Behold, the newest touch-screen T-Mobile phone

T-Mobile built its reputation as a no-frills wireless service specializing in simple cellular phones to run on its relatively slow data network. Text messaging was offered, but you could forget about music downloads, GPS navigation, or services other carriers provided on their faster, 3G networks.

Now the times, and T-Mobile, are changing. The carrier now has a 3G network, and is launching phones that take advantage of its capabilities. One of the first such offerings, the $180 G1, a.k.a Google phone, has now been joined by the $150 Samsung Behold, a sharp-looking touch-screen model with a decent 1.6-in. x 2.6-in. display. (Click on the image at right for a closer look.)

The display has vibration feedback for a more realistic button-pushing experience. The virtual QWERTY keyboard, which you can peck with your finger or the included stylus, seemed to function rather well when I used it at a recent press event. The phone itself, which measures 4.1 in. x 2.1 in. x 0.5 in, fits comfortably in the hand. Color choices include rose or espresso.

While the Behold lacks the G1's Wi-Fi connectivity, document-handling capabilities, and other advanced features, it does offer GPS navigation with audible, turn-by-turn directions. That's something very few T-Mobile phones, including the G1, can yet do. It also comes with a 5-megapixel digital camera, among the highest resolutions we've seen on a cell phone. We haven't yet tested the phone, so we can't comment on its photo quality. But the photos I saw at the demonstration appeared sharp and bright on screen. The phone's photo album arranges photo previews in filmstrip fashion, which looks rather nifty.

You can customize the Behold for easier access to favorite functions. A tool called TouchWiz allows users to drag and drop "widgets" onto the phone's main screen that are linked to the applications and features they use the most. Other features include a full Web browser, and support for Bluetooth stereo and data and microSD cards of up to 16 gigabytes (the phone comes with 1-gigabyte card).

Bottom line: Samsung's Behold appears to cram a lot of promising features into an attractive case. Our upcoming lab tests will determine if it has the performance to match.

—Mike Gikas

The Google Phone, at last

T-Mobile unveiled yesterday the world's first cell phone to run on Google's Android operating system, a modified version of the Linux operating system used on a small, but growing number of computers, set-top boxes, and other devices. Android's claim to fame is that its "open" architecture will encourage a broad community of software developers to create applications that run on the phone. We shall see.

The phone itself, called the T-Mobile G1 and made by HTC, will be available on October 22 at $179, including a 2-year contract. It's a touch-screen model that features a bright, 3.17-in display, a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, built-in Wi-Fi, and a 3.2-megapixel camera. It's also one of the few phones that supports T-Mobile's fledgling 3G data network. Emphasizing Web connectivity, the phone comes preloaded with a full HTML version of the Safari Web browser and icons for launching—not surprisingly—Google Maps, YouTube, and easy access to Google Mail as well as other POP3 and IMAP e-mail services. You can easily flag, delete or move groups of messages and keep track of group conversations through threaded text messaging.

The phone (click on the image for a closer look) is a tad on the bulky side, measuring 4.60 in. x 2.16 in.  x 0.62 in.; it weighs a hefty 5.6 ounces. The claimed talk time is an unimpressive 5 hours. But the G1 does have an intriguing array of features, including a GPS-assisted internal compass that aligns Google Maps with the surrounding terrain, regardless of the phone's position. The G1 supports T-Mobile Hotspot @Home service that automatically switches the phone from the cell network to "free" VoIP service whenever it's in Wi-Fi range at home or when you're out.

GPS Ratings: New models, new tests

Our colleagues in the Consumer Reports Cars department have just finished reviewing the latest GPS navigation systems. Among the 55 models in our latest Ratings of GPS systems (available to subscribers) are units with interesting features, including the voice-activated Garmin Nuvi 880.

We’ve updated the way we score and display the models in our GPS Ratings, based on feedback from ConsumerReports.org readers and results from a survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Among the changes:

• Models are now divided into three types: basic navigators, navigators with traffic optional, and traffic-ready navigators. We’ve learned from reader feedback and survey data that real-time traffic is an important, distinguishing feature on GPS models—though we don’t prioritize it in the ratings. Greater emphasis is placed on core navigation abilities, ease of use, and information for the driver.
• We now score for some convenience features, particularly those that have safety and value benefits, like Bluetooth connectivity, trip computer, and whether an A/C power cable and USB cable are included.

These changes reflect the evolving nature of the GPS market, the growing number of options available to GPS shoppers, and your feedback on what you'd like to see in our Ratings. Read "New GPS navigation devices, ratings and methodology" on our Cars Blog for more details about the new test and evaluations we perform on GPS units. If you're shopping for a new navigation unit, check out our free buying advice for GPS systems.

Garmin Nuvi 880 takes voice recognition to a new level

Our colleagues in the Cars department have just finished testing the Garmin Nuvi 880, the first GPS navigation unit with a fully-integrated voice recognition system.

An excerpt from the Consumer Reports Cars blog:

“The Garmin Nuvi 880 is a premium, full-featured portable navigation device (PND) with an impressive voice-recognition system. It has a wide vocabulary, enabling the driver to enter destinations and cycle through menus without touching the screen. And it does so in multiple languages. Other devices we have tested with voice recognition still required using the touchscreen to accomplish common tasks and they tended to interrupt conversations like an impatient child… All told, the Garmin Nuvi 880 represents the state of the art.”

In addition to the blog, be sure to check out the Nuvi 880 First Look for a detailed review and watch the accompanying video to see the unit in action.

For other models, see our Ratings of portable GPS navigators (available to subscribers).

