Portal - Video Games

Portal is a single-player first-person action/puzzle video game first released as part of The Orange Box collection of games released in October 2007 for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. The game was included along with more established titles Half Life 2, and Team Fortress 2, but, somewhat unexpectedly, Portal became a standout on its own, with many gamer's buying the box set for Portal alone. It was released as a standalone game for the PC on Steam in October 2007 for $19.99, and retail games appearing in stores on April 9th, 2008. Portal was released on Xbox Live! arcade on October 22, 2008 for 1200 points.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Well thought out gameplay
•Excellent script
•Cheap - $20 on Steam
•Atmospheric soundscape
•Excellent learning curve - not much handholding, but you can figure out everything as you go along
•Available on Xbox Live! arcade for ~ $15

Cons:

•Short
•Voices and sounds can be loud and annoying at times
•Lack of colors

More information

Gameplay

In Portal, the player controls the character, Chell, from a first person perspective as she is challenged to navigate through a series of rooms using the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device ("portal gun"). The portal gun can create two distinct portal ends, orange and blue. Neither is specifically an entrance or exit; all objects that travel through the one portal will exit through the other with no change in momentum magnitude. If subsequent portal ends are created, the previously created portal of the same color is closed. Not all surfaces are able to accommodate a portal, and any attempt to do so will not affect the existing portals. Chell can also pick up objects, though she can only throw objects a short distance (affected by the player's momentum). These objects ("Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cubes" or a "Weighted Companion Cube") can be used to press large buttons to open doors or activate platforms, but barriers (known as "Material Emancipation Grids" or 'fizzlers', as described by the audio commentary) at the end of each test chamber or within certain test chambers prevent the player character from carrying such objects beyond them. Passage through these fields also closes any open portals, and portals cannot be fired through these fields

Pioneer 9G Kuro Series

Pioneer's plasma televisions are regarded as some of the best sets around, and the 9th generation 2008 line improves upon the already praised black levels and video processing of the 8th generation, 2007 models. The Kuro line puts primary focus on creating the deepest black possible with the 9Gs seeing a 5 times increase in contrast ratio over the previous generation. Alongside the picture quality improvements Pioneer has added extra features such as the Home Media Gallery which displays digital media content stored on your home network.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Has the deepest black levels
•Media streaming supports many formats
•Thinner cabinet than previous years
•72Hz does a good job of smoothing film
•Reflective screen is best in class

Cons:

•Runs very warm
•Costs a pretty penny
•VGA input maximum resolution is 1280x1024

More information

Specs

* 1080p native resolution
* 72Hz 3:3 pull down
* 60Hz 2:3 pull down
* Improved video processing and upscaling
* New Optimum Mode
* Smooth Film mode
* New anti-reflective screen
* Home Media Gallery digital streaming
* Two 18 watt speakers
* Inputs: HDMI x 4, Component x 1, Composite x 3, S-Video x 1, USB, Ethernet, VGA

Optimum Mode - a new mode introduced in the 2008 the Kuro line, this mode analyzes both the ambient lighting in the room and the content of the picture to automatically adjust the picture settings. The idea is that you set the television to this mode and never have to readjust, instead of having separate modes depending on the movie, weather,

Home Media Gallery - when connected to your home network through the LAN port you can view pictures, videos and music on the TV without any external device.

Home Media Gallery Format support

Video: WMV9, MPEG1, MPEG2-PS, MPEG2-TS, ASP, H.264/AVC

Audio: WMA9, MP3, PCM, HE-AAC, MPEG-4 AAC

Image: JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, BMP

Models

There are three classes of Pioneer 9G Kuro televisions that have minimal differences between them, outside of an increase in price and longer warranty period.

Regular 9G Kuro

* Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD - 50" screen | June 2008 | $4000
* Pioneer Kuro PDP-6020FD - 60" screen | June 2008 | $5500

Pioneer Elite Kuro

Adds more calibration/picture adjustment options and modes, and a 2 year warranty.

* Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD - 50" screen | $5000
* Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD - 60" screen | $6500

Pioneer Elite Signature Series

* Pioneer Elite Signature Kuro PRO-101FD - 50" screen | October 2008
* Pioneer Elite Signature Kuro PRO-141FD - 60" screen | August 2008

AMD Athlon X2 - CPU

The AMD Athlon X2 is AMD's dual core processor. Built with the same 65nm technology its triple and quadruple cores are, AMD has had relative success in the dual core market. While no longer competitive with Intel's 45nm 8000 series, the price:performance ratio of many of AMD's dual core chips is undeniable. With many offerings within the line, AMD has something to offer in every niche segment of the market. They produce cool & quiet energy efficient chips (designated by an E appended to the end of the model), mainstream chips and enthusiast chips (designated by the "black edition" open multiplier) for those interested in attaining higher performance for gaming and the like.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Less expensive than Intel's counterparts
•Low power consumption
•Good choice to match for a value system with AM2 motherboard; can be upgraded later to AMD Phenom
•Dual-core CPU
•Good overclocking abilities
•Runs relatively cool.

Cons:

•Lower Brands sport Same chip, lower clock
•Overclocking difficult on lower end products
•Price/performance beat out by Intel

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA8 - Camcoder

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA8 is a fully waterproof compact budget standard definition camcorder. Shooting at 640x480 the VPC-CA8 outputs AVC/H.264 MPEG-4 to its 44MB internal memory or loaded SDHC card (a 1GB card can contain up to 1 hour and 20 minutes of footage). The VPC-CA8 really shines with images, as the camera sports a 8MP CMOS sensor and 8 resolution settings. While a considerably advanced SD camcorder, the pitiful 44MB onboard flash and a lack of included SDHC card seems spartan, even when standard footage takes up much less room than high definition content. A slightly cheaper version, the Xacti VPC-CA65 includes less internal memory and a 6MP CCD.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Fully waterproof; shoot underwater
•8 megapixel CMOS for shooting stills
•Very small
•Comfortable upright grip
•Expandable with SDHC memory cards

Cons:

•Only shoots at 640 x 480
•Can only shoot underwater up to 1.5 meters deep
•Only 44 MB of built-in memory
•Can only shoot underwater for 1 hour at a time

Samsung 9 Series

The 9 Series is the flagship line of LCD televisions introduced by Samsung in 2008 and is the 2nd generation of LED backlit sets. Succeeding the often praised 81F series, Samsung has improved upon the LED system by introducing more lights, increasing contrast ratio, and retaining the premium features that make the 7 and 8 series notable. Samsung states the television has a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio which is achieved by the local dimming effect of the LED back-light.

More information

Specs

* 1080p native resolution
* 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio
* Auto Motion Plus 120Hz
* 4ms response time
* Ultra Clear Panel
* Wide Color Enhancer 2
* DNIe Pro
* WiseLink Pro USB port for accessing digital media
* Ethernet port for RSS, news, weather and stocks and digital media
* Two 10 watt speakers
* 1GB internal flash memory
* Inputs: HDMI x 4, Component x 2, Composite x 1, S-Video x 1, VGA x 1, Ethernet x 1, USB x 1

LED Back-light - The LED back-light solution differs from traditional LCD back-lighting solutions in two distinct ways: local dimming, and energy consumption. While traditional displays use 1-5 lights for the entire panel, this LED system uses 276 lights across the panel. This is an improvement over the 81F series which featured less than 100 lights. Each of the lights can be controlled so dark areas of the scene will have the lights off, while the brighter areas will have the lights with more power; this is how the extremely high dynamic contrast ratio is achieved.

Series 7,8,9 specific features

DLNA Support - Stream video, image, and music content over your home network. The TV has support for a wide variety of CODECs including DivX and XVid, and can support hi-def resolutions.



USB Port - The USB port lets you connect storage devices such as portable hard drives, or thumb drives and access the content within. Details aren't currently available but most like the TV can read content stores on devices that act as a USB Mass Storage (UMS) device.

1GB of Internal Memory - It's unknown whether or not you will be able to overwrite the content stored on this internal memory. Samsung reports that it will come preloaded with "premium" content such as HD art, recipes and children's stories.

