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Audi's latest hybrid concept car takes the TT family offroad, with 408HP under the hood
Audi's latest prototype packing an E-Tron hybrid drivetrain is this TT Offroad Concept that takes the TT family beyond the coupes and convertibles we're familiar with. Going on display at the Beijing Motor Show, it combines two electric motors (one on each axle) with a 292HP turbocharged combustion engine to produce up to 408 horsepower total. The concept is even quipped with wireless charging tech, making the "plug-in" hybrid possible to charge simply by parking in the right spot. As a result, despite having all that power available, Audi claims it can average up to 123.8 MPG. As Autoblog points out, it shares a number of characteristics with the Allroad Shooting Brake concept Audi showed off at the Detroit Auto Show a few months ago. According to Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development, "it shows how we might imagine a new model in the future TT family." So tell us, are you lusting after yet another E-Tron concept, or hoping Audi goes back to the drawing board on this crossover?
Hands-on with Audi's all-digital dash for the 2015 TT and likely home for its Smart Display tablet
Audi's TT, considered by the German maker as its design icon, gets revamped for 2015 and its dash and all-digital cluster made a break from cover at CES. What's immediately apparent when you hop into the curvy leather-wrapped interior setup at the booth is that the traditional center stack is completely absent. All the information that was once viewable by the entire cabin now seems reserved for the driver alone. It's decidedly odd that the front passenger no longer has access to the display so we'd suggest that the mysterious Audi 10.2-inch Smart Display we saw earlier this week will feature prominently in the next TT, possibly as standard equipment. The entire system is simple to use with the 12.3-inch TFT displaying bright colors and easy-to-read fonts. The display features two main modes, including a driving-centric mode where the tach and speedometer are in the foreground; when in navigation mode, they move out to the edges of the screen to offer as much real estate to the maps as possible. The digital dash navigation is done via either steering wheel-mounted controls or the redesigned rotary push-button control mounted on the center tunnel console. A really swish feature of the jog dial sees the top surface of the control act as a touch surface for entering text by scribbling with a finger when required. Now we just need to see the car to wrap around this interior and we'll be all set, but until then, have a look of the video of the next TT's infotainment equipment in action.
Thermaltake Level 10 GT case polishes up a classic, available now for $280
The Thermaltake Level 10, arguably the sweetest-looking enclosure to ever hit the mass market, has managed to find a chassis worthy of being called its successor in the shape of the behemoth you see standing before you, the Level 10 GT. It softens the aggressively modular aesthetic of the original, but in exchange delivers a more performance-focused design, replete with three 200mm fans, air filters everywhere you look, a neat little window so you can peek inside your full-sized tower of doom, and enough space to fit the very largest of modern graphics cards. Thermaltake is asking for $280 on its online store and you can order one up today. Video awaits after the break, though we wouldn't skip out on the Flickr gallery below, either.
VAIO TT disappears from Sony's US site (update: gone for good)
We've always loved the super-expensive VAIO TT with a passion, but apparently the netbook onslaught was just too much for the well-reviewed 11.1-inch machine to take: it's gone from Sony's US website, and we're guessing that it's not going to return. That's too bad, since we've always felt the TT was one of the more beautiful laptops ever made, and while we could never justify its fully kitted-out $4,450 price tag, we always had one on our want list. Hopefully Sony has some grander plans for this size point than the sadly-generic VAIO W -- in the meantime, light a candle and check our unboxing and hands-on gallery below. Update: We just heard back from Sony -- yep, the VAIO TT is gone, and it's not coming back. Shed a tear, will ya? %Gallery-34090%
Sony's VAIO TT gets high marks in full review, still painfully pricey
We already detailed the basics of Sony's VAIO TT -- you know, the outfit's slap in the face to the netbook arena -- earlier this month, but the crew over at CNET had a chance to benchmark the unit and toss out some quantifiable talking points. Overall, critics found it just as appealing as we did, but they couldn't help but point out just how debilitating the insane price tag is. Of note, they weren't particularly wowed with the sheer performance, but the magnificent battery life (nearly 4-hours in a video playback drain test) and the speedy SSDs were gushed all over. At the end of the day, this thing is still too expensive for the majority of laptop buyers, but those not alarmed by the $2,000+ sticker should hit the read link for a look at the full writeup alongside a few benchmarks.
