Toyznation guide Teaser Edition

T H E U LT I M AT E P R O D U C T G U I D E

OwnerS CARS GADGETS GAMES MUSIC

TOYZ GUIDE

100 MUST HAVE ITEMS

30 Games 40 Gadgets 30 Cars

Sneak Peak Inside Gears of War 3 & Michael Jackson The Experience

The Best 3D TV Deal

WE DRIVE SLS AMG RANGE ROVER AUDI A8 CTS COUPE AND MORE

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

OwnerS Toyz Guide CARS GADGETS GAMES MUSIC

Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Damola Idowu Design DLI Copy Editor Keyla McNeely

for Keywords Communications

Photography Banks Wil David Lanre’ Damola Staff Writers Damola Da Great Deity Dah

E

ver since I was a little boy, I always love to play with my toyz. I’m sure I’m not alone in my desire, as we work and strive to spend those precious moments with our toyz, whether they be a new 3D TV, or an AMG, we love our Toyz. Car, Gadgets, and Gaming are my passion, and if you look at the consumer electronic, automotive, and gaming industries there are plenty to write home about, Call of Duty did over $650 Million in 5 days, the iPad sold over 3 million units in 80 days, Hyundai sales grew over 38% in the past quarter, GM’s IPO was the largest ever. Toyz move the economy because we love them and will find ways to get them even in the “worst recession since the great depression”. Don’t get me wrong times are hard, but we find ways to acquire what we want so this Winter I am compiling a list of 100 must have toyz along with product reviews, and previews of exciting things to come like; all electric super cars, the Michael Jackson video game, and the best 3D TV around (I sold someone on one this holiday weekend in fact) bring your toyz out, whether its your new smart phone on Droid, or your new pad, or your new car or your favorite game, lets come out and play, we all just want to have fun. Oh by the way this issue is just a part of our new launch which will include this guide, our executive edition with CEO’s of some of the most successful Toyz makers, our 7th year anniversary issue in print, our iPhone and iPad launch with multi-media content, mobile editions, social network www.toyznation.com and www.ownersillustrated.com is going social media very soon, giving insight on wealth building so you can afford your toyz. Join toyznation.com today and get updates, post videos, make friends with other toyz lovers and in the meantime send me a note at toyznation@live.com Owners Till Infinity

Marketing & Promotions Damola Quincy Taylor Reginald Matthews Dawoud Shadeidu Brian Williams RW Collection Models MidWest Rep. Quincy Taylor Advertising Damola Quincy Taylor Sales Damola College Representative Kunle Idowu Intern Chris Barnes Newsstand Consultant John Blassingame Legal Counsel Reginald A. Greene, Esq.

THE HUSTLENOMICS ACADEMY “I sponsored the movement.”

Damola Idowu Publisher/Editor-in-Chief/Founder

BRING THEM TOYZ OUT!

Owners Magazine © 2010 Owners League LLC Sub. rates: 1 year – $19.99, 2 years – $34.99 All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.Visit us online: www.ownersillustrated.com & www.toyznation.com For advertising, sponsorships and sales contact: 202.607.3629

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TOYZ GUIDE CARS TEST DRIVE » SLS AMG Few automobiles possess the ability to snatch your breath while rapidly increasing your heart rate. I you can imagine that sensation you still couldn’t fathom the experience behind the wheel of the 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG. Hearkening to their heritage, the SLS is a study in modernization. The original 300SL of the 1954-1957 era popularized the infamous gull-wing doors that go upward like wings of a bird hence the gullwing. The gullwing lasted only 3 years from 1954 through 1957 and was replaced by the roadster which carried model years 1957 through 1963.

With the end of the partnership with McLaren to make the SLK, Mercedes took the opportunity to invigorate the technology under the stewardship of their in-house performance division, AMG. Gorged of lightweight material and loaded with every modern technology like Parktronic, keyless entry, satellite radio, DVD navigation, iPod integration, Bluetooth, a 40 Gig hard drive, backup camera, etc.