"Touch of Color" - in a break away from the traditional black or really black choices that most televisions offer Samsung is introducing a little bit of color to these sets. During the manufacturing process the bevel has some color applied to it, with auburn being the initial option and more colors expected over time.

Series 6,7,8, 9 features

Ethernet port - the included ethernet port will allow you to access RSS feeds and other real time content to display sports information, news, stocks and weather. It's currently unknown whether other forms of content such as full Internet access will be available in the future.

4 HDMI ports - the lower level series feature 3 HDMI ports, with the high-end models adding an extra HDMI port for more expandability. All HDMI ports are version 1.3.

Common to all 2008 Samsungs

Anti-glare screen - first introduced in the Samsung's 71F series of television released in 2007, Samsung claims they have improved the glossy anti-glare screen to reduce glare and reduce reflections.

Models

* LN46A950 - 46" screen | $3199
* LN55A950 - 55" screen | $4199

Suzuki SV1000 (2003-current) Motorcycle

New price £6,049
Used price range £1,980-2,875
Engine size 996cc
Power 118bhp
Top speed 155mph

Overall verdict

The Suzuki SV1000 is a purpose built big capacity, sensibly priced, road going sporty V-twin. Ok, the engine’s nicked from Suzuki’s old TL1000S but the rest of the SV1000 is all-new yet the price tag is very reasonable new or used. The faired Suzuki SV1000 ‘S’ version has lower bars but is the better all-rounder. The unfaired SV1000 with higher bars is a real funster if less competent on the motorway.


Engine

The Suzuki SV1000's big V-twin produced over 120bhp at the rear wheel when it first appeared in the TL1000S. Unfortunately the bike had handling ‘issues’ and Suzuki tamed it to little over 100bhp. Claimed power for the Suzuki SV1000 is 118bhp, actual figure is about 106 which is enough thanks to loads of torque – but an exhaust system and power commanded will release more if required from the SV1000.

Ride and Handling

The Suzuki SV1000's chunky aluminium frame with conventional suspension and it works better than the TL1000S ever did. The SV1000's suspension’s not quite as good as pure sports bikes but it’s fine for most people. If you do lots of track days and fancy aftermarket shock and fork re-build will enable you to flick from peg to peg in an instant with no grief. Brakes on the Suzuki SV1000 are strong but work best with fresh fluid.

Equipment

Comfortable over distance but the Suzuki SV1000's seat doesn’t suit everyone. Reasonable if not brilliant pillion seat. Clocks are fairly comprehensive. The Suzuki SV1000's headlights are better than most bikes which is a bonus. Mirrors are acceptable and under seat storage is above average. Steering damper fitted as standard. Additional fairing side panels can ruin the lines of the Suzuki SV1000 and make the engine run hot.

Quality and Reliability

Build quality seems to be a Suzuki problem lately and the SV1000 is no exception. Suzuki SV1000 owners report annoying problems, mainly corrosion and poor finish. Reliability problems are rarer with the SV1000, especially as owners tend to look after their bikes.

Value

New list price is reasonable for a Suzuki SV1000. But new motorcycles are sold at discounts for as little as £5000 for the faired SV1000 and a couple of hundred less unfaired. That makes the Suzuki SV1000 one of the biggest bargains out there. This keeps used values pretty low too. Even running costs and insurance aren’t too pricy for the SV1000. Find Suzuki SV1000 motorcycles for sale.

Model History

2003: Original Suzuki SV1000 and Suzuki SV1000S models launched.
2006: Suzuki SV1000 frames now black not silver.

Other Versions

Suzuki SV1000SZ: Special edition with full fairing, multi-colour paint, black frame, crash bungs and slightly more power.

Honda CG125 (1975-current) Motorcycle

New price £1,999
Used price range £210-1,505
Engine size 124cc
Power 11bhp
Top speed 65mph

Overall verdict

How can you argue with ten million commuters worldwide, still pootling to work in mucky overalls, some thirty years after the Honda CG125 was launched? The Honda CG125 goes, it stops, it goes again the next day - simple as that. The Honda CG125 is the Spam of biking; a bit downmarket, stodgy and uninspiring, but ultimately does exactly what it says on the tin.

