Barnes & Noble Nook Color Mini-Review

Yea, I know what you are thinking….old news right? The Nook Color was released ages (or is that eons) ago in tech years so why would I even bother to review it now? Well, rest assured I have my reasons….and they not as nefarious as you might think! You see, recently Barnes and Noble made some major (aka, HUGE) updates to the Nook Color, taking it from simple e-reader right on up to tablet status. What does that mean in non-babble talk….well, think Angry Birds for starters.
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2008 BMW X3 SAV Mini-Review

BMW X3 SAV

In a world where the SUV has become a symbol of excess and poor fuel economy you would think the market for such vehicles would have virtually disappeared by now. But in the BMW X3 there may be life after death for those who still want a smaller, more “politically correct” SUV that hopefully won’t make too many compromises. Unlike the larger X5 the X3 draws most of it’s styling and mechanicals from the 3-Series sedan (previous generation) which makes for a far more car-like interpretation of the SUV. BMW makes this clear by calling the X3 a Sport Activity Vehicle (SAV) in an effort to an effort to differentiate the brand. Nomenclature aside, the reduction in size and the more European feel to the X3 make this BMW a slightly more attractive option when compared to the competition from Audi, Lexus and Infinity. Overall I liked the X3 for what it was but it was not without fault and I found that most of the appeal could be found in the SUV-like utility combined with the smaller form factor. While I can’t say I totally recommend the X3 (read on for details on why) I can say that it does offer an intriguing mix that will undoubtably appeal to more cost-conscious buyers looking to still satisfy that SUV fix.

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Roomba 530 Mini-Review

After almost two years running my original iRobot Roomba Discovery the poor little guy was starting to look a little worse for wear. iRobot advises that you should clean the brushes and such after no more than three full cleaning cycles, something my Roomba was not always subject to and the results were starting to become apparent. Strange behavior such as random shutdowns and the occasional incident where the battery would run out before it could find the home base led me to consider that it might be time for an upgrade. Cash in hand I settled one of the newer models I found at the local Best Buy. The iRobot Roomba 530 is a complete reworking of the original Roomba design. Featuring several new cleaning tricks and a much improved battery this model looked like just the right excuse to upgrade. Although there was a lot to like about this new Roomba but my experience ended up leaving me with mixed feelings about the Roomba 530 and ultimately led to me returning the unit to Best Buy in defeat.

Technorati Tags: irobot, robot, roomba, vacuum

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2007 Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Mini-Review

So what’s a BMW fan like myself doing reviewing a Mercedes? Well, like the old saying goes “know thy enemy” and as far as rivalries go, BMW and Mercedes are one of the most well known. Although Mercedes-Benz answer to the latest BMW 3-series is still several months away the current C-class is no slouch. Offered in two separate versions dubbed Sport and Luxury this sedan attempts to please all drivers ultimately resulting in a very difficult decision when it comes time to make a purchase. For this mini-review I had the chance to once again spend some time in the driver’s seat, this time behind the wheel of a 2007 Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport. So how did the C230 stack up? Not bad, although performance junkies might want to look elsewhere this Mercedes does offer a healthy dose of luxury for a fantastic price.

Technorati Tags: C230, cars, mercedes-benz, review, sport sedan

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2007 BMW 328xi Mini-Review

Once in a while a car comes along that changes your perceptions on just what an automobile should be. For myself that car was a 2000 BMW 328i that I had the opportunity to own and enjoy for several years. The car impressed me so much I have been a BMW owner ever since. So when the opportunity came up to take the keys to a brand new 2007 328xi (the all-wheel-drive version) for a few days I simply could not resist. So after spending the weekend with BMW’s latest rendition of the legendary 3-series do I still think of the 328i as the best sport sedan I have ever driven? You bet, not only does this new BMW drive like a wet dream on wheels but it combines just the right amount of creature comfort with sporty goodness to please even the die hard enthusiasts while still pampering the Sunday driver.

Technorati Tags: 328i, auto, bmw, cars, review

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