Sony's Vaio TT gets dissected, found to contain small components
Of course it had to happen sooner or later, but we're a little taken aback that someone at Sony had the temerity to slice open a newborn Vaio TT and put it on display -- in a booth at CEATEC, no less -- for the whole world to see. Righteous indignation aside, the thing is pretty impressive, especially considering that without the Blu-ray drive it would only be about half the size. We have one more pic for you after the break, and be sure to check out our look inside the Z series while you're at it.[Via Sony Insider]
Sony reveals limited edition 007 VAIO TT, USB Micro Vault and Reader Digital Book
In a move to pump up the impending theater debut of Quantum of Solace, Sony is simultaneously opening up a new promotional game and introducing a few new pieces of limited edition gear. Obviously, we're a touch more concerned with the kit than the game, so we'll skip over those details and head right to the meat of it. The outfit will be offering up 100 limited run VAIO TT laptops that are emblazoned with a 007 logo on the palm rest and a matching leather protection case. Additionally, a Special Edition Bond bundle for the Reader Digital Book will feature an embossed cover with a 007 logo and coupon codes for free downloads of Ian Fleming's novels Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Lastly, we've got the 007 USB Micro Vault in 8GB and 16GB flavors, both of which come pre-loaded with the Quantum of Solace trailer and other miscellaneous "bonus content." Wild guesses as to price / release dates are being accepted now.
Sony's 11-inch VAIO TT: world's lightest Blu-ray laptop
It took a few days hours longer than expected, but Sony's VAIO TT is here. And it's sexy. This 11.1-inch beauty features a sub-1-inch thick, 2.87-pound chassis made from carbon-fiber, and Sony claims it's the lightest notebook on the planet to pack Blu-ray capabilities. Arriving in a variety of configurations, the VAIO TT is available with an XBRITE-DuraView LCD, Intel's Centrino 2 technology, an HDMI output, dual channel 256GB (128GB x 2) SSD setup with RAID, Sprint WWAN (EV-DO Rev. A) and Windows Vista running the show. The Fall-bound TT -- which will arrive in premium carbon black, silk black, champagne gold and crimson red outfits -- will start at around two large, with the Blu-ray model going for $2,700 and the SSD edition demanding $2,750. There's no direct mention of a battery life figure, which scares us just a tad, but you can dig into the full release just after the break. %Gallery-32418%
VAIO TT specs leak out
Well, the VAIO TT didn't make its rumored appearance today, but specs for the TZ replacement showed up on Sony's VAIO Adviser tool, and things are looking good -- particularly the top-of-the-line VGN-TT190UBX, which sports a 1.4GHz SU9400 Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM, Blu-ray burner, HDMI out and 128GBx2 RAID SSD storage in a 2.87-pound package. Yeah, we'll take three. The other configs aren't quite as smoking hot, but you're looking at 11.1-inch screens, 160GB hard drives, 1.2GHz SU9300 Core 2 Duo processors, and Vista Home Premium all the way around. Too bad we don't have prices, pictures, or release dates yet, but we're guessing we'll find out lots more soon.
Sony VAIO TT to be announced Monday?
Sony's recent netbook angst doesn't seem to be slowing the spate of VAIO updates we've been seeing lately -- word on the street is that a new VAIO TT will replace the super-hot VAIO TZ on Monday. There's not much to go on other than some FCC docs which confirm WiFi, Bluetooth and an EV-DO option, but expect the same 11.1-inch screen as the TZ. Now the real question -- does anyone want Monday to actually get here? Read - Sony Insider post Read - FCC docs [PDF]
How to make ToonTown work with your router
Are you or your children getting the above message when trying to play ToonTown Online? When I first started playing, I was unable to play for more than 10 minutes at a time. Whenever I zoned, I only had about a 30% chance for actually staying in the game. I submitted many bug reports, but the responses from TT customer service, while prompt, were completely unhelpful: Update my video driver Update my router firmware Update my network card driver Don't use wireless Delete a possibly corrupted file The first three "solutions" are of course good things to do. Your drivers should always be up to date for optimum performance, but they didn't solve my problem. Fortunately, Knuckles Fiddlefinger, an employee of the Nerd Herd Geek Squad, posted the solution on the ToonTown Central Forums. The problem is how ToonTown handles routers. So even if you are running WoW or City of Heroes or even Disney's own Pirates of the Carribean Online just fine, you still need to setup your router to handle ToonTown Online. Instructions on how are after the jump.
Lego reveals more Batman info
Lego has revealed a couple more details about Traveler's Tales (Lego Star Wars) upcoming take on the Dark Knight. Even though the game is not expected to launch until fall of 2008, Lego says that gamers will be able to play as either Batman or Robin roaming the streets of Gotham City. Players will also take control of villains and have co-op modes. The game will also feature "all the characters" from the Lego Batman set.We hope the game has the same charm which made the Lego Star Wars series a sleeper hit. For all we know, TT games may very well announce some more entries into the Lego brand video game series.When the cow's giving good milk, you gotta milk it.
