Popular Mechanics articles from April 2005

Popular Mechanics archives from April 2005

In praise of dangerous work.(Editor's Note)
April 1, 2005... I'm sure there are more exciting things than landing on the deck of aircraft carrier. But I haven't done any of them lately. Recently, PM executive editor David Dunbar and I had the good fortune to be invited aboard the USS George...

Keeping watch.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I really appreciated your article "Nowhere To Hide" (Feb. 2005). It was a breath of fresh air to see some of the successes of our troops documented. Usually the media gives us the impression that our troops are using outdated arms in ancient...

What makes a hero.(Letters )(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I think you guys are just another tool in the government's propaganda machine. Your article "Courage After Fire" (Dec. 2004) is essentially about medical technology advances, but you politicized it nonetheless. While my heart goes out to Kevin...

Diesel Vs. Hybrid.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... As the driver of a Honda Civic Hybrid, I appreciated your fuel economy and price comparisons in "Diesel Vs. Hybrid" (Feb. 2005). However, fuel economy is only part of the decision to buy a hybrid. Another factor is ultralow emissions. To make a...

Tips and tricks.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Your "Drywall Repair" article (Feb. 2005) was very informative. When I go into the room I'm repairing, I first bring in my ball-peen hammer. As your writer stated, you want a wide, shallow hole, so I strike all my small holes (from picture...

Ground advice: think the grass was greener way back when? Not when it came to yard care.(Time Machine)
April 1, 2005... 46 Years Ago (MAY 1959) LOAFING AROUND The 1950s household automation fixation helped fuel the introduction of residential riding mowers. Dubbed "a vest pocket tractor," Lawn-Boy's all-purpose vehicle, named "the Loafer" [demonstrated...

What lies beneath.(Tech watch: aviation computers defense energy environment medicine rebotics space transportation)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Just about half a league under the sea (8500 ft.) the remotely operated vehicle Victor 6000 chimney-sweeps a hydrothermal vent on the East Pacific Rise, northwest of the Galapagos Islands, looking for tubeworms, clams and other fauna that...

Least satisfying rel8nship u nvr really had.(This Month)
April 1, 2005... She laughs! She cries! She flirts! She's just like a real girlfriend--except she lives in your cellphone. V-girl (www.v-girl.com) is an artificial intelligence-based virtual-girlfriend game from the Hong Kong company Artificial Life. She...

Best shortcut to work.(This Month)
April 1, 2005... Start your month with screeching wheels, spinning blades and a big bag of grass seed. The U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association has declared April 1 the first-ever "Drive Your Lawn Mower To Work Day."

Fanciest footwork.(This Month)
April 1, 2005... On the 17th, the PBS program "Nature" will broadcast first-time-ever footage of the Central American manakin bird doing a high-speed moonwalk to attract its mate. The film, shot by ornithologist Kimberly Bostwick using a 500-frames-per-second...

Nastiest virus.(This Month)
April 1, 2005... April 12 marks the 50th anniversary of Jonas Salk's development of the first polio vaccine. By 1979, the United States was declared polio-free. Starting in 2003, Nigeria imposed an 11-month ban on polio vaccinations, claiming contamination by...

Chewiest comic book.(This Month)
April 1, 2005... Can't wait to see Chewbacca back in action? Next month, everybody's favorite walking carpet returns to the screen in the final "Star Wars" prequel, "Revenge Of The Sith," but this month Dark Horse Comics will release the complete story as a...

Weather damage: Mother nature's fury has been epic in the past 12 months. How does it measure up against U.S. history's worst?(The Grid)(Illustration)
April 1, 2005... WEATHER WHAT HAPPENED IN 2004-05 TORNADO According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2004 had a record 1717 twisters--300 more than the previous...

Coast master.(Tech Watch)(shallow water aircraft carriers)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Aircraft carriers are big, intimidating and very good at moving planes around, but when the water gets shallow, they become like a whale in a tide pool. The Navy is well aware of the limitations of its deep-water craft, which is precisely the...