It is obvious the engineers wanted this machine to be enjoyable as a daily driver but you don’t buy an SLS for amenities, you spend over $200,000 for performance and that is where the experience triumphs. The SLS features a hand-built AMG engine with a 6.3L V8 that yields 563 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque making a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds. The AMG Speedshift DCT 7-Speed sport transmission is a true modern marvel with swift responses from the aluminum steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.

Photo by Wil David

I only had a day with the beauty but the experience like heaven or at least my assumption which is further from reality as I burned rubber through the DC in the short spurts allowed in the dense traffic, I had to find open land so I journeyed to 270 and hit 70 where the hills and valleys allowed room for the beast to breathe. Time is too short and between getting pictures around DC landmarks, answering questions every 30 seconds, even getting a police detail, I longed for more yet the

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experience, a dream, an aspiration for my next birthday, November 12, 2011. For more information visit www. mbusa.com.

Watch video and extra footage at toyznation.com

Toyznation.com • 5

TOYZ GUIDE CARS

DRIVE » LEXUS CT200h

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t’s been over 20 years since we were introduced to Lexus, and my how time flies when you are having fun.

Born out of the audacity that a Japanese automaker can challenge the European nameplates in performance and luxury, Japan’s luxury king has been steady in it’s accent with the flagship LS 600h a study in technology and luxury fuel efficiency. When launched in 2007 the LS 600h was to deliver V12 power with V8 fuel efficiency and the self parking feature, the recliner in the rear cabin were all class leaders.

Now Lexus is forging a path from the opposite end of the the price spectrum but with the same lead engineer from the LS program.

As we descended on beautiful Delray Beach Florida with its beautiful views, blue skies, bluer water, and white sand beaches, the CT 200h stood out in the landscape and was well positioned to bridge the journey for many into opulence. Targeted towards a younger, trendy demographic my drive with Brian, the marketing manager and veteran of the Scion project gave me insight into the strategy.

With a goal of just 1000 cars per month the emphasis is more on the branding, awareness, and the invitation to a new generation of luxury buyers to familiarize themselves with the Lexus name plate and move thru their product thru their lifetime. The CT 200h is a going to be the lowest priced Lexus yet it is green, with a combined fuel 6 • Toyznation.com

efficiency of 42MPG from a 134combined HP engine (my co driver was able to achieve 75MPG wow indeed), stylish with 89 LED’s as a 5 door hatch, loaded with a pop up navigation system, customizable interior, quality fit and finish, push button ignition, and the same multimedia interface found on the top selling RX. I enjoyed our conversation about the evolving generation X and Y demo and how vastly different they are from the Baby Boomers that dominate main stream attention. Lexus has the right guy on the job, having launched what has become the blueprint to target young buyers it only makes sense he is involved in reaching people who have now graduated gotten jobs moved to new cities, and begun to build a promising future in their late 20’s and early 30’s, I am very familiar with the demographic, as many of you that read this publication fall into that segment. So intriguing was our dialogue I had to do a drive on my own and was quite impressed with the ability of the CT 200h to move and be comfortable for a commuter and also be functional for a group trip where the 5 door hatch gains in its convenience. The Ct200h is loaded with every tech option you could want yet there is no compromise on the expected Lexus quality. The CT 200h is due out the first quarter of 2011, when you can expect the 134HP, 1.8L dandy with a 112 mph top speed beauty to slot below the IS line.

The CT200h will feature its own customization site along with the option to schedule your own test drive and pre buy you own maintenance program directly from the website but you can visit www. darkersideofgreen.com for more info and to watch their innovative darkcasting series of interviews inside the CT 200h while taste makers and trendsetter navigate thru several urban metropolis’s.

