Cars

With a retractable hard top, a Dynaudio premium stereo system, and a bright-red paint job, I couldn't wait to take out the 2007 Volvo C70 that landed in the CNET garage this week. A cold, foggy day didn't keep me from driving with the top down, cranking up the bass and subwoofer on the stereo, and trying to shake the socks off nearby pedestrians--trying, but not succeeding, since the stereo is a little too refined for real thumps.

The Dynaudio premium stereo in the Volvo uses 12 speakers, 2 of them subwoofers, to fill a cabin with barely … Read more

No, Dean Martin isn't coming back from the dead (as nice as that would be). Inside Line has a story about Ferrari reviving the Dino, the curvy model Ferrari built from 1968 to 1974 and named after Enzo Ferrari's son. (A 1973 Dino GTS is pictured here.) According to the story, Ferrari needs an entry-level model. The new Dino will be a front-engine car powered by a 4.0-liter V-8.

Source: Edmunds.com Inside Line

So if I'm to believe the Japanese, I'm supposed to let this scary, strung-out Snuggles look-alike guide me to my next destination? Umm, yeah...no, thank you. For one thing, look at it! I don't want this frightening critter sitting on my dash, looking back at me. And what exactly is that thing in the middle of its forehead? (A colleague seems to think it's his mystical third eye.) Secondly, I don't think this GPS-enabled teddy bear from Navirobo would be much help. Instead of giving you voice-guided, turn-by-turn instructions, it raises its furry, little … Read more

Hip Tech Blog is showcasing a particularly interesting exhibition from last week's X Prize Cup in New Mexico: a 2,750-pound thrust nitrous oxide rocket that fits neatly in the bed of a pickup truck. Here at Crave, we like versatile technology, and wow, this truck rocket really takes the cake. Imagine the possibilities!

1. Clearly, now you can catch up with that elusive deer. Unfortunately, since the rocket takes up the entire truck bed, you'll have to find somewhere else to put the animal when you drive it to the taxidermist's. And a rocket can't … Read more

Argh, what is the flippin' hold-up?!

Traffic: It's frustrating as hell and it can certainly contribute to road rage, but easy there, tiger: Help is on the way.

Today, Sony announced its second, portable navigation system, the Sony NV-U71T, which adds to the capabilities of its predecessor, the NV-U70, by incorporating real-time traffic services.

How does it work? Well, the NV-U71T will ship with a cradle with a built-in traffic receiver, and the unit will alert you to heavily congested areas and automatically give you alternate route options. The service is free for the first 90 days, but then … Read more

We have a terrible sense of direction. It's so bad that we're willing to buy and carry any manner or number of devices that can keep us from accidentally ending up in Sopranos territory, including this one.

Proporta is probably best known for its gadget accessories (and accessorizing) but, as The Gadget Blog points out, also offers some technology of its own. The latest example is a solar-powered GPS receiver that can send wireless signals to your smart phone or PDA and "poinpoint your exactly location anywhere in the world."

Now we just have to make … Read more

Call us rubes, but we didn't know that you could buy a car through Saks Fifth Avenue. And not just any car, but a 2007 Mercedes CL600 Saks Special Edition.

There it was, about halfway through the catalog, nestled between ads for Narciso Rodriguez perfume and a Vera Wang silk chiffon gown. The Mercedes features exclusive "Mystic White" metallic paint, Porcelain Nappa leather, and Piano Lacquer Black wood trim--oh, and a 510-horsepower BiTurbo V12 engine that can go from zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds.

So start checking your PayPal balances now--only 20 of the cars … Read more

Guess how much platinum there is in a Volkswagen Passat diesel? If you said $238 worth, you'd be right.

Nanostellar is trying to reduce it. The company, which focuses on car emissions, has produced a platinum alloy that can substitute for the pure material inside catalytic converters, according to CEO Pankaj Dhingra. Recently, it began production of 250 kilograms a week.

Platinum sprinkled in the catalytic converter captures gases like carbon monoxide and turns them into less dangerous compounds, such as carbon dioxide. But platinum costs a lot. Nanostellar's particles can cut around $56 to $117 out of … Read more

Ford scored a PR victory by getting its 2007 Mondeo featured in the new James Bond film, Casino Royale. In the film, Bond gets married, buys a house in the suburbs, and drives the Ford Mondeo to work every day in his new job as an actuary. Okay, I made that up. The Mondeo will get a cameo appearance when Bond drives one in the Bahamas, going from the airport to his hotel. An Aston Martin, the car make more famously associated with Bond, will be his official Bond car in the movie. Ford owns Aston Martin, but is trying … Read more