Filed under: Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota

The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show is going to have to make do without another automaker, as Volvo has decided to save money by skipping the exhibition. Volvo’s move comes after all three Detroit automakers decided to skip the event, which is held every other year. Volvo, like the Detroit automakers, doesn’t have a major presence in the land of the rising sun, making the decision not to head for Tokyo easier. With the precipitous state of the global economy, the prospect of saving money doesn’t suck, either. Floor space, displays, plus travel and accommodations for employees can cost quite a bit. GM spent $2 million at Tokyo in 2007, and though Volvo’s display wouldn’t cost that much, the tab for Tokyo time would still be steep.

No Japanese automakers have dropped out yet, but the lack of foreign automaker involvement could mean postponement until 2011. Automotive News is reporting that Tokyo Motor Show officials will make a decision on what to do by early next month.

[Source: Automotive News subs req'd]

Volvo joins Detroit 3, skips out of Tokyo Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well tell ya, these cats at XCM really know how to craft some irresistible gear. After making us wait seven painstaking months for a new gadget to drool over, the creators of the Mega-Cool component-to-VGA converter have announced that the Dominator Joystick for PlayStation 3 is all set to ship next week. The highly programmable arcade-style stick includes a Combo Attacker and Rapid Fire mode for borderline cheating, and the four memory buttons enable macros to be stored and kept at arm’s reach. Of course, a gaming joystick wouldn’t be a gaming joystick without a superabundance of blue LEDs, so you’ll certainly find those there as well. You can toss in your pre-order now if you’d like, but make sure you’ve got $89.99 free and clear before doing so.

[Via Slashgear]

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

XCM Dominator joystick for PlayStation 3 ships next week for $89.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Auction Action

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 1966 Batmobile Re-Creation

Perhaps the best-known vehicle ever to come out of the fertile mind of George Barris, otherwise known as the King of the Kustomizers, was the Batmobile, as seen on television screens around the country in the late ’60s. This is not the original Batmobile, which was based on Lincoln concept car called the Futura, but it’s as close as you’re ever likely to see. Plus, it’s been signed by nearly the entire cast of characters from the original Batman series, including the caped crusader himself, Adam West. The car was driven on stage carrying Yvonne Craig, the actress who played Batgirl on TV, and she promised to take the winning bidder to dinner. Everything works, including the rear-mounted parachutes, flashing lights, Bat Phone and Bat Scanner (well, maybe not those last two). Value? Priceless… or exactly $165,000.00, depending on who you ask. See the official Barrett-Jackson description after the break.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Barrett-Jackson 2009: 1966 Batmobile Re-Creation

Barrett-Jackson 2009: 1966 Batmobile Re-Creation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Action, Screenshots

Man has it even been cold here in the Southeast and Northeast this week. What global warming? That’s what we say. Perhaps the characters of Mafia II feel the same way if you look at a couple of new screenshots released this week from the upcoming title.

Both of the new shots take a look at the game’s version of 1950s New York City in the midst of the winter season. While there’s no shooting or any other kind of pain involved in the shots, we figure all the crime stuff from the 2K Czech-developed title is happening off camera. Look for Mafia II to be released late in 2009.

New Mafia II screenshots are in touch with the season originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Auction Action, Ford

Click above for a high-res gallery of Ford Mustangs from the 2009 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction

There has always been a plethora of pony cars at Barrett-Jackson, and this year is no different. Buyers have a choice between just about any classic Mustang they could ever want: Mach 1, Boss 302, Boss 429, GT500, and more. There is even a 1967 Shelby GT500 “Eleanor” used in the movie Gone in 60 Seconds. A few modern Stangs are up for auction as well including the 2009 FR500CJ Cobra Jet prototype and, of course, the very first retail 2010 Shelby GT500. A few Mustangs have already brought pretty good money, including a 1970 Boss 302 that went for $137,500 and a 1969 Boss 302 that sold for $106,700. We expect many of the Mustangs to go for quite a bit more this evening, so check back for updates and more photos.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Barrett-Jackson 2009: The Mustangs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Culture

The annual Child’s Play charity fund is known for accumulating outlandish quantities of money from the gaming community — this year was no exception. Button-mashing altruists not only met the charity’s lofty $750,000 goal, they nearly doubled it, bringing in a total of $1,434,377. For those keeping track, that’s enough to buy over 10,000 DS Lites, about 6,500 Core 360s, or like, two or three PS3s. (We keed!)