TOYZ GUIDE CARS DRIVE » SONATA HYBRID & TURBO

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n a beautiful California day on the hallowed grounds of Torrey pines this fall I joined the Hyundai team to drive the Sonata Turbo and Hybrid. When Hyundai made the bold statement that they weren’t going to have a V6 power train for the volume leading Sonata many wondered how they were going to be competitive in this highly lucrative market that makes or brakes many a car manufacturer. I had seen the Hybrid and Turbo at the NY Auto show earlier in the year so I was eager to get behind these two different 4 cylinders and see how the measured up in terms of power and fuel efficiency. Styling on the Turbo and the Hybrid has some cue differences that provide a character to both power trains which are both more powerful than the base 2.0 L 4cylinder. The turbo was impressive, yielding 274HP and 269 lb-ft of torque yet getting 35MPG on the highway.

In a driving efficiency competition which I won I was able to get almost 45 MPG in a 2 hour drive. With the compelling argument of power, styling, technological amenities, price and the innovative Hyundai Assurance, The brisk sales of the Sonata, which are projected to approach 200,000 for the model year, are sure to uptick. It is unusual to have the most powerful model practically match the base model in fuel efficiency yet it is the twin scroll technology in turbocharged engine that enables that result. The handling is great with stiffer suspension to provide a more sporty experience. With the Turbo you have paddle shifters in addition to a 6 speed shiftronic transmission allowing for a more intuitive drive. Every option on the Limited is available on the Turbo. The Hybrid is Hyundai’s first and the effort seems to have succeeded in achieving a benchmark, 36MPG in city driving in a midsize sedan.

Highway efficiency is 40Mpg so there is no record there but most people drive and commute to work for hours at a time so the city driving figure has more relevance and the feat is quite stunning.

The battery pack is also a jell actually a lithium polymer battery, co-developed with fellow South Korean based company LG. The battery pack is and is a fraction the size of others on the market with more density to capture more energy. There tends to be a lot of noise among my political and business colleagues in the media regarding economics and policy matters, should we invest in a green economy? Will green cars thrive, yet the fact remains Hyundai has increased sales 38% in a recession with stylish, technologically advanced and fuel efficient vehicles, while providing customers the best loyalty program with the Hyundai Assurance.

Read our exclusive interview with CEO John Krachik a former Ford

Engineer and Stanford grad who is showing the world how to be efficient and grow. For more information visit www.hyundaiusa. com.

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DRIVE » NISSAN JUKE

I

t was my first trip North, to Canada and I couldn’t hide my excitement at the opportunity to drive the all new Nissan Juke and cross the border. As I arrived in Canada I saw no noticeable differences architecture wise and felt right at home with the natives. We were to ride thru the hills in Vancouver and enjoy the beautiful countryside, as we pushed the 188HP 1.6L engine. Born out of a series of upgrades and product launches for Nissan the Juke is a Compact Crossover with a punch of Turbo. Armed with 177lb-ft of torque the awd Juke was pretty feisty as we journeyed by ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale.

T

he Juke features a Xtronic CVT or a manual 6 speed and both power trains were fun to maneuver. There are 3 driving modes from economy, to sport to normal and you can see the power or turbo boost during sport mode and your fuel efficiency during the economy mode. Standard in the Juke is an array of options including 17” alloys, bluetooth technology, iPod integration with available options like an Intelligent key, navigation,

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Courtesy of NIssan

TOYZ GUIDE CARS

TECH » 40 MUST HAVE GADGETS

MOTOROLA DROID 2 WE WWW.MOTOROLA.COM

MOTOROLA PRO WWW.MOTOROLA.COM

PALM PRE 2 SMART PHONE WWW.PALM.COM

HP ENVY 14 BEATS EDITION WWW.HPCOM

I OMEGA SUPERSPEED USB 3.0 WWW.IOMEGA.COM

LGLE5400 LED HDTV WWW.LGE.COM

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ROKU XDS W?REMOTE WWW.ROKU.COM

