VIDEO: Tech review: This week's headlines

Several technology firms have recommended people change all their passwords following the discovery of a major security flaw called Heartbleed. The European Court of Justice has declared "invalid" an EU law requiring telecoms firms to store citizens' communication data for up to two years. And a two-way mirror fitted with facial recognition technology aims to take the perfect selfie.

BBC Click's Marc Cieslak has more details of these and other technology stories of the week.

Watch more clips on the Click website. If you are in the UK you can watch the whole programme on BBC iPlayer.

VIDEO: Tech review: This week's headlines

Several technology firms have recommended people change all their passwords following the discovery of a major security flaw called Heartbleed. The European Court of Justice has declared "invalid" an EU law requiring telecoms firms to store citizens' communication data for up to two years. And a two-way mirror fitted with facial recognition technology aims to take the perfect selfie.

BBC Click's Marc Cieslak has more details of these and other technology stories of the week.

Watch more clips on the Click website. If you are in the UK you can watch the whole programme on BBC iPlayer.

Amazon Kindle: The Next Generation G3 Review - What Do You Think?

Amazon Kindle 2 Review - An In Depth Amazon Kindle 2 Review

Want a review?

OK.. so I’m looking for a game to review.

Any suggestions?

Free or at least a demo, unless someone wants to donate a copy of the game to be reviewed.

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Newspaper review

3 May 2011 Last updated at 06:15 News of Osama Bin Laden's death is on the front of every newspaper - and takes up many inside pages too.

The headline in the The Times, which has 23 pages of coverage, is a quote from President Obama: "Justice is done".

In its leader, the paper says the death of Bin Laden brings relief to the families of his victims, bolsters US morale and hastens al-Qaeda's decline.

According to the Daily Mail, "humanity is rid of the most ruthless terrorist of our time".

Pakistan's Aldershot The Guardian wonders how Bin Laden remained undetected

In the Guardian's words, a terrible life that brought misery to thousands is over. But the paper asks "how could he hide for so long?

The US is now pressing Pakistan for an explanation, the Guardian reports..

It adds few suspected Bin Laden would be found in tranquil Abbottabad.

Reporting from the town, Peter Oborne in the Daily Telegraph says instead of going down in the Afghan mountains or a hideout, Bin Laden met his death in Pakistan's answer to Aldershot.

'Evil master'

The Daily Telegraph also joins the Daily Express and Daily Mirror in focusing on the claim Bin Laden used one of his wives as a human shield.

The headline in the Daily Express says he was a "coward to the end".

The Mirror also joins the Daily Mail in covering reports that president Obama viewed the operation on a live video link.

The Express is among the papers to report the raid in detail

In its editorial, the Mirror says for many Bin Laden's death "will mean justice has finally been done" but the "terror war outlives its evil master".

Under the headline "Bin Bagged", the Sun says the "world's most evil man" has been consigned to history.

The Independent says a decade of running and hiding has ended with a bullet to the head and "it feels like the closing of a traumatic chapter".

The Financial Times reckons the death of the al-Qaeda leader has ended a long national disgrace for Americans.

In a moment of national release, they can put aside fear of decline and partisan squabbles, it says.

Review: Dead Space 2

DEAD SPACE 2: Horrible but the pace is immense

I WAS at the launch of Nintendo?s 3DS in Amsterdam last week.

The device, we were told, will be in the shops on March 25.

Officially, the price remains a secret; known only to those lucky few with internet access (?229 had been leaked online before the event).

With the iPad on the rise, Smart Phones catching up and a rumoured new PSP somewhere on the horizon, this could have been a tricky sell for Nintendo.

But does anyone really want a console that offers glasses-free gaming in 3D?

Maybe not but the new visuals do make for a meaty headline.

The real story, we found out, is the machine?s wi-fi capability, including passing info between machines via
BT Hotspots.

There?s also the streaming of 3D video content from providers such as Sky and Eurosport. 

I?ll talk more of the 3DS in the coming months and give a run-through of the 25 launch titles, with the surprising inclusion of PES 3D.

For now my earlier pessimism about the console has been put on hold. So I left Amsterdam with renewed interest in the DS and a sickening hangover!

The rest of the week was spent in a state of floating dementia (a familiar feeling after Dutch coffee shops) progressing through EA?s Dead Space 2.

The first offering landed back in 2008 to great critical acclaim and won a slew of awards. And it remains one of the best third-person shooters with a horror twist of recent years.

The sequel provides more of the same, with Isaac Clarke once again forced to battle with the Necromorphs ? virus-
fuelled former humans bent on spreading the infestation ? in a vast floating city.

