Blog Archives for 2012

As a guy who spends his days breaking down gadgets galore, Kyle Wiens of iFixit has seen the good, the bad, and the unrepairable. But he somehow managed to decide upon five favorite consumer electronics and gadgets amongst all the techie toys that vie for his affections.

It was a crazy year for consumers. We got not just one, but three new iPads, a new iPhone, tablets galore, and all kinds of other goodies. So, come, take a trip down consumer news lane with us as we investigate The Year In Consumer News 2012.

As winter settles over much of the country, some folks may find themselves wincing every time the furnace kicks on. That's because for many homes, the cost of heating and cooling is a major monthly expense. To combat these costs, energy experts recommend a programmable thermostat, like the Nest Learning Thermostat, which can make almost every home more energy efficient and thus save money.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Android, Ben Affleck, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

How many of you got a new iPad or the Wii U this Christmas, or some other fancy new device? Are you now faced with the predicament of what to do with your old electronics? How about donating, recycling, or even exchanging your old tech for some cold hard cash?

Is your favorite Christmas tradition forgetting to buy gifts for people? Do you find yourself without a single present for anyone you care about? Fear not! We've compiled a list of last-LAST-minute gifts you can give to save your skin. Barely.

It seems that this time of year, some companies' policies and practices are especially aggravating. But when it comes to spotlighting those "hidden" pesky fees, analyzing the fine print, and noting unfriendly practices, Consumer Reports's Naughty & Nice List can help consumers avoid pitfalls and make more educated decisions in the new year.

The New York Times has announced its list of the 10 Best Books of 2012. Knowing what to read is good; knowing how to get it for cheap is better! Inside, check out the list and where to find the best books of 2012 for the best prices.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Facebook, Polaroid, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

This is a busy week for UPS, but it appears as if the shipping giant isn't up to the task. When entering an order number on the UPS tracking page, a message is displayed that says UPS Ground delivery guarantees are suspended until December 26. Are any of your orders affected by this delay?

Recent price-drops on the iPhone 5 have made it the most highly-discounted current-generation iPhone. Typically, Apple isn't known for unusual price drops, so why is this happening and what does it all mean?

Every day we compile deals on the lowest priced goods we can find. But there comes a time when we must acknowledge that there are just some things that continue to get more expensive. Whether it be a gradual increase in price due to supply and demand, or a noticeable spike in costs as a result of a change in inventory, these are 12 things that will cost more in 2013.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 240 is all about the end. (Of the world and the holiday season.) The panel discusses holiday shipping deadlines, last-minute expedited shipping deals, Instagram's new policies, Facebook gifts, Amazon's Gifting Tool, holiday stresses, and more.

Think Christmas is simple? Think again! Each gift you receive brings with it a mess of subtext. Before you accidentally offend someone this year with a misguided present, read through our list of the hidden meanings behind some of the most popular Christmas gifts.

Nowadays, lots of consumers are up on the latest gadgets, but remain committed to getting the latest tech for less via price comparisons. While some will prefer to shop online, there are many that still want the in-store experience. For those folks, we've looked at some of the most popular price-checking apps, so you can still come ready to do your research.

According to Bing, consumers are getting "scroogled" by Google Shopping's pay-for-play product search engine. But is Bing really any better? Inside, we compare Google and Bing's price comparison engines and find that Google still leads with accurate results — even if it refuses to include Amazon.

Just in time for the holidays, Amazon has launched its Friends & Family Gifting tool, which curates gift ideas based on Facebook "Likes." But does it really churn out good suggestions? We showed dealnews employees the items that Amazon selected for them, and asked: do you even want this? The results were sometimes pretty amusing.

Today's electronics have transformed our lives in countless ways, but their ubiquitousness has driven many consumers' electric bills sky-high. To help keep energy costs manageable, the Consumer Electronics Association developed an energy calculator that aims to inform us just how much energy we're using.

The pressure is on to get all of your online shopping done in time for Christmas, but what happens if you miss all the standard shipping deadlines? Our deal archives show that soon enough, many online retailers will begin to offer discounted expedited shipping. But when can you expect these promotions, and from what stores?

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Microsoft, Apple, Google, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Earlier this month, T-Mobile announced that it will cease offering subsidies for cell phones. On the surface, it may seem as if its customers will no longer be able to get a deal on the latest smartphones, but when coupled with budget-friendly service plans, T-Mobile users actually stand to gain. Would you be willing to pay full-price for your phone, in exchange for long-term savings?

While the idea behind Free Shipping Day might seem enticing, our data shows that the offers aren't as good as they seem. Moreover, waiting until December 17 to place a holiday order isn't smart, when so many retailers are already offering free shipping on deals.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 239 gets into the holiday spirit with talks about coffee, holiday shipping deadlines, the best time to buy toys, store tactics that manipulate you into buying more during the holidays, snow globes, Man Town candles, and more.

While most HDTVs on sale during Black Friday don't last long, our research shows that the same deep discounts on big-brand names are beginning to crop up again. If you hold your horses remote and wait it out, you'll see those same deep discounts return. But how long should you wait?

The great season of giving always brings with it the added challenge eventually returning unwanted presents. On account of many gifts having been bought weeks earlier, recipients may encounter snags with the typical 30-day return policies. But we've found stores that offer customer-friendly extended holiday return policies.

