This week in Car Tech

Economy-size hybrids
This month, we've been running retrospectives on the last auto show season, looking for general themes about where the industry is going. One theme that stood out for us was all the SUV hybrids shown off. Part of the reason for this large crop is the joint development by General Motors, BMW, and the old DaimlerChrysler of the two-mode hybrid system. This system offers the same type of driving experience as Toyota's Synergy drive, propelling cars under electric power only at low speeds. Although GM announced plans to use the two-mode system in passenger cars, all the current models shown off have been SUVs, most likely an attempt to make the cash-cow behemoths popular again. Check out our slide show of two-mode hybrids, and a few random others, such as the Porsche Cayenne hybrid. Read more

Garmin Nuvi 660
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Garmin Nuvi 350
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Garmin StreetPilot c550
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TomTom GO 720
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Garmin Nuvi 200
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2008 BMW 135i Coupe
Although we have some minor criticisms, the 2008 BMW 135i is, overall, an excellent car to drive every day or take out on the track. It scores big in performance and cabin tech. Read more

2008 BMW M3 Coupe
The 2008 BMW M3 is a tame lion. It's easy to handle among traffic and urban driving, while ferocious on the track or out in the hills. Its cabin electronics are among the best available. Read more

2008 Infiniti EX35 Journey
Impressive for its technology, the 2008 Infiniti EX35 Journey brings in all the latest gadgets, and adds a few not seen on other cars. It works well as an all-purpose car with a sporty edge. Read more

2008 Cadillac CTS
Besides the lack of Bluetooth, the 2008 Cadillac CTS offers the most advanced digital music options and navigation we've seen in a car. Its performance character makes it fun to drive hard and perfectly suitable for a daily commute. Read more

CNET Car Tech: a retrospective
Kevin Massy
Associate Editor
Today being my last day at CNET, I was clearing out my desk and came across a stack of window stickers for all the cars I have reviewed and driven in the line of duty as an editor on the Car Tech Channel. Rather than indulge in dewy-eyed reminiscence on my own, I thought I'd share a few of the highlights with you, the readers who have endured--and hopefully occasionally enjoyed--my automotive observations over the past two and a bit years. Read more

How to copy playlist to USB drive
Posted by parbilo
The other day I was trying to put a playlist from WMP on a USB Drive for use with Sync Technology in a Ford Car. WMP only put the tracks on the drive--no playlist. I found a program by OpenView Design called SyncPlaylist that will correctly and easily put WMP playlists and tracks on a USB drive. It can also be used to transfer playlists to another computer. I thought someone else might have run into this problem. SyncPlaylist can be found at www.openviewdesign.com. Read more 

• 1. 2008 BMW 535i
• 2. 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
• 3. 2008 Lexus LS 600h
• 4. 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
• 5. 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V-6
• 6. 2008 Audi R8
• 7. 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
• 8. 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V-6 Coupe w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 6M)
• 9. 2008 BMW 750i
• 10. 2008 Acura RDX

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