Essential gadgets for emergencies

With Texans along the Gulf Coast recovering from Hurricane Dolly, we thought it would be a good time to mention electronics gear that can be invaluable to have before, during and after a natural disaster or other emergency. Of course, there are other items you'll need, such as flashlights, water, and more. For a complete checklist and other tips on preparing for—and dealing with the aftermath of—devastating storms and disasters, see our free Storm and Emergency guide on ConsumerReports.org.

On the electronics front, here's what we recommend:

• Make sure you have an emergency radio—powered by either batteries or a hand-crank—which will work even if the lights go out. A radio can pull in vital news, weather, and evacuation information from AM radio stations, which have further "reach" than TV broadcasters.
• Have at least one corded phone that doesn't require electricity. A cordless phone's base station won't run without juice.
• Keep your cell phone charged and have alternative power options—a car adapter or a portable cell phone charger that uses common AA batteries or features a hand crank or other "green" energy source.
• Consider having family members use different cell phone service providers in case one carrier goes down.
• Know how to text message. If cell towers are still up but available bandwidth is limited, a text message may be able to get through when voice calls won't.
• Learn how to browse the Web on an Internet-enabled phone. You'll have news bulletins, maps, and more at your fingertips.
• Have a portable GPS navigation system, which can be handy if you have to evacuate through unfamiliar routes and areas.

Finding cheap gas on the Web

Given still-stratospheric gas prices, I decided to test drive a few Web sites that promise to help you find the lowest gas prices in your area. Our colleagues in the Cars franchise listed several such sites a few months ago when regular unleaded cost "only" $3 per gallon.

Comparison shopping online is faster than cruising the neighborhood for a bargain, and you won't be burning any gas. But it's useful only if online prices are accurate and there are significant variations among local stations.

As a reality check, I drove around my north New Jersey neighborhood recently, jotting down credit card prices for regular unleaded at 15 stations. (Disclaimer: Approximately one gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was consumed in the production of this blog post.) The highest price I saw for regular was $4.06 and the lowest was $3.89 (for credit cards; cash prices were a bit lower at a few stations). If that seems like a bargain compared to your neck of the woods, it's because New Jersey has some of the lowest gas prices on either coast.

If you drive 12,000 miles a year (the national average) and get 24.3 mpg (the average we found in a random nationwide survey last month), buying the cheapest gas would save you about $84 a year—nothing to get excited about, though it's a psychological boost to pay even a little less for gas these days. And if you drive more than average or have a less fuel-efficient vehicle, your savings could be greater.

After my station tour, I went to four free Web sites to see whether their price listings were accurate: GasPriceWatch.com, MapQuest, MSN Autos, and NewJerseyGasPrices; (associated with the national site, GasBuddy). These sites display interactive maps that show the price at each station's geographical location, and they usually tell you how recently each price was updated. MapQuest and MSN get their price information from Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), which tracks more than 90,000 retail gasoline prices daily. GasPriceWatch and GasBuddy get them from volunteer “spotters.”

GPS and the new iPhone 3G

Portable GPS navigation devices aren't just for car drivers and hikers anymore. An increasing number of cell phones are adding turn-by-turn navigation services and location-related capabilities. (See: "Cell phones that tell you where to go.") The latest of these is the recently announced iPhone 3G (Click on image), due out on July 11.

Our colleagues over at the Cars Blog can't wait to get their hands on a new iPhone—just like us here on the Electronics Blog. Naturally, they'll want one to test out how its GPS-based navigation feature will work compared to a dedicated GPS unit. And in preparation for the day we get a few into our labs (and test cars), they've already gone ahead and mapped out (sorry) some of the iPhone's navigation potentials. (See: "Apple puts new iPhone 3G on the GPS navigation map.")

The new iPhone shows promise as a full-featured smart phone with improved navigation abilities over the current iPhone. But:

GPS Navigators that know how to listen

Global positioning satellite (GPS) navigation systems are proliferating, rapidly replacing paper road maps as primary guides for trips in unfamiliar territory. To help keep your eyes on the road, many of the more advanced models provide audible turn-by-turn instructions.

But these new—and pricey—models from Pioneer and TomTom take cyber-human communications a step further with their ability to receive spoken commands. Now, instead of fumbling with on-screen menus, you can chart your next course by simply saying the address or name of the location, such as "L-A-X airport" or "home." Other bells and whistles include Bluetooth for hands-free communication with your cell phone, as well as interfaces for your MP3 player.

We've tested the $555 Magellan Maestro 4450, another GPS unit with voice-recognition features, and weren't quite impressed with the results. (You can watch our video review of the 4450 here if you have Flash software installed for your Web browser and have a high-speed Net connection.) You'll find less expensive—but still capable—models in our full Ratings of GPS units.

Here are more details on the units I've seen at CES:

Pioneer AVIC-F500BT. This portable navigator (click on image above for a closer look) is designed to seamlessly integrate with all factory car audio systems without costly modifications. It taps into your car stereo via the auxiliary audio input in a factory audio system or an optional module from Pioneer. In addition to accepting voice commands for navigation, the AVIC also lets you direct your Apple iPod and Bluetooth-enabled cell phone in conversational tones, such as "I want to hear the Beatles" or "call Roger." You can also control your iPod via the AVIC's 5.8-in. touch screen, which also acts as a caller ID screen for incoming calls.

CES 2008: Sony unveils nav-u GPS systems

When it comes to GPS navigation systems, most consumers are drawn to established makers such as Garmin, Magellan and TomTom. But even electronics companies more renowned for entertainment gear for cars are getting into the GPS game.