The developers have given Clarkey a friendly dose of insanity. And it?s not like when your gran thinks you?re her brother ? poor Clarkey is seeing whole alien armies.

So to the horror, which is probably the most impressive part of the game. Bits of humans, aliens, monsters, everything is constantly jumping out at you.

It?s genuinely horrible and at times quite disturbing. This is not the kind of game you leave on pause while your church-going niece and nephew come round for an afternoon scone.

And the pace is immense, with a couple of action sequences that make you want to start a one-man standing ovation.

The character?s movement has been updated to include Zero G fl ight, while the weapons have had similar refurbishment.

Yet what makes Dead Space and the sequel so original is the atmosphere. The developer has cleverly created a world that?s absorbing yet thoroughly repugnant. You simply don?t want to be there, yet you?ll plough through ten hours of gaming barely dropping the controller.

Between Amsterdam and the Necromorphs, I?m a broken man. Let?s hope for some family-friendly fare next week. I?ll give Disney a call...

Verdict: 90% ?Horrible but the pace is immense? 360, PS3, PC

1. LITTLE BIG  PLANET2 ? PS3
2. CoD: BLACK OPS ? 360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS
3. JUST DANCE 2 ? Wii
4. FIFA 11 ? Wii, 360, PS3, PC, DS, PSP, PS2
5. ASSASSIN?S CREED: BROTHERHOOD ? 360, PS3, PC
6. Wii FIT PLUS ? Wii
7. MASS EFFECT 2 ? 360, PS3, PC
8. KINECT SPORTS ? 360
9. GRAN TURISMO 5 ? PS3
10. NFS: HOT PURSUIT ? 360, PS3, PC, Wii, DS, PSP

View the original article here

Review: Unlimited Test Drive 2

Review: Unlimited Test Drive 2

THE last month or so has been dominated by talk of handhelds.

Sony?s NGP, Nintendo?s 3DS, Microsoft?s Xbox Mini... You?re quite right ? the last one?s made up, with Bill Gates? reluctance to  gamble on a miniature version of the 360 the only thing stopping this competition from turning into the final scene from The Good, The Bad And The Ugly.

As it stands, the two Japanese giants will have to square up alone. It?s Godzilla versus Mothra with Nintendo, like that dirty big lizard in the fi lm, looking likely to come out on top.

Why? Their machine comes out fi rst and almost twice as many people bought the DS than bought the PSP. That?s a lot of indoctrinated gamers already twitching for their next Nintendo fix.

Yet the public will decide. Those lucky enough to live in Birmingham can get a glimpse of the 3DS by attending The Midlands Expo next Saturday at the International Centre (midlandsmcmexpo.com).

It will see the fi rst public outing for the 3DS in Europe, with a raft of games also set to be on display including  Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, Super Street Fighter IV 3D and The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D.

In case you were wondering, the device plays in 3D.

A game that doesn?t play in 3D is Unlimited Test Drive 2, the week?s big release from the Namco/Atari nexus. I Lap up the thrill of speed on Ibiza was amazed to read that this is the tenth game in the series.

I can just about remember the last one, released in 2006 on the 360, PS2, PC and PSP.

That had you flying around the island of Hawaii. This time the action is transferred to Ibiza.

That?s right ? you?ll be speeding on Ibiza (for many, not an entirely new experience). Those familiar with the Balearic party island will find many of the game?s locations eerily familiar, with more than 3,000km of road on offer throughout the game.

I spent the first three hours hoping to find The Terrace at Space for a quick G&T. 

The developers have added a storyline to the single-player mode. Unfortunately, it doesn?t involve seven sleepless nights, a stolen wallet or a fat girl from Milton Keynes, so I found the whole narrative rather unrealistic.

Where the realism does kick in is with the cars, with countless makes, models and classes on offer. The more success you have, the better cars you can buy.

The motors do get damaged when you crash them, though this rarely impairs their performance. As always, the game?s mainstay is the multiplayer, boasting enough modes to keep you at the wheel for a couple of weeks.

There?s a social side too, with rewards for joining groups, hunting for missing cars and taking pictures about the island. I?ll leave that for the obsessives. For me, there?s enough here to make this worthy of a fifty quid outlay. The
game is no way an Aston Martin...but certainly a very good Beemer. 

View the original article here

Review: LittleBigPlanet2

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Review: LittleBigPlanet2

I ONCE interviewed Busta Rhymes. It was at the launch of an Xbox game - or Xbox Live, I forget which one.

He had been flown to London at great expense by Microsoft to promote the service.