Engine

The Honda CG125 motor plods on remarkably well, often with very little maintenance. In fact you could probably run the thing on turnip juice for 1000 miles without it suffering engine failure. The later 2004 onwards Honda CG125s have a vastly improved gearbox and slightly more power, but not much.

Ride and Handling

The Honda CG125 is, in a word, bouncy. Especially if riden by a large lady in a tabard down to Netto. But that's OK, because only a complete madman would expect a Honda CG125 to handle anything like an Aprilia RS125. The basic suspension does the job and if you are on the hefty side, then jack up the preload on the Honda CG125's shocks.

Equipment

The layout on the older Honda CG125 brought new depth to the word `basic.' Later Honda CG125 models have a much better saddle, mirrors, disc rather than drum front brake, plus a five speed gearbox instead of just four speeds. One detail that isn't really progress is losing the fully enclosed drive chain on the older Honda CG125s.

Quality and Reliability

OK, you need to run your motorbike on distilled chicken dung. No problem, buy a Honda CG125 and it will probably get you home. The Honda CG125 is - or at least was - the very definition of rugged reliability, although it's arguable that the original version had more durable cycle parts than later examples.

Value

Brand new, the Honda CG125 it is an expensive motorcycle, especially when you consider how long Honda has been making it, and how cheaply the exact same bike retails in developing markets. Chinese Honda CG125 rivals are 300-500 quid cheaper, but lack Honda's dealer network or warranty back-up. Find Honda CG125 motorcycles for sale.

Model History

1975: Honda CG125 launched.
1988: Main Honda CG125 production shifts to Brazil.
1996: Honda CG125 `clones' exported in volume from China.
2004: Updated Honda CG125 gets disc front brake, bigger tank, new styling.

Other Versions

None.

BlackBerry Bold

The BlackBerry Bold (aka RIM BlackBerry 9000) is the latest smartphone (announced on May 12, 2008) from RIM to be released sometime in the summer of 2008, expected to retail for around $300 - $400. The Bold has high-speed data connectivity with support for 3G networks (quad-band EDGE and tri-band HSDPA) and WiFi (802.11 a/b/g). Other improvements over the BlackBerry Curve including a doubling of CPU speed to 624 MHz and a doubling of screen resolution to 480 x 320 resolution display (Half-VGA). The BlackBerry Bold is a competitor to the latest 3G version of the Apple iPhone announced on June 9th, 2008.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•3G network connectivity
•Faster CPU @ 624 MHz
•Built-in GPS
•WiFi access (802.11 a/b/g)
•Very similar in size to the Apple iPhone
•Twice the resolution @ 480 x 320
•Expandable memory with microSD cards up to 16 GB

Cons:

•Not a touch screen
•Small display compared to iPhone

More information

Features

* 624MHz Intel PXA270/Marvell Tavor PXA930 processor (increase from 312 MHz)
* data connectivity: 3G (HDSPA + EDGE), WiFi (802.11 a/b/g)
* screen: 480 x 320 (up from 320 x 240) (size ??) with 65,000 colors
* operating system: BlackBerry OS 4.6
* redesigned keyboard
* memory: 1 GB built-in + expandable microSD up to 16 GB
* dimensions: 4.5" H x 2.6" W x 0.5" D
* weight: 4.7 oz
* 2 megapixel camera + flash
* GPS functionality
* price: $300 - $400
* release date: Summer 2008 (speculative)

HTC Touch Pro

The Touch Pro is HTC's flagship phone for 2008 and expands on the premium Touch Diamond with a full QWERTY keyboard and expandable microSD storage. Nearly all the specifications between the Touch Diamand and Touch Pro are the same, including the screen, interface, and connectivity options that include WiFi and 3G wireless. The Touch Pro is the second HTC device to use the TouchFLO 3D interface which is one of the most graphically intensive mobile device interfaces released in 2008.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•High resolution screen
•Integrated GPS
•Expandable storage
•QWERTY keyboard
•High quality camera

Cons:

