Blog Archives for 2013

During a recent heat wave, we had a dream that we were in a glow-in-the-dark bed using cufflink cigarette lighters to set fire to the tail of a 12-foot inflatable spider. A moment of whimsy led us to Google the dream, and guess what! It was not so far-fetched after all! Subsequently we put together this list of weird and wonderful stuff you can buy that has made us gasp and giggle and shake our heads no less than 10 times.

iOS 7 is on its way and with it may come the promise of new iPhone hardware. But while the rest of the tech world speculates on the next-gen iPhone, we're excited about the iPhone 5; if Apple sticks to tradition, then a $99 iPhone 5 may be in the future.

In our latest, hard-hitting video, we blow the lid off the Chromecast and review some of the flaws that Google failed to mention during its official announcement. Is it bad enough to make you pass on the device? No, probably not. We just want you to have all the facts, before you make your decision.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple, Transformers, Zelda, 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!

Last year, we compiled an ultimate list of the best joke reviews on Amazon, and now we're back for another round. Join us again as we wade through the many products on Amazon's intimidatingly vast digital shelves and go in search of the one thing the internet produces above all else (aside from lists and cat memes and deleted search histories): snark. And spelling errors. But mostly snark.

It was recently revealed that 10% of Starbucks' transactions are paid for with mobile payment methods like Passbook, Google Wallet, on-screen gift cards, etc. Have you ever used your phone to complete an in-store purchase? If not, would you?

If keeping up with the news is its own reward, then saving money because you kept up with the news is like getting cash from Grandma for helping her bake cookies. Did you know that Google will soon allow you to send money from your inbox? Or that financial experts are predicting lower smartphone prices on the horizon?

These days, consumers have access to a wide variety of digital music made available by download through a variety of sources. And despite iTunes' popularity over Amazon's MP3 Store and Google Play, our research shows that iTunes music is always more expensive.

Now that summer is in full swing, it's time to invest in the hottest seasonal fashion accessory: frozen coffee. It's not very hard to find a refreshing frozen coffee, but where can we find the best frozen coffee drink?

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Gran Turismo, Ryan Gosling, 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!

Yesterday Google announced Chromecast, both a software service and a hardware device that has the potential to change the way we stream media on an HDTV. (That is, unless you're familiar with Apple's AirPlay; then it's a lot like something you've used before.) All this, and it will only cost a mere $35.

Amazon has built its reputation around rock-bottom pricing and undercutting the competition, but a recent study suggests that the retailer may be slowly increasing prices on its books. Could the downfall of other booksellers be the culprit?

While back-to-school sales and falling consumer demand have brought notebook prices to all-time lows recently, there's still another way for shoppers to get even more bang for their buck on a laptop this summer. In fact, if people opt for an AMD processor, they could slash up to 38% off their final price.

One of the co-founders of Twitter recently suggested that Facebook should offer a paid version which would strip out the ads. In this brief — yet lively — video discussion, our experts ask the question: Would you pay to talk about cats with your friends?

There are an overwhelming number of ways to get music via the internet. But if you can answer yes/no questions, then this music streaming services flowchart can make finding the best fit for your musical tastes and budget a breeze.

More often than not, it pays to stay up to date with what's going on in the world of retail and consumer goods. For example, a recent study shows that men get distracted by flashy colors while shopping, which causes them to buy things that aren't actually good deals. Another report from last week suggests that the average price of iPhone apps is steadily dropping — but that might not be a good thing for your wallet in the long run.

Everyone knows that gearing up for a new school year means buying copious amounts of paper and pencils, but the best part about going back is the chance to re-stock a student's wardrobe! Whether you're a parent or a student, we're here to help you find the best sales on back-to-school clothes.

It's time for the Steam Summer Sale, those few days out of the year where thousands of bargain-browsing gamers say, "Hey, why not, I'm sure I'll play it sometime." But wait! Stay your pretty hand! Instead of making a purchase that you'll regret, we've gathered the top five games from the sale that collectively come to a neat sum of $25.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Google, Doctor Strange, 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!

We see hundreds of excellent deals every day here at dealnews, but sometimes a discount comes across our plate that actually tells a story. In the case of this Editors' Choice Google Nexus 7 deal, it's a story that predicts the refresh cycle for the Nexus 7, as well as future pricing for its competitor, the Kindle Fire HD.

They say that money can't buy happiness, but money can buy bacon — and bacon is bliss. But how much bacon is too much? We wanted to see what life would be like if we indulged our every porky whim and incorporated bacon into all aspects of our daily life.

Not everyone loves grocery shopping. Enter mySupermarket.com, a new site that compares the prices of groceries (both foodstuffs and otherwise) across a variety of stores. But can this sale aggregation site save consumers both time and money?

T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon are all about to offer new cell phone plans. These new plans will allow customers to pay a higher monthly rate in exchange for the opportunity to upgrade their smartphones more often. In this brief — yet lively — video discussion, our experts ponder whether or not this is a good thing.

Buying a smartphone isn't as easy as it used to be. Faster processors, sharper screens, and a never-ending line of new releases have made it a lot harder for consumers to make a single purchase without a tinge of regret. Fortunately, this Android and Windows smartphone buying guide is chock full of some of today's best phones at the best prices around.