BLUEANT Q2 BLUETOOTH WWW.BLUEANTWIRELESS.COM

CLEARWIRE PUCK WWW.CLEAR.COM

SENNHEISER PMX 680i WWW.SENNHEISERUSA.COM

GOD OF WAR GHOST OF SPARTA BUNDLE WWW.US.PLAYSTATION.COM/PSP

LG BD590 NETWRK BLUERAY PLAYER W?250 G HARDRIVE WWW.LGE.COM

TECH » 40 MUST HAVE GADGETS

HERCULES DJC DJ CONSOLE 4MX WWW.HERCULES.CO

MONSTER DIDDYBEATS WITH CONTROLTALK WWW.DIDDYBEATS.COM

DURACELL MY GRID CHARGER WWW.DURACELL.COM

HITACHI LIFESTUDIO MOBILE PLUS EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE WWW.HITACHI.COM

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB WWW.SAMSUNGWIRELESS.COM

LG E60 SERIES LED MONITOR WWW.LGE.COM

MAINGEAR ALT-15 NOTEBOOK WWW.MAINGER.COM

IMATION APOLLO M200 HARDRIVE WWW.IMATION COM

CISCO UMI HD CAMERA & REMOTE WWW.CISCO.COM

INTEL SSD 120G WWW.INTEL.COM

SAMSUNG HMX T-10 HD CAMCORDER WWW.SAMSUNG.COM

THRUSTMASTER FERRARI COCKPIT WWW.THRUSTMASTER.COM toyznation.com • 10

TECH » 30 MUST HAVE GAMES

DEADRISING 2

GRANTURISMO 5

FIGHTERS UNCAGED

HALO REACH

SPLINTER CELL: CONVICTION

MADDEN NFL 11

NBA 2K11 GLOBAL AGENDA

BLACK OPS 11 • toyznation.com

NBA ELITE 11

GOD OF WAR GHOST OF SPARTA

DJ HERO 2

TOYZ GUIDE VIDEOGAMES Michael Jackson The Experience

Publisher: Ubisioft Developer: Ubisoft Platform: Xbox 360, PS3. Wii, PSP, DS PSP Genre: Music

Rating: RP Release Date: Early 2011 www.ubisoft.com

Image courtesy of SCEA

He said he “never can say goodbye” while he wanted to “be where you are” knowing “it don’t matter if you’re black or white.” Instead, it is all “human nature.” Well, this winter you will be be able to get the Michael Jackson experience with an all new interactive video game developed by Ubisoft. With a total immersive experience, fans can even get a special edition glove to accesorize while emulating Michael’s moves. Buyers of the Wii edition will get the glove for free when they pre-order the $49.99 Wii edition. The game will be available on all platforms including the Microsoft Kinect for XBox 360 and PlayStation Move motion controller for the PS3. Portable devices such as the DS line and the PSP will also have the game availible at launch. Fans can sing and learn to dance to Bad, Smooth Criminal, Thriller, and a bevy of others from his catalog with more songs added through launch in early 2011. Fans can join the official Michael Jackson The Experience facebook page at http://www.facebook. com/MichaelJacksonTheExperience to get updates and more information.

Image courtesy of Microsoft

Gears of War 3

Publisher: Epic Games Developer: Microsoft Platform: XBox360

Genre: Multi Player Rating: M Release Date: 2011

Marcus is back in what we hope is not really the finale of our favorite epic multi-player first-person shooter, Gears of War 3. Facing the Lambent, Marcus is armed with new comrades, a new female member of the team, Anya and new character, Jace Stratton, who will be voiced by superstar, Drake. Ice-T also joins the team as the voice of the Stranded leader, Griffin. The new Gears will also introduce the world to the next iteration of the Unreal Engine, the industry standard in gaming performance and the most licensed platform in the business.

There are new weapons, new vehichles, new enemies, and a new and improved Unreal Engine. Who can ask for more? Maybe for the saga not to end, like with Halo where we have Reach and ODST and more versions planned, but in the meanwhile, if this is it, what a way to go out. Gear of War 3 will only be released on XBox 360 and while delayed till later 2011, there will be a public beta verison available in early 2011. For more information visit www.gearsofwar.xbox.com.

