Recently by Marc Perton
Public Citizen Calls For Breakup Of Bank Of America
By Marc Perton on January 25, 2012 12:15 PM
29 Comments
Bank of America poses "a grave threat to U.S. financial stability," according to watchdog group Public Citizen, which has called for the bank to be broken up. More »
SOPA Protest: Wikipedia Traffic Up, Congressional Support Down
By Marc Perton on January 19, 2012 12:15 PM
25 Comments
Yesterday's mass protests about the SOPA and PIPA anti-piracy bills have yielded some positive results: At least 18 members of Congress — including several PIPA co-sponsors — have withdrawn their support for the legislation. And Wikipedia, which went dark for the day, saw its traffic go up, as visitors used the site's SOPA page as a resource for information about the issue. More »
Anti-SOPA Movement Unites Trent Reznor, Opera Singers
By Marc Perton on January 18, 2012 5:00 PM
22 Comments
While SOPA and PIPA have the support of every major record label, the unions representing performing artists, and the organizations that manage licensing for musicians, some performers, writers and artists have stood up against the bills, including MGMT, OK Go, Trent Reznor and the members of OPERA America. (And Neil Gaiman, too!) More »
(Personal Democracy Media)
Micah Sifry: SOPA Part Of "Larger Struggle Over How Expression And Creation Will Be Supported"
By Marc Perton on January 18, 2012 12:30 PM
15 Comments
Micah Sifry, head of Personal Democracy Media and an expert on the intersection of technology and politics, sees the battle over SOPA and PIPA as part of the ongoing changes affecting the content and entertainment industries in the Internet era: "They're trying to use the law to artificially protect business models and slow down new ways of doing things that are disrupting that business model," he told The Consumerist. More »
Craig Newmark Talks To Us About SOPA: "Things Can Go Bad Real Fast"
By Marc Perton on January 18, 2012 2:30 AM
1 Comment
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark has been a vocal opponent of SOPA and PIPA with good reason: According to Newmark, if the bills as currently written were passed into law, "any site with any kind of user provided content could be shut down easily. For example, Wikipedia, Amazon, craigslist. Any media site with commenting." In an email interview with Consumerist, Newmark (who is also a member of the Board of Directors of our parent company) warned that, despite White House opposition, and recent changes to the bills to limit DNS filtering, consumers should still be concerned. More »
SOPA and PIPA Far From Dead, Despite Concerns Of White House And Changes To Bills
By Marc Perton on January 17, 2012 7:00 PM
54 Comments
Although the White House this weekend expressed "serious reservations" about elements of the pending anti-piracy bills SOPA and PIPA, and House leaders have said they will not conduct hearings on their bill any time soon, the legislation is far from dead. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said this weekend that he hopes to open debate on the Senate's version later this month. And House sponsor Lamar Smith said he will continue work on that chamber's version. Internet protests planned for tomorrow, in which some of the web's largest sites will go offline for 24 hours, are expected to go ahead as scheduled. More »
Comcast AnyPlay: For When You Must Watch TV In The Bathroom
By Marc Perton on January 11, 2012 3:30 PM
20 Comments
At last we know what that guy is doing with his tablet computer in the bathroom in that razor commercial: He's watching cable streamed from his Comcast account via the company's AnyPlay iPad app. More »
(Coca-Cola Co.)
Coke's Secret Formula Moved To Atlanta Museum
By Marc Perton on December 8, 2011 3:30 PM
48 Comments
For the first time since 1925, Coca-Cola has moved its secret recipe out of a bank vault, and put it on display in the company's World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta. But "on display" doesn't exactly mean visible, since the exhibit includes its own vault, which is about all visitors will be able to see. More »
Taco Bell To Stake Its Future On Doritos Locos Tacos
By Marc Perton on December 8, 2011 2:30 PM
84 Comments
Taco Bell has been rolling out the Doritos Locos Taco over the past year. Now the company has reportedly declared that the taco — which does indeed have a Doritos-based shell — is a "breakthrough product designed to reinvent the taco," and the company's strategy for 2012 will be built around it. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Wendy's Hot 'N Juicy Not So Juicy: Consumer Reports
December 8, 2011 12:30 PM
83 Comments
Our sensory-specialist siblings over at Consumer Reports have tasted the Dave's Hot 'N Juicy burger from Wendy's, and have declared that the burger, while thicker than previous Wendy's offerings, isn't all that juicy. More »
(KitanaOR)
Report: More Consumers Want Food That Tastes Good
By Marc Perton on November 18, 2011 4:00 PM
76 Comments
Market research firm Technomic is out with its 2011 Consumer Flavor Report, and one finding is that 53% of consumers say "new and unique flavors" drive their decisions on where to eat, compared to just 42% in 2009. The report's authors say that "craveability and culinary expertise [are] increasingly relevant to consumers, many of whom say they are more interested in experiencing new flavors as they dine out." More »
(NASA)
Insurance Company Allianz Will Cover Your Next Space Flight
By Marc Perton on November 18, 2011 3:00 PM
26 Comments
Just because you're ready to drop $200,000 to take a quick trip into space with Richard Branson, there's no reason you shouldn't take out some travel insurance in case you lose your luggage or your medical coverage doesn't extend beyond the stratosphere. At least that's what German insurer Allianz is thinking. The company is rolling out a new policy, that could cost up to $10,000, for space travelers who want to play it safe. More »
(Amazon.com)
Study: Amazon Losing $3 On Each Kindle Fire It Sells
By Marc Perton on November 18, 2011 2:00 PM
73 Comments
Speculation that Amazon is losing money on its $199 Kindle Fire has been rampant since pricing for the ebook reader was announced. Now, research firm iSuppli has broken the Fire down to its core components, and has determined that the Fire is costing the company at least $201.70 to manufacture, meaning Amazon is losing roughly $2.70 on each one it sells. More »
(ronnyg)
White Castle Really Wants You To Make Slider Stuffing This Thanksgiving
By Marc Perton on November 17, 2011 4:00 PM
74 Comments
White Castle is pitching its slider stuffing once more, with discount coupons for customers who want to buy bulk burgers to add to their Thanksgiving dinner. The recipe, which has been around for about 20 years, calls for one slider per pound of turkey. More »
(PepsiCo)
Mid-Calorie Pepsi Next To Launch Nationally Next Year
By Marc Perton on November 17, 2011 3:30 PM
50 Comments
Cola drinkers in Wisconsin and Iowa have apparently given the thumbs up to Pepsi Next, the "mid-calorie" drink being test-marketed in the two states. PepsiCo plans to go national with the 60-calorie soft drink next spring. More »
Visa Launching PayPal-Like V.me Service Next Year
By Marc Perton on November 17, 2011 3:00 PM
32 Comments
Visa will roll out its V.me online payment service early next year. The company, which announced plans for the service in March, has also launched a developer program to help merchants incorporate its payment systems into their web sites and other products. More »
Verizon Wireless Will Watch Everything You Do If You Don't Opt Out
By Marc Perton on November 17, 2011 12:45 PM
49 Comments
Verizon Wireless is sending emails to customers this week informing them that the company will now begin storing their browsing history, location, app usage data and more, in the name of providing "more relevant" mobile ads. The company says it won't "share any information that identifies you personally," and the email includes instructions for customers who want to opt out of the tracking program. More »
(Kimaroo)
Walmart Offers $27 Million Settlement In Netflix Class-Action Suit
By Marc Perton on November 16, 2011 5:30 PM
51 Comments
If you've received an email saying you're entitled to make a claim in a class-action lawsuit against Netflix and Walmart, don't toss it. Walmart has thrown in the towel and is offering to settle with customers who sued the retail giant and Netflix after the two companies made a deal to promote each other's DVD businesses. More »
(wmliu)
Refinancing Homeowners Are Ditching Variable-Rate Mortgages
By Marc Perton on November 16, 2011 4:45 PM
25 Comments
With mortgage rates close to record lows, 95% of refinancing homeowners are going with fixed-rate loans, according to Freddie Mac. More borrowers are also opting for shorter mortgages, with 40% of those who paid off a 30-year loan switching to a 15- or 20-year mortgage, the highest percentage since 2003. More »
Canada's New Plastic Money Won't Rip, Melt Or Be Mistaken For A Sex Toy
By Marc Perton on November 16, 2011 2:30 PM
67 Comments
Canada, which dropped its $1 bill in favor of coins decades ago, is continuing to tear up its paper currency. This week, the country introduced a plastic $100 bill, which the government says is rip-resistant, virtually impossible to counterfeit, and won't melt in the dryer or freeze in the winter. It's also been modified, since some early reviewers saw sex toys and naked women in its original design. More »
Should You Go To A Restaurant For Thanksgiving?