•Expensive
•Uses Windows Mobile for the Operating System

More information

Specs

* 2.8" touch screen
* 640x480 resolution
* TV-out capabilities with optional cable
* 3.2MP camera with auto focus and flash
* integrated GPS
* WiFi and HSDPA connectivity
* microSD slot
* battery: 400 minutes of talk time, 450 hours standby

Samsung Instinct

The Samsung Instinct is a Sprint-specific mobile device that aims to compete with Apple's iPhone. The interface is touchscreen (no keyboard and no stylus) with 3 additional navigation keys. A web browser is included with built-in web apps for weather, news and sports. It uses Sprint's 3G EV-DO Rev. A network and has built-in GPS navigation using Telenav software. The Instinct comes with 2 batteries, each with a battery life of 5.75 hours, allowing you to swap one for the other if one runs out.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Standard headphone jack - no need for adapter
•Visual voicemail lets you choose the messages you want to listen to
•Comes with 2 batteries
•Great GPS navigation

Cons:

•Slow web browser
•GPS maps don't go into landscape mode

More information

Features

* 3.1" touchscreen
* Web browser
* 2MP camera
* Removable batteries
* 5.75 hours battery life (talk)
* 2GB microSD card included (expandable memory up to 8GB)
* Standard headphone jack
* Visual voicemail
* Landscape QWERTY keyboard
* Music player
* Video player

iPhone 3G

The iPhone 3G is the successor to the popular cell phone from Apple. The biggest changes over the first version is the addition of 3G high-speed data access, which Apple claims is over two times faster than the original when accessing the Internet, and the addition of Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities. Outside of these changes, most of the unit remains the same as the previous, with the same touch screen, camera and memory sizes. Apple releases the iPhone 3G in 22 different countries on July 11th, with the goal of 70 countries by the end of 2008. The marketed price of $200/$300USD is with a 2-year contract in the United States, details on contractual plans in other countries are still unknown.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•GPS Support
•High speed 3G
•Very vibrant developer community
•Affordable (depending on service plan)
•Available in white (16 GB version only)
•Still has the best web browser on a cell phone

Cons:

•No improvement in storage
•No front-facing camera lens for video chat
•No text selection or copy/paste functionality.
•No MMS capabilities
•Battery life is disappointing when using 3G
•Can't replace the battery yourself, can't replace with a "spare"
•Camera didn't get improved

More information

Specs

* 3.5" multi-touch screen
* 480x320 resolution with 163ppi
* WiFi B/G access
* UTMS, and HSDPA connectivity (GSM only)
* Bluetooth 2.0
* 2MP camera
* GPS support
* Battery: 10hrs 2G talk | 5 hours 3G talk | 5hrs 3G Data | 6hrs Wi-Fi | 7hrs video | 24hrs audio | 300hrs standby
* Price: $199 for 8GB | $299 for 16GB. Contract required.

Unclear details

GPS - It is currently unknown whether the iPhone 3G's GPS implementation is "real" GPS, or Assisted GPS. While the differences are mostly technical, a full GPS implementation offers faster responsiveness and stability.

Difference between iPhone 2G and iPhone 3G

3G support - when accessing the data network the data transfer speeds are substantially faster (over twice as fast according to Apple).

GPS - the iPhone 2G had basic location finding that was accurate to hundreds of meters, while the iPhone 3G's implementation should be accurate to a few feet.

Case design - the iPhone 3G is slightly thicker at 12.3mm versus the 2G's 11.6mm. The 3G uses a plastic backing instead of brushed metal like on the 2G, and now the iPhone's headphone jack is "flush" which lets you use regular headphones without the need for an adapter.

iPhone 2.0 Software Additions

Enterprise Features - supports VPNs, Exchange Server, remote wiping, expanded documents compatibility (Powerpoint now supported, iWorks support). No document editing supported.

* saves images in e-mails to photo library
* bulk delete and move
* contact search
* more language support
* parental controls

App Store

iPod Touch and iPhone owners can download new applications and programs developed for the devices from the official App Store. Any 3rd party can develop and publish applications to the App Store and can set the price to anything they want, with Apple getting 30% of the revenue. Unofficial applications have already been created for the iPhone 2G, so Apple is hoping that official support and distribution for 3rd party apps will allow for an improved application ecosystem. The App Store can be accessed from the iPhone itself, or from iTunes.

