beach

The guns of D-Day remain powerful

OMAHA BEACH, France--When you study the liberation of France in school, you get a basic primer in D-Day history. You hear about the famous beaches: Omaha and Utah. But you don't learn much more.

As part of Road Trip 2011, I had a chance to come to Normandy this week and visit some of the most important sites of the Allied invasion of 1944 that freed the French people and helped lead eventually to the defeat of the German army.

What I didn't know prior to coming here was just how many important sites there were--and how many … Read more

Infiniti announces 3-row JX crossover

The 2011 New York International Auto Show starts tomorrow, but Infiniti is already looking forward to the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, where it will be unveiling the 2013 Infiniti JX, a larger sibling to its EX and FX crossovers.

Until the concept is unveiled, all we have is the sketch above and a few tidbits teased by the automaker. The large crossover slots in just below the full-size Infiniti QX and will have three rows of seats with room for seven passengers. Externally, the design language that featured prominently on the Infiniti Essence concept car should be stretched … Read more

Weekend or weekday, one coffeemaker

Kitchen appliances get put through their paces certain times more than others. During the weekday, the stove might not see any action at all, but the microwave may be put into overdrive. Coffeemakers, on the other hand, see use every day of the week. (At least for those of us who cannot manage to make it out of the house without a cup.) However, even with a coffeemaker being an essential appliance, that doesn't mean it needs to perform exactly the same every day of the week. Monday morning comes, and that coffee might need to be ready to … Read more

Blender and chopper just go together

Combining one appliance with another has always been a way to add convenience and value (not to mention sales numbers) to the kitchen. Some of these combinations are either far-fetched or only useful for a select few. (Toaster/egg-maker anybody?) However, some of these combinations just make sense. When one oft-used appliance uses the same basic mechanism as another, it doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to see the two put together. In fact, for some combinations, it is becoming hard to imagine them ever not belonging together.

The Hamilton Beach Wave Power Blender and Chopper uses one … Read more

Multiple consoles and gaming headsets: Ask the Editors

Hi Jeff,

I've read almost all your reviews about the gaming headsets that give you wireless surround sound, but there's a problem for us gamers who own more than one console. How do I hook up both my Xbox 360 and PS3 to one wireless gaming headset? Is it even possible?

Thanks, Paul, Chicago

Hi Paul,

Thanks for writing. Accomplishing this isn't impossible, but it's certainly an issue we think gaming headset manufacturers need to become more aware of. We've received dozens of similar questions with gamers anxious about having to finagle a way to get more than one source into a wireless gaming headset transmitter.

We'd love to see a device that allows for more than one digital input, though we are fans of Logitech's F540 system, which accepts up to three analog sources. However, if you're using something like the Turtle Beach X41s, Astro A40s, or Tritton AX 720s, you'll have to manually swap out the digital audio cables each time you want to switch consoles. Not only is this an arduous process, but if you're like me, most of these ports and wires are not conveniently accessible without some serious furniture moving.… Read more

Anytime is tee time

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 is the first game from the popular golf franchise on iOS since April 2009, and it's easy to see that this latest game is leaps and bounds beyond the original. The graphics on the iPhone 4 Retina Display are smooth, reminding us of console-level golf games. The controls have been fine-tuned as well, making it easy to adjust shot types and switch clubs depending on the situation.

You get the choice to play as Tiger Woods, alongside him, or as any one of several current pro male and female players. You can also create … Read more

Order your 918 Spyder Hybrid now--for $845K

If you've got a little bit of extra cash lying around, jump on this offer. Porsche today announced that dealerships would be taking orders for the 918 Spyder--and the plug-in hybrid super car will sell for a mere $845,000 in the U.S. (that's 645,000 euros).

The 918 Spyder concept made its debut last year at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and was also spotted last year at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

The 918 Spyder design was inspired by the 918 Carrera GT super sports car and the 917 and RS Spyder race cars. Like the 2010 concept car, the production version will be made from a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque. However, the production version will have a manual roof system with removable panels that can be stored in the front luggage compartment, Porsche said.

The speedy hybrid will do 0 to 60 mph in about 3.1 seconds, with a top speed of 199 mph. As previously reported, the 918 Spyder will be powered by a unique plug-in hybrid system that includes a high-revving, mid-mounted V8 engine with a capacity of more than 4.0 liters and producing at least 500 horsepower. Two electric motors--one each on the front and rear axles--together produce additional 218 hp.… Read more

Gaming wrap-up

Another CES in the books means it's time to take a look at the past few days and highlight what we thought were the most exciting moments of the show. To the right are some video First Looks in gaming from CES 2011.

Unlike last year, gaming was able to earn a few moments of glory this year as we were treated to some impressive products, mind-blowing prototypes, and the latest in state-of-the-art surround-sound headsets.

From iPad joysticks to mouse and keyboard control for the Xbox 360, it's safe to say that CES 2011 solidified gaming as a … Read more

CES: Turtle Beach aims to replace standard Xbox 360 headset

LAS VEGAS--While the Turtle Beach lineup of products at CES was highlighted by the announcement of the PX5, we were surprised to see the company go after Microsoft's standard Xbox 360 chat headset.

Surprisingly enough, the XC1 doesn't seem to offer anything that the current 360 set doesn't already do, though judging from the few photos we've seen of it, we'd imagine it will be more comfortable to wear during those long Black Ops multiplayer sessions. We'll have the final word on that when we get our hands on one this spring for $25. … Read more