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- Nerf’s New Vortex Blasters Shoot Discs! And They’re Awesome!
- Fake Apple Store Is Now The “Smart” Store
- Review: The Audi A7, A Transformer In Disguise
| Nerf’s New Vortex Blasters Shoot Discs! And They’re Awesome! Posted: 13 Aug 2011 12:00 PM PDT  When I was growing up, one of my all-time favorite toys was my Nerf dart blaster. Every summer, the other neighborhood kids and I would take off on our bikes, blasters strapped to our backs, and have a full-on foam war. It's been a solid decade since I've raised my not-so-dangerous weapon, but the other night something magical happened. I got to go to Nerf's unveiling of its Vortex line of blasters, and realized that these things aren't just for kids. There are four new models in the Vortex line, and while they look pretty similar to older Nerf blasters, these sexy beasts have something totally new up their magazine sleeve: discs. Yep, little green discs fly out of these bad boys, and if you saw it happen, you totally wouldn't believe that it doesn't hurt to get hit. Vortex Nitron: This is the bad mamma-jamma of the Vortex family. It's the first fully automatic, clip-fed disc blaster in the Vortex line. It's removable clip can hold up to 20 discs at a time, and comes with an extra clip that attaches to the back of the gun for quick reloading. The Nitron shoots up to 50 feet, and is capable of rapid-fire shooting, although that really equals out to about a disc per second. Still impressive, but don't get the idea that this is some sort of Nerf machine gun. It requires six C batteries which are not included, and will retail for $39.99. Vortex Praxis: The Praxis is designed for long-range shooting, and should come in handy for anyone training to be a sniper. It comes with a removable shoulder stock, just in case your arms are a bit too short. Unlike the Nitron, the Praxis requires a good pump before each shot, and comes with a clip that carries up to ten discs at a time. The Praxis will go for $24.99. Vortex Vigilon: The Vigilon is Nerf's mid-sized blaster, and is just right for smaller kids. It holds up to five discs at a time, and comes with a rapid-reload built-in disc clip. When you press a little button on the sides the drop-down clip is released and with the discs, it's really easy to just grab five at a time and shove them in there. Pop it back into place and you're ready to go. The Vigilon will cost $15.99. Vortex Proton: Meet Nerf's baby blaster: the Proton. This little devil shoots one disc at a time and comes with three discs. It's super easy to reload, and is light enough for a little kid to run around with it all day without feeling weighed down. The Proton will go for the relatively low price of $9.99. All four of the new Vortex models will be available in retail stores throughout the nation on September, 10, as well as HasbroToyShop.com. Check out our hands-on gallery just past the break.
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| Fake Apple Store Is Now The “Smart” Store Posted: 13 Aug 2011 06:27 AM PDT  MICGadget has some action shots of the Kunming “Apple” store that raised so much Internet ire and mirth a few weeks ago. Although the insides are the same, you’ll notice one big difference: the apple is still there but the text has been replaced by a nail-salonesque sign dubbing the shop the “Smart Store.” They still sell Apple products, but now they’re smarter. As we’ll recall, the owner of the Kunming store used to be an authorized dealer until he began to react to the vagaries of the market and sell things at a bit of a premium. He’s now selling a grey market gadgetry since his license was pulled. That said, the store is still open for business and able to supply all of Kunming’s Apple needs. I wonder if he’s been shipping his hardware using the same creative methods his competitors are using. iPads shipment by jetpack, perhaps?
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| Review: The Audi A7, A Transformer In Disguise Posted: 13 Aug 2011 05:15 AM PDT  The Audi A7 is different. The executive five-door fastback sits nearly atop Audi’s lineup, starting out at $59k with my tester wearing $80k on its window sticker. Excluding limited run sports models, a fully decked-out A7 is the third most expensive car Audi sells, placing only lower than the massive A8 sedan and R8 supercar. Still, even looking like a modern and practical station wagon, the A7 is a niche car but perhaps one with a broad appeal. The 310HP 3.0 TFSI supercharged V6 screams within the engine compartment yet the A7′s full-size stature prevents it from achieving true sports sedan status. The 2+2 seating configuration doesn’t make for the best people mover. Even the rear fifth door seems to suggest that the A7 has plenty of room for cargo, but it doesn’t; the trunk’s effective storage space is actually rather small. This identity crisis is further supported by the sheer number of creature comforts and available technology packages. The A7′s big brother, the stately A8, is Audi’s flagship and the A7 is not going to challenge that title. Yet the A7, despite the strange downsides, might actually become the most memorable Audi from this current generation and define the brand for years to come.
