activity

Germs are no fun; candy, however, is. Those most notorious of candy addicts, kids, aren't particularly well-known for their fastidiousness. But when it comes to candy, they harbor no ambivalence. Attacking bowls of candy with no regard for others is a common trait, and one that is hard to avoid. Kids will be kids, after all, but don't let that ruin the candy bowl. For the hygienically challenged (of any age), there is hope.

To the sweet-toothed germophobe, the CandyMan Motion-Activated Candy Dispenser is the best idea since individually wrapped candy. Operated with only a swipe of the … Read more

Citizens concerned with the direction of high-speed rail in their home states have taken to the Internet to voice their opinions on current plans proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Self-described New Yorkers have started a Facebook campaign in support of high-speed rail service and have inundated the Facebook page of DOT Secretary Ray LaHood with posts imploring him to grant their governor-elect's request for more funding for a high-speed rail project in their state.

"I don't know who started it, but the Facebook campaign sure got my attention!" LaHood wrote in his blog … Read more

BMW announced today that it's sending the Vision EfficientDynamics plug-in sports car to production.

The plug-in diesel concept coupe was revealed at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and won the manufacturer several awards for its innovative design and clean technology. The Vision EfficientDynamics uses three power plants to propel the winged 2+2: a three-cylinder turbo diesel engine along with electric motors at each axle. The exotic can operate using its electric motors, diesel engine, or a combination of the two. Full throttle, the trio produces a total of of 328 horsepower and has a 0-60 mph time of … Read more

Facebook followers of the Coach leather goods company were treated to some unpleasant imagery on Thursday when dozens of anti-fur activists flooded the Coach Facebook wall with graphic photographs of caged and skinned animals.

They were likely followers of an ongoing campaign on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which is well-known for heavy shock value in an attempt to get its message across (as well as its sometime affinity for robot groundhogs), to convince Coach to dump fur products.

Coach has more than 1 million Facebook fans--as far as luxury brands go, it's been … Read more

Mercedes-Benz today unveiled two new engines for the 2011 CL-Class.

The first of two all-new direct injection biturbo V8 engines is for the 2011 CL550 4MATIC. According to Mercedes, the 4.6-liter V8 engine has 20 percent smaller displacement than its predecessor, but delivers 429 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, which is 12 percent more horsepower and 32 percent more torque. It also has an improved fuel economy of about 10 percent. The CL550 4MATIC will have an MSRP of $114,025.

The second new engine is for the 2011 CL63 AMG coupe ($151,125) and S63 AMG sedan ($… Read more

Social networking is more popular in Latin America, the Middle East, and China than in the U.S., Japan, and other Internet-saturated markets.

That is just one of the findings of the "Digital Life" study released today by British research firm TNS. Polling nearly 50,000 people across 46 countries, the survey was designed to gauge changes in online behavior globally.

The study found that online users in certain rapid-growth regions are now spending more time on social-networking sites than on e-mail. Consumers in Latin America, the Middle East, and China put in 5.2 hours each week … Read more

If you are in a major metropolitan area next summer, you'll be able to check out the BMW ActiveE.

The announcement that BMW will put 450 of the electric vehicles on U.S. roads was made today at the Opportunity Green conference in Los Angeles.

Metropolitan markets BMW plans field tests include the New York area, the Los Angeles area, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Boston, and select markets in Connecticut.

Labeled a "Megacity Vehicle," the ActiveE was first spotted at the 2010 Detroit auto show earlier this year.

The ActiveE, which has a reported … Read more

Today JVC and Sony announced new 3D-compatible front projectors at the CEDIA show in Atlanta, while LG showed its 3D model that's been available since June. Here's a quick comparison of their specs and technologies, with some of my thoughts after the break.

JVC: Its three new 3D models, ranging in price from $5,000 to $12,000, all employ active shutter glasses technology to achieve the 3D effect--the same technology used by current 3D TVs. That means they'll work with standard projection screens and require external IR emitters to send the 3D sync signal to the glasses, which are quite expensive ($179 list) and proprietary to JVC. The most-expensive version includes the glasses and the emitter for free.

LG: The CF3D ($14,999) was announced at CES in January and started shipping in June. It's the only one in our comparison to employ passive glasses technology, similar to what's found in most commercial 3D theaters in the U.S. It actually has two separate light engines--requiring six total LCoS panels and two bulbs--that are combined inside the unit to shoot through a single lens.

It requires a special silver screen to handle the polarized light correctly, but one big advantage is that the glasses are cheap. LG includes six pairs with the unit, and compatible circular polarized versions are plentiful, selling for as little as $4/pair online.

Sony: The VPLVW90ES ($10,000) was first announced at the IFA show in Berlin, and seems largely unchanged for the U.S. market. It's similar to the JVC units in many ways, chiefly in its use of active glasses technology; it requires the same $150 glasses used by Sony's 3D LCD TVs, such as the HX909 series, and includes two pairs. Unlike on those TVs or the JVC projectors, the required IR emitter is built into the unit.

… Read more

REDMOND, Wash.--One of the features promised as part of the latest update to Hotmail will arrive next week, CNET has learned.

In an interview here on Thursday, Microsoft's Dharmesh Mehta told CNET that Exchange ActiveSync, which will let Hotmail users get push e-mail on cell phones and other devices, will become available on Monday.

While many phones support ActiveSync for connecting to an Exchange server, the feature will be most useful on a relatively small number of phones that support dual ActiveSync accounts, including the Palm Pre, the latest iPhone, and the forthcoming Windows Phone 7-based devices. Phone … Read more