Blog Archives for September 2014

Camping in the fall can be a delight, but at the end of the day, your comfort depends on picking the right sleeping bag for the weather and your needs. How do you make the right choice? Here are the factors you should consider, and some deals to make the purchase even easier.

A great meal never goes out of style, so we're back with another list of the top smartphone apps for finding food and drink deals. From Happy Hour and food truck trackers, to an app that finds deals at the best local restaurant options, here are our top picks.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple Watch, iPads, Captain Kirk, 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!

Toys "R" Us just released its list of the most anticipated toys for the holidays. (And yes, it is only October.) If you have a kid in your life, you'd better familiarize yourself with this selection of playthings. To make it a tad easier, we've cherry-picked our favorite five toys.

With the astounding sales of the iPhone 6 and 6 plus (over 10 million units sold), it's clear that people really like larger phones. Our experts discuss if phablets and tablets are mutually exclusive technology, or is there's room in our hearts for both.

Spirit Airlines has made something of a hobby of courting public ill will. But its recent move to increase baggage charges during the holidays leaves the airline looking more like Ebenezer Scrooge than ever.

These days, Apple deals are easy to find, but when you buy your Apple kit is just as important as where you buy it. We took a deep look at the deal life cycle of four landmark Apple devices, and as it turns out, you can save a sizable sum right before, and after, an Apple device is updated.

The MacBook Air has gone from being Apple's priciest notebook to being its cheapest, entry-level machine; just this April, Apple refreshed its 11" MacBook Air for the fourth time and simultaneously lowered the retail price to $899. That cut was unexpected, but appreciated — namely because it has driven deals prices for the MacBook Air to new lows. If you're on the hunt for a MacBook Air deal, when can you expect the best prices?

The rumor mill has been buzzing for some time now, and the word is that Apple will release new iPads in October. That wouldn't be surprising since the company did so last year too. This predictability is extremely useful for the dealhunter, because it becomes easier to predict when you'll find the best deals.

Although iPhone deals were initially hard to come by, retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have now changed the deal industry by discounting new iPhones just days after their announcement. So bargain hunters are faced with a new dilemma: When exactly can you get the best deal on the iPhone of your choice? We took a look at our deals from the past three years to find out how discounts roll out during the life cycle of Apple's smartphone.

Is it time to start booking your Thanksgiving trip home already? Our deals suggest that it is. And while flexible travelers might be able to wait a while before booking their flights, we recommend that anyone with specific "Thanksgiving dates" take advantage of one of our current airfare sales and book now to lock down a good price.

Once the domain just of the knowledgeable and wealthy, wine-buying is being disrupted by the internet (just like everything else). Ready to stock your cellar or impress dinner party guests? There are plenty of online wine shops out there, so we've put together a guide to some of the most popular and interesting options.

Retailers have long been paying top dollar to search engines and others to get a peek at your browsing habits, and you can see the evidence in the ads that pop up later on. But Personal BlackBox is developing a way for consumers to bottle their online and retail activity to sell.

Are you a recent victim of credit card fraud, like the just-announced hack at Home Depot? Have you noticed suspicious charging activity on your statement? Credit card fraud can be stressful, but we've come up with a few tips to help you prevent identity theft from taking a toll on your credit history.

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

Ever since Apple officially announced the Apple Watch last week, we've all been busy discussing the merits of the emerging smartwatch category. But when it comes down to it, do shoppers even want a smartwatch, Apple or otherwise? We polled our readers to see what they make of it, and as it turns out, not everyone is ready to jump aboard the latest trend in tech.

America is a land of bigness: we're the home of the Grand Canyon, the Cadillac Escalade, and the Big Gulp. But there are a few products where you're actually better off "skimping" and getting the smaller, less expensive option. From perishable goods to things that are expensive to maintain or store, bigger isn't always better.

When it comes to managing your money in the digital age, you have a lot of options. Older software mainstays have been joined by web and mobile applications, all promising to be the only tool you need for getting – and keeping – your finances in order. We rounded up the best, most affordable choices for different financial objectives and styles.

With better features, the iPhone 6 Plus is obviously a high-end phone, but it also comes at a higher starting price: the iPhone 6 is $199 with a 2-year contract, while the Plus starts at $299. Thus, we were curious to know just how many people are actually interested in the pricier model. As it turns out, quite a lot of you.

Smartwatches are the hottest new gadget in the tech world — but they're still pricey, and most need a smartphone to function. Is it worth the investment? Read on to see a few of the top ways a smartwatch could improve your daily activities.