Playing our song.(Tech Watch)(song to repair broken hearts, Beulah, music band)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Making its way up the charts recently has been a catchy ballad from the soundtrack to Fox's "O.C." Performed by the San Francisco band Beulah, the song, "Popular Mechanics For Lovers," got our ears burning. We called up Miles Kurosky, the...

Someday suit.(Bio-Suit for astronauts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Just because there's no atmosphere, it doesn't mean you have to wear something bulky and uncomfortable. MIT researchers, in cooperation with NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts, are working on the Bio-Suit, a "second skin" space outfit that,...

Let there be lightning.(firing laser pulses used to prevent direct strikes)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Scientists at France's University of Lyon have discovered how to bring down lightning bolts on demand by firing laser pulses into a storm cloud, which could help protect sensitive installations like airports and electrical plants from direct...

Key to the city.(Radio frequency identification chips in car keys )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The microchip is more powerful than the Slim Jim. Using around $200 worth of off-the-shelf parts, computer scientists at Johns Hopkins University cracked RFID chips used in millions of car keys and gas pump pay tags. The researchers used hacked...

Liquid lens.(zoom lenses in cellphones)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Blurry cellphone photos may end, thanks to a new tens made of a drop of fluid whose shape can be controlled by an electric field. Cheaper, tougher and sharper than current tenses, the first generation should be in Samsung phones by the end of...

300,000,000 suns.(observations on black hole)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... That's the amount of mass swallowed by a newly discovered supermassive black hole, which resulted in the most powerful eruption yet seen in the universe. The event was observed by the Earth-orbital Chandra X-ray Observatory. Fortunately, the...

Senior moment.(using cellphones while driving )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... A study conducted by psychology professors at the University of Utah found that 18- to 25-year-olds who talk on cellphones while driving have reaction times comparable to 65- to 74-year-olds--even when using a hands-free device.

Bug snapper.(Tech Watch)(Venus's flytrap)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Harvard researchers recently solved the mystery of how Venus's flytraps snap shut. Once an insect trips a hair trigger, water in the plant shifts--altering the curvature of its leaves and releasing stored elastic energy. Within a mere tenth of...

World's worst parking spot.(Tech Watch)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Popular Mechanics recently got an opportunity to see a prototype of Mercedes's upcoming R-Class Grand Sports Tourer run through a series of weather torture tests at the Climatic Wind Tunnel in Vienna, Austria. At 328 ft. long, this is the...

Afterburn: expensive and arguably outmoded, the F/A-22 Raptor faces its first battle-with the military's top brass.(Flight Check)
April 1, 2005... On Dec. 20, an Air Force test pilot pulled back on the stick of a brand-new F/A-22 Raptor, the most advanced--and expensive--fighter jet in history, and cleared the Nellis Air Force Base runway. Moments after the rubber left the concrete, the...

Raising the bar.(Up Grade)
April 1, 2005... The act of ripping things apart through brute force has gotten a lot easier, thanks to our favorite new blunt instrument. Stanley's FatMax wrecking bar. Available in 14-, 24- and 36-in. lengths, these bars depart from the usual square,...

Sharp look.(Wish List)
April 1, 2005... In some situations, one blade just won't cut it. That's where the Code 3 CrossLock knife from Buck comes in.The Code 3 is designed for emergency and rescue workers, and has two 3-in. blades (one spear-point and one serrated sheepsfoot). Each...

Breaking the chain.(Wish List)
April 1, 2005... There's no such thing as a new idea in bicycles. Shaft-driven bikes, for instance, have been around since the 1890s, yet they never caught on like their chain-linked cousins. That's a shame because these bikes have unique advantages, such as...

Jewelry for your hog.(Wish List)
April 1, 2005... JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT there was nothing else to chrome on your Harley, here come Decorative Wheel Weights. More stylish than lead or zinc stick-ons, these come in Flame or Skull designs for cast and forged rims, and Dagger or Coffin for spoked...