Having opened with the obligatory "Woo Haa" we cut to the chase. I was expecting the usual badly-prepared celebrity bat-back.

"Are you into gaming?"
"Yes."
"Anything in particular?"
"Xbox Live."
Anything else?"
"Erm?Xbox Live."
"Thanks - I think we've covered everything."
Only this time Busta decided to go off-piste.
"Are you into gaming?"
"Yes."
"Anything in particular?"
"Yes - Resistance: Fall Of Man" "What?"
Yeah - Resistance, set in London. Killing those aliens."

Sitting beneath a neon Xbox Live sign, the rapper then proceeded to sing the praises of a PS3 title for ten minutes, while ashen-faced Xbox execs looked on. I've liked him ever since.

Celebrity endorsements continue in gaming, although none is needed for this week's big release - LittleBigPlanet2, Media Molecule's sequel to the ground-breaking platformer that quietly hit the shops back in 2008. Stephen Fry returns as the narrator but the real stars are the users, thanks to the innovative design tool that lets gamers design their own levels for others in the community to play.

For those who missed out the first time around, LBP2 is a standard platformer - you start at one end and finish at the other - featuring a small, sackcloth character that progresses via jumping, shooting, pushing and pulling. It's pretty straightforward but devilishly addictive as you navigate your way through the 30 or so levels developed by the designers.

Yet, unlike Mario, this platformer has literal depth, allowing you to move Sackboy from the foreground to the middle to the background, making for some entertaining problem solving.

There's a story attached that's pure window dressing - something to do with a robot attacking something. But who cares when you've a series of incredibly inventive levels to negotiate? There are several different worlds, each with a unique feel, alongside a raft of mini games that includes shooting, racing and fighting.

Alongside the single player, you can play in tandem, either with a friend or a random online.

Great stuff. But here's where LittleBigPlanet parts company with every other sensational game out there. It boasts a powerful creation tool that lets you design your own levels.

What's more, you can then post your levels online for others to play while you have access to around three million levels others have spent days, weeks and, in some cases, months designing.

Critics talk about a game having "legs" - replay value. And, thanks to the levels designer, there are always more challenges. It's infinite. That's not bad for fifty quid. How easy is it to make levels? It depends on the complexity of your design but you can have something basic up and running in a couple of hours.

Simply, it's not only an improvement on the original but far ahead of just about any other game that offers user-generated content. Add to that striking visuals and gameplay and you've an early contender for game of the year. PS3 owners - you've been spoilt.

PS3 ?49.99
93%
An early runner for game of year?

View the original article here

2010 in review

03 Jan 2011

by Rob in Uncategorized

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire!.

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 3,800 times in 2010. That’s about 9 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 28 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 102 posts. There were 16 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 3mb. That’s about a picture per month.

The busiest day of the year was January 7th with 186 views. The most popular post that day was Pictures I Like.

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, twitter.com, en.wordpress.com, collateraldamage.wordpress.com, and formulaone.blogs.nytimes.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for robert strobel, sg1, one direction x factor 2010, rob strobel, and don’t listen to what people say.

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Pictures I Like September 2009
2 comments

Don’t Listen to what Other People Say August 2009
1 comment

X Factor 2010 – The Final December 2010

A world without Risk is a Dangerous Place. September 2009
4 comments

A Disabled 21 Year Old Ndebele Girl Makes it to the Oscars. Zimbabwean Pride. February 2010

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View the original article here

Two Worlds II – Review

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

Review: Volkswagen Phaeton

I like cheap cars, and I cannot lie. Not that I mind testing $70,000 luxo-sedans or $98,000 sports cars, but reviewing entry-level, bottom-of-the-line cars is my true passion. Let's face it: Anyone can build a nice car to sell for fifty grand, but providing good value for $15,000 or less -- especially considering all the safety equipment now mandated by the Fed -- well, that's no easy feat.

The 2011 version of my cheapest cars list once again highlights the 20 least expensive cars in the US market, telling you which ones are best buys and which ones are best left on the dealer's lot. Compared to last year's list, there are two new additions: The $13,995 Ford Fiesta takes the #8 spot and the $14,795 Mazda2 premieres at #11, knocking the Toyota Corolla and the Scion xB off the bottom of the list. Another last-minute addition is the all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After seeing the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I expected it to be priced right off the list, but surprise, surprise! The new Elantra is only $685 more than last year's model, and so it stays on, down just one spot to #12.

