumers are comfortable with, and the format is useful for putting together a compelling story arc over the course of three films or novels. But while most movies quit after three outings, there's no doubt you'll be seeing a fourth chapter in many of the game franchises above within a year or two. … Read more

LOS ANGELES--Microsoft began its press conference with some gameplay demos of Modern Warfare 3, Tomb Raider, and Mass Effect 3. Though these titles certainly impressed, they'll be available on multiple consoles.

But at E3, it's exclusives that count, and Microsoft finally showcased a number of titles that will only be available on Xbox 360 and Kinect:

Xbox 360:

As we suspected, an intense Gears of War 3 demo delighted the crowd with Marcus Fenix battling a skyscraper-size alien. The game will be out in September.

Next we saw a teaser-trailer for the ancient Rome inspired Ryse that looks to feature Kinect implementation. There wasn't too much information here--just that it's being developed by the team behind the Crysis franchise, Crytek.… Read more

On today's episode of preGame we'll be previewing the biggest gaming event of the year, E3! Join us along with special guest Scott Stein as we dive deep into E3 2011 predictions, anticipated games, and more previews than you can handle; from the Wii 2 to the NGP, and everything in between.

We'll also have an in-depth conversation about today's announcement from Activision regarding Call of Duty Elite. This brand-new premium service will enhance the online multiplayer experience by leaps and bounds. But is it worth a premium price?

All this and much more on this … Read more