Antec Veris A/V Cooler

The Antec Veris A/V Cooler is part of a lineup of home theater multimedia components made by Antec. It is designed to keep your home entertainment products cooler by venting and dissipating hot air. The A/V Cooler should be placed on top of your home theater component, most commonly an a/v receiver or home theater PC (it's designed to be paired with the Antec Fusion Black 430), and works to cool the component using two fans that vent air from the top of the component directing it over the aluminum surface of the cooler and out the back. The cooler has two speed modes, low (5.5CFM/22.5dBA) and high (8.0CFM/28.7dBA), as well as an off setting set by a switch at the rear of the cooler. The Cooler is styled to match the style of most home theater component. The A/V Cooler has an MSRP of $89.99 and was released in May 2007.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Keeps home theater components cool
•Works as advertised
•Quiet operation
•Reduces the use of loud built-in fans in home theater components
•Sleek styling matches other components
•Thin profile can be sandwiched between components
•Two speed settings + off switch

Cons:

•Fairly expensive device

More information

Features


•Home theater component cooler
•Two internal fans
•Aluminum top deck helps dissipate heat
•Components can be stacked on top of the cooler
•Designed to be placed on top of the component needed to be cooled
two speeds: Low) 5.5CFM/22.5dBA and High) 8.0CFM/28.7dBA
•Weight: 4.4lbs / 2kg
•Dimensions:1.8" (H) x 16.9" (W) x 14.2" (D)
•MSRP: $89.99
•Relase Date: May 11, 2007

Suzuki GSX650F (2007-current)

New price £4,999
Engine size 656cc
Power 86bhp
Top speed 135mph

Overall verdict

Suzuki’s new budget and novice-friendly GSXF650F all-rounder proves that sometimes, brilliance is found in the most unlikely places. Although on face value merely a ‘Bandit with a fairing’ the GSX650F’s blend of real world performance, practicality, fun factor and value is pretty much unmatched anywhere.

Engine

The Suzuki GSX650F’s 16-valve, dohc four was all-new in the 2007 650 Bandit, is Euro3 clean, slick and responsive and, most pertinently, tuned for real-world versatility but with an exhilarating top end rush. Fuelling mods means it revs a little higher than the Bandit, although performance is unchanged. Peak power of 85bhp spread progressively over the rev range and decent enough grunt low down means this is a powerplant that’s sufficiently willing and able whatever the gear or your ham-fistedness, yet still rewards with three-figure thrills.

Ride and Handling

The Suzuki GSX650F’s chassis is, for the most part, Bandit 650, too, being centred around the same, no frills, cost-conscious steel tube cradle and conventional forks. Yet in GSX-F guise it gets a more sophisticated shock for added sporting ability and subtly adjusted poise thanks to the fairing, new one-piece, rubber-mounted, lower bars plus new one-piece seat that all adds up to a riding position and balance that is both textbook sports-tourer and somehow impressively pure, too.

Equipment

The key distinguishing feature of the Suzuki GSX650F is, of course, the fairing which at once manages to evoke and mimic GSX-R sportsbike style, provide decent protection from the elements and blend into the whole motorcycle as if the whole design was a clean sheet affair. But there are plenty of other goodies rare on a sub-£5K machine: span-adjustable brake and clutch levers; effective, widely-spaced mirrors; swanky GSX-R style sports instruments (a large analogue tacho flanked by the now usual LCD digital speedo, useful fuel gauge, plus assorted warning lights).

Quality and Reliability

Usual Suzuki standard, which is no bad thing on a sub-£5K bike. Everything gleams and is crisply assembled and from 20 yards you’d easily mistake the GSX650F for a much more expensive machine. Mechanicals and cycle parts are all proven Bandit fare so there should be no reliability issues. Job done.

Value

There’s not other way of putting it: Suzuki’s new GSX650F is astonishingly good value. Where Bandits and the like, though hugely worthy, are still conspicuously ‘budget’ bikes, the GSX650F somehow seems entirely classier and more valuable. It’s no GSX-R, of course, but for under five big ones it’s a steal…

Model History

2007: Model introduced.