If you're a retailer hoping to cash in on unpredictable events like sports championships or costume trends, it becomes something of both a science and a gamble. To find out how different kinds of stores work the stocking game year round — and how shoppers can benefit — we spoke with a retail expert to get the inside scoop.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple Watch, Minecraft, HTC, 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 week's iPhone 6 announcement included the news that iOS 8 will support calls over Wi-Fi. This feature, already available on some Android models, lets you make calls, send texts, and even check voicemail across a Wi-Fi network. Though it might not save you money, it makes it easier to use your phone even in poor service areas, and to make calls while traveling internationally.

Whether you're buying your first washer to eliminate trips to the laundromat, or replacing a decade-old workhorse, the options now available on the market make for a confusing buying decision. But picking out a new washer and dryer doesn't have to be a complicated choice: we'll walk you through what is and isn't important to try to help you make the best buying decision.

The iPhone 6 and Apple Watch got much of the attention at yesterday's Apple keynote address, but Apple's mobile payment platform Apple Pay could be the real game changer in the retail world to emerge from the event. It could benefit consumers like you with savings, speed, and security — if Apple can succeed where many others have failed.

Apple announced the long-rumored iPhone 6 this week, but eagle-eyed observers might have noted that in the process, we have a new fleet of iPhone price points. The iPhone 5C has dropped to $0 with a 2-year contract, and if all you want is an iPhone for cheap, then that probably seems appealing. But whatever you do, do not fall for it.

Apple's iPhone got its biggest redesign in recent years today as Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. But whereas last year's models packed minor upgrades, this year's iPhones boast some serious tech, making them a worthy upgrade if you're an Apple fan who's in the market for a new phone.

Sure, browsing DealNews is fun, but what if we could do all the heavy lifting for you? What if you could have the day's hottest deals sent directly to your email? What if we stopped asking rhetorical questions?! Subscribe to the DealNews Select Newsletter and we'll deliver the day's best deals directly to your inbox. Each one is hand-picked by our expert editorial staff, so there's no fluff (even if fluff is sometimes fun).

Want more ways to optimize your DealNews experience? Check out our DealTips; they help you unlock the full potential of DealNews!

Being away from your computer means being separated from DealNews and all of our great deals... or does it?! With our DealNews mobile apps for iOS and Android, you can check up on today's hottest deals while on the beach (beware of sharks), from the top of a mountain (beware of bigfoots... bigfeet?), or wherever you find yourself (beware of yourself). You'll have on-the-go access to hundreds of deals from thousands of merchants, daily! How mind-blowing would it be to buy a grill from the top of a volcano?! Whoa.

PS: The app even works when you're not on vacation! (So, like, when you're meeting with HR about your Internet shopping addiction.)

It's a good day for e-commerce companies, as a recent change to the United States Postal Service's rates will slash prices by up to 58% for some business shipments. This is a huge threat to industry leaders FedEx and UPS, and could be a boon for consumers — but it could also backfire on the USPS, as increased volume going into the holidays could cause major delays.

We're quite familiar with the notion of shoppers camping out in order to be the first to buy something — but that's usually in pursuit of a hard-to-obtain doorbuster. You'd hardly think it necessary for a widely-available smartphone, right? And yet, people have been street-sleeping for several days in anticipation of the iPhone 6 announcement tomorrow.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple, U2, Chris Pratt, The Tick, 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!

Ikea — the Swedish budget furniture giant that knows a thing or two about simple, iconic design — just released a product video for the cutting-edge intuitive technology embodied in its "bookbook™" — also known as the 2015 Ikea print catalog. The store's jab at Apple's gushing, talking-head product videos quickly became one of our favorite Apple parodies.

Considering there's a burglary in the U.S. every 15 seconds, a home security system can provide peace of mind and keep your belongings — and family — safe from intruders. We spoke to several experts about how to research and plan your home security system appropriately, so that your investment pays off.

In the past week, there have been three separate instances where a flight had to land early, because passengers got into fights over reclining seats. With airlines shoving more and more people into smaller and smaller spaces, is this the new normal for flights? Our experts discuss how to deal with personal space violations on airplanes.

Most fans can agree that it's exciting to root for a team that wins. But being the budget-minded folks that we are, we won't settle for merely supporting the teams that win the most. Ideally, the perfect team would offer a happy medium between cost and winning potential. So, which NFL team this year will offer the greatest return on your investment?

How far are you willing to go to get a discount? For many, there's no measure too extreme if it means getting a couple bucks off of a sandwich! Inside, you'll hear about six promotions that offer a discount or perk for getting a permanent tattoo!