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Air bags, antilock brakes, and stability control. CD players, power locks and windows, and air conditioning. These are all features that at some point were optional (and sometimes costly) in vehicles, but over time we've come to expect them in every new car on the road -- whether that's due to legislation or changing buyer tastes. As cars continue to evolve, so grow our expectations of what should be included in the sticker price. I've rounded up a few optional car tech features that I'd like to see make the jump to being standard equipment.

Bluetooth … Read more

Rear-projection TV is dead, and there's little reason to think the technology will pull a Lazarus anytime soon.

On Monday Mitsubishi confirmed it has already ceased production of its last RPTVs, and told Twice.com that inventory is almost gone.

"The decision to exit the category was based on lack of profitability in the big-screen TV business," according to Max Wasinger, executive VP at Mitsubishi Electric Video Sales America. "MEVSA will honor all product warranties. Consumer relations will continue to support consumers and dealers' product service related needs." He added that there are no plans … Read more

Modern luxury vehicles are available with a wide range of driver assistance technology and use a variety of sensors to power that tech. Lane departure warning systems use front-facing cameras to watch the lines painted on the road. Blind-spot monitoring uses sonar arrays to check the area around the vehicle for obstructions. Rear proximity detection also uses sonar arrays to detect objects behind a reversing vehicle. The 2013 Nissan Altima will be able handle all three of these functions with only one rear-facing camera.

Nissan's system uses a rear-facing camera that constantly watches the area behind and to the … Read more

Apple's purported iPad Mini could offer a rear camera if the latest scuttbut is on the money.

Alleged Chinese cases for the much-rumored 7-inch tablet posted by Giz-China.com show a plastic clip on the rear cover, a sign that the iPad Mini could provide a rear-facing camera but one without an LED flash. On the front would be a FaceTime camera at the top center of the screen, just like on the 9.7-inch iPad.

The cases also seemingly reveal a thinner bezel than the one on the larger iPad. The volume control would rest on the right … Read more

Rear-projection TVs used to be the only way to get the "big-screen" experience at home. With the advent, and diminishing price of, large flat-screen LCDs and plasmas, the RPTV has become something of an endangered species. In fact, only one company, Mitsubishi, still makes RPTVs.

Many people still enjoy their RPTV, and I've received several letters recently asking if it was time for them to upgrade.

Are RPTVs a viable alternative to flat panels? When should you upgrade your old RPTV? Let's break it down.… Read more

Last time, we took a look at how cars protect their passengers in the event of a crash. This week, we're taking a look at a few high-tech ways that modern vehicles can help prevent accidents in the first place.

Modern tech cars can be equipped with a host of driver aid systems that help make driving easier for your average commuter. From road-aware cruise control systems to self-aware headlight systems, cars are getting smarter every day.

Adaptive cruise control If the standard cruise control system was the first step toward vehicular autonomy, then adaptive cruise control system is … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Vizualogic's Android rear-seat entertainment (RSE) system is not the first of its kind that we've seen, but it may yet end up being the first to market.

The replacement car seat headrest features an integrated full-color, 7-inch capacitive touch screen that allows rear-seat passengers to interact with the Android 2.3 operating system. When asked why Gingerbread was used rather than the newer and tablet-optimized Honeycomb (or Ice Cream Sandwich) versions of the Android OS, Vizualogic stated that the the unit would be updated to version 3.1 or better by the time it reaches production. However, … Read more

Some say that rear-seat entertainment (RSE) systems will go the way of the dodo with the proliferation of cheap tablets. Audiovox, supplier of aftermarket and OEM car electronics, appears to be hedging its bets in the belief that tablets and RSE will somehow merge, with the announcement that it will be shipping an Android-based RSE to Bentley.

We got our first look at what Audiovox's Android-based RSE might look like at CES 2011. The model we saw lacked polish, basically stretching Google's Android 2.1 interface onto a 7-inch touch screen. Time will tell whether the OEM units … Read more

Editors' note: The lens used in recording the video above makes the television appear smaller than it really is in relation to the presenter, Scott Stein. Scroll down to see a photo that more accurately presents the 92-inch size of the TV.

Does a 92-inch TV sound like overkill to you?

To many, it may. But for the company that makes it, Mitsubishi, it's pretty much the only way to distinguish itself among its competitors and try to stay in the TV business.

Next month, Mitsubishi will officially start selling the behemoth of a television it first introduced at CES in January. … Read more