By Marc Perton on November 16, 2011 1:00 PM
134 Comments
If you've decided to ditch the turkey fryer and go to a restaurant for your Thanksgiving meal, you're not alone. According to a new survey, 14 million Americans will eat out on Thanksgiving this year. More »
Walmart Eating Cost Increases On Food So You Can, Well... Eat
By Marc Perton on November 15, 2011 5:15 PM
80 Comments
Walmart is absorbing some price increases on products like food, rather than passing them along to consumers. The chain plans to continue keeping its prices down across the board to goose sales, executives told investors earlier today. More »
(onishv)
Is This Sandwich Worth 33 Cents?
By Marc Perton on November 15, 2011 4:15 PM
85 Comments
This decidedly minimalist sandwich showed up on Reddit today, and readers quickly deduced that it's from Taiwan, where it sells for about 33 cents. Is that a fair price for a sandwich that's mostly bread, and is clearly packaged in a way that makes it seem like there's more to it than there really is, or does it make you want to demand more than a sliver of cucumber for your 10 New Taiwan Dollars? More »
Citigroup Gets Out Of The Music Business
By Marc Perton on November 15, 2011 4:00 PM
19 Comments
Citigroup has sold the EMI music business for $4.1 billion, with Universal Music Group picking up the record label for $1.9 billion and a team including Sony and David Geffen buying the publishing business for $2.2 billion. The sale caps a nine-month bidding war, and splits up a company that has sold and published music for over a century. More »
(Marike79)
Home Depot Increases Sales By Moving Office Staff To Sales Floor
By Marc Perton on November 15, 2011 12:45 PM
69 Comments
Home Depot has finally found a use for your pointy-haired boss — they made him a sales person. The leading home improvement chain has boosted sales by shifting some employees from the back-office to the sales floor. The red staplers will be lonely, but the customers are buying more items per trip. More »
White House Announces Plan To Cut Some Student Loan Payments
By Marc Perton on October 26, 2011 5:30 PM
157 Comments
The Obama administration has announced two initiatives to lower student loan payments for some borrowers. One, an update to the existing income-based repayment program, will cap loan payments at 10% of discretionary income for certain borrowers. The other proposal will let some borrowers merge older student loans with newer ones. More »
(Consumer Reports)
How To Protect Your Car From Halloween Tricks
October 20, 2011 3:45 PM
53 Comments
If your biggest Halloween fear is waking up the next morning to discover that your car's been egged into oblivion, our car-care cousins at Consumer Reports have a few ideas that may offer some protection. The most effective (and obvious): stash your car in the garage overnight if you can. More »
You Are Watching More TV And More Internet Video, Too
By Marc Perton on October 20, 2011 2:30 PM
20 Comments
Americans spend 146 hours and 20 minutes parked in front of TVs, according to new data from Nielsen. And almost half of all consumers — 48% — now watch videos on the Internet. Typical Internet viewership is 4 hours and 26 minutes per month, up 15% from a year ago. More »
Consumer Reports: Buy Your Electronics On The Internet
October 20, 2011 1:30 PM
59 Comments
Our connected colleagues at Consumer Reports are out with their latest electronics shopping survey, and online stores ranked higher than brick-and-mortar shops in almost every respect. Winners include Amazon.com, Newegg.com, Crutchfield.com and BHPhotoVideo.com. More »
(bastiend)
You Can Now Legally Order Sangria In California
By Marc Perton on September 23, 2011 5:00 PM
77 Comments
California Governor Jerry Brown signed a law this week overturning a Prohibition-era ban blocking bars from serving alcoholic drinks infused with fruits or other substances. Under the old law bartenders could be fined for serving fruit-infused drinks like sangria, as well as alcohol infused with spices, herbs or vegetables. More »
Three Reasons To Go Android, And One To Keep You On The iPad
By Marc Perton on September 23, 2011 2:15 PM
83 Comments
The iPad will dominate tablet sales until 2014, according to a new report from research firm Gartner. But Android models will take about 17% of the market this year, and there are a few reasons to consider one, according to our computer-savvy cousins at Consumer Reports. More »
New Yorkers Have Longest Commutes But They Can Sleep En Route
By Marc Perton on September 23, 2011 1:45 PM
83 Comments
According to the Census Bureau, residents of the New York area have the nation's longest commutes, with the average trip taking about 35 minutes. However, New York also ranks highest in usage of public transportation, so a lot of those people can catch some rest on the way to and from work. More »
Bank of America Wants To Get Out Of The Pizza Business
By Marc Perton on September 23, 2011 1:30 PM
37 Comments
Bank of America has decided to stop selling pizza. The bank, which operates 1,140 Pizza Hut branches through its NPC International division, has reportedly decided to sell off the business. BofA could get more than $800 million for the Pizza Hut stores. More »
(Ninja M.)
Al Gore Says New iPhones Coming In October
By Marc Perton on September 22, 2011 4:45 PM
48 Comments
Just in case you're looking for a more reliable source for information about the release date of Apple's next iPhone, former vice president Al Gore has weighed in. "Not to mention the new iPhones coming out next month. That was a plug," Gore said yesterday. He should know. In addition to having invented the Internet, he's a member of Apple's board. More »
(ashi)
How Much Of P&G's Ariel Laundry Detergent Should You Really Use?
By Marc Perton on September 22, 2011 4:30 PM
35 Comments
Here's a quick quiz: If you use Procter & Gamble's Ariel USA laundry detergent, should you use 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup or 1/5 cup of detergent for a medium-size load of laundry? More »
Verizon Admits That Bill Shock Alert System Needs Work
By Marc Perton on September 22, 2011 12:30 PM
21 Comments
Verizon Wireless has a system that's meant to alert customers if their current voice, data or text usage patterns are likely to push them into having to pay overage charges, but the company admits that it has some reliability issues. More »
(Marc Perton)
Fifteen Arrested After Theme Park Blocks Scarf-Wearing Muslim Customers
By Marc Perton on August 31, 2011 2:15 PM
200 Comments
Rye Playland, a small Amusement Park in New York's Westchester County, was briefly shut down Tuesday, after officials refused to allow female Muslim customers to go on rides unless they removed their headscarves. Fifteen people, including three women, were arrested for disorderly conduct. More »
North Korean Airline Tells Facebook Users To Like It
By Marc Perton on August 30, 2011 5:15 PM
27 Comments
Unless you live in North Korea, Russia or China, chances are you've never flown on North Korea's Air Koryo. But thanks to the power of Facebook, you can now choose to like the airline and comment on its wall. But be careful what you say. The airline recently had to scold a group of "South Korean false fans" whose "spam had engulfed much of the fan-pages' posts and pictures." More »
Shake Shack, Smashburger Lead Growth Of "Better Burger" Chains
By Marc Perton on August 30, 2011 4:30 PM
75 Comments
Smaller fast-food chains that make "better" burgers are growing faster than their larger rivals, according to a new report — though in some cases, the chains are still very small. Shake Shack grew by 133% in 2010, and now has seven stores. Smashburger had the second highest growth rate, at 116%. and now has 93 branches. More »
(amcnair)
Consumer Confidence At Lowest Level Since 2009
By Marc Perton on August 30, 2011 2:30 PM
22 Comments
