Rising gas prices, a sluggish economy and new, alternative-fuel vehicles mean new challenges for the American auto industry that's known for its muscle cars and supersized SUVs…
So what's Detroit doing about it?  If you have to sell a car that's more expensive and less practical, who's better at the smoke-and-mirror show than Hollywood? After all,  TV's responsible for automotive legends like Starsky and Hutch's '74 Torino, The General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard, and of course the world's most famous TransAm, Kitt, from the '70's series, Knight Rider.
As younger generations of drivers grow up unaware of traditional advertising, and DVR gives them the power to skip ads altogether, automakers are turning back to product placement as a way to reach their audience.  By casting cars as CHARACTERS with personality and style, Detroit hopes to build a fan base, not just for the superstar cars you see on-screen but also for the automaker that's behind the scenes.
Ford is betting that when you see it's 500-horsepower Shelby Mustang, starring as KITT in NBC's NEW version of Knight Rider, you'll find a new respect for ALL of Ford's line …even the 35-mpg Ford Focus!

Here's my Tech Tip for today:
If you're in the market for a digital camera, you've probably been balancing megapixels against price, but those shouldn't be your only considerations…  Lighting and the camera's image sensors are on the input side and determine the quality of image a camera can capture.  Like any piece of technology, balance is more important than hype.  Don't fall for the megapixel-mania...choose the camera that's best for YOU, based on it's features, and how you plan to use it.  You'll find a list of some of my favorite digital cameras in the Show-notes.