At this point, the list is a work in progress; Smart has yet to announce exact pricing for the mildly-redesigned 2011 ForTwo, and the same goes for the Honda Fit. Scion is also holding out on its new iQ minicar, but it's sure to wind up on the list. Chrysler has announced pricing for the Fiat 500 -- $15,500 -- and assuming the destination fee is the same as other Chrysler models ($750), it'll be taking up residence on Page Two once it goes on sale.

I'm starting to ramble (see, I told you I love cheap cars!), so if you want to get the skinny, check out the list: Cheapest cars of 2011. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Mazda

Greetings from Arizona! We decided to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday traffic by heading out to my folks a little early. I see every road trip as a potential for experimentation, and this time I decided to try a four-cylinder SUV. Read more...

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Tonight at 10 pm (9 pm central, and goodness knows when in Arizona) on the History Channel, Top Gear USA will finally hit the airwaves (or, I suppose, the cable-waves). I've been waiting a long, long time for this -- and I don't just mean the last few months of making the show. I mean, like, years.

I'm really happy with the way the show came out, and I'm not just saying that as a staffer -- I'm saying that as a true Top Gear fanatic. Amazing cars, fantastic cinematography, lots of idiocy, and plenty of tire-smoking antics courtesy of Tanner. Episode One is pretty darn good, and the show will get even better in the coming weeks. Check it out tonight and be sure to let me know what you think. -- Aaron Gold

The Los Angeles Auto Show is now open to the public. So how is this year's show? It's good...but a bit quiet.

One thing that was missing was the pessimistic attitude that hung over -- well, pretty much every major auto show for the last couple of years. Still, the show is a little short on flourish but pretty solid on substance. Rather than hold a press conference for the nifty little Urban Luxury Concept, for example, Cadillac simply put the car on display with little fanfare. World premieres were few and far between, though they did include some notable cars such as the Nissan Quest and Mazda5 minivans, as well as the Porsche Cayman R and Nissan's whimsical (and production-ready) Murano SUV convertible.

Not that everything was quiet. Ford probably has the best booth of the show -- not only are they showing the all-new 2012 Focus, but they have a slot-car track modeled after the Laguna Seca raceway (complete with elevation changes!) and will be doing real-live dynamometer runs with a real-live Mustang Boss 302.

By far, my favorite vehicle at the show was the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's got the niftiest powertrain I've ever seen. It's a range-extended EV, with a plug-in battery pack that powers four electric motors (one for each wheel) for up to 67 miles. When the battery runs out -- or when extra power is needed for high speed -- the C-X75 has on-board generators driven by a pair of miniature jet engines. No, I am not making this up. Sadly, Jaguar will not be doing any demonstration runs of the car -- I'm sure the car's exhaust temperature (680 degrees F) wouldn't sit well with the fire marshal...

Anyway, you can check out all the new and notable cars in my Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. If you're thinking about visiting, my LA Show Visitor's Guide will tell you when to go and how to get there. Special thanks to Dwane Ferry for helping out with the photos. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Aaron Gold

View the original article here

Review: Toyota Prius

I like cheap cars, and I cannot lie. Not that I mind testing $70,000 luxo-sedans or $98,000 sports cars, but reviewing entry-level, bottom-of-the-line cars is my true passion. Let's face it: Anyone can build a nice car to sell for fifty grand, but providing good value for $15,000 or less -- especially considering all the safety equipment now mandated by the Fed -- well, that's no easy feat.

The 2011 version of my cheapest cars list once again highlights the 20 least expensive cars in the US market, telling you which ones are best buys and which ones are best left on the dealer's lot. Compared to last year's list, there are two new additions: The $13,995 Ford Fiesta takes the #8 spot and the $14,795 Mazda2 premieres at #11, knocking the Toyota Corolla and the Scion xB off the bottom of the list. Another last-minute addition is the all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After seeing the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I expected it to be priced right off the list, but surprise, surprise! The new Elantra is only $685 more than last year's model, and so it stays on, down just one spot to #12.

At this point, the list is a work in progress; Smart has yet to announce exact pricing for the mildly-redesigned 2011 ForTwo, and the same goes for the Honda Fit. Scion is also holding out on its new iQ minicar, but it's sure to wind up on the list. Chrysler has announced pricing for the Fiat 500 -- $15,500 -- and assuming the destination fee is the same as other Chrysler models ($750), it'll be taking up residence on Page Two once it goes on sale.

I'm starting to ramble (see, I told you I love cheap cars!), so if you want to get the skinny, check out the list: Cheapest cars of 2011. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Mazda

Greetings from Arizona! We decided to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday traffic by heading out to my folks a little early. I see every road trip as a potential for experimentation, and this time I decided to try a four-cylinder SUV. Read more...