Jitters over this summer's debt-ceiling showdown helped push consumer confidence to its lowest level in more than two years. With unemployment levels still high and housing prices remaining low, "there is basically nothing for consumers to be confident about," analyst Gennadiy Goldberg told Reuters. More »
Study: Chocolate Cuts Risk Of Heart Disease And Strokes
By Marc Perton on August 30, 2011 1:45 PM
40 Comments
A new study seemingly paints chocolate as a wonder drug: It can apparently cut your risk of heart disease by 37%, reduce the risk of a stroke by 29% and drop your chance of developing diabetes by 31%. The catch? The study, out this week in the British Medical Journal, doesn't involve randomized controlled trials. More »
If You Followed @Irene On Twitter, You Reached An Ad Agency
By Marc Perton on August 30, 2011 1:30 PM
18 Comments
If you're one of the 11,000 people who decided to follow @Irene on Twitter to keep up with hurricane news, you may want to unfollow, now that the account has reverted to its pre-hurricane status as an "agency soapbox" for a product strategist (named Irene, of course) at marketing agency Huge Inc. More »
Owners Kick Marriott Out Of Waikiki Hotel
By Marc Perton on August 30, 2011 12:30 PM
43 Comments
Hotel chain Marriott is no longer taking reservations for the Waikiki Edition hotel, but that doesn't mean you can't get a room. In a late-night raid last weekend, the chain was kicked out by the hotel's owners, who changed the locks and brought in new management without even calling to say goodbye first. More »
(camknows)
Amazon Dumping Copycat "Private-Label" Ebooks
By Marc Perton on August 15, 2011 2:15 PM
17 Comments
If you've been dying to get a copy of "Yoga Basics Plus" onto your Kindle, you may soon have only one or two versions to choose from, rather than the 21 currently available on Amazon. The ecommerce giant has begun removing "private-label" ebooks, which are books that anyone can republish after paying a small fee for the rights. More »
(sanden)
Want A Job? Try Texas Or North Dakota
By Marc Perton on July 25, 2011 5:45 PM
97 Comments
While some parts of the country continue to struggle, Texas has added over 500,000 jobs during the last five years, making it the overall leader in job growth, according to an analysis of statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. North Dakota, which added about 41,000 jobs over the same period, takes the crown for percentage growth: non-farm employment is up nearly 12% there. More »
NFL Lockout Over As Players Approve Deal
By Marc Perton on July 25, 2011 5:15 PM
44 Comments
As anticipated, the NFL Players Association has signed off on a deal ending the 4 1/2-month football lockout. The deal was approved by owners last week. Teams will be begin reporting to training camps on Wednesday. More »
Relaxation Drinks: For When You Need To Come Down From That Energy Drink High
By Marc Perton on July 25, 2011 4:30 PM
54 Comments
If caffeine-infused energy drinks get you going when you need a boost, can relaxation drinks spiked with melatonin or lemongrass calm you down? Companies selling drinks like Just Chill and Dream Water hope so, and they're anything but relaxed about it. More »
Landmark St. Louis Del Taco Building Granted Reprieve From Demolition
By Marc Perton on July 25, 2011 3:30 PM
20 Comments
A flying saucer-shaped former Del Taco, built in 1967 and slated for destruction this year, has been saved from the wrecking ball, thanks in part to an active Facebook campaign — and a personal plea from St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. More »
After The Storm: Shop At Home Depot, Eat At Waffle House
By Marc Perton on July 12, 2011 5:00 PM
45 Comments
Which retailers are best at preparing for major disasters? According to some experts, big-box chains like Home Depot and Lowe's earn high marks for responding rapidly to blizzards, tornadoes and hurricanes. Then there's Waffle House, which FEMA administrator W. Craig Fugate cites as being one of the indicators he uses to determine whether a community has recovered from a disaster: If the restaurant is open and serving a full menu, things are okay. More »
Consumer Reports: "Still Reason For Concern" About BBB Ratings
By Marc Perton on July 12, 2011 4:00 PM
49 Comments
Citing examples such as the Better Business Bureau's A- ratings for Publisher's Clearinghouse and coin-dealer Universal Syndications, Consumer Reports says there's "still reason for concern about the accuracy" of the BBB's ratings, despite recent changes made by the agency. More »
Report: There Is No Such Thing As An Allergy-Free Dog Breed
By Marc Perton on July 12, 2011 1:00 PM
61 Comments
If you're hoping to bring home a hypoallergenic dog for some sneeze-free friendship, you may be out of luck. According to a new report, there may be no such thing as an allergy-free breed of dog. More »
(Project No. 8)
Newsprint-Scented Candle Kindles Nostalgia Without Ink-Stains
By Marc Perton on June 24, 2011 4:00 PM
49 Comments
If you're nostalgic for the days when print ruled the world, but don't want to be bothered with actual newspapers, the late designer Tobias Wong's "Times of New York" candle, inspired by The New York Times, may be for you. More »
Convicted Bank Fraudster Could Get 385-Year Sentence
By Marc Perton on June 24, 2011 2:30 PM
32 Comments
Prosecutors in the case against Lee Farkas, who was convicted of leading a $2.9 billion scheme that wrecked Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp., have asked the judge in the case to sentence Farkas to at least 50-years in prison, adding that the maximum sentence for his crime is 385 years. More »
Homeless Man Misses Date To Collect Brother's $100K Estate
By Marc Perton on June 24, 2011 1:00 PM
40 Comments
Max Melitzer, who had been living on the streets since 1990, was set to inherit his brother's $100,000 estate yesterday. But a cousin reports that Melitzer didn't show up at the Albany, NY, bus station where he was due to meet him. More »
(afagen)
Supreme Court Blocks Walmart Sex Discrimination Suit
By Marc Perton on June 20, 2011 12:06 PM
71 Comments
The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that a group representing as many as 1.5 million women cannot proceed with a class action sex discrimination lawsuit against Walmart. The decision, which overturns an earlier ruling in favor of the class action, means the women will have to file individual claims against Walmart. More »
GE: Missing Socks Are Running Away From Us
By Marc Perton on June 10, 2011 5:30 PM
38 Comments
If you've lost a sock, or two, or three in the laundry, GE wants to help. Actually, GE wants to help your socks, which, according to the manufacturer, are running away from insensitive consumers who don't treat them right. Actually, the whole thing is a marketing campaign designed to promote GE's washers and dryers. Where is Jack Donaghy when we need him? More »
(J Dailey)
"Breastaurants" Growing In Popularity Nationwide
By Marc Perton on June 10, 2011 4:00 PM
164 Comments
Eating establishments known as "breastaurants" — which pretty much means exactly what you think it does — are gaining in popularity, as chains with names like Twin Peaks and Tilted Kilt compete with Hooters (which brings in about $1 billion a year in revenue) to offer "a different level of service and attentiveness" to their customers. More »
(C. Barr)
Report: Using Your Phone Or iPod On A Plane May Actually Be Dangerous
By Marc Perton on June 10, 2011 3:00 PM
111 Comments
If you've scoffed at the warnings not to use your cellphone or other "personal electronic devices" on airplanes, be warned: According to a new report, pilots and other airline staff have seen specific incidents where they believe interference from cellphones, iPods and other devices affected flight controls, navigation and other critical systems. More »
(Blendtec)
Has Blendtec Finally Met Its Match With Super-Tough Cell Phone?