Other Versions

None.

New BMW M3 Coupe

Quick Take

* Fuel Economy 6/11 kmpl (city/highway)
Available Engines 4.0L V8, 420 bhp, petrol
Available Transmissions 6-speed Manual Transmission (MT)

* Estimated values may differ under various conditions.

Highlights

Wide array of Interior trim options.
420 bhp 4.0L V8 engine.
Dynamic Sports Coupe.

Pros

Aerodynamic design.
Host of latest safety features.
Driver oriented cockpit.

Cons

Highly priced

Overview

The BMW M (Motorsport) was initially created to facilitate BMW's racing program in the 1960s and 1970s. For years, the M has seen grand success in racing venues across the world and has bloomed in the growing market for high performance sports cars.

The BMW M3 Coupe is the latest in the M Series cars to arrive in India. The car is based on BMW's popular 3 Series sedan and comes with a modified engine, suspension, interior trim, aerodynamics and exterior styling. It is designed purely to thrill people who are looking for a high-performance sports car. The coupe comes with a lightweight body and has a very powerful engine. It has been tried and tested on some of the toughest proving grounds in the world.

The BMW M3 Coupe competes with the Audi TT Coupe in India.

Powertrain & Performance

The M3 Coupe derives power from a 4.0-litre V8 engine that has a maximum output of 420 bhp@8400 rpm and a peak torque of 400 Nm@3900 rpm. A 6-speed manual gearbox ensures optimum transmission of engine power resulting in smooth acceleration on demand. It offers super-fast, super-precise gear shifts every time.

The coupe's lightweight body construction enables it to be very dynamic in movement and the perfect 50/50 weight distribution of the car at the front and rear provides great stability. Its high performance braking system reacts quickly and effectively to the driver. The lightweight braking system is composed of high-performance compound disc brakes that provide excellent braking even under wet weather conditions.

The 'M Dynamic Mode' feature when engaged, allows the driver to push the car to the limits without having to worry about losing control. In this mode, the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system automatically steps in to bring the car under control if it seems to be slipping.

Build & Styling

The BMW M3 Coupe has an incredibly lightweight yet strong carbon roof and an unmatched 'M' chassis. The car rides on double-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels that provide an extremely sporty look. Even sportier multi-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels are available as an option. High speed tyres deliver amazing performance and stability on the toughest of roads. Body coloured bumpers with large air dams on the front bumper ensure that the powerful engine is cooled fast and efficiently. They also enhance the sporty appeal of the coupe.

The car gets bright xenon headlamps that come with automatic range control, four corona rings and a headlight washing system. The automatic range control system prevents dazzling of oncoming traffic by the headlights. A great feature that makes driving even safer are the Adaptive Headlights which are an optional feature on the coupe. In these headlights, sensors measure the car's speed and steering movement to automatically shift lighting focus in the direction of the road ahead. This feature is particularly useful around corners and sharp turns in the road.

The interior of the Coupe is highly driver-oriented. The design and layout of the dashboard and controls are suited for driver's convenience. Available interior trim options are: Titanium Shadow, Brushed Aluminum Shadow, Black Carbon-look leather and high-floss fine-wood Sycamore grain anthracite. The driver and front passenger M sport seats are electrically adjustable and the driver's seat comes with a memory function to store seat position settings. Standard upholstery is a fine combination of cloth and leather. A fully premium Novillo leather interior upholstery can be added at an extra cost.

The automatic air conditioning system on the M3 Coupe includes fogging and solar sensors that detect cabin conditions and heat or cool the cabin automatically. The M leather steering wheel comes with multifunction buttons for the driver's convenience. On-board entertainment equipment includes a Hi-Fi LOGIC7 5-channel professional audio system.

The airbags system includes driver and front passenger airbags, head airbags at the front and rear, and side airbags integrated into the seat for driver and the front passenger. The front passenger front airbag comes with a seat occupancy detector. All airbags are controlled by a perfectly calibrated safety electronics system which ensures that each airbag is inflated to the correct degree in case an accident occurs. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system and all wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) provide additional safety. An alarm system with remote control is available for the BMW M3 Coupe.

