5 reasons you should buy the Escort Passport 8500 X50

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Accessories, Features, Transportation,

Yesterday we hit you with our Escort Passport 8500 X50 review, and today we're back to give you our top five reasons why you should purchose this radar and laser detector. This list will cover things like price and sensitivity of the device, but also gives a nod to the smart features that make owning it a joy, like Escort Live social integration and the functionality of the smart cord. Click on through for our full list, and if your convinced, you can pick one up on Amazon.

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Mass Effect 3 getting Kinect voice command treatment

Posted by John Ball Categories: Electronic Arts, Kinect, Third Person Shooters, Xbox 360,

Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360, it seems, keeps getting bigger and better as developers have more time to play with it. Some believe that the Kinect’s abilities can go far beyond that which was defined by its initial title releases. Bioware, the makers of the Mass Effect series, is no exception to this belief. Adding Kinect voice capabilities, Bioware promises Mass Effect 3 will be their most immersive game yet.

On the whole, this seems like a really good move for the franchise. The ability to interact with other characters, not only in conversation, but combat as well will leave many with a better impression that what they say and do in real life matters a whole lot more in game. With the Mass Effect trilogy coming to an end, Bioware is pulling out all the stops to make sure the fans have the best experience in the final chapter.

Motorola Xoom tablet receives Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich update

Posted by John Ball Categories: Google, Handhelds, Software,

Motorola announced on Wednesday that its Xoom tablets are going to finally receive the Ice Cream Sandwich update that so many have been waiting for. For those of you who do not know, Ice Cream Sandwich is the latest version of Android (currently Android 4.0.3). The update will be applied over the air, assuming you are connected to a Wi-Fi network, immediately. The update will give Xoom tablet users more functionality, including voice capabilities and faster browser rendering. This update will also make the Xoom one of the first tablets to adopt the Ice Cream Sandwich update.

iBooks Author allows you to create and publish books for the iPad

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Software, Videos,

Alongside the release of iBooks Textbooks this morning, Apple has also released an app called iBooks Author. Available for free on the Mac App Store, iBooks Author is a tool that allows anyone to create a textbook, storybook, or any other kind of book with relative ease. These books aren't just text either--you can add videos, 3D objects, photo galleries, web widgets, and more. Once you're satisfied with your book, you can then export it for personal use, or publish it to the iBookstore for sale or as a free download. Check out the video above for a full rundown of how it all works.

Apple looks to change education with iBooks Textbooks

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Handhelds,

Today Apple took the stage in New York City to unveil its education initiative, and at the heart of it all is the release of iBooks Textbooks. Textbooks require an iPad running iBooks 2, and Apple hopes this will open up a whole new world of learning to the masses. Bringing with them dynamic, interactive, and updateable content, textbooks on the iPad become instantly relevant and engaging. Apple also made sure to point out that an iPad is much lighter than a backpack full of heavy books. The video above demonstrates Apple's vision for the future of the textbook. iBooks 2 is available now, as are a handful of textbooks from publishers like DK, Pearson, McGraw Hill, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, focusing on the K-12 market for now. Textbooks are $14.99 or less, which is another breakthrough (although you won't be able to sell these back when you're done with them like you can an actual book.)

Apple also released iBooks Author, a free Mac app that lets anyone create an interactive book for the iPad. It's available now on the Mac App Store.

Kindle Fire 6.2.2 firmware update brings full-screen Silk browsing, optimizations

Posted by John Ball Categories: Handhelds, Software,

With the Kindle Fire being one of the biggest tablets to rival the iPad this holiday season, it is no surprise that we are seeing an update so soon into the New Year. The Kindle Fire update 6.2.2 brings full screen browsing to the Silk broser, as well as a handful of performance tweaks to the Amazon device. Of course, as it is with all software updates, some minor bugs in the software were also fixed. If you are one of the many that have rooted their Fire, you might also want to note that your increased user ability will be taken away. This update can be applied over the air or by visiting the official Kindle Fire site to manually download the update right now, and if you don't have one, you can pick up the Kindle Fire for $199.