By Marc Perton on June 10, 2011 2:00 PM
30 Comments
Blendtec's super-powered blenders have rarely failed at their "Will it blend" challenges, but the Sonim XP3300 Force, a super-tough cell phone that has survived everything from being encased in concrete to being dumped in -25 degree antifreeze, posed a unique challenge. More »
(Jen Anesi, Patch.com)
Missing Cat Lived In Home Depot For Months
By Marc Perton on June 10, 2011 12:30 PM
68 Comments
A cat that vanished from its home nearly a year ago — and was presumed dead by its owners — spent months living in a Home Depot in Michigan, until an employee brought it into a vet to get it a checkup and discovered it was microchipped. More »
New Law Would Allow Medical Marijuana Sellers To Get Bank Loans
By Marc Perton on May 27, 2011 5:30 PM
50 Comments
Two new bills could make it easier for businesses that sell medical marijuana to stay in the green, er, black. Under the Small Business Banking improvement Act, accredited marijuana dispensaries would be able to apply for bank loans, and the Small Business Tax Equity Act would allow them to deduct business expenses when filing their taxes. More »
(Federal Trade Commission)
Help The FTC Update Its Guidance For Internet Advertisers
By Marc Perton on May 27, 2011 4:30 PM
17 Comments
The Federal Trade Commission has announced plans to update its "Dot Com Disclosures," the guidelines it uses to tell businesses how federal advertising laws apply to the internet. The document was originally published in 2000, and the FTC admits that the "online world has changed dramatically" since then. More »
(U.S. Navy)
Disney Is No Match For The Navy SEALS
By Marc Perton on May 27, 2011 1:30 PM
50 Comments
The Walt Disney Company has dropped its efforts to trademark the term SEAL Team 6. The Navy had objected to Disney's plans to market products based on the name of the unit that killed Osama Bin Laden, and filed its own trademark claims to block Disney. More »
(Oceana)
DNA Tests Find "Disturbingly Widespread" Seafood Fraud
By Marc Perton on May 27, 2011 10:45 AM
90 Comments
If you've long suspected that the "mahi-mahi" on your plate may really be yellowtail, you now have science on your side: Researchers with the non-profit group Oceana have harnessed the power of forensic science to confirm that as much as half of all seafood sold in the U.S. is mislabeled. The group accuses the industry of "seafood fraud," and is calling on the federal government to step in to more tightly regulate fisheries and related businesses. More »
(Google)
With Wallet App, Google Wants To Get Into Your Pants
By Marc Perton on May 26, 2011 5:30 PM
36 Comments
Google becomes the latest company to try to turn your cell phone into a digital wallet, with today's announcement of cleverly named Google Wallet. The app is designed to turn any Android-powered phone with compatible data capabilities into a substitute for your credit cards. Right now, that's limited to just one phone, Google's own Nexus S 4G. More »
(vxla)
Starbucks Raises Prices By 17%; CEO Blames Speculators For High Costs
By Marc Perton on May 26, 2011 3:30 PM
63 Comments
Starbucks has announced plans to raise the price of the packaged coffee it sells in its stores by 17% in July. But don't blame the company: CEO Howard Schultz says speculators have pushed the price of coffee to a 34-year high. "This is the first time in my 30-years of being in the coffee business where this exists," he said earlier this month. In March, Starbucks raised the price of the coffee it sells in supermarkets by 12%. More »
Mets To Sell Stake To Hedge Fund Manager For $200 Million
By Marc Perton on May 26, 2011 1:45 PM
13 Comments
New York Mets owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon and Saul Katz will sell a minority stake in the troubled team to hedge fund manager David Einhorn for $200 million. The cash will allow the team to remain solvent, and presumably avoid a Dodgers-style takeover by Major League Baseball. More »
AT&T, Consumer Advocates Spar Over T-Mobile Deal In DC
By Marc Perton on May 26, 2011 12:30 PM
22 Comments
In a Congressional hearing this morning over AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson reiterated his earlier comments that the deal is "all about consumers." However, advocates such as Parul P. Desai of Consumers Union argued that the merger "would result in a highly concentrated market, which will likely lead to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers." More »
Government May Hit Banks For $17 Billion Over Foreclosures
By Marc Perton on May 26, 2011 12:15 PM
32 Comments
State attorneys general have warned the nation's top banks that they may face as much as $17 billion in lawsuits over foreclosure practices if they don't reach a settlement with the government. That number comes on top of billions more that the banks could owe to federal agencies including the Department of Justice. More »
Yes, Your Job Is Making You Fat
By Marc Perton on May 26, 2011 11:30 AM
81 Comments
A new study has made the fascinating discovery that the rise in desk jobs over the past 50 years has helped fuel the obesity epidemic. According to the study, less than 20% of jobs require even moderate physical activity, compared to over 40% of jobs in the 1960s. More »
Whistleblowers Can Get Paid To Track Down Financial Fraud
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2011 6:00 PM
27 Comments
Despite objections from businesses, the Securities and Exchange Commission has passed a new rule that will allow whistleblowers to get up to 30% of any money the SEC recovers based on their tips. The rule also exempts whistleblowers from having to reveal their findings to the companies they're reporting before going to the government. More »
Zuckerberg: Letting Kids Onto Facebook "Not Top Of The List"
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2011 5:30 PM
31 Comments
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg says comments he made last week at an education conference about wanting to open the site up to kids under 13 were taken out of context. "That's just not top of the list of things for us to figure out right now," he told attendees at a conference in Paris. More »
(.sanden.)
TSA Could Ban Flights From Texas If State Passes Anti-Patdown Law
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2011 3:30 PM
184 Comments
A showdown is in the works over an anti-patdown law, which the Texas House of Representatives recently approved by a unanimous vote. The government warns that passage of the law could cause the TSA to "cancel any flight" where it couldn't ensure passenger safety. Texas legislators say the rule is needed because existing laws "let government employees fondle innocent women, children and men." More »
(California Pizza Kitchen)
California Pizza Kitchen To Be Bought By Romano's Macaroni Grill Owners
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2011 2:45 PM
76 Comments
California Pizza Kitchen, known for such ambitious offerings as the 1,440-calorie Tostada Pizza, will be acquired by Golden Gate Capital, an investment company that owns the Romano's Macaroni Grill and On The Border chains. The deal is expected to be worth about $740 million. More »
(Environmental Protection Agency)
New Fuel-Economy Stickers Actually Display Car's Fuel Economy
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2011 2:15 PM
61 Comments
The U.S. Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency have rolled out the biggest redesign of the car window stickers that display a vehicle's estimated fuel efficiency since the labels were introduced. The new stickers, designed to be easier to read and to provide more information about fuel savings and costs, will be required for all 2013 cars. More »
(Neubie)
Maine Supreme Court Reverses HSBC Foreclosure On "Untrustworthy" Paperwork
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2011 12:45 PM
38 Comments
Maine's Supreme Judicial Court has overturned a foreclosure brought by HSBC against a local homeowner, citing affidavits submitted by the bank as "inherently untrustworthy." In vacating an earlier decision, the court declared that HSBC's records "are not of the quality that would be admissible at trial." More »
USDA: You Can Eat Pink Pork Without Getting Sick
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2011 11:30 AM
80 Comments
If you've been cooking pork chops until they're dry and leathery in the name of safety, stop now! The U.S. Department of Agriculture has revised its pork-cooking guidelines, saying it's OK to cook the other white meat to 145 degrees, and that the previous 160 degree recommendation was "probably overkill." More »
You Can Have Gelato With Your Footlong In A Subway Cafe
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2011 5:45 PM
21 Comments
Subway is testing out a more upscale version of its traditional sandwich shop. Dubbed Subway Cafe, the new restaurants would go after customers in office buildings and similar locations. More »
(Consumer Reports)
House Committee Battles Elizabeth Warren Over Consumer Protection Bureau
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2011 4:30 PM
52 Comments
At a hearing held by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today, the committee's GOP leadership debated Elizabeth Warren, the White House's pick to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. As the committee argued that new regulations are required to keep the watchdog agency from having "unchecked discretion" over financial matters, Warren responded that such efforts serve to "undermine the consumer bureau before it even begins its work of protecting American families." More »
Chrysler Repays $7.6 Billion To U.S. And Canadian Governments
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2011 3:15 PM
25 Comments
Chrysler today paid back $5.9 billion it had borrowed from the U.S. government, along with another $1.7 billion due to the governments of Ontario and Canada. No, Chrysler isn't suddenly flush from selling cars. The money to pay back the governments comes from bonds the automaker sold to banks and private investors last week. More »
H&R Block/TaxACT Merger Blocked; Would "Substantially Lessen Competition"
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2011 2:30 PM
48 Comments
The Department of Justice has blocked the proposed merger between H&R Block and TaxACT on the grounds that combining the two tax-software giants would "substantially lessen competition in the tax preparation software market, resulting in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation," More »
(iwfx)
Do Not Pocket-Dial 911 If There Are Outstanding Warrants For Your Arrest
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2011 12:30 PM
27 Comments
Today's lesson: If you're wanted for any kind of crime — or even if you just want to be a good, considerate citizen — find a way to make sure your phone doesn't pocket-dial 911. Otherwise, you may end up like James Green of Bangor, ME, who was arrested this weekend on outstanding warrants after his phone courteously called local police and helped them track him down. More »
Study: Dentists Less Likely To Treat Kids On Medicaid