At CES 2008, Sony unveiled its entry latest entries into the GPS space with its nav-u line of portable navigation systems. [Jan. 8 2007 UPDATE Sony has offered GPS units since 2005. —Ed.] As Consumer Reports Associate Editor Jim Travers reports in our Cars blog, the Sony NV-U73T has a 4.3-inch touch-screen and will be priced at a reasonable $350. The $500 NV-U83T has a slightly larger (4.8-inch) screen and wireless Bluetooth capabilities. (Click on the image at right for a closer look.)

At first glance, both models may appear to be "me-too" offerings in an already-rich portable GPS marketplace. But Sony's nav-u units do bring something "new" to those shopping for a GPS gadget. From Jim's blog:

"Another unique feature is 'gesture command.' So long as the address has been pre-programmed, a driver can get directions home with just a finger swipe of the screen drawing an inverted 'V,' representing the shape of a house roof. Other gesture commands perform common functions like 'call home' and zoom."

For more on the nav-u units, read the Car's blog, "Sony introduces nav-u line of portable GPS devices."

We plan to test the Sony nav-u models for inclusion in our Ratings of GPS navigation systems soon. It should be interesting to see how the Sonys stack-up with other advanced GPS units, such as the Magellan Maestro 4050 with voice-recognition. In the meantime, we'll keep you updated on our Electronics blog with the latest news on GPS and other CES-related announcements.

—Paul Eng

Out with the old: The trade show season starts

With the peak buying season over for consumers, save for Superbowl-driven sales of flat-panel TVs, it's time for wholesalers and retailers to begin their buying spree, so store shelves will be full of new gear 10 or so months from now.

Their season opener is the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a behemoth that opens on Monday and will draw hundreds of thousands of people to some 1.7 million square feet of exhibits in Las Vegas. While most of what's on display is electronics hardware of every description, what's creating buzz so far about the show isn't really gear. Instead, paralleling the evolution of consumer electronics itself, the news at CES is becoming less about hardware alone and more about intermingled bundles of content and compatible equipment.

Earlier this week, for example, Netflix, the mail-order DVD rental giant, previewed its big CES news by announcing plans to also begin delivering movies online to some LG-brand HDTVs using set-top boxes built by LG Electronics. [Jan. 4, 2007 UPDATE: A closer look at both companies' press releases reveals that LG will produce set-top boxes to deliver Netflix online content to "large-screen home theater HDTVs," not to just "some LG-branded HDTVs" as we originally and erroneously stated. —Ed.] The annual five technology trends to watch in 2008, from the Consumer Electronics Association, CES's organizer, are resolutely "soft," comprising retailing, radio, GPS services, and the CE production cycle. And the industry spokespeople invited to speak at a recent CES media preview were content types from Universal and Sony studios, talking about their plans for big displays and splashy showcase events at CES.

That's not to say the show won't overflow with new equipment, or that we won't report on it and the trends it embodies. Dean Gallea, Consumer Reports' test-program leader in computers, expects to see a continuing stream of smaller, lighter, and less expensive laptops. Mike Gikas, Consumer Reports' editor for mobile devices, will be looking at how small and capacious the new MP3 players are and how they’ll connect to other gear (he’ll also look at cordless phones and cellphones, though the latter has its own show later in the year). Jim Travers from Consumer Reports' Cars section will be looking at the next generation of GPS navigators, those runaway hits of the past holiday season, as well as other after-market automotive gear; his posts will appear both on this blog and our Cars Blog. And Jim Willcox will cover HDTV and other audio-video gear; he expects to see more examples of TVs that use OLED, a new technology that makes flat-panel sets look positively chubby, and of sets that use lasers as a light source. I'll also be at CES, and will weigh mostly on trends that transcend the categories above; examples are electronics recycling, content protection, and networking.

CES is only the first and biggest of the industry showcases early in the year. Just days behind, beginning January 12 14, is MacWorld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, the meeting of the Apple Macintosh tribe; Tom Olson, our computer database expert, will be blogging from that event. Late in the month comes the digital-camera trade show, PMA08, also in Las Vegas. Let the exhibits, the hoopla, and the buying begin.

[Jan. 4, 2007 UPDATE: The correct start date for MacWorld show is Jan. 14, 2008. We also neglected to mention that Consumer Reports' editor Terry Sullivan will be reporting from the PMA08 show when it begins Jan. 31. —Ed.]

—Paul Reynolds

GPS: Deals and advice for last-minute holiday shoppers

If you're still shopping for a portable GPS navigation unit to give as a special holiday gift, there's some good news. Our colleagues who cover Cars for ConsumerReports have unearthed some great last-minute deals. But with Christmas less than 10 days away, you'll have to hurry—especially if you want to take advantage cheap (or even "free") shipping from online retailers such as Amazon.

For more details, check out, "Road map to the best last-minute GPS deals."

Some other resources to help you:

• A closer look at the Navigon 5100 GPS
• ConsumerReports' latest Ratings of GPS units
• GPS info on ConsumerReports' Cars blog
• GPS info on ConsumerReports' Electronics blog

For buying advice, check out "How to buy the right GPS navigation device for the holidays." Or if you have Macromedia Flash software installed, you can watch our free online video in the player below. Just click on the "play" (arrow) button to start. (If you don't see the player embedded in this post, click here to watch our video.)