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Tonight at 10 pm (9 pm central, and goodness knows when in Arizona) on the History Channel, Top Gear USA will finally hit the airwaves (or, I suppose, the cable-waves). I've been waiting a long, long time for this -- and I don't just mean the last few months of making the show. I mean, like, years.

I'm really happy with the way the show came out, and I'm not just saying that as a staffer -- I'm saying that as a true Top Gear fanatic. Amazing cars, fantastic cinematography, lots of idiocy, and plenty of tire-smoking antics courtesy of Tanner. Episode One is pretty darn good, and the show will get even better in the coming weeks. Check it out tonight and be sure to let me know what you think. -- Aaron Gold

The Los Angeles Auto Show is now open to the public. So how is this year's show? It's good...but a bit quiet.

One thing that was missing was the pessimistic attitude that hung over -- well, pretty much every major auto show for the last couple of years. Still, the show is a little short on flourish but pretty solid on substance. Rather than hold a press conference for the nifty little Urban Luxury Concept, for example, Cadillac simply put the car on display with little fanfare. World premieres were few and far between, though they did include some notable cars such as the Nissan Quest and Mazda5 minivans, as well as the Porsche Cayman R and Nissan's whimsical (and production-ready) Murano SUV convertible.

Not that everything was quiet. Ford probably has the best booth of the show -- not only are they showing the all-new 2012 Focus, but they have a slot-car track modeled after the Laguna Seca raceway (complete with elevation changes!) and will be doing real-live dynamometer runs with a real-live Mustang Boss 302.

By far, my favorite vehicle at the show was the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's got the niftiest powertrain I've ever seen. It's a range-extended EV, with a plug-in battery pack that powers four electric motors (one for each wheel) for up to 67 miles. When the battery runs out -- or when extra power is needed for high speed -- the C-X75 has on-board generators driven by a pair of miniature jet engines. No, I am not making this up. Sadly, Jaguar will not be doing any demonstration runs of the car -- I'm sure the car's exhaust temperature (680 degrees F) wouldn't sit well with the fire marshal...

Anyway, you can check out all the new and notable cars in my Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. If you're thinking about visiting, my LA Show Visitor's Guide will tell you when to go and how to get there. Special thanks to Dwane Ferry for helping out with the photos. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Aaron Gold

View the original article here

Review: Lexus LS430

I like cheap cars, and I cannot lie. Not that I mind testing $70,000 luxo-sedans or $98,000 sports cars, but reviewing entry-level, bottom-of-the-line cars is my true passion. Let's face it: Anyone can build a nice car to sell for fifty grand, but providing good value for $15,000 or less -- especially considering all the safety equipment now mandated by the Fed -- well, that's no easy feat.

The 2011 version of my cheapest cars list once again highlights the 20 least expensive cars in the US market, telling you which ones are best buys and which ones are best left on the dealer's lot. Compared to last year's list, there are two new additions: The $13,995 Ford Fiesta takes the #8 spot and the $14,795 Mazda2 premieres at #11, knocking the Toyota Corolla and the Scion xB off the bottom of the list. Another last-minute addition is the all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After seeing the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I expected it to be priced right off the list, but surprise, surprise! The new Elantra is only $685 more than last year's model, and so it stays on, down just one spot to #12.

At this point, the list is a work in progress; Smart has yet to announce exact pricing for the mildly-redesigned 2011 ForTwo, and the same goes for the Honda Fit. Scion is also holding out on its new iQ minicar, but it's sure to wind up on the list. Chrysler has announced pricing for the Fiat 500 -- $15,500 -- and assuming the destination fee is the same as other Chrysler models ($750), it'll be taking up residence on Page Two once it goes on sale.

I'm starting to ramble (see, I told you I love cheap cars!), so if you want to get the skinny, check out the list: Cheapest cars of 2011. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Mazda

Greetings from Arizona! We decided to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday traffic by heading out to my folks a little early. I see every road trip as a potential for experimentation, and this time I decided to try a four-cylinder SUV. Read more...

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Tonight at 10 pm (9 pm central, and goodness knows when in Arizona) on the History Channel, Top Gear USA will finally hit the airwaves (or, I suppose, the cable-waves). I've been waiting a long, long time for this -- and I don't just mean the last few months of making the show. I mean, like, years.

I'm really happy with the way the show came out, and I'm not just saying that as a staffer -- I'm saying that as a true Top Gear fanatic. Amazing cars, fantastic cinematography, lots of idiocy, and plenty of tire-smoking antics courtesy of Tanner. Episode One is pretty darn good, and the show will get even better in the coming weeks. Check it out tonight and be sure to let me know what you think. -- Aaron Gold

The Los Angeles Auto Show is now open to the public. So how is this year's show? It's good...but a bit quiet.

