Jim Bray, CFP Automotive Editor

Ford Mustang V6 Convertible – Ponying Up Topless Fun

When it comes to having fun in a Mustang, you don't absolutely need a V8 engine. Okay, an "eight banger" does up the oomph ante substantially, but with today's six cylinder engines now putting out power that was once reserved for eight or more cylinders, it's amazing to see just how quickly you can go from zero to "Oops, sorry Officer" in a V6.

Bose Lifestyle System – Great Sound, Easy to Use

Leave it to Bose to come up with a home theater in a box that not only sounds good, but which is child's play to set up. Home theaters in a box are nothing new, but they're generally lower end systems that focus on price. Bose has upped that ante with the Lifestyle V35 Home Entertainment System, which not only gives you a great-sounding 5.1 channel audio system into which you can hook your other audio and video sources, but which has also been designed to be so easy to unpack and connect that a chimpanzee can do it.

Fall Festival of Blu-rays Floods Stores for Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, if the increasing shower of big new Blu-ray titles on store shelves is any indicator. After a fairly quiet autumn, the studios have pulled out all the stops with releases timed to coincide with, if not actually to reflect, the Christmas giving and/or receiving season.

Ford Fiesta Meets Scion xD

One's a Canadian Car of the Year contender, the other's a boxy hauler. But which one's a better car? Well, if you believe the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada members, it would have to be the Ford Fiesta, the company's new-to-North-America entry level car that scored top marks in its class at the recent Canadian Car of the Year TestFest. Fiesta bested the Scion xD compared here, as well as three other entrants for the title of Best Small Car under $21,000 (Canadian dollars).

Bowers and Wilkins Computer Speakers Rock

Computer speakers aren't the sexiest things in the world of audio, but they can sure increase your enjoyment of games, streaming media, computer-based music files, and the like.

Porsche’s Iconic Sports Car a Wolf in Any Clothing

Driving a Porsche 911 is like having nary a "Carrera" in the world. Or something like that.

2011 Mercedes Put Author At “E’s”

Mercedes-Benz' E Class vehicles offer some compelling choices for drivers looking for a car that's state-of-the-art innovative, comfortable and classy.

Axiom’s Home Theater Axioms Help Boost Enjoyment

Buying and setting up a home theater can be a real adventure in frustration. Living with it shouldn't be, though.

Acura RL Offers Comfort, Technology

Acura's freshened flagship may not be all new, but it's still a great tool for the right audience.

Panasonic Betting Big Time on 3D TV

Is 3D the next "New Coke" or the greatest innovation since sliced bread?

Blizzard Crafts a Gaming Star with StarCraft Sequel

Here's a Blizzard that's definitely no snow job: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the great new computer game that's been preventing me from getting much work done for the past few weeks.

Ford Transit Connect Delivers

Ford's new little delivery van really does "deliver the goods", as it were.

Nissan Z Roadster an Open-top Blast

Back around 1980, I bought the Datsun 240Z I'd always lusted after but could never afford when it was new. It was a 1972 model and I loved it, despite fenders so rusty they'd basically flap like eagles' wings at highway speeds. That Z was a marvelous car, a highlight of Japanese automotive technology of the time.

“Ears” to Good Personal Sound! – A Tale of Three Headphones

Headphones. You can find them in a variety of types, including noise cancelling, audiophile, ear bud – and I've even found one with its own MP3 player built in. What type's the best? Well, naturally, it depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.

Networked Devices Spread Your Photos, Music Around

Media servers are becoming popular in this age of wireless home networks, delivering audio and video content from a computer or the Internet to whatever device you may want to use, within reason.

Going RV: How I Spent my Summer Vacation

As it turns out, you really can take it with you. On the road, if not to the afterlife.

Toyota Avalon A Comforting Cruiser

Remember the Oldsmobile commercials from years ago that said the models current then were "Not your father's Oldsmobile?" Well I've found a car that is: the Toyota Avalon.

Olympus Camera Takes Sweet Shots

Digital cameras continue to make great strides, and the Olympus SP-800UZ is a good example of the species today.

Western Digital and Logitech Bring “Harmony” to Home Theaters

Creating a gadget that's easy to use is almost like the search for the Holy Grail, as electronics manufacturers strive continuously to find ways to make sophisticated stuff that makes non-tech folk's lives easier.

Honda’s Hot New Hybrid a Blast from the Past

Anyone who remembers the Honda CRX fondly will probably find a soft spot in his or her heart for the new CR-Z sport hybrid. Honda bills the CR-Z as "the world’s first sport hybrid" but, first or not, what really matters is that this is a nifty little car, cute as a bug's ear, fun and efficient – and priced reasonably to boot. For what more could anyone ask?