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2011 6:00 PM
118 Comments
Dentists in Cook County, IL, were more likely to provide emergency treatment to children who had private insurance than to those on Medicaid, even if the dentists were enrolled in the state's Medicaid program, according to a new study. Medicaid typically pays less than private insurance plans, and experts say there's "little market motivation" for practitioners to take on those patients, rather than just going with those who have private insurance. More »
(General Motors)
Chevy Cruze Eco Swaps Spare Tire For Inflator Kit
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2011 5:30 PM
151 Comments
Even if you've never had to change a tire, chances are your car has a spare sitting there waiting patiently for a random roadside emergency. Chevrolet aims to change that with its Cruze Eco, which drops the spare tire in favor of an inflator kit with sealant that General Motors says can plug holes up to a quarter inch in diameter. More »
Twitter Faces "Super-Injunction" Challenge Over User Privacy
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2011 3:30 PM
36 Comments
Thousands of Twitter users have posted comments about a rumored affair between a British soccer player and a reality-TV star, and have included the athlete's name, despite a British law that allows individuals to get a "super-injunction" blocking publication of their name. The player has now used that injunction to get a court order demanding that Twitter reveal the account information of users who've posted his name. More »
(Marike79)
Don't Even Think Of Smoking In New York Parks And Beaches
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2011 2:00 PM
74 Comments
New York City, a pioneer at smoking bans in restaurants, bars and workplaces, has extended its policies to the outside world, with a new law that makes smoking in city parks, beaches or public plazas a crime punishable by a $50 fine. More »
Three Workers Die In Explosion At Foxconn Factory
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2011 11:00 AM
66 Comments
Three workers have died in an explosion at a plant run by Foxconn Technology Group in Hongfujin, China. Fifteen other workers were injured at the plant, said to be a manufacturing base for Apple's iPad. More »
(Marike79)
Ronald McDonald Is Still Not Being Retired
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2011 10:15 AM
37 Comments
Although McDonald's has repeatedly insisted that the company's red-headed mascot is not about to suffer the same fate as the Frito Bandito, activists that say the clown encourages childhood obesity continue to call for his ouster. At the company's annual meeting last week, CEO Jim Skinner defended Ronald against the charges, declaring him an "ambassador for good." More »
Senators Ask SEC To Force Companies To Reveal Data Leaks
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2011 2:15 PM
13 Comments
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller has come up with a new tactic to push companies like Sony to disclose hack attacks and data security breaches more promptly: He's asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to require companies to treat attacks as time-sensitive information that must be provided to investors. More »
Trader Joe's, Grey Poupon Top Consumer Reports' Dijon Mustard Ratings
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2011 8:30 AM
24 Comments
The trained tasters over at Consumer Reports have turned their tongues to mustards — both yellow and Dijon — and found that, while Grey Poupon's snob appeal may have some justification, its low-cost rival from Trader Joe's is just as good. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Amazon's Bezos: Federal Legislation Required To Address Sales Tax Issues
By Marc Perton on May 11, 2011 6:00 PM
92 Comments
In comments at Consumer Reports' headquarters, Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos stated that federal legislation is required to address differing state policies on the collection of sales taxes from e-commerce companies. He also said that the company will continue to drop affiliates in states that require them to collect sales taxes from their local marketing partners. "The big affiliates will pick up and move, which we're grateful for," he said. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Do Not Invest In "Collectible" Money
By Marc Perton on May 11, 2011 5:30 PM
82 Comments
What's the value of a $2 bill that's been sprayed with gold leaf? Two dollars — maybe less, if merchants don't want to accept the corrupted currency. But that hasn't stopped vendors from selling these and other "collectible" bills and coins at prices way above face value. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Target's Belle Sippy Cup May Not Be Suitable For Its Target Customer
By Marc Perton on May 11, 2011 4:15 PM
48 Comments
A reader sent this photo to our friends at Consumer Reports, with the comment:"How on earth did the design slip through several steps of quality control without anybody noticing how anatomically incorrect the figure is?" Indeed. This clearly should have been a "Beast" sippy cup. More »
(Gramcercy Pictures)
You Can Own The Dude's Cardigan For $4,000 Or More
By Marc Perton on May 11, 2011 12:45 PM
37 Comments
We can't imagine Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski ever getting excited enough about an auction item to rush out and bid on it. But if you must complete that essential Dude look, you can now purchase one of four sweaters made for "The Big Lebowski" as part of a Hollywood auction to be held later this month. Bidding is expected to start at $4,000-$6,000. Sorry; the dude's rug isn't on offer. More »
(IHOP)
You Can Now Eat IHOP's Pancake-Wrapped Sausages In Private
By Marc Perton on May 11, 2011 11:15 AM
31 Comments
Craving IHOP's stuffed french toast or sausages wrapped in pancakes but would prefer to have breakfast in the comfort and anonymity of your own home? Now's your chance. The restaurant's new "IHOP at Home" line will bring Griddle n' Sausage wraps, French Toast Stuffed Pastries and Omelet Crispers to 3,000 Walmarts nationwide. More »
(Amazon.com)
Catch Amazon's Jeff Bezos Live At 11AM ET Today
May 11, 2011 9:30 AM
6 Comments
Want to know what's up with that ad-supported Kindle? Have a question about Amazon's new cloud-based services or the free videos offered to Prime members? Get those questions answered today, as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos will be live in the Yonkers, NY, offices of Consumer Reports. We'll have the live stream right here, and you'll be able to ask questions during the event. If you can't make it, be sure to follow it on Twitter at #SSCRSummit. More »
(Getty Images)
5 Things To Do When A Company Leaks Your Data
By Marc Perton on May 6, 2011 4:00 PM
16 Comments
What should yo do if you're a victim of Sony's recent security breaches — or of similar data leaks at other security-challenged-companies? Our clever cousins at Consumer Reports have come up with a set of tips to help you weather the post-hack storm. Top of the list: Accept free credit-monitoring services that the company offers to its customers, but don't count on them to catch everything. More »
Warner Music Group Sold For $3.3 Billion
By Marc Perton on May 6, 2011 2:45 PM
16 Comments
Billionaire investor Len Blavatnik will pay $3.3 billion to acquire Warner Music Group, which is currently owned by a private investment group controlled by Warner chief Edgar Bronfman. While $3 billion may seem like a high price to pay for a money-losing company with $2 billion in debt, Blavatnik faced competition from over a dozen other bidders, including Sony, Live Nation and Bertelsmann. More »
Senate Republicans To Block Consumer Financial Protection Chief
By Marc Perton on May 6, 2011 1:30 PM
78 Comments
Following their colleagues in the House, who earlier this week offered legislation that would weaken the powers of the planned Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, nearly all Republican Senators have sent a letter to President Obama vowing to block the confirmation of any nominee to head the new agency, unless there are "structural changes that will make the Bureau accountable to the American people." More »
Security Expert: Sony Knew Its Software Was Obsolete Months Before PSN Breach
By Marc Perton on May 4, 2011 12:30 PM
58 Comments
In congressional testimony this morning, Dr. Gene Spafford of Purdue University said that Sony was using outdated software on its servers — and knew about it months in advance of the recent security breaches that allowed hackers to get private information from over 100 million user accounts. More »
Walmart CEO: Our Customers Are Running Out Of Cash
By Marc Perton on April 29, 2011 5:00 PM
106 Comments
Walmart CEO Mike Duke says the company is continuing to slash prices, but the chain's quest to remain the cheapest big-box store may not matter to many of its customers, who are running out of money faster than usual, thanks to higher gas prices and the sluggish economy. More »
(jkonrath)
TomTom Sold Speeding Data To Police, Cops Used It To Bust Drivers
By Marc Perton on April 29, 2011 4:00 PM
118 Comments
GPS-maker TomTom has had to apologize for selling speeding data gathered from consumers' navigation devices to Dutch police, who used the info to set speed traps for drivers. The Amsterdam-based company says that it didn't know that the cops would use the information for law enforcement, and that no personal information tied to specific drivers was shared with police. More »
Survey: Going Green Is For "Crunchy Granola Hippies"
By Marc Perton on April 29, 2011 2:00 PM
114 Comments
A new study from ad agency OgilvyEarth has found that "Green Rejecters," who rebel against everything from reusable shopping bags to hybrid cars, are more likely to be male than female, and consider going green an expensive indulgence for "crunchy granola hippies or rich elite snobs." More »
Hackers Say They Have Millions Of PlayStation Network Credit Card Numbers
By Marc Perton on April 29, 2011 12:38 PM
73 Comments
Earlier this week, Sony warned users of its PlayStation Network that account info for millions of customers had been swiped by hackers. The company downplayed the risk that credit card numbers could be among that stolen info, saying that "while there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility." Now, it looks like it might be time to rule it in. Hackers are boasting that they have over two million credit-card numbers belonging to Sony customers. More »
Pepsi Machine Wants You To Buy Drinks For Friends And Random Strangers
By Marc Perton on April 29, 2011 11:20 AM
86 Comments
PepsiCo has rolled out what it deems a "social" vending machine, which allows customers to buy drinks for friends, who receive a redemption code by text and use it to pick up their soda at any other social vending machine. The machine also has a "Random Acts of Refreshment" mode, just in case you really want to give a complete stranger in another city a can of Pepsi. More »
Should You Walk Away From Your Mortgage?