One thing that was missing was the pessimistic attitude that hung over -- well, pretty much every major auto show for the last couple of years. Still, the show is a little short on flourish but pretty solid on substance. Rather than hold a press conference for the nifty little Urban Luxury Concept, for example, Cadillac simply put the car on display with little fanfare. World premieres were few and far between, though they did include some notable cars such as the Nissan Quest and Mazda5 minivans, as well as the Porsche Cayman R and Nissan's whimsical (and production-ready) Murano SUV convertible.

Not that everything was quiet. Ford probably has the best booth of the show -- not only are they showing the all-new 2012 Focus, but they have a slot-car track modeled after the Laguna Seca raceway (complete with elevation changes!) and will be doing real-live dynamometer runs with a real-live Mustang Boss 302.

By far, my favorite vehicle at the show was the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's got the niftiest powertrain I've ever seen. It's a range-extended EV, with a plug-in battery pack that powers four electric motors (one for each wheel) for up to 67 miles. When the battery runs out -- or when extra power is needed for high speed -- the C-X75 has on-board generators driven by a pair of miniature jet engines. No, I am not making this up. Sadly, Jaguar will not be doing any demonstration runs of the car -- I'm sure the car's exhaust temperature (680 degrees F) wouldn't sit well with the fire marshal...

Anyway, you can check out all the new and notable cars in my Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. If you're thinking about visiting, my LA Show Visitor's Guide will tell you when to go and how to get there. Special thanks to Dwane Ferry for helping out with the photos. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Aaron Gold

View the original article here

Review: Honda Accord

I like cheap cars, and I cannot lie. Not that I mind testing $70,000 luxo-sedans or $98,000 sports cars, but reviewing entry-level, bottom-of-the-line cars is my true passion. Let's face it: Anyone can build a nice car to sell for fifty grand, but providing good value for $15,000 or less -- especially considering all the safety equipment now mandated by the Fed -- well, that's no easy feat.

The 2011 version of my cheapest cars list once again highlights the 20 least expensive cars in the US market, telling you which ones are best buys and which ones are best left on the dealer's lot. Compared to last year's list, there are two new additions: The $13,995 Ford Fiesta takes the #8 spot and the $14,795 Mazda2 premieres at #11, knocking the Toyota Corolla and the Scion xB off the bottom of the list. Another last-minute addition is the all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After seeing the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I expected it to be priced right off the list, but surprise, surprise! The new Elantra is only $685 more than last year's model, and so it stays on, down just one spot to #12.

At this point, the list is a work in progress; Smart has yet to announce exact pricing for the mildly-redesigned 2011 ForTwo, and the same goes for the Honda Fit. Scion is also holding out on its new iQ minicar, but it's sure to wind up on the list. Chrysler has announced pricing for the Fiat 500 -- $15,500 -- and assuming the destination fee is the same as other Chrysler models ($750), it'll be taking up residence on Page Two once it goes on sale.

I'm starting to ramble (see, I told you I love cheap cars!), so if you want to get the skinny, check out the list: Cheapest cars of 2011. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Mazda

Greetings from Arizona! We decided to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday traffic by heading out to my folks a little early. I see every road trip as a potential for experimentation, and this time I decided to try a four-cylinder SUV. Read more...

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Tonight at 10 pm (9 pm central, and goodness knows when in Arizona) on the History Channel, Top Gear USA will finally hit the airwaves (or, I suppose, the cable-waves). I've been waiting a long, long time for this -- and I don't just mean the last few months of making the show. I mean, like, years.

I'm really happy with the way the show came out, and I'm not just saying that as a staffer -- I'm saying that as a true Top Gear fanatic. Amazing cars, fantastic cinematography, lots of idiocy, and plenty of tire-smoking antics courtesy of Tanner. Episode One is pretty darn good, and the show will get even better in the coming weeks. Check it out tonight and be sure to let me know what you think. -- Aaron Gold

The Los Angeles Auto Show is now open to the public. So how is this year's show? It's good...but a bit quiet.

One thing that was missing was the pessimistic attitude that hung over -- well, pretty much every major auto show for the last couple of years. Still, the show is a little short on flourish but pretty solid on substance. Rather than hold a press conference for the nifty little Urban Luxury Concept, for example, Cadillac simply put the car on display with little fanfare. World premieres were few and far between, though they did include some notable cars such as the Nissan Quest and Mazda5 minivans, as well as the Porsche Cayman R and Nissan's whimsical (and production-ready) Murano SUV convertible.

