Blog Archives for February 2014

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Doctor Who, Google, Dinosaurs, 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!

The app markets are filled with so-called "free-to-play" games, and it's no wonder: the most popular free games can rake in millions of dollars per day. These apps generally make money through a combination of advertising and in-app purchases. However, a recent survey found that about 0.15% of mobile gamers are making 50% of all the in-app purchases in free-to-play games. Read on as we take a hard look at this trend in mobile gaming.

The largest Bitcoin exchange in the world has shuttered its windows after apparently losing hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoins after a long-term hacker attack. The fallout has resulted in an increased scrutiny of Bitcoin safety — leading more people to consider pulling their Bitcoins offline — and raises questions about how far this nascent unregulated financial market will go.

Samsung has officially announced its newest flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy S5, with less emphasis on internal hardware and more on additional features. In this brief — yet lively — video, our experts examine if the S5 lives up to the hype, whether we've maxed out on what's possible with smartphone hardware, and what it even means to be a flagship Android phone.

It's important to know which car models have the better shot of avoiding a bevy of mechanical issues. Inside, we've got the lowdown on the most common repair issues from a variety of sedans — and what those fixes will cost you in the long run.

Even though a whopping 32% of our readers claim to fear taxes more than death, the outlook for this year's tax season isn't too bad. Read on to find out what the average tax refund is for an individual, as well as details on what everyone is spending their money on.

Why is the PlayStation 4 outselling the Xbox One, when the Xbox 360 had been the dominant console for years? Our survey says that Xbox diehards are holding out for a deal while dual-platform gamers are opting for the PlayStation 4's better specifications.

Amazon just increased the price of Prime in the UK and Germany by 64%. Does that mean that higher rates are on the way for American shoppers as well?

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple, Star-Lord, Warcraft, 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!

The time to finalize your spring break plans is drawing nigh, but this popular travel season can put you in the red faster than a student loan if you're not careful. However a recent study has revealed that choosing the right time to book and the right time to travel are the key components of scoring an awesome spring break travel deal.

Though many aren't aware, your ISP monitors your data usage. Go over your cap and you may be throttled, billed extra, or have your account suspended. But does the threat of data caps change how often you stream video?

According to a recent report, clown membership has been dropping for years, and there are currently only 2,500 "official" clowns in this world. Are we headed for a clown crisis (and a world that's slightly less horrifying)?

Many video rental stores have closed since the rise of Netflix and the like, and some consumers have found themselves getting calls from debt collectors seeking remuneration for DVDs and VHS tapes that were never returned. That pales in comparison to the experience of Kayla Michelle Finley, however, who was recently arrested for never returning a copy of Monster-in-Law that she rented in 2005.

The days of mass produced, cookie cutter mannequins are waning, and in their place will be more authentic-looking models, designed to better represent a larger base of shoppers whose proportions have never traditionally been reflected by the typical headless forms. Will this affect your shopping?

As it turns out, 2014 car models are priced to sell; high-end car makers are luring potential buyers with lower-priced models, and mainstream brands are loading their vehicles with features that used to be found only on luxury models. But before you hit the showroom, here's some advice about which 2014 models offer the best value and how you can get the best deal.

Is your New Year's resolution to get in shape is a distant memory? Well, try not to beat yourself up. Every day brings with it another chance to renew the commitment. And with it the perennial question that dogs every fitness buff at one time or another: Which athletic shoe is right for you? We talked to Dr. Scott Weiss, a licensed physical therapist and board certified athletic trainer in search of advice on finding the right athletic shoe to fit both your feet and budget.

In a continued effort to crowdsource TV programming from its Prime members, Amazon has offered up another slate of pilots for your consideration, be you kid or adult. Because not everyone has the time or inclination to watch all 10 shows, we've taken the liberty of viewing them for you. We already reviewed Amazon's offerings for mature audiences, and now we're moving on to the kids' shows. Which pilots are worth your child's time?

Not being able to face forking over a ludicrous $15 to see The LEGO Movie in theaters, we instead bought a LEGO set and filmed our own version. We think you'll agree that it's the most awesome movie ever filmed by man.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple, bezels, Captain Marvel, 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!

