Jim Bray, CFP Automotive Editor

The Stanley Kubrick Collection on Blu-ray A Special Odyssey

Fans of the legendary Stanley Kubrick can get nearly all of his films together on Blu-ray in a nice boxed set that's a fitting tribute to the filmmaker. It's called the "Stanley Kubrick Limited Edition Collection," a 10 disc set available in stores now and also sold on DVD; if nothing else it can save you some shelf space from having all nine of these films in their own packages. Most of the films aren't new to Blu-ray, though "Lolita" and "Barry Lyndon" are newly available, as is the 40th anniversary edition of "A Clockwork Orange" that appears in the set.

Acura, Toyota Showcase the Evolution of Quality Auto Audio

Car audio has come a long way since the 8-Track tape cartridge moved it beyond merely being a platform for AM and, if you were lucky, FM radio. It's been a long journey, through cassettes to DVD-Audio and digital file playback – including the newer capability of streaming via Bluetooth. The playback medium doesn't necessarily equate to the quality of the sound, however – for instance, an MP3 file can sound really good or really lousy depending upon the quality of the original file or of how it's processed.

Classic Racing Dramas Come to Blu-ray

If you're into car racing, the two greatest films ever made about the sport are, arguably, Grand Prix and Le Mans. Both focus on European races, giving them loving coverage in which accuracy was even more important than the drama. And now both films are available on Blu-ray, giving racing fans a home theater experience that almost makes it feel as if you were there.

Lexus CT 200h – the Greener Side of Sport?

Is Lexus' new "Premium Compact Sportback" a luxury car, a sports car, or just a reasonably luxurious hybrid with sporting pretensions? Well, if you've seen the commercials for the new Lexus CT 200h, you've undoubtedly noticed they refer to this cute little wagon as "the darker side of green," hinting that it's more than just an economical hybrid – that it has some driving soul as well. And why not? A hybrid does not necessarily mean "no fun". The Honda CR-Z is a relative blast to drive, and the Lexus GS 450h is plenty fast and pretty fun to drive, so why can't the new Lexus wagon offer the same experience?

Porsche 911 Turbo S – S-pectacular!

If you're coming out of a winter that lasted far too long and Porsche is silly enough to offer you a week in its fabulous 2011 911 Turbo S, it might be understandable if your first thought is "Road trip!" That's my excuse, anyway, and I'm sticking to it. After all, when a company teases you with the intoxicating lure of a world class sports car that puts 530 horsepower onto the pavement, you need to figure out a way to savor it, to exploit it properly. And what better way than to pack an overnight bag, pick up your best friend, and head for the hills? Or, better still, the mountains.

Axiom Audio Home Theater Speakers Offer Sound, Value

Home theater speaker makers are a dime a dozen – as, of course, are their products. But not all of them offer as good a sound to dollar equation as Axiom's Epic Midi 175 system. Not that you can't do better, especially if your budget allows you to lean more toward the higher end of the market, but for the relatively modest price of this system you're getting a lot of sound for the money.

After Market Companies Make a Case for iPads

With the success of Apple's iPad comes not only a plethora of wannabes, but an abundance of accessories to help enhance your life with the wonderful little tablet. It seems as if there's something for just about anyone, too. Well, anyone who has an iPad...

VW Touareg Diesel Rocks (and we take a second look at the new Ford Explorer)

High gas prices may make you want to think about a hybrid as a way to save some fuel, but there's another way to do it: Go diesel. Diesels have had a reputation for being stinky and slow, but that was then and this is now. According to Sergio Stiberman, CEO and founder of LeaseTrader.com, "The diesel cars of today are clearly not your father's diesel." Stiberman, whose company matches shoppers with "shoppees" who want to get out of their auto leases, says "More people today are searching for diesels because of the improved mileage they can get."

Kia Sorento and Jeep Compass – Crossovers from Companies Heading in Different Directions

One company's on the rise, one's trying desperately to make a comeback. And a pair of their current SUV offerings are illustrative of both points. Let's start with the upside: the Kia Sorento. Supposedly all-new for 2011, it features a new unibody structure that's longer, lower and wider than before, as well as sporting what the company describes as "European-inspired styling." You can get it with seven-passenger seating, too.