—Paul Eng

GPS: The deals on Cyber Monday, and beyond

If you missed the Black Friday deals on portable GPS navigation systems, there's still some hope—online. If you're still shopping for one of the hottest gadgets for this holiday season, our automotive colleagues at Consumer Reports have uncovered the latest Black Friday-like bargains that can still be found on the Web. Check out their latest post, Cyber Monday deals on GPS navigation systems, on the Consumer Reports Cars blog.

And for more advice on GPS and portable navigations systems:

• How to choose portable GPS navigation systems
• Video: How to buy a portable GPS device
• Product close-up: Magellan Maestro 4050
• Latest GPS units unveiled
• Consumer Reports Ratings of GPS units (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers)
• Beware of GPS thieves breaking into your car

—Paul Eng

GPS: The best deals on Black Friday

Black Friday may hold many surprises for eager bargain-hunters this year. We've previously covered some of these anticipated "door busters"—the outrageous deals in consumer electronics that retailers hope will woo you to come and shop at ungodly hours on the day after Thanksgiving.

Still, if you're looking for a GPS unit one of the hottest items this holiday season), our colleagues who cover Cars for Consumer Reports have brought together all their latest information on GPS units and scoured circulars for the best sales prices on standout devices. Check out their post on Best GPS deals for Black Friday.

Of course, if you're looking for more Black Friday and other gift-buying-related info, check out:

• Hot HDTV deals
• The latest deals in Electronics
• Consumer Reports: 201 Best Gifts for the Holidays
• Consumer Reports' Shopping Blog

And our Electronics Blog will have the latest news, deals, and tips throughout the 2007 holiday season. So, check back often. Better yet, subscribe using our blog's free RSS feed and you never miss a thing! (For more information about RSS, see this link to Mozilla and Firefox or this Google search on "What is RSS?")

—Paul Eng

Wal-Mart Black Friday Ads Lack Last Year’s Fireworks

After weeks of speculation, Wal-Mart unveiled its Black Friday ad early this morning, and while it isn’t short on great buys—including, for example, a sub-$800 42-inch 1080p LCD and a sub-$1,400 50-inch 720p plasma—it seemed to lack the punch of last year’s promotion, which triggered severe price drops on a highly rated Panasonic 42-inch plasma HDTV.

This year, TV promotions are centered largely on models from Polaroid, a secondary brand whose models haven’t done particularly well in CR’s HDTV Ratings. For example, as part of a Friday-only, 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. doorbuster sale, Wal-Mart is offering a 42-inch 1080p Polaroid LCD TV for $798, while a 32-inch 720p Polaroid LCD TV is priced at $448. Other TV deals good only during that time include a $448 26-inch Polaroid LCD TV/DVD combo, and a $198 Emerson LCD TV.

For those looking a set from a major brand, Wal-Mart has a 50-inch Philips 720p plasma for $1,397, a $1,196 46-inch 720p LCD model from RCA, a 37-inch Sanyo LCD TV for $847, and a 32-inch Samsung LCD set for $796. While we don’t know the specific models, Samsung has consistently been one of the top-rated LCD brands, and Philips’ plasma models have typically been very good. LCD models from RCA and Sanyo haven’t done quite as well, although both have been solid performers that are often good values.

Other electronics sale items include:

• a $198 Panasonic DVD camcorder
• a $145 Magnavox DVD recorder
• a $30 Magnavox upconverting DVD player
• a $50 8-inch portable DVD player from an unspecified brand
• a $129 Garmin StreetPilot c330 portable GPS
• a $199 8.1-megapixel Nikon Coolpix S51 digital camera
• a $149 Polaroid 8-megapixel camera and 6-inch digital photo frame bundle
• a $50 8-inch digital photo frame from Venturer
• a $119 HP digital camera (5megapixel) and printer bundle
• a $398 Compaq Presario desktop PC with 1GB of memory and a 17-inch monitor
• and a choice of either a 15.4-inch AMD Turion-powered notebook PC or an Athlon-powered desktop PC with a 19-inch widescreen monitor—both from Dell—for $598.

In addition to these advertised specials, Wal-Mart says it will have “secret” in-store specials for both Friday and Saturday, which will be revealed on the walmart.com website on Thanksgiving day. The chain’s Black Friday specials are good only while supplies last, and a disclaimer mentions that brands could vary by store.

—James K. Willcox

Black Friday HDTV Deals from CompUSA, Staples

Black Friday ads leaked for computer chains CompUSA and Staples show that both stores will have a select number of TV deals available during special limited-hour in-store sales events.

CompUSA is running a two-day pre-Thanksgiving sale this Friday and Saturday (Nov. 16 and 17), during which you can get a 50-inch Zenith plasma HDTV (Z50PX2D) for $1,000 and a 19-inch Envision LCD monitor for $140.

The store will open on Thanksgiving for just three hours, from 9:00 p.m. until midnight, then reopen at 5 a.m. on Friday morning. Specials include the 37-inch Olevia 537H LCD TV for $600; this model did very well in our tests. Other electronics deals include a $500 Athlon-based HP notebook PC with 2GB of RAM, a 22-inch Envision widescreen LCD PC monitor for $150, a $45 7-inch digital photo frame, a $60 7-inch portable DVD player, and a $148 Magellan Maestro 3100 GPS.

On Black Friday, TV deals from CompUSA include a 47-inch 1080p LCD TV from LG Electronics for $1,500 after a $500 instant savings. While we haven’t tested this model, the LG 47LC7DF, another 47-inch LG 1080p TV did very well. A 26-inch LG LCD TV will cost $600 after $150 instant savings, and Sharp’s 46-inch 1080p LC-46D64U LCD set will cost $1,700 after $800 instant savings. Samsung TV deals include the 50-inch HP-T5044 plasma for $1,300—$100 less than at Best Buy's or Circuit City's Black Friday sales. We haven’t tested this particular model, but Samsung plasma TVs have consistently done very well in our tests. Samsung’s 46-inch LN-T4661F, CR’s top-rated 1080p LCD TV, will be $2,000.

