Something I hadn't had time to check in the first few weeks, was what the bluetooth was like with the Nokia E71, when everything is very much handsfree.

One thing with Windows that I really love, is the Voice Command application you can buy for ~$25 that gives you voice recognition for applications and contacts WITHOUT having to prerecord anything.

I did notice that Nokia has something similar, which was a massive relief, and I was eager to know if it would work over bluetooth, like Windows version does. Glad to say that it does, however, it isn't as smart as the Windows version. You can give it someone's name, and the recognition is very good, but it will only dial the default number, and you can't "cancel" it if it gets it wrong. It will give you feedback to say which name it thinks you said, which it has been pretty much always right, however, I can't say "Call Joe Blogg on Mobile" like I can with Windows, and then give a "Yes", or "No" if the confirmation question is right. Instead you just say "Joe Bloggs" and it will say "Calling Joe Bloggs" and about 1.5 seconds later it is ringing.

So not perfect, but far better than nothing and what I was expecting.

I've finally put some pictures up of the new car I took a few whilst I was helping Denny out with taking some photo's of his Supa which he is putting up for sale.

These photos show a much better impression of the Lexus in silver than the previous pictures I posted up that I found on the web.

Click on the car to see the gallery. There are only 7 photos so far, but its enough without going over the top.

Well, it's not exactly new, but since my previous CBR125 was stolen, and in the mean time I've done my full motorcycle license, I've stepped up the game to a 600cc sports tourer.

It's a Kawasaki ZZR600, a 2006 model, so its just under a couple of years old. It can do up to around 160-mph, and won't hang about getting up to that speed. (Not that I'll ever go speeds like that) The main thing, however, is that I'm not a small guy.. so it's absolutely brilliant that I can finally get on a bike that will take me up a hill for once! Very much looking forward to riding this beauty around.

I've managed to get the screen replaced, so that its a tinted double-bubble style instead which should make the appearance slightly more modern. Although this is a 2006 bike, the design is based way back. At least I know all the kinks have been ironed out :-)

These are the photos of the actual bike... You can click on any of the images for a larger version.

For a long long time I've been saving up for a new car, and over the last several months I've been testing out numerous cars to see which one suites me. Now, for the first time in my life, I've bought a brand new, off the factory floor, car. After hunting around for ages looking for the perfect car I always wanted, I found it. It's a beauty as well.

It's a Lexus IS250 SE-L Automatic with Multimedia. Which means it's not cheap, but has more gadgets than 007, and believe me, some of them really seem to come straight from a Bond movie (which would explain seeing MI5 on the TV show, "Spooks" driving them around).

I test drove a few cars and originally went into wanting a sporty convertable for the reason that there isn't many times in ones life you can have a car like that, because once children and family get in the way, its estates and SUVs :-)

So I drove a couple of really sporty convertables, and hard-tops, and figured that I would be thrilled for about a week, then would have got bored of having one and wonder why my arse hurts so much on a long journey (which I tend to do by car).

I wasn't going to Lexus at the start because I simply considered them as VERY expensive luxury cars, and when I went there, they were just that. However, the expense didn't compare to the german equivalents, which costs 10k more, but had more steam out of their 2.5 litre engines. That being said, the ride wasn't as good (taking into account longer journeys and not darting around a race course every week), and they didn't have anything like the gadgets that the Lexus does, and that's my weakness.

Weirdly, you might think, I had one of my top runners as the Ford Mondeo ( the new model of course), which had some good gadgets (sucker), and I have to say the ride was pretty darn good... I really wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was.. and they are cheap too (comparing to the rest of the market). However, everytime I was condering the car, the same problem kept arrising, and its was a big'un.. "It's a Ford".. "It's just a Ford", "why the hell would I buy a Ford?!".. those boring old corporate cars that no one other than pink shirt wearing office monkeys would want to own.

The moment I stepped into the Lexus IS250 I was in "wow" mode. The quality spoke volumes... but then the drive... was perfect. I first tested the IS250 Sport manual, but I didn't like the gear box. Others have moaned about the gear stick, but I actually didn't mind that, but the clutch was really sensitive, one of those "it's either coasting or engaged and you aren't allowed anything inbetween". it was probably that car as no two cars are quite the same, but others have had problems with the manual lexus as well. Taking that around a track would have been sweet (probaly better in a BMW, but none-the-less would have been fun).. However I want to use on the motorway or going 8 mph around Bristol because of the crappy traffic, so decided I wanted more gizmos and a softer ride. Whats more I also decided for the first time ever to own an automatic.

The other reason for the automatic was also because the emmissions were lower (never quite worked that out as the engine is identical to the manual), and therefore the Tax is much less, and secondly, because cars are now smarter than humans (watch a LS 450 park itself!), the fuel economy is better too.

This mean that picking the Lexus as my next car was a no brainer.. A perfect drive, exactly as I wanted it with the cross between drivability and comfort, a gazzilion gadgets, and it's a rare car that looks good from any angle, the hard questions were what colour, and this was actually hard and easy. I either wanted black or silver. Here is the two side-by-side...

The black lexus IS250 looks beautiful, this is mainly because the crome finishes are really emphasized by the contrasting body colour, whereas the silver they blend in more, although its not as much as the photo seems to indicate. That is as long as it has no dents, scratches and is perfectionally clean. However, in the real world, black is about as easy to keep clean as my salesman's underwear when the Lexus test drive went over 130 mph. So I have gone for the "lesser looking, but easy to keep that lesser looking look", silver, with Black leather interior (of course). Which means I don't have to wash the car ever other minute just to ensure it still looks new, and it's easy to sell when the time comes.. the many years that will likely be...

So now the car is ordered, expected to arrive at my local dealer this week and I get it next week!! Can't wait to try out the mark levinson 13 speaker mental sound system and 6 disc DVD player :-P  Just don't ask me the mpg... It's a Lexus...

Well, after tons of hassles in getting a new motorbike, it's finally here! A CBR 125 (because I haven't got a full motorcycle licence yet). Its a pretty darn good bike. I can't really see what it can do yet because its brand new so I have to wear it in first.

 [Click Here For More Pictures]

I'm hoping to get a few miles on the clock early (i.e. this weekend) as I travel over to Weston to see some old friends of mine. Looking forward to driving it around more.

Update: Sods law.. isn't it always the case! Plan to do all these things, and then it rains! Oh well, still have done a few miles on it already. Its already leaving me wanting more power.. Have to be careful not to get the motorbike bug.