Monster PC.(Our Geeky Project)
April 1, 2005... We took over $7500 in components and Frankensteined ourselves a killer computer. The result: a supercharged, graphics-hungry machine with oceans of storage capacity. And we want to give it to you. (see page 134 for details.) (1) OPTICAL...

Instant toolkit.(Off The Shelf)(cordless circular saws)
April 1, 2005... Bargain cordless tool multipacks promise to jumpstart your home improvement arsenal without breaking your bank account. We opened up three of them to see what's in the box and how it all performs. THE 2 X 4 TEST: **** This circular saw...

The winner's circle: live from Las Vegas, our picks for the 2005 CES Editor's Choice Awards.(Editor's Choice Awards)(Consumer Electronics Show)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... With over 140,000 people milling around 1.5 million sq. ft. of prime Vegas real estate, finding the coolest products at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was no easy task. There was plenty to gawk at--but only 15 took away our prize....

... And from Planet Macintosh.(Editor's Choice Awards)(computers)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Once or twice a year, Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs descends from the mountaintop to bequeath unto the Mac faithful one or two new products, and much oohing and ahhing ensues. Here's the bumper crop from this year's MacWorld, head to...

Ryobi[R] AIRgrip[TM] offers revolutionary technology.(The goods: great products and promotionl offers from PM advertisers)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Ryobi's new AIRgrip laser level is a first of its kind product that uses vacuum technology to affix itself to walls without marring finished surfaces. It is easy to use with its 360-degree rotating head offering multiple capabilities for both...

Gorilla Glue.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Gorilla Glue is the Toughest Glue on Planet Earth, ideal for most household fixes and building projects. It is incredibly strong and 100% waterproof, ideal for interior and exterior use. Try Gorilla Glue on hundreds of materials, thousands of...

Go RVing[R].(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Whether your passion is oohing and aahing outdoors, hiking scenic trails or simply a weekend escape with family and friends, Go RVing is a wonderfully fun, surprisingly affordable way to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Visit...

Shhh ... we're flooring it: Toyota's stateside development team redesigns the big sedan.(Automotive: reports from around the world)
April 1, 2005... There's a new flagship at the head of Toyota's passenger-car fleet: the 2005 Avalon. With a brand-new 280-hp engine, the car is more powerful than ever. And, true to the Toyota way of doing things, the Avalon exudes quiet, refinement and...

Retro come lately.(Automotive: reports from around the world)(automobiles)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Does Chevrolet's new HHR, which stands for Heritage High Roof, look a little familiar? The folks at Chevrolet want you to think of the 1949 Suburban. And it does remind us of one, but honestly we can't look at this little retro wagon and not...

Less metal, more fun.(Automotive: reports from around the world)(Mustang)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Chopping the roof off a car to make a convertible can sometimes turn a normally stiff chassis into something with the torsional rigidity of wet spaghetti. But when Ford designed the all-new Mustang, it knew it would be adding a soft-top. It's...

A step ahead.(Detroit)(product development)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... GM may be trying to catch up with Chrysler's PT Cruiser with the HHR. However, the original retro wagon will look a bit different in '06, thanks to a number of styling and technical changes. You can see some of them in this shot taken at a...

Big chevy.(Detroit)(Chevrolet)(Sedan)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Chevrolet is working on a new sedan that will be its flagship in 2007. Early sightings of the vehicle show a full-size model reminiscent of the Caprice of the late 1990s. This car will take direct aim at Ford's Crown Victoria and Chrysler's...

Bigger and stronger.(Automotive: reports from around the world)(Jetta )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Jetta is a bigger car than ever for Volkswagen. This is VW's most popular model here in the States. So in trying to keep up with the doneses, or at least with the rest of market, the new, fifth-generation Jetta is larger than its...

Small and safer.(Automotive: reports from around the world)(2006 Kia Rio)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Kia Motor America's president, Peter Butterfield, used to work at Volvo. And all that time immersed in selling safety has left its mark on him. Witness the 2006 Kia Rio. This entry-level sedan comes standard with front, front-seat side-impact...