Neither of the screens are touchscreen, yet four soft buttons surrounding the rotating knob allow additional controls as dictated by the selected screen. A small touchpad does provide for some fun tricks, though. When in radio mode, six numbers glow indicating favorite stations while navigation destinations can be inputted by writing them out with a finger. It’s clever. Audi’s MMI is among the top infotainment systems currently on the market. The system is clean, organized and best of all, lacking in drama. For example, Ford’s MyFord Touch system has a huge “Wow” factor but almost an equally huge learning curve. That’s not the case with Audi’s MMI. You sit down, put your hands on the controls, and go, “This is nice.”
This screen is exactly like the one found in the A6 and A8, and can control most media, telephone and navigation functions. There’s also an enhanced trip computer, fuel efficiency gauge, and compass. A steering wheel mounted scroll wheel and two-way navigation button makes flipping through the tabs and menus a non-issue. This simple control scheme sets it apart from competitors.
T-Mobile is the data source of choice and Audi dealers supply and install the SIM card upon vehicle delivery. It’s up to the car’s owner to pay the bill but they’re not tied down to T-Mobile — any SIM card tied to a data plan will work. This connection allows for more than just Google Earth. Through the my.audiusa.com portal, owners can send destinations to the vehicle’s nav system and update address books. The data connection also feeds weather, gas price info and weather info right to the car. My tester was fitted with the $5,900 Bang & Olufsen option. Turn the car on and twin tweeters proudly rise out of the dash. Owners can pop in a CD and the system impresses with crisp highs and solid lows throughout a full soundstage — just don’t turn on SiriusXM and brag about how much the system cost. The expensive audio system actually disappoints when the source material is anything but the best. SiriusXM is weak and flat while HD Radio has a sort of crackle — and forget about FM. Car manufacturers have lately turned to bespoke audio companies for their expertise and branding. The B&O system in this Audi is more about the latter. Listen to a lot of Eagles CDs? Opt for it. Everyone else should save their cash. Not all the technology is about fun and games. The A7 has an optional night vision mode that turns the secondary display within the dash cluster into an infrared scope. The view is rather limited, and I found, at least during the warm week in August I had the A7, it didn’t pick up animals or even humans. This makes the function teeters on the edge of being a novelty but could potentially be helpful when the air outside is cooler. The A7 also packs a standard assortment of next-gen collision detection tools and safety features: multifunction heads-up display, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, front and rear radar sensors, back-up cam, and a rather annoying blinking light that flashes on the dash and HUD when you tailgate someone even at low speeds. The top of the line Prestige model, which I had as a tester, even features adaptive headlights that pivot 15 degrees when turning. Most of the safety features are found within the A7′s $5,800 Innovative Package; I can’t imagine the car without any of these. In fact, I daresay that these functions are the second part of the A7′s draw but not the primary. Audi vehicles sell because they are awesome driving machines. The A7 wears the Audi badge with honor, and does it credit. It’s a fantastic experience, but one marred ever-so-slightly because of its aforementioned confusion. The 3.0 TFSI provides more than enough juice for the A7 to sprint to 60 MPH in a spirited 5.4 seconds. The 8-speed Triptronic is smooth and efficient as the A7 is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. I bested the EPA’s numbers and saw 29 mpg during a 350 mile trip to Lake Michigan. The A7 is a blast to drive and should provide enough thrills for most. It’s a proper sports sedan masquerading as a fastback. The Quattro all-wheel drive system helps the A7 hug the road while a self-deploying rear spoiler rises out of the fifth door for some additional helpful downforce at speeds over 80 mph. The A7 shares a wheelbase length with the A6 and is just 1.1-inch longer overall. In fact the less-expensive A6 measures up almost better than the A7 with slightly more rear seat head and leg room. Plus it has a rear center seat. The A7 is, in a sense, an executive long wheelbase sports hatchback. (get that?)
But none of those traits are potential deal-breakers. They combine to give the A7 a honestly unique feel. The A7, especially when considering its high-tech cabin, is a car built for a new type of buyer that wants something radically different, which the A7 achieves in the most subtle, but effective ways. It’s easy on fuel, a blast to drive, and loaded with accessible technology. I was, in the end, pleased. Click to view slideshow.
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