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TOYZ GUIDE GADGET REVIEWS Product Review: Livio Carmen

From transistor radios to satellite the way we listen to music and talk has evolved, now be prepared for the next step, internet radio on the go in your car. Developed by a young emerging from out of Ferndale, Michigan (Their CEO is also featured in this publication), the Carmen functions with your computer by searching for internet radio stations worldwide with the ability to record programming and replay it in your car. You can also store MP3’s on the Carmen adaptor and play it in your car. Recordings can be fast forwarded like Tivo but for y our radio. The Carmen comes with 2 gig of storage and there is over 42,000 stations and can record from and works with the 12 volt adapter in you car. Livio also makes an assortment of internet radio products. For more information visit www.livioradio.com.

Energizer Energi To Go A650 www.energizerlightingproducts.com

•Have you had your phone die in the middle of a conversation? Well Energizer has a great solution for that. It’s called the Energi To Go A650 and it is a rechargeable pocket charger. The charger provides a temporary boost to your phone good for up to 90 more minutes of power, more than enough to finish a conversation, close a deal, email a file, but not recall a wild night in Vegas. The Energi To Go fits on a keychain and costs $24.99 For more information visit www. energizerpowerpacks.com

RCA Travel Charging Station PCHSTAT1R www.rcaaccessories.com

RCA’s travel charging station, the PCHSTAT1R, is a convenient accessory that includes a surge protector, two USB ports, and three power outlets for a total of five charging ports. It’s compact for travel or handy for use in the home. One can charge a laptop, an iPhone, a Blackberry, or a PSP and even share with other devices. The portable charging station retails for under $30. For more information visit www. rcaaccessories.com.

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TOYZ GUIDE GADGETS REVIEW Mitsubishi 65” 3D Home Cinema TV Model 65638 www.Mitsubishi-TV.com/3D-DLP

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With 3D films now being the craze, the only barrier to mass adoption is price, especially with the current economic and credit environment. Well, fret not, Mitsubishi, partnered with DLP technology, has a 65” full 1080p, 3D-ready cinema TV that is also ENERGY STAR qualified. Currently available online, you can get the WD-65638 model for $799 at sites such as BestBuy.com and Target.com. Mitsubishi also has a 3D starter pack available for $399, though I saw amazon.com list it at $301.99. At the combined price of less than $1200 for 2 3D lenses, a 3D signal adaptor, and a 65” full 1080p TV, this has to be the steal of the holidays. For more information visit www.Mitsubishi-TV.com/3D-DLP

»»»»»»» Netflix www.netflix.com

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Fast becoming the premiere way people watch movies, Netflix can claim to single-handedly put the retail movie renting business to bed. While both Blockbuster and Hollywood Video lay in wake, Netflix is taking yet another audacious journey, the elimination of physical DVD’s entirely.

For as low as $7.99 a month you can stream movies and TV shows via Netflix on a wide range of devices from Roku to gaming systems to your PC or laptop. In fact, there are now premiums added if you want to have physical DVD’s mailed with the lowest subscription starting at $9.99 and the unlimited package going to $19.99, which becomes almost as pricey as some cable and satellite deals. But if you are a person who travels or is on the go a lot a streaming package is the best way to watch new movies or catch up on your favorite series. To sign up for Netflix visit www. netflix.com.

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Kodak Easy Share M590 Digital Casmera www.kodak.com

With social media fast becoming the primary means of communication for so many, Kodak has created the ultimate camera to complement the lifestyle and is utilizing an ad campaign that features trendsetters and influentials like Drake, Rihanna, Trey Songz, and Pitbull. The EasyShare M590 makes it easy to capture your favorite moments. You can take pictures or record HD video up to 720p from a 14 MP camera with 5X zoom. Once you sync your camera with your computer, simply click the share button and have your pictures posted on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Kodak Gallery or Orkut.

The EasyShare M590 also comes in several cool colors and is almost as small as some smart phones so it’s compact. The EasyShare M590 retails for $149. For more information visit www.kodak.com.

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