In town and funky.(Automotive: reports from around the world)(2006 B9 Tribeca)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Subaru takes a giant step up the ladder with its largest, most upscale vehicle, the 2006 B9 Tribeca. Due at dealerships this summer, the vehicle's name tells most of the story. Tribeca, for those of you west of the Hudson, is a trendy Manhattan...

Fresh is good.(Automotive: reports from around the world)(product enhancement)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Chevrolet is slowly learning what makers like Chrysler, Mazda and Nissan have known for years: Bread and butter can be pretty sexy if you're a bit exotic in your baking. For too long, Chevy's sedans have been solid but dull. Maybe things will...

Go, luxury speed racer, go.(Asia)(Lexus LF-A)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... A 200-mph Lexus? Shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Lexus LF-A is a reflection of Toyota's commitment to F-1 racing. As shown, the LF-A packs a 500-hp-plus V10 engine mounted amidships in the chassis. It is...

The beat goes on.(Asia)(product development)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Acura's RD-X concept is a thinly disguised version of the small BMW X3 competitor that will go into production a year from now. The RD-X, a unibody SUV built on a new platform from Honda, will be the basis for many new models. It has a fully...

And another thing ... it's not my fault.(product defects)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... I don't think too many people would argue about the need for Archway Cookies to recall 10-ounce packages of its Holiday Cashew Nougat Cookies because some of the cookies had glass shards in them. Clearly, glass in the cookie batter is the fault...

Barry vs. the Babe: who's the better hitter? Now baseball fans can slug it out with better stats.(Sports)(Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth www.baseball-reference.com)
April 1, 2005... When Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's career home run record 31 years ago, baseball fans could watch the instant replay and then look up both players' home run totals in Macmillan's 1000-page Baseball Encyclopedia. Any further analysis of the two...

Keeping the beat: new technology to monitor the hearts of orbiting astronauts will soon help keep people healthy here on Earth.(Science)
April 1, 2005... My legs pump furiously, but it's no good--I can't pedal fast enough. The bike I'm riding isn't going anywhere. It is bolted to the floor of a KC-1351, NABAs famed weightless Wonder V aircraft (aka The Vomit Comet), a four-engine turbojet that...

TiVo fights back: the new Humax DVR lets you keep your favorite recordings.(Technology)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... You know a technology has arrived when it becomes the verb for functions we depend on every day. You "Google" a subject on the and you "TiVo" a TV show you want to record. TiVo, the generic verb for digital video recording onto a hard drive,...

Collision course: a train wreck in South Carolina released a cloud of poisonous gas that devastated a town--and demonstrated that safety isn't assured on our nation's rails.(What Went Wrong)
April 1, 2005... Jan. 5, 2005, was a slow day on Norfolk Southern's R Line, a lonely 82-mile section of track that winds through rural South Carolina. So when the crew of a local train in Graniteville, a small town just northeast of the Georgia border, radioed...

Playing with fire: when they burn space shuttle fuel, hit speeds of mach 2 and climb to 15,000 ft., do you still call them model rockets? Welcome to the world of extreme hobbies.(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... Three... two... one... A concentrated roar tears open-'the desert silence as Kevin Lane's V2-replica rocket comes to life. Eight pounds of igniting ammonium perchlorate rake the dry lakebed with flames, propelling the 8-ft. rocket skyward...

Running the gauntlet: it's the scariest drive in the world. Between Baghdad's relatively secure green zone and the city's airport lies a 6-mile shooting gallery of snipers, car bombers and mayhem. For the security contractors who drive it routinely, it's another day at the office.
April 1, 2005... It's 11 am in Baghdad. Another hot, hazy day in this brown, boxy city. At Gate 12 in the Green Zone, home to the Iraqi interim government and coalition headquarters, a collection of GMC Suburbans, BMW 7s, Nissan pickups, SUVs reinforced with...