By Marc Perton on April 26, 2011 10:45 AM
127 Comments
It's considered a given of home ownership that allowing your home to go into foreclosure is a last resort, something that you only do after you've exhausted all other options. However, according to new information from credit-scoring firm Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO), more homeowners are intentionally choosing foreclosure — or "strategic default" — and that those borrowers tend to be pretty savvy consumers. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Consumer Reports: Apple iPad 2 Is A "Very Good Choice"
By Marc Perton on March 14, 2011 5:30 PM
67 Comments
Our more computer-savvy cousins over at Consumer Reports are out with their first look at Apple's iPad 2, and tester Dean Gallea has pronounced it a "very good choice" if you're looking for a tablet computer. More »
(Marike79)
Subway Tops McDonald's To Become Largest Fast-Food Chain
By Marc Perton on March 8, 2011 1:00 PM
68 Comments
Subway's Jared may boast about how fit he is, but in the battle of the corporate mascots, he's now much bigger than arch-rival Ronald McDonald. Subway is now the world's largest fast-food chain, with 33,749 restaurants. McDonald's trails by over a thousand, with 32,737 restaurants worldwide. More »
Study: Active Video Games Are Good For Kids
By Marc Perton on March 8, 2011 12:00 PM
22 Comments
Two new studies may provide some ammo for kids that want to get more time in front of the Wii or Kinect. According to researchers at Brigham Young University and University of Massachusetts, "exergaming" for 10 minutes can result in a workout as stimulating as walking three miles on a treadmill. More »
Michigan Donut Shop On Verge Of Paczki Prize
By Marc Perton on March 8, 2011 10:15 AM
26 Comments
If you don't know what a paczki is, you may have to wait until next year to find out. Today is Fat Tuesday, known as Paczki Day in many Polish communities — and as polish jelly-donut day among many others who crave the sweet annual ritual. And while one bakery in Michigan is attempting to set a local record by selling 12,000 of the confections, if you haven't lined up already, you're probably too late. More »
Nine "Laws" That Advertisers Try Not To Break
By Marc Perton on March 8, 2011 9:30 AM
49 Comments
Something fishy about that late-night ad for the new device that chops, slaps, snuggles and absorbs all stains — all for just $19.95 plus shipping and handling? Turns out the ad may not be illegal, but could still run afoul of the standards of the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, a sort of industry star chamber that warns advertisers when they've gone too far. More »
(avlxyz)
The Secret Economy Behind Free Food Samples
By Marc Perton on February 15, 2011 4:30 PM
90 Comments
The next time you see free food samples at the local supermarket, take a closer look at what's being served and how it's presented. You could be on the receiving end of an elaborate and expensive offering cooked up by a clever retailer — or may be getting leftovers that are about to hit their expiration date. More »
(PepsiCo)
Does Diet Pepsi's Skinny Can Send The Wrong Message?
By Marc Perton on February 15, 2011 3:30 PM
121 Comments
PepsiCo has chosen New York Fashion Week to roll out its new "skinny" Diet Pepsi can, along with a campaign that says the container is a "celebration of beautiful, confident women." That hasn't gone over very well with advocates for people with eating disorders who called the campaign "thoughtless and irresponsible." More »
Is This The Secret Recipe For Coca-Cola?
By Marc Perton on February 15, 2011 1:30 PM
78 Comments
The greatest trade secret of all time — the secret recipe for Coca-Cola — has been revealed, according to This American Life and The Daily Mail. In fact, the secret behind Coke's proprietary mixture of sugar, water, caramel color and more sugar, may have actually been exposed 32 years ago, in an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. More »
How To Treat Your Customers Like Human Beings
By Marc Perton on February 14, 2011 1:30 PM
105 Comments
We usually prefer to help you find out how to be a better consumer, get better service from companies and avoid the myriad traps that dot the shopping landscape. Sometimes, though, it's not a bad idea to tell companies what they need to do to keep you coming back, which is what Chris Morran did in a guest column published today in AdAge. Our first tip: Stop being such a jerk. More »
South Dakota Is Best State For Small Business
By Marc Perton on January 24, 2011 3:15 PM
50 Comments
According to the Small Business & Entrepreneur Council, if you want to start a small business, you should head for the hills of South Dakota. The state has a low crime rate and, according to the SBEC, also has a limited number of bothersome health insurance mandates. Hey, it worked for Phillip Vandamm. More »
Survey: Zappos, Amazon Give Best Customer Service
By Marc Perton on January 24, 2011 12:45 PM
39 Comments
Zappos.com and its parent, Amazon.com, provide the best customer service, according to a survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation Foundation and American Express. The survey polled 9,291 consumers, asking them: "Thinking of all the different retail formats (store, catalog, internet, or home shopping), which retailer delivers the best customer service?" More »
Outgoing Google CEO Schmidt's Creepy Greatest Hits
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 6:00 PM
29 Comments
Google CEO Eric Schmidt is handing the company's reins over to co-founder Larry Page in April, and to commemorate the event, The Wall Street Journal has compiled a greatest hits collection of Schmidt quotes. No, he didn't say "don't be evil." He did, however, say that the Google has a policy to "get right up to the creepy line but not cross it." More »
E-Trade, Borders And Frontier May Vanish This Year
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 4:30 PM
115 Comments
Get ready to say goodbye to the E-Trade baby and Frontier Airlines. According to 24/7 Wall Street, the two businesses are among their 10 picks for companies that will not survive the year. Others that may not be long for this world: Sara Lee, Gateway and Office Depot. More »
(mouriran)
Get Ready For $4-A-Gallon Gas
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 3:15 PM
228 Comments
With the economy kinda sorta picking up, and consumers in China, India and Brazil buying cars in droves, gas prices are expected to keep going up, and may hit $4 a gallon by early spring, when Americans finish scraping the ice off of their windshields and begin planning road trips. And unlike 2008, when gas last broke the $4 barrier, only to later drop to lower prices, $4 may be a new baseline, followed by $5 gas as early as next year. More »
(Lindacat)
How Frugal Is Your Hometown?
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 2:15 PM
27 Comments
If you're from Atlanta, get ready to break out the Champagne — or, rather, the cheap sparkling wine. According to Coupons.com, Atlanta is the most frugal city in America, based on usage of online coupons. Other frugal towns include Tampa, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Minneapolis. More »
Bad Mortgages Could Cost Bank Of America $10 Billion
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 1:45 PM
21 Comments
Bank of America, which earlier this month agreed to pay over $2.8 billion to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to settle claims about faulty mortgages, says it could spend another $10 billion to address outstanding claims. The company says the number is the "upper range" of its estimated housing bubble liabilities. More »
(DirecTV)
DirecTV's 3D Flag Football Game Is Not The Super Bowl
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 1:15 PM
7 Comments
If you've just bought a pricey 3D TV set, and you're bummed that the Super Bowl won't be available in 3D this year, DirecTV has a message for you: The Celebrity Beach Bowl, a flag football game featuring former NFL players, will be available in 3D. If that's something you really want to see. More »
Rent The $157K Tesla Roadster Electric Car For $25
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 12:30 PM
36 Comments
Want to see what it's like to drive a $157,000 electric car without having to take out a second mortgage? You'll soon have a chance, if you're a member of car-sharing service Getaround, and live near the car's owner. Just $25 will buy you an hour behind the wheel of a Tesla Roadster Sport, owned by a Getaround member. More »
(afagen)
Marriott Bans Pay-Per-View Porn From New Hotels
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 11:15 AM
57 Comments
Business travelers looking for an expense-account friendly way to unwind after a hard day on the road may want to skip new Marriott hotels if their tastes turn to "sophisticated" entertainment. The chain has announced that the in-room entertainment systems in those hotels won't offer adult video-on-demand options. More »
Ally Bank Withdraws Maryland Robosigner Foreclosures
By Marc Perton on January 20, 2011 6:00 PM
21 Comments
If you're one of 250 Maryland homeowners with a foreclosure order signed by Ally Bank's Jeffrey Stephan, you've just been granted a reprieve. The bank is withdrawing all Maryland foreclosures authorized by Stephan, who admitted that he casually signed off on thousands of foreclosures each month. But homeowners aren't completely off the hook. Ally plans to restart the foreclosure process with new filings. More »
Walmart To Cut Sodium And Reduce Produce Prices
By Marc Perton on January 20, 2011 5:30 PM
76 Comments
Walmart has announced a massive plan to cut sodium and added sugar from thousands of products, add stores in poor areas that don't currently have supermarkets, and slash prices on produce. The plans were announced in partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama, whose "Lets Move" campaign aims to cut childhood obesity rates. More »
Wendy's To Sell Off Arby's Chain
By Marc Perton on January 20, 2011 4:30 PM
82 Comments
Just three years after combining in a $2.2 billion merger, Wendy's and Arby's are about to part ways. The supersized 2008 deal created the world's third-largest fast-food chain, but Arby's has struggled and parent Wendy's/Arby's Group is now ready to slice the roast-beef chain out of the family. More »
(SCHMEGGA)
Would You Eat A Lion-Meat Taco?