How Radar and Laser Technology Works: Avoiding Speeding Tickets

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Features, Transportation, Videos,

We hit you with our Escort Passport 8500 X50 review earlier today, and it's a great investment for any driver looking to avoid speeding tickets, but it’s not enough. What more can you do to keep the cops off your back? Having your vehicle also equipped with a laser jammer will cover the flaws of most detectors. Laser jammers emit a light brighter than the laser an officer would shoot at a vehicle, but they're illegal in some states, so you may want to check into that first before pulling the trigger. Don’t believe that works? Check out the video above and see for yourself.

Video: Motorcycle vs. Car drift battle shot with RC car-mounted cameras

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Cameras, Transportation, Videos,

Where else but on YouTube will you see a high-speed case that’s not VGA dash-cam quality, featuring shots taken using a Traxxas Slash VXL Ultimate R/C car-mounted GoPro Hero, a Canon 5D MKII, strapped to a helicopter, a Panasonic AF100, and a hacked Panasonic GH1? This video features something for all likes, but will definitely be appreciated by those who like a little speed, creative shots, and a little humor. Take a look at what the folks from Icon Motosports have been up to on their spare time.

Escort Passport 8500 X50 review

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Accessories, Product Reviews, Transportation,

With the Detroit Auto Show buzzing with new models, many faster, leaner and meaner than their predecessors it’s only a matter of time before the new vehichles hit the road.

There are two types of drivers in this world—those that ride in their cars and those that drive their cars. In many cases, those that drive their cars tend to have a heavier right foot. Like rain on a sunny day, blue and red lights can ruin anyone’s drive.

Over Labor Day weekend, I went on a road trip to California. Knowing that I’d be spending nearly 26+ hours on the road (Seattle to Sacramento and back), it was inevitable that I’d run into the boys in blue. Not wanting to ruin my weekend trip, I decided to invest in a radar detector.

In the world of radar detectors, promises of a ticket free trip are a dime a dozen. Being a natural born skeptic, I dug around and did some research before buying. I looked for a company that had a proven track record of producing products that worked and stood behind its gear. After searching and reading various reviews and websites, I landed on purchasing the Escort Passport 8500 X50 (Black). Read on for our full review of the radar detector.

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Maserati Kubang concept is what a luxury crossover SUV should be

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Design, Transportation,

In the world of luxury SUV's, buyers are limited to their choices of flavors—vanilla, Rocky Road, chocolate, and strawberry. There’s the usual German engineered and slightly over-engineered variant; leaving the buyer faced with purchasing a Benz, BMW, or anything from VW’s automotive family (vanilla.) Or there’s the ever classic, “I can do anything and go anywhere, but I rather just stay on the streets” Land Rover/Range Rover as a plausible option (Rocky Road.) Skim across the pond and you’re faced with rugged, bloated “luxury” SUVs; more fitting for cattle herding, rather than a night on the town (chocolate.) Finally there’s the likes of Lexus and Acura, which over-saturate suburban streets on any given day (strawberry.) This puts a potential buyer in conundrum if they want something different than their neighbors. What if the buyer wants a little Cold Stone Creamery action, rather than the usual everyone else seems to get? Enter the Maserati Kubang.

Like Cold Stone Creamery, the Maserati Kubang, has a bit of everything mixed into one glorious package. Maserati took bits and pieces from others and remixed into their own, dare I say, delicious concoction. Ever since Fiat Group acquired Chrysler Automotive (back during the Big Three’s financial meltdown,) Fiat has gained access to Chrysler’s resources and technologies. Fiat has been slowly marrying the two. Maserati, being apart of Fiat, has long been working on producing a luxury SUV for quite sometime and finally the Kubang has been born; well at least in the concept stage.

The Kubang is said to have a heart of a Ferrari. Boosting V8 designed by none other than Paolo Martinelli. Though you maybe thinking fast, sleek, and sexy after reading that Ferrari has their fingers in the project, Maserati’s “implication has been that the Kubang will be more SUV than sport,” reports Joel Johnson of Jalopnik. Furthermore, the SUV is based on Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee platform. The Maserati Kubang will be built alongside its cousins the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. The price is still to be announced by Maserati.

Read More | Jalopnik