Boost your curb appeal: 15 quick and easy projects to upgrade your home and yard.(Weekend Home Projects)
April 1, 2005... WHEN IT COMES TO THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME, first impressions matter. And the at-a-glance attractiveness that real estate people call curb appeal is more important than ever. "These days, 70 percent of home buyers get their first look at a house...

Tunnel vision: blasting through miles of bedrock, sandhogs are the unsung heroes of New York's water system.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Hundreds of feet beneath the bumper-to-bumper traffic of New York City, one of the world's most ambitious engineering projects is taking place. Thought it goes he prosaic name of City Water Tunnel No. 3, when work wraps up it 2020 the...

Car care tips: insight and instruction to help you prepare for warmer weather.(Spring)
April 1, 2005... Diagnose Your Troubles! The good news is that every late-model car and truck has a dashboard "Check Engine" light that warns of trouble. The bad news is that literally dozens of problems can trigger this warning, from a loose gas cap to a...

Basement blues: untamed runoff can sink your house. Fight back.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... If you have trouble with basement water, you're not alone. We spoke with Douglas Pencille, a Minnesota housing inspector with firsthand experience. "I visit 1300 to 1500 houses per year and 30 to 40 percent of them have basement water damage....

Foundation repairs.(Maintenance)
April 1, 2005... Foundation Repairs: If your foundation walls have cracks or they've buckled, you can do much of the repair work yourself or hire a contractor to handle the job. The newer techniques that use high-tech materials and sophisticated hardware...

Built to last: an elegant planter that you construct out of stone.(Landscaping)
April 1, 2005... Stone walls have marked boundaries and defined borders for millenniums. At countless sites, from Hadrian's Wall in Britain to the Native American ruins in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon, well-crafted walls still stand after a thousand or more years....

Curling asphalt shingles.(Expert Q+A)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) I would like to know what is causing the edges of the asphalt shingles on my roof to curl upward. LOUIS WISNER Largo, FL (A) Asphalt shingles are the most common residential roof covering in the United States. They are made by...

Septic tank cleaning.(Expert Q+A)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) A plumber friend of mine said he knew of one septic system that hadn't been pumped out in 60 years and was still working okay. My system has been pumped out twice in 24 years and the service man said both tines that it could have gone much...

Sliding glass door.(Expert Q+A)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) What can be done about a sliding glass door that suddenly gets very difficult to roll back? I would appreciate any help you can give me. ANGELO BERTOLINO Lady Lake, FL (A) The problem is either with the tracks or the rollers....

Bookshelf: help with landscaping.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2005... A WELL-LANDSCAPED YARD HAS A LOT in it that doesn't have to do with land: walkways, fences, arbors, perhaps even fountains. The book Hardscaping is a guide to integrating these features into the landscape. In its 192 pages and six chapters you...

A cut above.(Service Tip)(hacksaw)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... A hacksaw is a great tool but it doesn't fit everywhere you need it. Solution: Grip a hacksaw blade in a pair of rocking priers to get at that hard-to-reach bolt or fitting that you need to saw off. The needle-nose type shown works even better...

Students take on dirty laundry, cramped quarters.(Notebook)
April 1, 2005... PUT OUT A CALL FOR APPLIANCE design proposals to students the world over and you're bound to produce some unusual--and silly--stuff. That was apparent at a display of the eight finalists' entries in the Electrolux Design Lab at the Reuters...

Walk or ride.(Homeowners Clinic)(lawnmowers)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2005... If your trusty mower has finally worn out, you've got plenty of walk-behind and riding equipment to choose from. Today's grasscutters have bigger engines and more durable decks, are easier to start than their predecessors. 1 Craftsman...

Light bulb grease.(Expert Q+A)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... I have several incandescent light bulbs that screw into the sockets with some difficulty, It's almost like trying to slide two pieces of rough wood against each other. Is there something that could be applied to the bulb's threads that would...

Basement tub.(Expert Q+A)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) In my basement, there is a toilet and sink installed in a small bathroom. The drains were put in for them when the house was built. I want to enlarge that bathroom and put in a tub. Is it possible? We have municipal water and sewer, and the...