Voodoo Envy 133 - Laptop

The Voodoo Envy 133 is a soon to be released ultra-slim laptop from HP that competes directly with the Apple Macbook Air. The Envy is a 0.7" thick and weighs 3.43 lbs and, thus, is technically thinner than the Air; The Macbook Air has a tapered design with its thickness varying from 0.16" to 0.76", where the Envy uses all right-angles giving it a constant thickness. The Envy is built on a Centrino CPU with your choice of Intel Core 2 Duo SP7700 (1.8GHz) or SP7500 (1.6 GHz) with 4 MB L2 Cache, and 800 MHz FSB. It will also be sold with two storage options: 1) 64 GB solid state drive or 2) 80 GB 42000 RPM hard drive. Unique features found in the Envy are its carbon-fiber case, a power brick that doubles as a wireless access point (Aura PowerConnect), and an instant-on feature that allows users to browse the web and make Skype calls without booting to Windows (Voodoo IO). The availability of the Envy is not yet known, but pre-production models are starting to appear with pricing expected to be around $2100

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Thinner than the Macbook Air
•Lightweight at 3.4 lbs
•Voodoo IOS instant-on function for fast web browsing and Skype
•Slick carbon fiber case design
•Integrated wireless access point in the AC adapter with Ethernet RJ45 connection

Cons:

•No built-in DVD drive
•No built-in RJ45 connection (mitigated by Aura PowerConnect)

More information

Features

•Ultra-slim, ultra-light laptop
•Carbon fiber with micro-weave case design
•Display: 13.3" WXGA LED backlit (1280 x 800) /w ambient light sensor
•CPU: 1) Intel Core 2 Duo SP7700 @ 1.8 GHz or 2) Intel Core 2 Duo SP7500 @ 1.6 GHz
•HDD: 1) 64GB SSD or 2) 80 GB HDD @ 4200 RPM
•Memory: 2 GB of DDR2 RAM @ 667 MHz
•Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (shared)
•Integrated Wifi + Bluetooth
•Voodoo Aura PowerConnect AC adapter with 802.11b/g wireless access point + RJ45 connection
•Voodoo IO instant-on software solution
•Dimensions: 12.65" x 9.04" x 0.70" (W x D x H)
•Weight: 3.373 lbs. (SSD option + battery)
•Price: $2100 ???
•Release date: Summer 2008 ???

Philips 7400 Series - LCD TV

The 7400 Series from Philips is their 2008 high-end line of high-definition LCD televisions and feature a 1080p native resolution with 120Hz refresh rate. While most high-end televisions from competing manufacturers incorporate the 120Hz refresh rate, Philips has the lowest marketed response time with 2ms. Whether this response time means anything when the set is in your home remains to be seen. The 7400 series is a step up from the 5600 series with its 120Hz processing. Alongside this added feature is a refresh rate and response time, as well as a more powerful speakers. The other notable difference is the use of the Perfect Pixel 3 processing engine which Philips markets as being noticeably more advanced than the Pixel Pure technology found in the less expensive lines.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Attractive styling
•Very fast response time
•Great black levels
•High-end features for a budget price

Cons:

•HDMI handshake issues
•Infrequent random resets
•Audio can be flaky and cut out

More information

Specs

•1080p native resolution
•2ms response time
•500 cd/m2 brightness
•29,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
•4 speakers (including 2 subwoofers) at a total of 30 watts
•Pixel Plus 3 processing engine
•Inputs: HDMI x 4, Component x 3, Composite x 2, S-Video x 2, USB in

Perfect Pixel 3 - Found only on the high-end lines, Philips claims this is their most advanced processing technology. The claim is that by analyzing surrounding pixels various image problems such as compression artifacts and noise can be reduced.

Speaker system - There are four speakers total, two being regular speakers and two being subwoofers located on the bottom of the set for improved bass response.

Models

The naming convention of the 7400 series is: Philips xxPFL7403D/27 where xx are replaced by the display size
42PFL7403D/27 - 42" screen
47PFL7403D/27 - 47" screen
52PFL7403D/27 - 52" screen