2013

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/2: What is this?

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest. This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and your job is to try to correctly identify it using any means at your disposal. Throughout Road Trip 2013, which will take me through Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Indiana, there will be a new challenge each day, and the opportunity to win some great prizes. I will update each day's post with the answer sometime … Read more

The 135is proves BMW can still make a sports car

The 2013 BMW 135is restored my faith in "The Ultimate Driving Machine." Many years ago, I owned a 325is, of the E30 generation, which taught me what BMW was all about. But over the last few years, coinciding with the launch of the X6, the brand seemed to take a turn for the mundane, turning out cars tuned for the mass market rather than enthusiasts. After driving a particularly placid 3-series, I was beginning to fear the worst.

Now, the little 135is has convinced me that BMW still knows how to make a sports car.

Despite the 1 … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/1: What is this?

Update (Monday, 8:10 p.m. PT): The answer to today's challenge -- which 115 people got right -- is the building that houses one of the ventilation shafts for the Holland Tunnel, which runs between New York City and New Jersey. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for tomorrow's challenge.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest (and welcome back to returning players). This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 6/30: What is this?

Update (Sunday, 9:05 p.m. PT): The answer to today's challenge -- which 98 people got right -- is the (under construction) tower of the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for tomorrow's challenge.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest (and welcome back to returning players). This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and your job … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 6/29: What is this?

Update (Saturday, 11:34 p.m. PT): The answer to today's challenge -- which 164 people got right -- is High Line Park in Manhattan. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for tomorrow's challenge.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest (and welcome back to returning players). This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and your job is to try to correctly identify it using any means … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 6/28: What is this?

Update (Friday, 9:12 p.m PT): The answer to today's challenge -- which 208 people got right -- is the model of Knuffingen Airport in Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg Germany. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for tomorrow's challenge.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest (and welcome back to returning players). This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and your job is to try to … Read more

CNET Road Trip 2013: Geek culture in America's heartland

After seven years and tens of thousands of miles, I've had the rare opportunity to explore much of the best of the United States (and some of Europe) during my annual CNET Road Trip.

Since 2006, I've explored the most interesting destinations for technology, the military, architecture, aviation, and much more, in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, the Southeast, the Rocky Mountain region, the Northeast, Western Europe, and the West Coast. But that means that the U.S. Midwest has (so far) been ignored.

Until now.

Starting Monday, I'll be on Road Trip 2013, and will be … Read more

Second-generation BMW X3 grows up, slims down

Perhaps it's BMW's fault for cramming so many similarly sized vehicles, between-size variants, and remixed configurations into its lineup, but I had the hardest time deciding if the 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i is too big or too small.

The second-generation vehicle's aesthetic is more wagonlike and it seems to press down into the ground when viewed in the round, which makes it look smaller -- both in photographs and in person -- than the pre-2010 model, which has a more angular, upright design. However, put the models side by side and it becomes apparent that the new … Read more

Ballmer's latest pitch to the faithful: Wide of the mark?

Steve Ballmer's not a man given to standing still on stage for long, but for a brief moment Wednesday morning, he struck a pose in front of some of the most devoted Microsoft developers with his left arm jackknifed, hand on hip.

It was a pugnacious posture, defiant yet also expressing confidence in Microsoft's public rebuilding of Windows. Microsoft's chief executive made the case at Build 2013 that while things may not always be smooth, the company was heading in the right direction.

Ballmer emphasized a new philosophy at Microsoft, offering up what he termed a "… Read more