You’ll have to be an early bird to get a deal at Staples’ sale, which runs from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Friday. If supplies last, you could walk away with an unspecified 42-inch LCD TV for $800, while a 32-inch model is $450. Both sets appear to be Envision models.

Other Staples deals include a $350 Intel-powered Compaq notebook computer with 1GB of RAM and a 17-inch Acer LCD monitor for $90.

—James K. Willcox

Beware of GPS thieves!

Portable satellite navigation units are becoming very popular items. ("GPS" is one of the most searched for terms on the Web and on ConsumerReports.org, where you'll find our latest test and Ratings of GPS units.)

They're also hot commodities with thieves. Search the online news media with Google using "GPS" and "car break-ins" and you'll see reports from a slew of local police departments. (You can also search for similar news reports using Yahoo, if you prefer.)

Here are some pointers for keeping your GPS and other in-car valuables safe:

• Hide valuables, or better yet, take your portable electronics with you—even if you're going to be away from your car for "only a few minutes." Leaving gadgets in plain sight is risky. It takes only seconds to break a car window, and "smash-and-grab" thieves aren't fazed by blaring car alarms.


• Conceal the mounting arms and any other accessories such as car chargers, headsets, or audio leads. Wandering thieves look for these tip-offs that your car may be harboring portable, battery-operated and pricey gadgets.


• Wipe off the suction cup marks from your windows. Professional, "street-savvy" thieves know these circular marks are indicative of mounting arms and may break in to your car anyway—just in case you hid your GPS unit rather than bother to take it with you.


• Report any suspicious persons lurking near cars. Parking lot attendants, mall security, and the police need to be aware if there are potential thieves working the area.

If you have recently lost a portable GPS unit, I offer my condolences; I have friends and family members that can be counted among the victims of GPS thievery. And try to look at the bright side, if you want to make the best of a bad situation. As we've reported previously, new GPS units offer much more powerful features than older units—and often at lower prices. So if you're shopping for a "replacement" unit, chances are you'll find a good deal. Check our coverage of GPS units on ConsumerReports.org for additional help.

If you've been a victim of a car break-in, feel free to share your story and tips here. You might save others from the experience of losing their valuables.

—Paul Eng

Nov. 20, 2007 Update: A few more tips I came across that are good to keep in mind—especially as folks are beginning their holiday shopping:

• Keep a record your GPS unit's serial number and/or electronic ID along with your original sales receipt—the items you need when you send in the warranty card to the manufacturer anyway. (And you DO send in those warranty cards, right?)
  
  This might not actually prevent your unit from being stolen. But if it is, having that information will help the police in their investigation—and help you reclaim the unit if it's ever recovered.
  
  Also, you can use that information to alert the manufacturer that your unit was stolen. So if your "lost" GPS unit ever "calls home" (say, to get updates for its firmware or maps) the manufacturer might be able to track it down. Or, at the very least, deny the update to the GPS unit so it becomes less useful.

One final tip:

• If your GPS unit features a PIN code system or other electronic anti-theft system, use it. This won't prevent theft, but at least you'll have some satisfaction in knowing that who ever took it has nothing but an expensive electronic paperweight.

Thanks for all your comments. Keep them coming and have a happy—and safe!—holiday season.

—Paul Eng

GPS: Navigation and much more

The good news for consumers: Small, portable satellite-based guidance units are getting much more capable. Our most-recent tests and Ratings of GPS units show that many will do more than just guide you from point A to point B. For example, the Magellan Maestro 4050 (Click on image at right to see a close-up.) responds to a driver's spoken commands. Watch our video (Adobe Flash required) to see the Maestro in action.

Our colleagues who cover Cars for Consumer Reports have discovered at the recent SEMA trade show even more snazzy GPS units that are either already in stores or coming soon. Some examples:

• The Panasonic Strada CN-GP50U, which features a built-in, 2-megapixel digital camera.


• The TomTom 920, which can call for emergency help, just like the OnStar service on GM cars.


• The Garmin Nuvi 700 series, which remembers where you parked your car.

As these and other GPS units hit the store shelves at even cheaper prices than last year's models, portable navigation devices could become hot ticket items for this year's holiday shoppers.

—Paul Eng

Plasma TVs on Black Friday: How Low Can You Go?

A sneak preview of the Black Friday circulars from the largest electronics retailers shows that plasma TVs will once again be at the center of promotional activity this Thanksgiving weekend. And you won’t have to settle for a little-known off-brand to get a great deal: Leading the Black Friday charge are sub-$1,000 42-inch plasmas from Panasonic, consistently one of our top-rated brands.

Best Buy, for example, is offering Panasonic’s TH-42PE7U model at a doorbuster special price of only $900. We couldn’t find that model number within Panasonic’s model listings (apparently it’s a Black Friday special made especially for Best Buy), but Panasonic plasma TVs in our Ratings have been top-notch. If you venture to Circuit City for its six-hour special, you’ll see the TH-42PX75U—the smaller sibling of a CR Best Buy model—for $1,000.

If you want to buy either of these plasma sets, plan to be among the first in line when the stores open at 5:00 a.m. on Friday. Best Buy says it will have at least 15 sets per store, while Circuit only states that quantities are limited. Neither chain will offer rainchecks or substitutions on promotional items like these.