Crucial Offers Tips for Keeping Computers Clean

Spring is finally sprunging and one of these days the grass might actually start to riz. That means it's time to start thinking about renewal – whether via the planting of seeds, hosing of windows, or even airing out the house from its winter button-up. It may also be time to start looking at some spring cleaning for your home technology, too. You don't want to hose this stuff down, of course, but some cleaning and preventive maintenance for your stuff could definitely be in order.

The Ten Commandments on Blu-ray disc

Cecil B. DeMille crafted what's arguably the ultimate in cinematic pageantry with his version of the life of Moses. And with the Blu-ray edition, Paramount has given it a fitting tribute by offering it in newly restored version that positively shines with new life. The spectacular 1956 movie, a staple on TV each spring, stars Charlton Heston in the role of the Hebrews' deliverer from bondage in Egypt. There isn’t a lot of need to get into the storyline here, since that everyone and his dog has seen this movie at least once by now. Suffice it to say that this sprawling “cast of thousands” epic is not only a moving and powerful religious epic but a story of the best – and the worst – of what makes us human beings.

Two, Four Door Sixes Are All Porsche

It's easy to forget that Porsche's Cayenne and Panamera don't only offer delicious, powerful V8's, that they can also be equipped with a V6 engine that eases both the entry price and the price at the pump. And you might be surprised to find how little you need to compromise when you slice off two cylinders. These are real, live Porsches – especially the lighter and more exotic Panamera.

New Engines Power Ford’s Line of F-150 Trucks

Calgary, Alberta - Ford's iconic F-150 pickup truck enters the second decade of the second millennium bristling with new power choices and features the company hopes will keep it at the top end of the best selling truck list. And if the demonstration they set up for us holds true in the real world, they probably will.

Wireless Media Stick and “Couch Mouse” – Convenience Incarnate?

Looking for a way to stream media files from a computer to a media player? If so, you might want to check out HSTi's Wireless Media Stick – though you should also prepare for some frustration. Likewise, Logitech's "Couch Mouse" M515 is a handy little gadget designed to let you point and/or click even when you're doing it on a rough fabric surface. Let's look at the Wireless Media Stick first.

Warner Brothers Returns to the Blu-ray Well with SteelBooks

Movie fans who may have missed some blockbuster Warner Brothers titles when they first came to Blu-ray have a new opportunity to pay full price for them. Yep, instead of poring through the bargain bin at your local video store, looking for the older Blu-ray versions of the movies, you can buy new, "SteelBook" editions that couple what's basically the same "old" disc into a tough new package the Warners folk tell me are really popular with collectors, and I can see why: they're very nice packages.

Mazda6 V6 Ups the “Zoom-Zoom” Ante

Mazda's largest sedan continues to be a compelling drive as it reaches about the middle of its life span. The Mazda6, like the Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata and about a thousand other models, actually occupies the "mid-size" rather than the "full-size" niche – and is, in my never humble opinion, one of the most attractive sedans on the market these days. It's not only easy on the eyes, though, it also performs its function as a practical four door family car very well.

Mitsubishi RVR, Nissan Juke - A Tale of Two CVT Crossovers

One has a schnoz like Darth Vader's mask, the other looks like a legless frog on a skateboard, and the makers of both vehicles think they represent compelling solutions to customers' need for a small and capable crossover/wagon. Do they? It depends upon what you're looking for in a vehicle, of course.

NaturallySpeaking 11 Promises More Natural Speaking

Not all Dragons are fierce creatures, mythical flying beasts of legend. Nuance's Dragon, in fact, is an excellent tool for taking your – or someone else's – spoken words and turning them into printed words or actual deeds. And with version 11 of its Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software, Dragon-maker Nuance have given us what's easily the best I've tried.

Utility Meets Political Correctness

Mercedes-Benz' "entry level" SUV offers a lot of benefits for the luxury-minded consumer, while Toyota's third generation Prius is a rolling political statement that's definitely not aimed at the automotive enthusiast. Let's talk about the Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 4MATIC first. I got my test sample just as we received a bunch of snow, and it proved to be a wonderful time to test such a vehicle – except that it forced me to actually leave the house on some very, very chilly days.

Warner, Fox Movies Come to Smart Phones

If you've ever wanted to watch a movie on a tiny screen, Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox want to help you achieve that goal. Warners is launching what it says are "groundbreaking App Editions" of the Christopher Nolan films "The Dark Knight" and "Inception", which I have to admit is a pretty good place to start the collection.