shows

Weblog Awards Nominations: Deadline TONIGHT!

As we posted last week, nominations are out for the 2007 Weblog Awards, or Bloggies. If you like what you're reading on Crave, particularly our coverage of CES, Macworld, and the Detroit Auto Show; we'd be more than honored if you'd consider us for the nominations round. The deadline is 10 PM Eastern time tonight.

Crave is eligible for the following categories:

Best American Weblog Best Computers or Technology Weblog Most Humorous Weblog Best Writing of a Weblog Best Group Weblog Best New Weblog Weblog of the Year (if you really love us!)

Windows SideShow companion devices: Dell and others

OK, so it's not made by Dell, but the tip about the portable SideShow companion device turned out to be true. And it even looks kind of similar to the iRiver Clix, which is how I pictured it originally. In fact, though, the companion device is really thin, and it actually looks almost exactly like the Meizu Mini Player. (Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get my hands on an image of the companion device, so that's the Mini Player you see at right.) The gadget I saw on the show floor at CES 2007 is made … Read more

Alpine imprints a stage on a car

Automakers aren't the only ones using the 2007 Detroit Auto Show to show off new products; Alpine also launched its new Imprint technology at the show. Imprint isn't a new car stereo or amplifier--instead, it's part methodology and part technology for designing the perfect sound to fit any car. Alpine researcher Alan Trevena, who demonstrated the system for me, said that Imprint takes a lot of the guess work out of designing a car audio system. Instead of relying on a "golden ear," an expert who sets the audio parameters based on his or her … Read more

Ford develops time travel

First, Ford went back in time to redesign its Mustang. Now, the company travels back to the 1960s yet again to design the Ford Airstream concept. Ford took Airstream along on the trip to build this new crossover car, although to me it looks more like a minivan. Designers of the concept were influenced by 2001: A Space Oddyssey for the interior, which includes organically shaped podlike seats. The most notable element of the interior is the 360-degree video screen, which can show movies, video games, or ambient displays, such as a lava lamp. Did I mention this car is … Read more

Rolls-Royce builds the most beautiful car

Opinions differ wildly when it comes to automotive design, but no one could deny the sheer beauty of Rolls-Royce's new Phantom Drophead Coupe. The second car in Rolls-Royce's rejuvenated model lineup, the Drophead takes the elegance of the Phantom and adds exterior elements that make it more sporty and downright lovely. The most obvious elements are the brushed steel hood, which creates a nice two-tone effect with the body, and the teak cover for the convertible top, reminiscent of a Chris-Craft powerboat.

Ostensibly a convertible version of the Phantom, the Drophead Coupe shares very little with its hardtop … Read more

America gets Smart

The long-anticipated introduction of Smart to the United States is at hand, with the Daimler-Chrysler-owned small-car maker showing off its 2008 ForTwo car at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. Although only a two-seater, the ForTwo features 12 cubic feet of cargo capacity. It's only 8 feet 10 inches long and can be parked perpendicular to the curb where other cars have to park parallel. The most powerful model uses a three cylinder engine, which pumps out 84 horsepower, not exactly astounding, but it gets more than 40mpg. Its most interesting power-train tech feature is a five-speed manual transmission with … Read more

Craving Maybach

This blog is all about things we crave, and what could be more craveworthy than the Maybach 62S? It sat there at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, penned off in a small booth all by itself. From the outside, it looks like pure evil, ready to devour unsuspecting motorists in the darkness of desert highways. The inside is a whole different story. It looks like heaven. When I die, I want to be buried there. It's more sumptuous than any pharaonic burial chamber.

Powered by a 543 horsepower V-12, the regular Maybach 62 is no slouch. But the Maybach … Read more

Front and center: Asus provides first glimpse at SideShow

Asus wins the prize for being the first manufacturer to cook up a laptop design that puts Vista's SideShow feature to use. The W5Fe SideShow notebook looks like your typical 12.1-inch laptop with one small addition: Embedded in the lid is a 2.8-inch LCD. It's a full-color screen with a 320x240 resolution that lets you access your data even when the laptop itself is powered down. Using the four-way navigation button to the right of the LCD, you can jump through the SideShow menu to check e-mail and calendar appointments, view pictures, choose a song from … Read more

Vista gets hands-on with tablet PCs

With all the talk about Windows Vista and the new security features, Sidebar widgets and Aero interface, it's worth taking a moment to look at what new features Microsoft has cooked up for tablet users.

Tablet PCs are gaining in popularity, and the first two retail-ready Vista laptops we've looked at (the HP tx1000 and Toshiba Portege R400) are both convertible tablet models that take advantage of some of Vista's new tablet-friendly features.

Tablet users who spend a lot of time using a stylus as their input device will appreciate Pen Flicks, a Microsoft-designed system of shortcuts … Read more