January 20, 2011 3:45 PM
105 Comments
Boca, an Arizona restaurant that has served tacos featuring the meat of alligators, elk, kangaroos and rattlesnakes, has upped the ante with its latest Exotic Taco Wednesday offering: Next month, the restaurant will offer lion tacos. We're prepared to taste-test the king of the jungle and report back here, if you want us to. Vote inside. More »
(Michael Smith, Consumer Reports)
Do Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Really Last 10 Years?
By Marc Perton on January 20, 2011 2:30 PM
126 Comments
Now that you've replaced every bulb in your home with those twisty compact fluorescents, you can relax for a while, right? They last 10 years, so by the time you have to change another bulb, you'll be ready to replace them with LEDs. Not so fast, says California utility PG&E, which insists that CFLs don't last nearly as long as claimed. But our brighter brethren at Consumer Reports state that some of them really do, and they've got test results to prove it. More »
Is It Time To Get A Cheap Dealer-Financed Car Loan?
By Marc Perton on January 20, 2011 2:15 PM
39 Comments
With banks continuing to stick to high (well, higher) lending standards, and car dealers eager to move inventory, now could be the right time to buy a new car and finance it through the dealer, according to SmartMoney. Rates are as low as zero percent, and . "nothing beats 0%," says Paul Taylor, of the National Automobile Dealers Association. More »
Retailers Do Not Want To Sell Magazines, Porn, Porn Mags
By Marc Perton on January 20, 2011 11:15 AM
69 Comments
Add this to the woes facing the magazine industry: retailers are cutting back on the space they allocate to print products, and many are outright banning titles that show a little skin. Over the last three years, 18,000 North American retailers stopped carrying magazines, an 11.3% decline. More »
Survey: Facebook Users Compelled To Update Status From Bathroom
By Marc Perton on January 20, 2011 10:15 AM
42 Comments
If you've ever wondered how some of your Facebook friends find the time to update their status as frequently as they do, a new survey may have an answer. According to the study, from AIS Media, 27% of people use Facebook in the bathroom. Good thing they're not actually including details about that in their updates. More »
Comcast May Not Have Rights To Stream TV To Tablets
By Marc Perton on January 12, 2011 3:00 PM
28 Comments
Comcast is working furiously to get its programming onto iPads and other tablet computers, even cutting deals with hardware providers like Samsung. But there's just one little problem: the company may not have the rights to stream shows without first negotiating with the companies that own them. More »
(Eric Jamison, Reese's)
So That's Why Reese's Is The Official Candy Of CES
By Marc Perton on January 7, 2011 7:30 PM
21 Comments
Forget the 3DTVs, 4G phones and tablet computers. The real action at the Consumer Electronics Show is at the Reese's booth, where the draw is simple, visceral and fattening: free chocolate, courtesy of the Official Candy of CES. More »
Star Wars Coming To Blu-ray; Greedo Still Shoots First
By Marc Perton on January 6, 2011 4:15 PM
89 Comments
Fans who've been waiting 12 parsecs and more to watch Star Wars in HD video can finally cut their thrusters. All six movies — the three real ones, and the three that kids under 12 refer to as Parts 1-3 — will be available on Blu-ray in September. Pricing for the sets, which were introduced by Darth Vader at the Consumer Electronics Show, will be priced at $139.99 for the six-disc set, and $69.99 for the each three-disc set. More »
(Breslow)
Government To Change Way It Counts Long-Term Unemployed
By Marc Perton on December 28, 2010 5:15 PM
46 Comments
If you've been unemployed 100 weeks or longer, you're in luck. No, you're not about to get a new job. But for the first time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will accurately track the length of time you've been unemployed when calculating long-term unemployment. Previously, the agency had to check off "99 weeks or over" for anyone unemployed longer than two years. See, the recession isn't all bad, is it? More »
(Dyanna)
Survey Finds That Most People Don't Want To Be Tracked Online
By Marc Perton on December 23, 2010 4:30 PM
35 Comments
Do you like it when marketers track your behavior across the Internet, in the name of providing you with targeted ads? If you said no, you're in the majority, according to a new Gallup Poll and common sense. But don't worry. Advertisers will continue to follow you anyhow. More »
FCC Chair Wants Comcast To Guarantee Access To NBC Programs
By Marc Perton on December 23, 2010 12:45 PM
14 Comments
In a memo to be circulated today, Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachowski is expected to tell his fellow commissioners that he wants Comcast to agree to certain conditions before approving the cable giant's takeover of NBC. Among them: a guarantee that competitors will be able to get access to NBC programs at fair rates, and an assurance that the company won't throttle streaming services such as Netflix. More »
Regulators Won't Finish Review Of Comcast-NBC Deal Until Next Year
By Marc Perton on December 22, 2010 6:14 PM
17 Comments
Jack Donaghy had better cancel his Christmas break. NBC and Kabletown, er, Comcast, have announced that they don't expect regulators to finish their review of the planned acquisition of the broadcaster by the cable giant until next year. The two companies still expect the deal to go through. More »
Virgin Passengers Not Named Madonna Wait 3 Hours To Get Off Plane
By Marc Perton on December 22, 2010 5:04 PM
72 Comments
When bad weather forced a London-bound Virgin flight to reroute from Heathrow Airport to Stansted, passengers had to wait three hours on the tarmac before they could disembark. A select group did, however, get to leave the plane after about an hour. No, they weren't disabled, sick or parents with small, noisy children. The group making an early exit consisted of once-popular singer Madonna and her entourage of about 15 people. More »
Skype Outage Leaves Millions Searching For Landlines
By Marc Perton on December 22, 2010 4:30 PM
34 Comments
No, it's not just you. A Skype "supernode" outage has left millions of users without access to the popular Internet phone service. According to company engineers, the problem may last a few more hours, and video calling may not be available until even later. More »
eBay Yanks $2,500 Steve Jobs Action Figure After Apple Complaint
By Marc Perton on December 22, 2010 3:00 PM
56 Comments
If you were hoping to get your hands on one of the few Steve Jobs action figures to make it out of China, you're too late. After Apple successfully stopped manufacturer M.I.C. Gadget from selling the dolls, a few were smuggled out and made it onto eBay, where they were going for $2,500. But Apple has blocked further sales, citing a California law that requires merchants to get an individual's permission before selling products based on their likeness. More »
You Care About Recalls, But Can't Find Out About Them
December 16, 2010 4:33 PM
16 Comments
According to a new poll by our careful cousins at Consumer Reports, most Americans are concerned about product recalls, but don't believe they're getting enough information about them. Only 13% said they were very confident that they were getting enough information about recalls from manufacturers and retailers. And just 8% were very confident that the government was getting enough information from those companies. More »
Co-workers Give The Worst Christmas Gifts
December 16, 2010 9:15 AM
78 Comments
If you think your boss or colleagues have deliberately gone out of their way to bestow the worst possible holiday gifts on you year after year, you're in good company. According to a new survey from our scientific siblings at Consumer Reports, about 30% of employed adults single out co-workers or bosses as the worst gift-givers. More »
Atlantic Is Profitable, Thanks To Culture Shift And Checks
December 13, 2010 5:30 PM
15 Comments
Defying the notion that the magazine business is careening at the edge of a digital abyss, the venerable Atlantic is about to turn its first profit in over ten years. The magazine cites a cultural shift that had employees think of themselves as "a venture-capital-backed start-up in Silicon Valley whose mission was to attack and disrupt The Atlantic." More »
Bank of America Thaws Foreclosure Freeze
December 10, 2010 6:06 PM
50 Comments
If you're an under-the-gun homeowner with a Bank of America mortgage and you've been keeping your fingers crossed that the bank's temporary suspension of foreclosures would continue indefinitely, you can uncross them. The bank announced today that it would resume foreclosures this month. More »
