We spent some quality time with the Kindle 2, and found lots to like--and some things that still need improvement. Melissa J. Perenson, PC World

Critical design changes make the Amazon Kindle 2 more appealing than the preceding model--but while Amazon has succeeded in enhancing its e-book reader, it has done little to advance the device to the next stage.

Kindle original (left) and Kindle 2 (right)

The first-generation Kindle weighed 10.3 ounces and offered a paperlike E-Ink display that keeps eyestrain at bay (as compared with the backlit displays of cell phones and other mobile devices). The first Kindle was readable in sunlight; it also offered long battery life and allowed you to look up words on the fly, as well as to take notes and highlight passages at will.

Like the sun, many things are in short supply in Vancouver this time of year. Fruits and vegetables are more expensive, the mercury in the thermometer is all but gone, and, barring the latest Lady Gaga release, we’re stuck listening to music from last summer.

Fortunately, there are a few great applications that offer solutions to this seasonal tragedy. If you’re a Mac or an iPod user, one of the simplest and most effective solutions is likely right in front of you. In iTunes 8, Apple introduced its Genius feature.

Windows 7 download demand overwhelms MS servers

Simply put, electronic stability control is the most important auto safety innovation since seat belts.

That’s the consensus from Consumer Reports, the federal government, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and many other auto industry experts.

"Our recommendation to consumers is that you want to buy a vehicle with electronic stability control," said David Zuby, a vice president of the Insurance Institute. "It’s a very effective way of reducing the risk of fatal crashes."

As I toured the convention hall, I had to keep reminding myself that this was Detroit and the North American International Auto Show, not Las Vegas and the Consumer Electronics Show.

For amid all the high-end tech in the hybrids and electronic vehicles on display to the public through Sunday are vehicles that are showing off impressive touch screens, in-dash avatars and computerized infotainment systems with onboard, online connectivity that rivals that of a broadband-wired desktop PC.

In fact, at least one of those new tech advances was first announced at CES.