Using cloud storage allows you to access your files at anytime from anywhere. It's as easy as creating an account and connecting to the internet. And if you utilize your free cloud storage resources wisely, you won't ever have to pay for the privilege!

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, 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!

Jam-packed with cheap toys in bulk quantities, The Oriental Trading Company's catalog was sure to inspire avarice in the average child. What kid wouldn't want 144 toys? And they were so cheap! Now that we're adults, let's reexamine the OTC catalog and see if there's anything in there that still has us itching to buy by the gross. (Hint: There is!)

This summer, 69% of consumers plan to take vacation... and plan on spending $1,000 or less in doing so. We've found that way to stretch that budget is by booking lodging through Airbnb, which can save 46% off the cost of a hotel stay.

Are you a devoted PC gamer that wants to break away from your desktop? Luckily, there are great gaming laptops on the market that are sure to free you from your desktop burdens.

Do cable companies make it purposefully difficult to cancel services so customers will choose to stick with the company, rather than put themselves through the hassle of discontinuing membership? In this brief — yet lively — video discussion, our experts reveal what they've stuck with, because canceling was too hard.

While it's easy to download whatever song that may strike your fancy with just a click of a mouse, filling your library (or even just building a new playlist) in this fashion can become expensive pretty quickly. A smart music fan should thus always be on the lookout for opportunities to get free music.

The KFRC Fantasy Fair & Magic Mountain Music Festival and the Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967 gave birth to outdoor rock festivals as we know them today. And since then, countless musicians have performed countless songs, but there's more to the summer's festivals. Here's the rundown on stats, spending, and trivia surrounding the summer concert season.

For some students, the school year just ended. It doesn't matter, because it's already time to think about going back! Back to school means spending a lot of money on supplies, clothes, and whatnot. How much? Find out in our latest infographic!

Have you ever wondered if there's more to life than just being really, really, ridiculously good looking? With rumors circulating that the much-anticipated Zoolander 2 is in the works, we thought it was apropos to take a closer look at the models that we comes across every day. As our writers sort through sale after sale, they tend to unearth various photographic gems that seem to embody that Ben Stiller fashion classic.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: life, liberty, and the pursuit of statistics on spending. So whether you're lighting a few sparklers on the front lawn, heading to the nearest beach, or buying flags for the local parade, here's the rundown on stats, spending, and trivia surrounding the Fourth of July.

This week, Google closed down Google Reader, its RSS feed reader. This left a lot of people in the lurch and searching for new ways of getting their news. Our experts wonder though: Do we even need RSS news readers anymore?

With summer blockbusters on their way from the big screens to our home screens, there's no better time to improve your viewing and listening experiences in the living room. With today's technology advancements, there are plenty of home theater system options available that are sure to benefit your setup at a reasonable cost.

It's been an interesting few weeks for gamers, particularly Xbox fans. After initially planning a host of seemingly draconian online connectivity requirements and restrictive resale policies, Microsoft announced some big changes to its original Xbox One plans in response to gamers' reactions. But could new and used video games have been cheaper under the Xbox One's original model?

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the cinema, so long as the A/C is working. But the "full movie theater experience" — complete with popcorn, soda, Snow Caps, and the like — can be pricey. Thankfully movie theater deals and discounts abound, and we've got some tips on how to enjoy the big screen films for little cash.

When it comes to chains like Walgreens, Macy's, or McDonald's, you don't have to be a genius to figure out the establishments were named after someone who got the enterprise off the ground, but wherefore Target? You can keep imagining what the story behind Apple Computers is, too, or we can talk about how the these seven major national brands chose their names.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Facebook, Google, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, 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!

Bartering for goods or services may seem like an old-fashioned concept, but with the power of the Internet, it's coming back in style. We've collected eight barter and trade services that help you get rid of things you don't want in exchange for things you do.

Once upon a time the world thought that 1080p was pretty good. Now there are TVs with a 3840x2160 resolution which purport to put regular high-def to shame. What do you think? Can you ever have too much resolution on your TV?

Smartphones have revolutionized the ways in which we take and share photos, but which smartphones offer the best mobile photography features? Here are the top five smartphone cameras that offer the most bang for your buck. Or the most pop for your pixel. (You know what we mean.)

Best Buy's latest promotion offers a free iPhone 5 when you trade in your iPhone 4 or 4S in-store, but is this the best you can do for your defunct phone? We did the research and found that you'd be better off using a different service.

While there are many reasons to love an all-inclusive vacation, the biggest perk may be tucking your wallet away for the entirety of your summer getaway. These deals to the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Mexico, and Jamaica include everything from unlimited food and drinks to water sports, at no extra cost — allowing you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Microsoft announced yesterday that it will terminate the Xbox One's much-disputed DRM policy, and it will no longer require 24-hour online check-in from users. Surely this will please the gamers who hated these "features," but is it enough to make them go back to team Xbox?

Organized retail crime costs the industry $30 billion a year. And while that number alone may shock you, we're more surprised by what people are stealing.