While there is certainly cause for celebration considering that generous gamers surpassed last year’s impressive $1.3 million haul (and in the middle of a recession, no less), there’s no time for laurel-resting. Child’s Play, the 1988 cinematic masterpiece, garnered $33 million in gross revenue. Let’s see you beat that one, you magnanimous so-and-sos.

Child’s Play charity brings in a whopping $1.4 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Auction Action, GMC

Click above for a high-res gallery of the very last GMC Typhoon

Back in the early ’90s, General Motors proved that it was capable of producing a vehicle that was fully competitive with the best supercars in the world, and it did so, oddly enough, with a compact pickup truck called the Syclone. Later, a midsize SUV bodyshell was used with the same powertrain, namely, a turbocharged and intercooled 4.3L V6 engine that sent power to all four wheels through an automatic transmission. Today at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ, the General brought out the very last Typhoon ever produced in 1993, and it was joined by a 1991 GMC Syclone that was used as a pace truck in the PPG Race Series. First up was the Syclone, which sold for way more than we would have guessed at $66,000 after auction fees. As tempted as we were to bid on the Typhoon, our collective pocketbooks shook in fear as the bidding incrementally crept skyward before passing $40,000 and finally selling for a grand total of $52,800. See the official Barrett-Jackson description for both vehicles after the break.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Barrett-Jackson 2009: Final 1993 GMC Typhoon

Barrett-Jackson 2009: Final 1993 GMC Typhoon originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Government/Legal, Recalls/TSBs, Safety, Lexus, Toyota

Toyota is recalling around 214,500 2006-2008 GS300/350, IS250/350 and LS460/460L sedans over potentially faulty fuel delivery pipes.

The Japanese automaker is working with NHTSA on the US recall, which centers around fuel pipes that can corrode, eventually resulting in a leak. The problem reportedly stems from certain ethanol fuels with low moisture content that can lead to rust, occasionally (but not always) triggering a dashboard indicator lamp indicating a system malfunction.

Affected GS, IS, and LS owners will be contacted about the recall via mail, and Lexus dealers will install replacement parts at no cost.

[Source: The Street; Image: Passionate Pursuit]

Lexus recalling 214,500 GS, IS, and LS models originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Deals and Bargains

Update: Buy.com is now sold out. Hopefully, you placed your order in time.

If you missed out on Buy.com’s last 12 month Xbox Live subscription sale, then wipe those tears and head over to Buy.com ASAP because they’re doing it again. For only $29.99, you can score a 12+1 month Xbox Live subscription card from Buy.com and also receive FREE shipping. There’s a limit of 5 subscription cards per order. Ahem … HURRY!

[Thanks, Faiz R.]

Hurry! 12 month Xbox Live card $30 from Buy.com [update] originally appeared on Xbox 360 Fanboy on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just days after its arrival on the market, Laptop Magazine’s had some in person time with the CTL 2go Convertible Classmate PC. They found the little convertible tablet — which has an 8.9-inch resistive touchscreen (with 1024 x 600 resolution) — to be a more grown up version of its predecessor, heavier than other, similarly-sized netbooks, and they love the overall aesthetics of it. It falls a little short in a few categories: they found the 60GB hard drive to be “sluggish” and the keyboard to be “cramped,” but overall, they’re pretty into the Classmate, even going so far as to suggest that adults might just be covetous of the netbook. Hit the read link to check out the full review which, incidentally, is written entirely in crayon. (Note: totally kidding. We write in crayon, though. Sometimes).

Filed under: Laptops

CTL 2go Convertible Classmate PC reviewed: good enough for big people, too! originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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