Hasta La Gadget!

The second generation of Ford Sync represents a big step for what is already the industry’s most comprehensive, affordable Bluetooth and music player system. Sync now understands almost 10,000 words, has a flattened command structure that lets you issue any command at any time (as a music player command while using the phone menu), and one-shot navigation system address entry that lets you speak number, street, and city all at once. Sync shows to best advantage with the rollout of MyFord Touch, which puts an 8-inch touchscreen LCD standard in some Ford and Lincoln cars.

Don’t buy one charger for home and another for the car, says EzGear. Get one charger that can do it all. The EzGear PowerBullet 2×2 is a wall charger and car charger all-in-one. And it includes two USB ports. That means you can charge your iPhone and iPad at the same time. As long as you have devices that charge over a USB cable, you can use it: This compact charger is also good for BlackBerries, HTC phones, Garmin and TomTom navigators, Zunes, Sansas, and Mortorola phones.

While the convenience is terrific, so is the price. The PowerBullet lists for $19.99. Nice, right? Pick it up from the EzGear site, or FYE, Fry’s, Amazon.com, Buy.com, and other electronics stores.

California has passed a number of laws to help drivers avoid distractions that can lead to accidents–that’s why cell phones are no longer okay to use while driving. New legislation being considered by California lawmakers may bring a whole new brand of distraction to the driver’s seat, however.

According to The San Jose Mercury News, the state’s government is discussing the possibility of introducing electronic license plates that will display advertisements to fellow drivers. The technology is aimed at helping reduce California’s massive $19 billion deficit.

The electronic license plate will look like a standard plate when in motion, but will begin flashing ads after it becomes stationary for four seconds. Even when ads are displayed, however, the license plate number will remain visible. The plates can also be used to display emergency information, traffic information, and Amber Alerts.

“We’re just trying to find creative ways of generating additional revenues,” California State Senator Curren Price told the paper. “It’s an exciting marriage of technology with need, and an opportunity to keep California in the forefront.”

Electric motors can make a hybrid economical or powerful. BMW steered the performance course with the BMW ActiveHybrid7, a $107,075 variant of the V8 gasoline-only BMW 750Li that accelerates to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds (half a second better than the 750Li) and also gets about 15% better fuel economy. You only lose a small corner of the trunk to the lithium ion battery pack, and none of BMW’s sporting ride or luxury.