You won’t be disappointed if you’re looking for a bigger screen. At both Circuit City and Best Buy, the 50-inch Samsung HPT5044 plasma set will be $1,400, while a 50-inch Zenith (Z50P3) will be only $1,000. We haven’t tested this particular Samsung, but its plasma TVs have consistently done very well in our tests. We haven’t tested any Zenith plasmas.

LCD sets will be well-represented in the stores as well. Among the sale items you’ll find at Circuit City are the Sharp 46-inch LC-46D64U, a 720p set, for $1,300 and the 52-inch LC-52D64U with 1080p resolution for $2,200. (All TVs mentioned in this blog are 720p unless specified as 1080p.) Several LCD sets from Sharp, one of the biggest names in LCDs, have done very well in our recent Ratings, though others—especially older sets—have been middling.

[11.15.07 Update: As pointed out in the comments below, the Sharp LC-46D64U is a 1080p set.-Ed.]

Here are some additional HDTV deals at Circuit City for Black Friday:
• a 42-inch Sharp LCD (LC-42D43U, Sharp’s budget line) for $800
• a 32-inch Sharp LCD HDTV (LC-32SH12U) for $600
• a 40-inch Polaroid LCD (PLD 4011-TLXB) $700 (Polaroid has been a lower-rated brand in our tests)
• a 32-inch Element LCD TV, $400
• a 50-inch Samsung SlimDLP rear-projection HDTV (HL-T5075S), $800 (Samsung has been one of the better-rated rear-projection TV brands)
• a 65-inch Toshiba rear-projection DLP set for $1,500 (Toshiba has been a top-rated rear-projection brand in our tests)

In other deals, Circuit City will be offering a Samsung Blu-ray player (BDP-1400) for $378, a $180 JVC MiniDV camcorder, a $100 Mio portable GPS, and $300 Compaq Pentium notebook PC with 1GB of RAM and a free printer and router, and $230 Acer Pentium D desktop PC with a 17-inch LCD.

Here are some additional Black Friday HDTV deals being offered at Best Buy:

• a 47-inch Westinghouse 1080p LCD (TX-47F430S) for $1,300 (a CR-tested model, this one has very good overall picture quality)
• a 42-inch HP 1080p LCD (LC4276N) for $997 (a low-rated CR model)
• a 37-inch Dynex LCD for $630
• a 32-inch Philips LCD (32PFL5332D) for $600
• a 26-inch Magnavox LCD TV/DVD combo $480
• a 65-inch Mitsubishi 1080p DLP rear-projection HDTV (WD-65733) for $1,500 (we recently tested a step-up model, the WD-65734, which did very well).

Other electronics deals include:
• a $200 Toshiba HD-A3 HD DVD player (with 7 free movies)
• a $400 Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-ray player (with 7 free movies)
• a $150 Panasonic MiniDV camcorder (PV-GS80)
• a $400 Sony notebook computer with a 15.3-inch screen, 1GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive
• a $200 eMachines Celeron desktop PC with a 17-inch monitor, 1GB of RAM and a free a Canon all-in-one color printer
• a $400 Compaq Pentium desktop computer with a 17-inch widescreen monitor and Canon all-in-one color printer
• a $120 TomTom One LE GPS
• a $75 Samsung 1080p upconverting DVD player
• a $99 500-watt 5.1-channel Sony receiver
• a $200 300-watt Harmon Kardon 5.1-channel 1080p receiver

As always, we’ll continue looking out for the best deals on our best-rated HDTVs.

—James K. Willcox

Digital photo frames, portable GPS join TVs as Black Friday doorbusters

TV deals on Black Friday generally garner the most attention, but the latest Black Friday ads on sites such as www.gottadeal.com and www.theblackfriday.com show that digital photo frames and handheld GPS devices are also being singled out for star treatment.

The best deals we’ve seen—so-called “doorbuster specials”—generally occur in the early-morning hours (typically starting at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m.) and last for several hours. The sale items are generally offered in limited quantities, which could be as few as 10 per store. Make sure you read the fine print in the ads to see if there’s a chance you can actually get one of these deals, especially if you’re not one of the apparently large number of people willing to camp out overnight to ensure a good place in line.

That said, here are some of the latest Black Friday leaks we’ve seen. It’s quite possible that these and other stores will add more late-breaking deals and web-only specials as we get closer to the Black Friday period.

Target
Target is closed on Thanksgiving, but it’s holding a two-day sale starting bright and early Friday morning and continuing on Saturday. Among the deals being offered: a 37-inch Olevia LCD TV (237T) for $549, a 22-inch Westinghouse flat-panel LCD computer monitor (LCM22W3) for $167, and a 19-inch TruTech widescreen LCD TV (PLV31199S1) with a built-in DVD player and PC inputs for $199.

Other deals include an Audiovox kitchen LCD TV with integrated DVD player for $199, an Audiovox portable DVD player with a 10-inch flip-down screen for $84, Magellan’s Maestro 3100 auto GPS system for $149, and a Magnavox 5-disc DVD home theater system with USB for $79. Also on sale is a TruTech 7-inch digital photo frame for $49, a Polaroid video camcorder for $69, and Kodak’s 8-megapixel MD853 digital camera for $89.