Not that everything was quiet. Ford probably has the best booth of the show -- not only are they showing the all-new 2012 Focus, but they have a slot-car track modeled after the Laguna Seca raceway (complete with elevation changes!) and will be doing real-live dynamometer runs with a real-live Mustang Boss 302.

By far, my favorite vehicle at the show was the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's got the niftiest powertrain I've ever seen. It's a range-extended EV, with a plug-in battery pack that powers four electric motors (one for each wheel) for up to 67 miles. When the battery runs out -- or when extra power is needed for high speed -- the C-X75 has on-board generators driven by a pair of miniature jet engines. No, I am not making this up. Sadly, Jaguar will not be doing any demonstration runs of the car -- I'm sure the car's exhaust temperature (680 degrees F) wouldn't sit well with the fire marshal...

Anyway, you can check out all the new and notable cars in my Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. If you're thinking about visiting, my LA Show Visitor's Guide will tell you when to go and how to get there. Special thanks to Dwane Ferry for helping out with the photos. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Aaron Gold

View the original article here

Review: Honda Odyssey

I like cheap cars, and I cannot lie. Not that I mind testing $70,000 luxo-sedans or $98,000 sports cars, but reviewing entry-level, bottom-of-the-line cars is my true passion. Let's face it: Anyone can build a nice car to sell for fifty grand, but providing good value for $15,000 or less -- especially considering all the safety equipment now mandated by the Fed -- well, that's no easy feat.

The 2011 version of my cheapest cars list once again highlights the 20 least expensive cars in the US market, telling you which ones are best buys and which ones are best left on the dealer's lot. Compared to last year's list, there are two new additions: The $13,995 Ford Fiesta takes the #8 spot and the $14,795 Mazda2 premieres at #11, knocking the Toyota Corolla and the Scion xB off the bottom of the list. Another last-minute addition is the all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After seeing the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I expected it to be priced right off the list, but surprise, surprise! The new Elantra is only $685 more than last year's model, and so it stays on, down just one spot to #12.

At this point, the list is a work in progress; Smart has yet to announce exact pricing for the mildly-redesigned 2011 ForTwo, and the same goes for the Honda Fit. Scion is also holding out on its new iQ minicar, but it's sure to wind up on the list. Chrysler has announced pricing for the Fiat 500 -- $15,500 -- and assuming the destination fee is the same as other Chrysler models ($750), it'll be taking up residence on Page Two once it goes on sale.

I'm starting to ramble (see, I told you I love cheap cars!), so if you want to get the skinny, check out the list: Cheapest cars of 2011. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Mazda

Greetings from Arizona! We decided to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday traffic by heading out to my folks a little early. I see every road trip as a potential for experimentation, and this time I decided to try a four-cylinder SUV. Read more...

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Tonight at 10 pm (9 pm central, and goodness knows when in Arizona) on the History Channel, Top Gear USA will finally hit the airwaves (or, I suppose, the cable-waves). I've been waiting a long, long time for this -- and I don't just mean the last few months of making the show. I mean, like, years.

I'm really happy with the way the show came out, and I'm not just saying that as a staffer -- I'm saying that as a true Top Gear fanatic. Amazing cars, fantastic cinematography, lots of idiocy, and plenty of tire-smoking antics courtesy of Tanner. Episode One is pretty darn good, and the show will get even better in the coming weeks. Check it out tonight and be sure to let me know what you think. -- Aaron Gold

The Los Angeles Auto Show is now open to the public. So how is this year's show? It's good...but a bit quiet.

One thing that was missing was the pessimistic attitude that hung over -- well, pretty much every major auto show for the last couple of years. Still, the show is a little short on flourish but pretty solid on substance. Rather than hold a press conference for the nifty little Urban Luxury Concept, for example, Cadillac simply put the car on display with little fanfare. World premieres were few and far between, though they did include some notable cars such as the Nissan Quest and Mazda5 minivans, as well as the Porsche Cayman R and Nissan's whimsical (and production-ready) Murano SUV convertible.

Not that everything was quiet. Ford probably has the best booth of the show -- not only are they showing the all-new 2012 Focus, but they have a slot-car track modeled after the Laguna Seca raceway (complete with elevation changes!) and will be doing real-live dynamometer runs with a real-live Mustang Boss 302.

