Blog Archives for 2014

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!

The fact that Johnny Depp collects dolls probably won't surprise you, but the picture of him holding them might. Read on for more on Depp's obsession, as well as a full list of our favorite (and sometimes surprising) celebrity collectors.

In the digital age, going viral is an all-important way to spread your brand. For fast-food restaurants, an easy way to make that happen is to invent a disgusting and/or over-the-top food that makes people's arteries seize up just by thinking about it. Here are 10 of our favorite attention-grabbing junk foods.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple, Star Wars, Full House, 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!

If you have ever wanted to know what it would be like if the ruler of Asgard had to deal with a book being mistakenly sent back to Amazon, then you need to read this immediately.

"Knee Defender" briefly became one of the fastest-growing searches on Google this week, after the small, plastic product, which prevents airline seats from reclining, caused a fight midair. Knowing this, there are other ways to improve your comfort while traveling that won't bother those around you.

Cats are notoriously lazy, skittish, and impossible to train — in other words, they're wholly lacking in all the qualities needed to run a restaurant. Setting out to prove this, the Japanese branch of Pizza Hut recently debuted a viral marketing campaign called "Pizza Cat!," apparently betting that Internet + cats = SELL ALL THE PIZZA.

Amazon is gambling that you will enjoy watching others play video games as much as you enjoy playing them yourself. In fact, the retailer just paid $1 billion for Twitch, an online video-streaming site that specializes in live-streaming people playing video games. Has Amazon lost its mind? We discuss.

Gift cards should never be taxed at sale, but some retailers are breaking state and even their own rules on the matter, or finding loopholes. While not federally mandated or explicitly spelled out in every state, we outline the best evidence we could find on tax-free gift cards, and as for your experiences.

If your closets hold abundant junk, your garage spills over with stuff, and those toddler clothes no longer fit your pre-teen, you're a prime candidate for staging a yard sale or garage sale. We spoke with a personal finance expert to get tips on staging a profitable and stress-free garage sale.

DealNews is always bringing you the best tool and hardware deals; and now, we've compiled all of our tool-buying guides into one place. Whether you want to know more about drills, ladders, or an emergency automotive kit, check out our tools and hardware hub.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about Apple iPhones, YouTube, Star Wars, 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!

Pack up the grills and bust out the sweaters, folks: Labor Day heralds the end of summer! Labor Day sales are a great time to score end-of-summer travel deals and patio furniture clearance. Unfortunately, September's relative proximity to November means you're bound to run into some pre-Black Friday price increases — which is why Labor Day isn't the time to buy a plasma TV.

Dell's name is synonymous with budget computers, so it's no surprise that the home of the Inspiron is the last place you'd turn to for TV deals. However, although Dell lacks the physical presence of its brick-and-mortar rivals, it's beating both Best Buy and Walmart in the art of the TV deal.

Apparently, Amazon wasn't joking when it said it wanted to develop a drone delivery service; the mega-retailer is reportedly seeking federal approval to begin testing. However, Amazon isn't the first company to jump on the drone bandwagon.

This year, Starbucks is going to start selling the Pumpkin Spice Latte on August 25. That's almost a full month before fall officially begins! In this video, our experts discuss pumpkin spice flavored things and whether or not "holiday creep" leads to fatigue and ruins the special-ness of a Pumpkin Spiced Latte.

Summer is almost over, but if you're anything like us, you might still be suffering from the boredom that comes when your favorite shows are on hiatus. That's when your trusty Netflix subscription can come in handy. We polled the DealNews staff for their favorite TV and movie suggestions so you can dive into something new. Do you agree with our picks?

Shopping for a new laptop can be tough. What kind of processor is best? Should you go for an ultrabook or a hybrid? How much RAM do you need anyway? Fear not, we're here to help with our laptop buying guide.

A few years ago, a store with a website was considered cutting edge. But today, brick-and-mortar stores are opening "storefronts" on host retailers like Amazon and eBay. We turned to former Microsoft exec and Indix founder Sanjay Parthasarathy to get some answers on the retailer-marketplace phenomenon.

Coffee drinkers take note, the price of your morning brew is about to go up. Starting this November, Keurig will raise the cost of its K-cup packets by up to 9% while simultaneously launching new DRM-style machines that only work with Keurig-approved pods.

A journalist brought his 2008 Toshiba TV to Antiques Roadshow to be appraised, and the results are kind of hilarious.

We listed tablets as one of the 10 things you shouldn't buy a college student. However, according to recent figures, tablets came in right behind laptops as the top two devices parents intend to buy for their kids this school year — beating out even scientific calculators and cell phones! In order to help you decide whether to take the student tablet plunge, here's the full breakdown on tablets for every budget.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane hearsay about the iPhone, Transformers, Windows 9, 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 cut through the noise to round up the basics – the most durable, versatile, and affordable cookware you need to get started. We even looked at where you might splurge, and when you might want more specialized products. Read below to see how to get the most value for basic cookware.

Are you familiar with Danbo, the "Amazon Robot" that's made up of Amazon boxes? For obvious reasons, Danbo is considered Amazon's mascot. But who's the one responsible for the creation of this tiny cardboard creature? (Hint: It's not Amazon.)

We may be living in a digital world where you can hold thousands of albums in the palm of your hand, but an ever-increasing portion of the listening public is eschewing the convenience of MP3s for a seemingly anachronistic format: the vinyl record. If you're ready to go retro, make sure you know what to look for when buying a turntable.

A new report from CreditCards.com finds that, on average, store-based credit cards hold a 23.23% APR. That means you'll get hit with a $23 interest fee for every $100 you put on the card! In this brief — yet lively — video, our experts discuss if there are any benefits to signing up for a store credit card.

Campus bookstores are renown for their price gouging, but it turns out textbooks aren't the only items they sell at a premium. We looked at the online bookstores of six universities and found that laptops and tablets are also sold at higher-than-average prices, sometimes costing up to 135% more than outside prices.

Here we present the latest forecasts and fun facts associated with the back-to-school season, offering a look at how households will spend this year. So sharpen those pencils, sit up straight in your chairs, and study up. There will be a quiz immediately following this lesson.

Comcast is one of the most hated companies in the United States, creating public vitriol with every move it makes. But an exclusive line of customer service reps are hoping to change your outlook on the company. Is Comcast's dream team enough to win you over?

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

As must happen to all things on the Internet, Amazon's customer reviews are on occasion hijacked by smartasses. And as you might imagine, certain products — like BIC's "For Her" pens or a book titled A Million Random Digits with 100,000 Normal Deviates — are prime candidates for their absurd humor. Join us as we revel in our favorite joke Amazon reviews!

If you're looking to cash in on some of your old video games, GameStop will soon be offering higher rates to those bringing in titles to sell. Read on to find out how you can maximize the money you get for a trade-in.

In recent years, stores have been rolling out Black Friday promotions in the summertime, and this year, the holiday creep includes Cyber Monday, too. But are the sales actually that good? We dug in to take a deeper look.

Should gamers be treated like criminals? That's what people are asking, after GameStop stores in Philadelphia started fingerprinting customers to stop the fencing of stolen goods. Our experts discuss if getting fingerprinted is the worst thing to ever happen to gamers.