The concept of the daily deal appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and in a (ahem) flash, it became the hottest thing in retail. But the market is now crowded, and there seems to be daily reports of bad news for sites like Groupon and LivingSocial. This prompts us to ask: Is the daily deal dead?

Microsoft is in trouble. Despite its aggressive marketing campaign, sales of its new Surface RT tablet are well below expectations. However, Microsoft's troubles could spell good news for consumers as high inventory of an ailing Surface RT could spark a flurry of deals — just like it did for the BlackBerry PlayBook.

We've raked through our data from November to determine what toys people are buying, to see which will be the hottest toys of the 2012 holiday season. From LEGOs to LeapFrog, click through to check out our top 10.

Savvy shoppers have come to expect free delivery from merchants, but both UPS and FedEx announced that they will increase their shipping rates for 2013. Will this make it more difficult for retailers to offer the free shipping that consumers now crave?

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Shopping online can make buying gifts for the holidays much easier, but it also requires some advance planning to account for shipping times. As we near Christmas, you should start taking into consideration the potential risks that come along with online shopping for the holidays. Inside, we've got a list of stores to avoid if you're looking for a 100% risk-free Christmas purchase.

There's no place quite like home for the holidays ... but we can think of a dozen or so places that might be more fun than celebrating Festivus with the family. You don't necessarily need a passport or a fortune to give yourself a holiday reprieve either, since the cheapest places to fly to for Christmas aren't that far away.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 238 is like Janus, looking forward towards the holidays, while looking backwards at Black Friday. This week, the panel talks about Redbox Instant pricing, more Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales numbers, the "True Cost of Christmas," better gifts to buy people who don't really understand what they want, and more.

Since there's so much news to cover as we head full-swing into the holiday season, you may have overlooked some important information to guide your purchases. Here are some recent features you might have missed:

• When Do Brand-Name HDTVs See Black Friday Prices?
• Is the Daily Deal Site on Its Death Bed?
• Extended Holiday Returns for Christmas 2012
• Notoriously Slow Shippers: Avoid These Stores for Last-Minute Gifts
• Gifts That Seem Expensive ... But Really Aren't

... and more!

We hear you're a safe driver, but you're probably paying too much for car insurance. But that may soon change, as the industry is dipping its toe into the water of pay-as-you-drive insurance, also known as usage-based insurance. So what's it all about?

Whether for gifting to friends this holiday or sipping a celebratory glass post-holiday shopping, having wine around is essential this time of year. But having the wine on hand is only the first step in presenting it with the dignity it deserves. There are a number of gadgets and wine-related devices on the market today that serve the purposes of uncorking, aerating, and chilling wine — but which are worth your money?

The holidays should be fun, not hazardous. However, there are always toys just waiting to harm your kids. That's why W.A.T.C.H. puts together its list of the "10 Worst Toys" every year, in the hopes of saving your children from horrible, strangulated, punctured visits to the doctor and hospital. Here are the big 10 for 2012!

As phones receive bigger and bigger touchscreens, we've been wondering where the line between smartphone and tablet actually lies. As it turns out, there's not a line, but a whole new product category. "Phablets" are hybrid devices with at least a 5" screen that are fully functional as both a phone and a tablet. But are they worth adding to your wishlist this holiday season? We scanned the reviews to find out.

The folks at ReadWrite cover breaking technology news with ample zest and zeal, and their San Fran-based writer, Jon Mitchell is our latest gadget guy to talk about his five favorite gadgets.

Although it was an excellent year for e-commerce growth on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we have heard many unpleasant stories from readers that had their orders cancelled. As it turns out, the majority of these cancellations stemmed from Black Friday week purchases, which speaks to the difference between the two shopping holidays.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Microsoft, Google, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Black Friday was never meant to be a dark and dour affair, but several merchants have once again begun canceling already-placed Black Friday and Cyber Monday orders. While this reminds us of Best Buy's Christmas 2011 debacle, should shoppers come to accept this as part of the risk to the biggest shopping days of the year?

The Nexus 4 is essentially the lovechild of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and an LG Optimus G, and it comes close to what we imagine Google wanted its original smartphone to be like all along. But how well does this 4.7" quad-core smartphone meet the public's needs?

The dealnews Podcast Episode 237 fondly looks back at this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The panel talks about our experiences during on those days, how much the average American spent, what it means for the holiday season, who the best and worst merchants were, and other holiday shopping topics.

Microsoft was once the ubiquitous face of personal computing, but has mostly shluffed through the mobile revolution of the past decade. Yet, in an effort to reclaim ground, the company has just issued the most radical reimagining of its flagship OS since the Clinton administration. Inside are some timidly glowing reviews that lay out whether you should upgrade to Windows 8.

While we didn't see a whole lot of choice audio deals this past Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there have been a few standout deals. Fortunately those deals are still active and offer some of the lowest prices we've seen on headphones, receivers, and more.

Bargain seekers who love to price check the items they purchase, beware: some of the season's hottest gifts this year will be exclusive to certain retailers, which will complicate price comparisons.

Another Black Friday is in the books, and while you have another day of good deal-shopping ahead of you on this lovely Cyber Monday, it's time to assess the deals we've seen so far. Who served consumers well, and who stumbled? Read the sixth annual dealnews awards for the best and worst of Black Friday to find out!