Car Tech - Entertainment - Reviews

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  BMW X6: the coupe-4WD mashup in-depth

  We took BMW's polarising X6 coupe-cum-4WD for a spin around San Francisco and came away impressed by its excellent cabin electronics and handling, but it's far from being a practical car.

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  Fuel-cell vehicles still stuck in first gear

  As in years past, fuel cell-powered vehicles are the technology of the future, according to a report published on Thursday by the U.S. National Academies.

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  BRP Can-Am Spyder is more like a bumblebee

  What gets 35 miles per gallon and goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds? You might suggest a motorcycle, but you would only be 66 per cent right.

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  Whaddyareckon?: Using a GPS

  Are you a convert to that lovely robotic voice telling you to turn right in 500 metres, or do you coast along fine with an old-fashioned street directory?

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  BMW redesigns iDrive for new 3-Series and 7-Series

  For years, BMW has heard complaints from automotive editors and enthusiasts about its iDrive control system, the interface for accessing infotainment and car functions in BMW models. But with the introduction of the new 3-Series and 7-Series, iDrive gets a radical transformation.

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  Chrysler's Uconnect lets you take the internet on the road

  Chrysler is turning its US cars and trucks into wireless hot spots. No word when, or if, such a service will be made available in Australia.

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  Internet killed the (digital) radio star

  During a trip to the US four years ago, I rented a car fitted with an XM satellite radio — which gave me well over 100 radio stations, each carrying a continuous stream of crystal-clear talk radio or music in a surprising array of genres.

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  Oi!: Poll: Will Top Gear Australia meet its great expectations?

  Last night SBS announced its choice of hosts for the Australian version of Top Gear: Charlie Cox, Warren Brown and Steve Pizzati. Take our poll and let us know how you think they'll fare.

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  Oi!: Brand Tags' clouds cut through marketing hype

  CEOs and marketing types talk about improving or maintaining "brand values" all the time. But what do we really think of the companies that deliver us our modern existence? The site Brand Tags is attempting to find out.

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  iPod your car

  An iPod, or any MP3 player, is a great way of carrying around shedloads of music. But why should you only listen to your music collection on the bus or train? We show you how to hook your iPod up to your car.

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  Bentley and Naim partner for "world's best" in-car sound system

  Luxury brands have paired with high-end audio companies before -- Lexus with Mark Levinson, Lincoln with THX, Acura with ELS. Now Bentley pairing with Naim is proving that even automakers in the luxury stratosphere feel the need to partner with an established audio company.

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  JVC, Kenwood officially hook up

  The two Japanese audio equipment makers will combine to form JVC Kenwood Holdings, which will focus on car electronics, home electronics, and professional wireless systems.

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  BMW redesigns iDrive for new 3-Series and 7-Series

  For years, BMW has heard complaints from automotive editors and enthusiasts about its iDrive control system, the interface for accessing infotainment and car functions in BMW models. But with the introduction of the new 3-Series and 7-Series, iDrive gets a radical transformation.

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  Chrysler's Uconnect lets you take the internet on the road

  Chrysler is turning its US cars and trucks into wireless hot spots. No word when, or if, such a service will be made available in Australia.

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  In-car singalongs with Sony

  The upcoming long weekend means road trips are on the cards, and Sony has some new options for in-car entertainment en route.

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  Portable DVD: Why not use a notebook?

  Even the lowest-end notebooks on the market these days sport DVD-ROM drives, so why shouldn't you just plump for a notebook to meet your portable DVD watching needs?

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  BMW to offer full in-car Web access

  There is a lot of talk of connected cars of late, but there are currently no OEM auto manufacturers that offer unrestricted Web access; BMW is looking to change that.

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  New Audi R8 kitted out with 12 Bang & Olufsen surround sound speakers

  In what sounds like the ultimate boy's toy, the new Audi R8 sports car boasts 12 -- yes, 12 -- loudspeakers.

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  Sony DVP-FX720W

  The FX720 has its limitations, but for the price, it does what it is designed to do well enough.

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  Eclipse AVN2210p

  Is this car stereo with detachable GPS unit the answer to the question no-one asked? No matter, it's one of the cheapest ways to get an in-dash GPS.

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  Toshiba SD-P2900

  The Toshiba SD-P2900 is a portable DVD player with a wealth of features, but for the price you can also afford a laptop with an onboard DVD recorder.

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  Philips DCP750

  Philips' iPod-compatible DVD player adds another layer to your in-car entertainment experience -- at a price.

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  Philips PET708

  You'll have fewer fights in the back seat of your car with Philips' dual screen portable DVD player.

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  Pioneer AVIC-HD3

  Pioneer, late to the Aussie GPS market, is hoping to make a splash in the top end of the market with the AVIC-HD3 -- an integrated double-DIN, GPS, music, video and communications unit.

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  Sony MV700HR In-Car DVD Player

  The MV700HR is a good option for anyone wanting a permanently installed in-car DVD player.

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  LG DP8811P portable DVD player

  A pricey purchase at just under $1000, the DP8811P portable DVD player could well be worth it just to keep the kids happy on long drives.

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  Philips PET708

  You'll have fewer fights in the back seat of your car with Philips' dual screen portable DVD player.

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  Sony DVP-FX720W

  The FX720 has its limitations, but for the price, it does what it is designed to do well enough.

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  Honda Insight born again as a Prius fighter

  Everyone in the industry knew Honda was working on a Prius-fighting, dedicated hybrid vehicle, but Honda has denied that it was reviving the Insight moniker. Today, Honda released the first official information and images of its Prius-like concept and it's called, you guessed it, the Insight.

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  The long wait begins: Audi's race-ready R8 GT3

  The moment Audi toyed with pilfering Lamborghini's parts bin to make its Porsche-baiting R8, it was inevitable that a racing version would be built.

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