By far, my favorite vehicle at the show was the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's got the niftiest powertrain I've ever seen. It's a range-extended EV, with a plug-in battery pack that powers four electric motors (one for each wheel) for up to 67 miles. When the battery runs out -- or when extra power is needed for high speed -- the C-X75 has on-board generators driven by a pair of miniature jet engines. No, I am not making this up. Sadly, Jaguar will not be doing any demonstration runs of the car -- I'm sure the car's exhaust temperature (680 degrees F) wouldn't sit well with the fire marshal...

Anyway, you can check out all the new and notable cars in my Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. If you're thinking about visiting, my LA Show Visitor's Guide will tell you when to go and how to get there. Special thanks to Dwane Ferry for helping out with the photos. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Aaron Gold

View the original article here

Review: Buick Park Avenue Ultra

I like cheap cars, and I cannot lie. Not that I mind testing $70,000 luxo-sedans or $98,000 sports cars, but reviewing entry-level, bottom-of-the-line cars is my true passion. Let's face it: Anyone can build a nice car to sell for fifty grand, but providing good value for $15,000 or less -- especially considering all the safety equipment now mandated by the Fed -- well, that's no easy feat.

The 2011 version of my cheapest cars list once again highlights the 20 least expensive cars in the US market, telling you which ones are best buys and which ones are best left on the dealer's lot. Compared to last year's list, there are two new additions: The $13,995 Ford Fiesta takes the #8 spot and the $14,795 Mazda2 premieres at #11, knocking the Toyota Corolla and the Scion xB off the bottom of the list. Another last-minute addition is the all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After seeing the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I expected it to be priced right off the list, but surprise, surprise! The new Elantra is only $685 more than last year's model, and so it stays on, down just one spot to #12.

At this point, the list is a work in progress; Smart has yet to announce exact pricing for the mildly-redesigned 2011 ForTwo, and the same goes for the Honda Fit. Scion is also holding out on its new iQ minicar, but it's sure to wind up on the list. Chrysler has announced pricing for the Fiat 500 -- $15,500 -- and assuming the destination fee is the same as other Chrysler models ($750), it'll be taking up residence on Page Two once it goes on sale.

I'm starting to ramble (see, I told you I love cheap cars!), so if you want to get the skinny, check out the list: Cheapest cars of 2011. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Mazda

Greetings from Arizona! We decided to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday traffic by heading out to my folks a little early. I see every road trip as a potential for experimentation, and this time I decided to try a four-cylinder SUV. Read more...

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Tonight at 10 pm (9 pm central, and goodness knows when in Arizona) on the History Channel, Top Gear USA will finally hit the airwaves (or, I suppose, the cable-waves). I've been waiting a long, long time for this -- and I don't just mean the last few months of making the show. I mean, like, years.

I'm really happy with the way the show came out, and I'm not just saying that as a staffer -- I'm saying that as a true Top Gear fanatic. Amazing cars, fantastic cinematography, lots of idiocy, and plenty of tire-smoking antics courtesy of Tanner. Episode One is pretty darn good, and the show will get even better in the coming weeks. Check it out tonight and be sure to let me know what you think. -- Aaron Gold

The Los Angeles Auto Show is now open to the public. So how is this year's show? It's good...but a bit quiet.

One thing that was missing was the pessimistic attitude that hung over -- well, pretty much every major auto show for the last couple of years. Still, the show is a little short on flourish but pretty solid on substance. Rather than hold a press conference for the nifty little Urban Luxury Concept, for example, Cadillac simply put the car on display with little fanfare. World premieres were few and far between, though they did include some notable cars such as the Nissan Quest and Mazda5 minivans, as well as the Porsche Cayman R and Nissan's whimsical (and production-ready) Murano SUV convertible.

Not that everything was quiet. Ford probably has the best booth of the show -- not only are they showing the all-new 2012 Focus, but they have a slot-car track modeled after the Laguna Seca raceway (complete with elevation changes!) and will be doing real-live dynamometer runs with a real-live Mustang Boss 302.

By far, my favorite vehicle at the show was the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's got the niftiest powertrain I've ever seen. It's a range-extended EV, with a plug-in battery pack that powers four electric motors (one for each wheel) for up to 67 miles. When the battery runs out -- or when extra power is needed for high speed -- the C-X75 has on-board generators driven by a pair of miniature jet engines. No, I am not making this up. Sadly, Jaguar will not be doing any demonstration runs of the car -- I'm sure the car's exhaust temperature (680 degrees F) wouldn't sit well with the fire marshal...

Anyway, you can check out all the new and notable cars in my Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. If you're thinking about visiting, my LA Show Visitor's Guide will tell you when to go and how to get there. Special thanks to Dwane Ferry for helping out with the photos. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Aaron Gold

View the original article here