The store opens at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Kmart
Kmart’s Black Friday deals actually kick off on Thanksgiving Day. The store will be offering a 32-inch Olevia LCD TV (no model number specified) for $420, a 20-inch Sylvania LCD TV for $135, and a 20-inch Sylvania combination LCD TV/DVD/VCR for $250. Kmart is also advertising a 27-inch RCA TV model for $230, which appears to be a standard-def CRT model. Another blast from the past is a JVC VHS-C camcorder for $120.

Other items of note: Magellan’s Maestro 3100 GPS for $130 ($19 less than at Target), a $40 Nextar digital photo frame, an 8-megapixel Polaroid digital camera (A801) for $80, and Microsoft’s Zune MP3 players for $150 (4GB model and $200 (8GB model). The Zune players come with a $20 Kmart gift card.

The store’s hours on Thanksgiving are 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Some specials are available only on Thursday.

H.H. Gregg
Befitting its status as a consumer electronics dealer, H.H. Gregg’s Black Friday circular is chock-full of CE specials. We counted 14 TV deals, including some on major brands such as Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba. Most ads don’t specify model numbers. Among the Friday-only specials: a Hitachi 50-inch plasma for $1,000 and a $600 37-inch 720p LCD set from an unspecified brand. There will be a total of 500 company-wide of each sale item, and prices are good only while supplies last (no rain checks).

The chain is closed on Thanksgiving but kicks off Friday morning with a 5:00 a.m. opening. Advertised doorbuster specials include a 19-inch LCD TV for $189, a $45 7-inch digital photo frame, a Jensen portable GPS for $100, a $10 progressive-scan DVD player from GPX, and a $150 DVD camcorder from Samsung. There will be limited quantities of each per store.

Less dramatic savings will be offered on major-brand TVs. For example, a 37-inch Sony Bravia will be priced at $800, while different 46-inch Sony Bravia 1080p LCDs will carry price tags of $1,040 and $1,600. Toshiba is well represented in the circular, with a 52-inch 1080p Regza LCD priced at $2,200, a 42-inch 1080p Regza for $1,250, and a pair of 32-inch Regza models, with different features, for $700 and $800. A 50-inch 720p Toshiba DLP rear-projection HDTV will sell for $900.

Other notable TV deals include:
• 42-inch JVC 720p LCD for $900
• 47-inch 1080p JVC for $1,500
• 52-inch 1080p Mitsubishi LCD TV for $2,400
• 65-inch 1080p Mitsubishi rear-projection DLP for $1,700
• 73-inch 1080p Mitsubishi rear-projection DLP for $2,500
• 50-inch 720p Panasonic plasma for $1,400
• 50-inch 1080p Samsung plasma for $2,400
• 58-inch 1080p Samsung plasma for $3,360
• and a 52-inch Sharp Aquos with 120Hz technology for $2,800.

Several other retailers have announced Black Friday specials. Costco, for example, will have a 26-inch Magnavox LCD/DVD HDTV combo for $500 and a 42-inch Magnavox 1080p LCD HDTV for $1,000. The store is also lopping $300 off the price of Sharp’s 46-inch 1080p Aquos LCD HDTV. OfficeMax will have a dual-core Acer Aspire PC—with 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and a 20-inch widescreen LCD monitor—for $600. Also on tap are an $80 8.5-inch digital photo frame from Mustek, an $80 6.2-megapixel Kodak digital camera (C613), a $100 7.2-megapixel Sony Cyber-Shot digital camera with a free printer, and a $100 Mio DigiWalker C220 GPS. The chain will have a 24-inch Soyo widescreen LCD monitor for $250. Even auto supply chain Pep Boys is getting into the act, with a $40 7-inch digital photo frame, Mio’s DigiWalker portable GPS for $80, and the TomTom One GPS for $140.

We’ll keep you updated on more Black Friday deals as they’re announced.

—James K. Willcox

Hot car gadgets

Our Consumer Reports colleagues who cover Cars have been attending the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas these past few days. From the miles and miles of displays of aftermarket automotive gear, they've reported on many things, including:

• The Mio DigiWalker C720T—a portable GPS with a built-in 2-megapixel digital camera. (The C720T, click on the image at right, arrived too late to be included in our most recent test and Ratings of portable GPS units on ConsumerReports.org.)


• A $600 add-on "safety system" that warns drivers when they're about to rear-end someone—say, from driving while being distracted by all the gadgets in their cars.


• Slacker Radio—a portable device that is a cross between terrestrial radio, satellite radio, and an MP3 player.

So, check out the Consumer Reports Cars blog. It's not just for car fanatics and automotive "gear heads."

—Paul Eng

Digital cameras and Death Valley

PMA07, one of the biggest trade shows for the digital camera and imaging industry, ended recently. And Consumer Reports' Tech Editor, Jeff Fox, blogged daily from the show floor in Las Vegas to keep us up-to-date with developments and news of new cameras. (You can find his — and our all our PMA show-related posts — by clicking on this link.)

But for a different take on what happened at PMA (and in nearby Death Valley), Helen Popkin and I are joined in this 20-minute podcast by Senior Project Leader Kerry Allen and his team. Kerry, Artur Pietruch and Maria Grimaldi are the Consumer Reports technicians who test all of the digital cameras that we buy and report on for the magazine and Web site. But more than just "lab rats," they're also pro photographers who really know how to put a camera through its paces — in real world situations. (More on that below.)

You can listen to the podcast while you're reading this blog, or you can download the 9.6-megabyte file (ElecPod-0704.mp3) to your computer and/or MP3 player by right-clicking on this link.

In the first half of this podcast, Kerry and Artur reflect on some of the big news from PMA. Most notable were the Olympus 18X "super zoom" camera and those that had "facial recognition" features. But we also discuss how cameras (including digital SLRs) are becoming more "idiot-proof," smaller and more "stylish."