Reader project.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... My sons Michael and Joe and I built this great white shark shower at my lake house. We named it K-Bite after my niece, Karen, who loves sharks. It took about a year to build, and was a fun family project. When you walk in, red and green lights...

Replacing light bulbs.(Saturday Mechanic)
April 1, 2005... You've just had a brief discussion with a police officer about not signaling a right turn. And to his credit he didn't ticket you with a moving violation--but you are holding a fix-it ticket for a burned-out light bulb. The ticket says you have...

Take the bypass.(Expert Q+A)(automobile fuel system)
April 1, 2005... (Q) I replaced the in-tank fuel pump and filter in my pickup a couple of months ago. What a nightmare. Not only was it impossible to access, I had to make three trips to the feed store for extra hose and clamps and electrical connectors to make...

Appearance is everything.(New Product)(windshield wiperblades )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... We've all experienced cranky windshield wiperblades that don't follow the curve of the glass all the way around, especially if there's a buildup of ice or sleet in the blade's pantograph arm. Add the extra aerodynamic lift of driving into a...

Old softy.(Q + A Expert)(Automobile Maintenence)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) recently purchased a Kia Amanil. It's a good car, but I feel the ride is too soft, It has an unrestricted bounce over dips and traffic bumps. I am wondering if a different kind of shock would solve this problem. ALBERT TWIDWELL ...

Service tip.(Auto Clinic)
April 1, 2005... * Does the front seatbelt on your 2004 Chrysler Pacifica stink? I mean, as in smells bad? According to Technical Service Bulletin [TSB] 23-026-04, it's not the seatbelt webbing that has the foul odor; it's the foam insulation in the B-pillar....

Vinyl to go-go: digitize those dusty stacks of wax and get your iPod in the groove.(Technology)
April 1, 2005... Vinyl records are a tough bunch. They survived the rise and fall of the cassette and held on during the age of the compact disc. But the dawn of the iPod and other MP3 players, with their lifestyle-changing convenience and jukebox capacities,...

E-mail quandary.(Q+A Expert)(E-mail management)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) How do I share my single EarthLink e-mail account among four different computers? I need everyone in my home office to be able to access the same account. Unfortunately, when one person accesses the mail, the PC downloads the mail from the...

Internet calling.(Q+A Expert)(using Voice over Internet Protocol )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) What's the best way to try Voice over IP? I want to talk to my friends overseas but I don't want to buy any new equipment just yet. Can I use my PC? Do they need a PC? It's all sort of confusing, but there's one thing I am clear on: I don't...

Portable pad.(Digital Clinic)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... THIS IS ONE TRAVEL COMPANION you'll never get sick of. The new Pepper wireless pad ($899) is thin, light, and uses an OS based on Linux and Java. The 8.4-in, color touchscreen, qwerty keyboard and built-in speakers help you browse the Web, type...

Shuffle for storage.(Q+A Expert)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) Can I use my iPod shuffle as a regular USB storage drive? That would be really handy. (A) Yes, you can. The iPod shuffle is basically a glorified USB flash memory stick with the ability to play MP3s. It's a pretty good deal, in terms...

Cordless wonder.(Digital Clinic)(cell phone)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... CELLPHONES seem to get all the glory these days, but for most of us, those boring cordless telephones are still an everyday requirement. For a home phone that can take some serious abuse, check out the Panasonic KX-TG5428R This new phone is...

Free your phone.(Q+A Expert)(cell phone)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... (Q) I don't use Cingular mobile service but would really like to get the Motorola Razr V3 phone. Cingular has told me that a SIM card from my current carrier (T-Mobile) won't work in the V3. I suspect there's a way to get around this. Am I...

Safety cop.(This Is My Job)
April 1, 2005... [CMDR. BRETT SCHENXNIDER, CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER, USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, YEARS ON JOB: 2] THE FLIGHT DECK of an aircraft carrier is a dangerous place to work. Catapults launch F-14 Tomcats from 0 to 180 mph in 2.5 seconds and F/A-18 Hornets...