The Strip

THINGS I WISH MY KIDS WOULD ASK ME

Editor's note: Barry Courter has a 22-year-old son who recently graduated from college and an 18-year-old daughter who is a senior in high school.

Q: Dad, I have a new-to-me vehicle. What should I do first?

A: After handling all of the paperwork -- insurance and registration -- look over it inside and out. Learn about the car. Figure out how everything works and where everything is. You want to be able to defrost the windows and turn the wipers on easily. Learn where the emergency blinkers are and what that odd button on the dash is. You don't want to go looking for anything should an emergency or a strange situation come up. You should have the fluids checked, and then you should drive it to become comfortable with it.

-- By Barry Courter

TOP 10 GAMES

Game Informer Magazine ranks the top handheld games for January.

  1. "Super Mario 3D Land," 3DS

  2. "Infinity Blade II," iOS

  3. "Mario Kart 7," 3DS

  4. "Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition,ty," PSP

  5. "Professor Layton and the Last Specter," DS

  6. "Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure," 3DS

  7. "Aliens: Infestation," DS

  8. "Cave Story 3D," 3DS

  9. "Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D," 3DS

PHONE FAVORITES

Among those who said they bought a smartphone in the past three months, 2.4 percent chose a Windows Mobile device, according to a Nielsen survey of smartphone owners in the fourth quarter of 2011. Among all smartphone users, Windows Mobile held a 4.6 percent share. Nielsen's research also showed the iPhone 4S, launched in the fall, boosted Apple's share considerably. Among those who got a new device in the last three months, 44.5 percent of those surveyed in December said they chose an iPhone, compared to just 25.1 percent in October, according to Nielsen. Android still held most of the market with 51.7 percent of recent acquirers choosing an Android device and 46.3 percent of all smartphone owners saying they have an Android smartphone. Nielsen found that as of the fourth quarter 2011, 46 pe.S. mobile consumers had smartphones, with the figure going up quickly.

-- McClatchy Newspapers

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