In the second half of the show (at just about 10-minutes into the podcast), we get to what Kerry calls "the highlight" of their trip out to Las Vegas — an excursion out to nearby Death Valley. Their purpose: To test digital cameras with a new feature — GPS, or Global Positioning System. 

As we mentioned in our last podcast, these cameras can capture images as well as actual map coordinates from space-based GPS satellites, typically used for navigation. Maria and Artur explain in this segment of the podcast how such location data can be used with Web sites such as Google Earth. You can see screen shots of what Maria was talking about during the podcast below:

 

(Click on each image for a more detailed look.)

As you can see, this kind of capability would be really handy if you want to share your pictures with others, so they can see — and be envious of — where you've been on vacation. Or as Artur and Helen mentioned, it's also a good high-tech way to help you remember where exactly you were for that once-in-a-lifetime moment.

But how well did they work? Kerry gave us some hints in the podcast, but a full report on these cameras will be in Consumer Reports magazine and on the Web site soon.

In the meantime, Kerry, Artur, and Maria were more than happy to close the podcast by sharing with us some of the pictures they took during their 10 hours in Death Valley. We've posted thumbnails of some of them here. To see them in all their glory, click on them for the full-size version. (BUT be warned: Each image is at least 2.5-megabytes in size, so you'll need a fast Net connection.)

The image on the right (a 2.7-megabyte file) is one of the four photos that were taken using a camera with GPS. By clicking on the first thumbnail image on the left above, you can see that this hollow shell of a building is located about 5-kilometers west of the junction of Nevada's state route 374 and U.S. Interstate 95.

In the full-size version, you'll see photo details the erosion of the building's bricks even though there's not a lot of light. Speaking of which, how about that sky as a backdrop, huh? Marvelous!

I love this image that Kerry took on the left. Take note of the subtle shades of colors of the sand dunes in the foreground. And that black "blotch" on the right? If you download the larger version (Warning: It's an 8.5+ megabyte file!), you'll see that it's a bird.

Kerry says that bird was the only living thing (aside from his fellow humans from the tour bus) he saw out there. (Umm, hence the name "Death Valley," Kerry?)

On the right is another great photo captured by our crew while out desert trekking. I'm not sure how that railroad caboose car on the right got to where it was in the middle of the Death Valley desert. (And there are no obvious train tracks around.) But its faded red color is a nice visual contrast to the bleak scrub brush around it.

If you download the full version (4.2 MB), you'll see the photo has good depth of field, meaning there's good range of focus. You can read the lettering on the caboose (and almost the sign near its door) as well as the sign on the foreground.

Our last photo shows just how impressive a digital SLR camera can be in the right hands. Open up the larger, nearly 8.5-megabyte version of the image on the left and you'll see there's a good amount of detail captured, despite the lack of light from a setting desert sun.

And as we mentioned in the podcast, this image was printed out on a 13- by 19-inch sheet of photo paper that just looked absolutely stunning to me and Helen.

If you're interested in knowing more about these photos — how they were composed, what settings to use, what resolution, etc. — drop us note using the "Comment" link below. Or, you can check out our  Web site for photography tips for winter and summer settings. (Please note, the summer photography guide is available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers only.)

We hope you enjoyed the podcast. As always, if there's a topic you'd like to hear our experts discuss, of if you have suggestions or questions, leave us a note below or send us an e-mail: podcaster "at" cro.consumer.org.

If you want to find and listen to all our previous podcasts on Electronics, click on this link.

— Paul Eng

A peek at PMA: Digital cameras and much more

The PMA 2007 International Convention and Trade Show is a haven for all things related to digital cameras, photography and imaging. In this edition of our podcast, Consumer Reports experts talk about the news and new developments they hope to see at -- and blog about from -- the trade show, held in Las Vegas during March 8 to 11.

After a 90-second intro with my guest co-host, Helen Popkin, Web Associate Editor for the Home & garden section of ConsumerReports.org, we get right into the heart of the discussion.

Kerry Allen, our Senior Project Leader for digital camera testing, and Jeff Fox, our Tech Editor, provide entertaining insights into what's happening in digital cameras, imaging, and the photo industry. Some of the topics discussed:

1. Megapixel sensors and how much resolution do you really need in a digital camera?
2. Smaller cameras with much more powerful lenses -- both wide-angle and zoom-in (or telephoto) capabilities. One new camera even sports the digital equivalent of a 28- to 504-mm film lens. For non-camera buffs, "504-mm" is a powerful telephoto lens used by sports photographers!
3. New cameras being tested by Kerry and "his crew" with GPS satellite location based technology.
4. In-camera processing: Built-in software that removes red-eye, spot faces in a crowd, or even make people look slimmer!
5. Our (non-existent) "dream" product: a scanner that would automatically convert all our old snapshots into digital images.

Click this link to listen to a streaming version of the podcast right now. Or download it by right-clicking this link, choose "Save Target as" and download the file (ElectPod-0703.mp3) to your computer's desktop or to your MP3 player.

Then, as we mentioned at the end of the podcast, feel free to send us e-mail (podcaster "at" cro.consumer.org) or post your comments about our podcast here on our blog.

And check back here daily where you'll find blog posts from Jeff, Kerry and others while they're attending PMA. Better yet, subscribe to our blog so you never miss a single post or podcast! (More info on the right!)

If you want to find and listen to all our previous podcasts, click on this link. 

— Paul Eng, Web Senior Editor