When we last saw the 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5GT, it left a bad taste with its mediocre cabin tech options and performance-dulling automatic transmission.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)Every once in a while, we get a vehicle in the Car Tech garage that presents great potential, but poor execution. This was the case with the 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5GT that we took for a spin awhile back.
With DNA that includes traces of WRX and STI and a stout, turbocharged heart, we were quite disappointed with the 2.5GT's performance. We didn't get much relief in the cabin when faced with an extremely limited list of cabin tech options.
Once again, we're unable to leave well enough alone as we set about to right the wrongs committed upon the Impreza by Subaru's bean counters and unlock its performance and cabin tech potential.
Victor and Kenwood said Monday that they plan to become one company by October 1 this year.
The two Japanese audio equipment makers will combine to form JVC Kenwood Holdings, which will be based in Yokohama, near Tokyo. Victor, a subsidiary of electronics giant Matsushita, is best known for its JVC brand. Under the agreement, Kenwood Chairman Haruho Kawahara will become the holding company's chairman, while Victor President Kunihiko Sato will become the new company's president.
It came in fits and starts, but the two have finally settled on a merger agreement. It was first discussed last year, and since then the two have agreed to develop future car and home audio systems together.
The new business will focus on car electronics, home electronics, and professional wireless systems, and will also explore new product segments. The two companies are combining in hopes of reducing costs and scaling their distribution in the already-crowded Japanese consumer electronics market. For the same reason, Victor said last month it would no longer make flat-panel TVs for the Japanese market.
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Kenwood)
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DOD)
After having conquered TVs, projectors, and even mice, the Stealth invasion now has its sights on the iPod. A new Kenwood stereo dock headed for the Japanese market bears the unmistakeable flying-wedge design, but its sound doesn't exactly match the menacing appearance--its speakers put out only 1.9 watts, according to Akihabara News. With that kind of audio, you might as well get a wooden cube and save some money.
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Kenwood)
Built-in storage is all the rage among carmakers and stereo manufacturers these days, and Kenwood is no exception. The vendor is using SEMA 2007 to show off its KDC-X991, which, in addition to its support for a range of digital-age audio formats (MP3, WMA, USB), comes with 512MB of internal flash memory--roughly enough for 30 albums' worth of music.
Drivers can rip CDs to the memory as they listen or import digital audio files via the stereo's USB port. A color fluorescent display and a novel jog dial controller let users navigate folders and files using an intuitive rotary menu. Kenwood's most capable stereo doesn't come cheap, though: expect to part with around $650 if you want to get your hands on one.
The theme for today is flames. We've got pictures of a creative adaptation of Dance Dance Revolution, combining its complicated steps with the added punishment of an inferno in your face. It looks hard and scary! We also have photos of the Nokia N76, a sleek and shiny red phone. Plus, there's the HTC Touch, a phone that could fan the flames of the red-hot discussion surrounding the iPhone's June 29 release. Burn, baby, burn.
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CNET Networks)
Photos: Dance Dance Immolation
At a warehouse in Oakland, Calif., Saturday night, video gamers get shot in the face with fire--but it was all in the name of fun. The fun, in this case, was an evening of Dance Dance Immolation. DDI combines the movements with flamethrowers--needless to say, it's for grown-ups only. These pics are on fire.
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CNET Networks)
When you think of sleek and sexy cell phones or smart phones, chances are you probably don't think of Nokia. However, the Nokia N76 certainly changes that perception, with its sleek profile and red-hot color. Yet, despite its cool looks (or should we say hot), this Symbian "multimedia computer" isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Check out the Nokia N76 pics.
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CNET Networks)
HTC, the company behind many of today's most popular Windows Mobile smart phones, has unveiled its latest project and some are already pitting it against the yet-to-be-released Apple iPhone. Take a photo tour of the HTC Touch and find out what makes this Windows Mobile smart phone special.
Photos: Kenwood Excelon DDX8019
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CNET Networks)
If you're looking for a decent in-dash GPS navigation system that can support digital audio and video, then the Kenwood DDX8019 could be the product for you. If GPS navigation isn't your first priority, however, there are more easy-to-use media players on the market. You can decide while looking at our photos of the Kenwood DDX8019.
The Kenwood DDX8019 is yet another contender for your all-in-one in-car device dollar. The in-dash system plays CDs, DVDs (audio and video), MP3 discs, WMA discs, and USB audio sources out of the box. With add-on modules, it can be used to play satellite and HD radio and as a Bluetooth hands-free calling interface. Despite all this, however, its touch screen interface leaves something to be desired for playing media. Check our slide show and full review to see what we liked and what we didn't with this system.
Here at CNET Car Tech, we never tire of banging on about the latest in-car audio technology. But what if you don't have the requisite $2,000 to fork over for a hard-drive-enabled in-car media player with a touch screen? Here is one solution that's cheap and cheerful, and will let you play MP3 discs and portable audio players in your car for less than $300. Check out our slide show for photos of the Kenwood DPX302.
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Dynamism)
It may be called "Media Keg," but don't mistake this for another St. Paddy's Day accessory. (We already have that covered elsewhere.)
In fact, the name is all the more curious because this Kenwood media player is anything but keg-like, weighing only 2.8 ounces--making it "the world's smallest HDD-based MP3 player," according to the company. Despite its diminutive frame, Shiny Shiny says, the device houses a 10GB hard drive, sports a 1.5-inch screen and claims a battery life of up to 24 hours.
If all that is true, even at $399 it still deserves a toast.
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Kenwood)
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Reel Value)
These Kenwood satellite speakers are deceiving for a couple of reasons. One, they're made with natural charcoal; two, they look just like fishing reels.
Fareastgizmos, which says the charcoal minimizes distortion, breaks down the specs this way: "The 2-way speaker system with sealed 66mmBINCHO-TAN Plus PP Hybrid cone woofer and 20mmPEI balance dome tweeter with playback frequency 120Hz - 70kHz, 83dB impedance at 4Ω measures 110W×115H×122D and weighs 0.42kg (1) speaker."
Um, OK. All we know is that these KSC-SS10 speakers will be available next month in Japan for about $215. The rod is apparently sold separately.
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