rotary

VTech's Retro Phone has modern 'Mad Men' flair

Perhaps it's just a coincidence that VTech's $59.99 LS6195 cordless phone has hit stores as the fifth season of "Mad Men" has recently gotten under way, but the phone has a decidedly 1960s retro look with a tagline that Don Draper might approve of: "Back in style. Better styled."

Naturally, the electronics inside the LD6195 are new -- or at least relatively new -- as the VTech Retro Phone has a digital answering machine and uses DECT 6.0 digital technology, which is the standard in today's cordless phones. … Read more

Mazda tweet hints the rotary engine is not dead

After it killed off the RX-8, we thought that Mazda had called off its love affair with the Wankel rotary engine. If the Mazda_PR twitter account is to be believed, perhaps the rumors of the rotary's death have been exaggerated.

The tweet comes out of the other side of Google Translate's tubes as:

To support a lot of RX-8 rotary engine, the message, thank you very much! We are excited together. Mazda "SKYACTIV" said aims to achieve technological breakthroughs, new models are being developed intensively with the next generation of rotary engines. Continued support thank you! … Read more

Mazda halts production of rotary engine sports car

Mazda Motor Corp. has canceled production of its RX-8 rotary engine sports car, citing falling sales and stringent global emissions standards.

Production in Hiroshima, Japan, ended in early July and global sales of the car will conclude later this year.

The RX-8 and the three generations of the RX-7 that preceded it have long been the foundation the brand's fun-to-drive aura. The car's high-revving 1.3-liter, twin-rotor rotary engine produces 232 hp at 8,500 rpm -- a big punch in a relatively small package.

But Mazda sold just 1,134 RX-8s last year, a 49 percent decline … Read more

Microsoft's Ballmer responds to calls for his ouster

Microsoft's Steve Ballmer yesterday addressed the delicate issue of calls for his dismissal as CEO, according to a report from GeekWire.

During a Q&A following a speech given by Ballmer at the Rotary Club in Seattle, Assunta Ng, publisher of the Northwest Asian Weekly asked for his reaction to critics who say that it's time for Microsoft to change its CEO and that it's time for him to go.

Ballmer, who is known for his loud, direct style, responded by saying, "YOU TELL ME if I lack energy or conviction, or we're not … Read more

Review: 2008 Mazda RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 is one of the most distinctive sports cars on the road thanks to its unique rotary engine and its aggressive, comic-book styling. Its interior tech leaves plenty to be desired, but for sheer mid-market driving pleasure, the high-revving, four-door coupe is hard to beat. This week Mazda announced that it will be unveiling an update of the RX-8 to next month's Detroit auto show. Until then, you can check out our review of the 2008 model right here.

Subwoofer or electric fan?

If you're of a certain vintage, you may remember an old TV commercial and print ad campaign from Maxell that featured gale-force winds blowing from a stereo. That's the first thing that came to mind upon viewing this weird subwoofer from Eminent Technology.

The "Thigpen Rotary Woofer," which the company bills as "the world's first true infrasonic home audio or home theater woofer," looks more like an electric fan than a piece of audio equipment. Here's what the propeller supposedly does: "If you want to hear and feel the 4-5 hertz … Read more