The best multi-effects pedal for new guitarists

When I first started playing guitar way back in 1995 (or maybe it was 1994?) the idea of a digital multi-effects pedal was still pretty new. The Zoom 505 was the biggest game in town, if you wanted a pile of effects in a compact package for a reasona...

Canon’s EOS M5 is a mirrorless camera with a DSLR feel

It's been almost a year since the debut of the EOS M3, arguably Canon's best mirrorless camera to date. And now the company is expanding its compact series with the M5, a high-end shooter with a DSLR feel to it. We're not saying it'll replace your DS...

Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month

Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month

Make no mistake, one of the biggest trends you'll see this fall is PC makers slapping touchscreens on their current machines so as to make them a little more Windows 8-appropriate. And Acer is no exception: the company is introducing touch-enabled versions of its existing Aspire V5 and M5 laptops, both of which will go on sale this month.

Starting with the M5, it's the touch-enabled version of the M5 Ultrabook we reviewed earlier this year. Though the standard version is available in 14- and 15-inch screen sizes, the touchscreen model (aka the 481PT, pictured above) will only be offered with a 14-inch (1,366 x 768) panel. This, too, has a Core i5 CPU and 6GB of RAM, though its 500GB hard drive is paired with a 20GB SSD for faster boot-ups. Like the non-touch version, it's rated for eight hours of runtime. Surprisingly, even though it's classified as an Ultrabook, it manages to make room for an optical drive -- impressive, given its 0.81-inch-thick chassis is still relatively slender. Both machines will be sold exclusively at Best Buy in the US, with the regular M5 starting at $700 and that touch-enabled version going for $800.

As for the budget-minded V5 series, the touchscreen will only be offered on the 14-inch version (the V5-471P). Max specs include up to 8GB of RAM and up to 750GB of HDD storage. (Either way, you get a 1,366 x 768 display, a Core i5-3317UB processor and your requisite Intel HD 4000 graphics.) That model starts at $750, though the non-touch models are priced at $500 and up.

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Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Model S squares off against BMW M5 in drag race, gives EVs extra street cred (video)

Tesla Model S squares off against BMW M5 in drag race, gives EVs extra street cred video

We already know from our own experience that the Tesla Model S is a driver's car, with acceleration and handling you wouldn't expect from a big and quiet luxury sedan. There's still nothing like a drag race to help settle the matter. Automobile has pitted the upscale EV against one of its more conspicuous rivals, BMW's M5, with performance results that might surprise those who would expect a 500HP, twin-turbo V8 to regularly come out on top. While we won't spoil the full results of the showdown video after the break, let's just say that even the M5's relatively wide torque band can only do so much when the Model S' electric motor is always at its peak. BMW's car may be better overall for those who want to travel long distances outside of certain routes, or to enjoy a burly exhaust note -- but there has to be a certain thrill for Tesla drivers who know they can hang with the speed kings while helping the environment.

Continue reading Tesla Model S squares off against BMW M5 in drag race, gives EVs extra street cred (video)

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Tesla Model S squares off against BMW M5 in drag race, gives EVs extra street cred (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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