Jim Bray, CFP Automotive Editor

Acer Iconia Tab – iPad Competitor with a Familiar Face

More and more companies are getting into the tablet market, trying to snag some of the profits Apple is snaring with its iPad. Most of these are fairly straightforward tablets, flat panels with big touch screens that use either Apple's iOS or Android. I've been playing with an Acer Iconia Tab that's a different kettle of fish to such pads, however. Acer's Iconia W500-BZ607 is more like a two piece netbook PC than a tablet. It also eschews Apple and Android operating systems, instead offering consumers the familiar Windows 7 system, so there isn't much of a learning curve if you're a Windows user already. Not only that, but the thing should run all your favorite Windows apps as well, so you shouldn't have file compatibility problems, either.

Kia Optima a Real Deal

Kia definitely seems to be throwing down the gauntlet, and if they keep making cars like the new Optima, other manufacturers had better be looking over their shoulders. The Optima really knocked my socks off when I drove it for a week recently; it not only looks great, it drives well and has just about every technological toy and/or tool you can imagine, short possibly of the ability to drive itself. Maybe they're holding that back for 2012…

Subaru Legacy, Nissan Rogue – Affordable All-wheel Drive

All-wheel drive can come in a handy if you're looking for the most traction or flexibility in where you can take your vehicle – such as in snowy climes or to off-road locations. Nothing is free, of course, and all-wheel drive technology also adds weight and complexity to a vehicle, and any time you add something to a basic vehicle you can assume the price is going to go up as well. Fortunately, all-wheel drive doesn't have to break the bank, as witnessed by the two vehicles under discussion in this column: the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Legacy.

Samsung Galaxy Tab – an iPad Killer? - And Scuplteo’s Mini-Me Statues - Micro Yourself!

It seems as if everyone and his dog is trying to get a slice of the tablet market Apple created with the introduction of the iPad. Imitation, it seems, truly is the sincerest form of flattery. One of the leading contenders is Samsung's Galaxy Tab, with which I got to spend a couple of weeks recently. I bought an iPad 1 when the iPad 2 came out and Apple cut the price for the old one, and I absolutely love it. In fact, I rarely use my netbook any more; the only thing I really miss is the ability to download pictures and voice files to it from my other devices. Well, that and Flash, of course.

VW Jetta Diesel – Cheap on Fuel, Big on Torque

Pump pain. It's the ache you feel at the sight of your bank account being depleted of vital resources by the vital resources your vehicle burns if it's to be of any use to you. The quest to minimize pump pain is one of the great pastimes these days. How do you stretch that fuel dollar so you can afford other necessities of life, like groceries?

Oppo’s Universal Blu-ray Player a Home Theater Powerhouse

With Blu-ray players now basically down to impulse item pricing now, one might think there's little reason to spend a thousand dollars on one. Yet, depending upon what you want in your home theater, there could be very good reason to spend that or more. Well maybe not more. Take Oppo Digital's BDP-95 Universal Audiophile 3D Blu-ray Disc Player, for example. It sells for $999 U.S., which is serious coin when you can pick up a BD player for well under $100. But what you won't get in that sub-hundred dollar unit is the abundance of extra features, capabilities and compatibilities that you get from this excellent Oppo.

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.