Scandinavia is one of the "coolest" travel regions at the moment, thanks to its unspoilt nature, welcoming people, and quirky perspective on accommodation. And thankfully, we've been seeing regular airfare sales of late that can get you there on the cheap.

In a move that's causing uproar among consumer advocates, Comcast will acquire Time Warner Cable for $45.2 billion. Comcast is already the largest cable company in the country, but the FCC isn't likely to stop the deal. So how will this merger will affect you?

We love House of Cards around here. In anticipation of the February 14 release of Season 2, we wanted to put together a game everyone could play while binge-watching. Due to the number of episodes in a season, it's probably not safe to play a drinking game, so we came up with a House of Cards saving game instead!

Samsung will likely unveil its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5, this afternoon. And if you cash in your old phone now, you could wind up paying close to nothing for that new tech toy once it's available.

For years, people have been saying that wireless charging is the wave of the future, yet it remains far outside of the mainstream. However, two of the three biggest wireless consortia announced that they are joining forces to make sure that their wireless technologies work together. But is it a lack of a standard that's been keeping wireless charging from gaining popularity?

When Google first released the Chromecast, there was much to be excited about. But a lack of compatible apps and content quelled some of that excitement. That is, until now. Developers will soon be able to create and release Chromecast-compatible sites and apps, making a slew of new material available to users in the next few months.

In a move that should make Amazon think twice about its rumored Prime price hike, Newegg announced it will begin testing a Prime-like delivery service. In addition to expedited shipping, the $49.99 annual cost of Newegg Premier will also offer perks like exclusive deals, free returns, and waived restocking fees. But is Newegg's cheaper service an instant win for the DIY crowd or are you better off keeping that 50 bucks in your pocket?

In its continuing efforts to crowdsource TV programming with its Prime members, Amazon has offered up another slate of pilots for your consideration. But which ones are worth your time? And furthermore, which should you "vote" for to have developed into a full series?

The National Retail Federation is predicting that Valentine's Day spending will top $17.3 billion this year, which is actually less than in years past. What's the deal?

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

Jeff Bezos is taking another swing at an Emmy award with a new selection of pilots. Those that get the most votes will be made into a full series. It's a great idea, but the comedies don't sound that funny to us.

Wouldn't it be fun to go to the Sochi Winter Olympics? Don't you wish you could be there for the pomp, the circumstance, the medals, and the ... fancy hotels? Well, don't get super excited, because supposedly the hotels are a mess!

As many shoppers are now aware, Target experienced a massive security breach between November 27 and December 15, 2013, with the personal data of up to 110 million customers having been compromised. In January, Neiman Marcus experienced a similar hack and in the weeks since, various expert reports have suggested that even more stores are currently also at risk. This has left many consumers wondering: How have so many retailers been hoodwinked by hackers? And is there any truly safe way to pay for goods outside of cash? To help better understand the changing credit card landscape consumers are facing, we've laid out all the details on what information might have been at risk and explore the various ways consumers can shop online and remain secure.

Despite AT&T's reassurances that it would remain committed to an open Internet, a new patent suggests otherwise. The patent, named "Prevention of Bandwidth Abuse of a Communications System," details how AT&T can monitor the type of data you're using and mark certain users for increased billing based on their usage.

CVS Caremark has announced that it will stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products in its stores, completely. The chain claims that the sale of tobacco is inconsistent with its goal of being a health care facility.

In the spirit of offering customers new and interesting food options, there are times that fast food chains have gone too far beyond their core business competency. We'd like to take a moment and reminisce about our five favorite fast food innovations that failed.

These days, we're trusting more and more online retailers to protect our data. Many websites require you to make an account, even if you only plan to shop there once. Faced with the difficult task of making up a unique password for tens, maybe hundreds of sites, many of us fall back on the bad habit of using bad passwords. Unfortunately, a new study showed that 64% of online retailers don't seem to care whether their shoppers are making strong passwords or not.

Just days after Amazon broke the news that it may raise the cost of its popular Prime shipping service by $20 or as much as $40, consumers have taken to the Internet to voice their opinion. While many found it hard to justify a higher price, others claimed a lack of new content on Amazon Instant Video, coupled with the price hike, as reason enough to quit.