Watch Out For Bogus Amazon Marketplace Receipts
December 10, 2010 4:50 PM
26 Comments
Small businesses that sell products via Amazon's Marketplace are being targeted by a simple-yet-apparently-effective scam: Tricksters create fake Marketplace receipts and email them to the merchants with a complaint about unshipped goods. Gullible shopkeepers then send out refund checks to bogus "customers." More »
Beware These 7 Holiday Ripoffs
December 10, 2010 4:30 PM
71 Comments
Before you finish your holiday shopping, you may want to take a look at this list compiled by Forbes of 7 popular items that get marked up way too much. Among the worst: greeting cards, which have a markup of up to 200% above cost. More »
Gastroenterologists Warn That Thanksgiving Can Make You Sick
November 23, 2010 2:00 PM
40 Comments
If you're a regular reader of Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News, you already know about this, but just in case you've allowed your subscription to lapse, here's a word of warning: you may get heartburn from your Thanksgiving dinner. You can thank us later. More »
(Best Buy)
Best Buy Plasma TV Prices Crash Below $400
November 12, 2010 2:45 PM
90 Comments
Attention morons who've smashed their TVs by using the Xbox Kinect in a room with a ceiling fan: Best Buy is offering a 42-inch plasma TV for under $400 as part of its Black Friday sale. Just find another room to put it in before hooking up your 360. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Amazon Wants You To Read Mags on Kindles And Books Wherever You Want
November 10, 2010 11:40 AM
39 Comments
In an effort to get more magazines and newspapers onto the Kindle platform, Amazon has begun offering publishers up to 70% of the revenue their periodicals bring in. To get the cash, publishers would have to make their rags available on not just Amazon's hardware Kindle, but on the Kindle app on phones and computers. The deal could make it easier for consumers to read, say, the latest imponderable Malcolm Gladwell essay, and keep their place when moving from computer to phone to iPad. It could also undermine efforts by Apple to position the iPad as the best platform evar for periodicals. More »
(Underwriters Laboratories/
Consumer Reports)
Deep Fry Your Turkey Without Turning Into A Human Torch
November 9, 2010 12:40 PM
74 Comments
If you're planning to deep-fry your turkey this Thanksgiving, Consumer Reports has one simple piece of advice: Skip the propane and go electric. More »
Report: Drowsy Driving Causes 17% Of Crashes
November 8, 2010 4:00 PM
41 Comments
A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety may keep you up at night — and that could be a good thing. According to the report, 41% of drivers admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel, and drowsy driving accounts for about 17% of all crashes, and 2% of vehicular fatalities. More »
Govt Report Shows Debt Dropping, But Credit Cards Haunt You Forever
November 8, 2010 3:15 PM
43 Comments
The Fed is out with its latest report on consumer credit, and it's filled with good news — kinda sorta. While the report says that, for the seventh consecutive quarter, consumers are borrowing less and paying off more of their debt, that doesn't necessarily mean the economy is healthier. The numbers "can be a result of both tightening credit standards and voluntary changes in saving behavior," said Fed economist Donghoon Lee. So, maybe you're borrowing less because you don't want to get stuck with more debt — or maybe it's just because nobody wants to lend you money anymore. More »
No, The Kinect Is Not Racist
November 4, 2010 7:21 PM
69 Comments
Speaking of the Microsoft Kinect, you know those rumors that it has trouble with, er, certain skin tones? Yeah, just turn up the lights, OK? More »
Does "Slurpee Summit" Hype Make You Crave Frozen Sugar Water?
November 4, 2010 10:45 AM
32 Comments
Thanks to President Obama's off-the-cuff comment that he'd like to hold a "Slurpee Summit" with Republican leaders, the 7-Eleven drink is suddenly up there with the McRib and Double Down as a cool guilty pleasure for discerning fast-foodies. What about you? Are you craving Wicked Apple, Kratos Fury, Invincible Orange, or one of 7-Eleven's other mashups of sugar, water and slushed ice? Slide on in and tell the world. More »
How Fast Is T-Mobile's "4G" Data Network?
November 3, 2010 5:30 PM
59 Comments
T-Mobile rushed out of the gates with news this week about its high-speed 4G mobile data network. Not so fast, said competitors and telecom experts, who were quick to point out that the network is more like "3.5G" and isn't nearly as fast as other 4G networks. More »
Store Credit Cards Are An Even Worse Deal Than You Thought
November 3, 2010 3:00 PM
69 Comments
Next time a checkout clerk offers you an "opportunity" to sign up for a store credit card so that you can get an instant 10% discount on that pack of gum or box of tissues you're buying, remember this: the price you'll pay for that deal is an interest rate as high as 25%. And, yeah, you're telling yourself that's no big deal, since you'll pay it off every month. But will you? And are you prepared for the other gotchas tied up in a bright ribbon by your friendly retailer? More »
The McRib Is Back, Along With "Legendary" Contest
November 3, 2010 2:20 PM
53 Comments
McDonald's promised to bring back the McRib on November 2nd, and, sure enough, the "legendary" pork sandwich has returned (for just six weeks), along with a new marketing campaign and contest built around the "mysterious" origins of the meal. Legendary? We always assumed it was cooked up in some test kitchen in the early 80s, after the Boneless Pig Farmers of America lobbied McD to pick up their product. More »
Homeowners Making $2.6B Per Month Living In Foreclosed Homes
November 1, 2010 5:15 PM
93 Comments
Here's one way to make the mortgage mess work for you: According to The Wall Street Journal, the slowdown in foreclosures due to questions about paperwork, note-holders and robo-signers has allowed some homeowners to live mortgage-free for several months; some are even renting out their homes. The Journal estimates that the "stealth stimulus" gives these homeowners a "subsidy" of about $2.6 billion a month. More »
Cooking Oil Price Surge Could Cause Riots, Snickers Shortages
November 1, 2010 3:40 PM
67 Comments
Food producers are starting to run low on soybean and palm oil, amid demand from developing countries like China and India. According to Bloomberg, companies such as Nestle and Unilever, which use oil in everything from mayonnaise to Snickers, will see oil inventories fall by 12% this year. Food prices spiked in September to levels not seen since 2008, when high prices and shortages caused riots in Egypt, Haiti and elsewhere. More »
Haunted House Or Dead Rodents? 5 Tips From Consumer Reports
October 28, 2010 4:15 PM
45 Comments
Do your appliances and lights randomly turn on and off? Are doors all over your home opening and closing by themselves? Do you hear ghostly footsteps in the attic? If so, your house may be haunted — or you could just have dead rodents, really bad appliances, and low relative humidity. Consumer Reports goes Ghostbusters to help you get Gozer out of your garage. More »
Cablevision Gives Customers Free World Series Streams
October 27, 2010 9:12 PM
32 Comments
Good news for aging New York Giants loyalists and Yankee fans who want to do a pre-purchase check-in on Cliff Lee: This evening, Cablevision emailed customers — who have lost all Fox programming, including the World Series, due to the ongoing battle between the two companies — and said they would reimburse them for Major League Baseball's $9.95 Postseason.tv service. More »
(Engadget)
Is This The Sony PlayStation Phone?
October 27, 2010 11:45 AM
25 Comments
Love your PSP, but can't stand Apple fans gloating that their iPhone can play games and make phone calls? Well, if this Engadget photo is any indication, you're about to share in the fun of long-term contracts, high monthly fees, and random text messages interrupting your gameplay! More »
Geithner: TARP Will Cost Taxpayers Under $50 Billion
October 8, 2010 3:00 PM
62 Comments
As the Troubled Asset Relief Program winds down, post-mortems for the program are rolling in. According to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the bailout effort — which was launched by former President George W. Bush in 2008 and officially ended last month — will end up costing taxpayers a mere $50 billion, rather than the $350 billion that the Congressional Budget Office pegged it at last year. More »
Facebook "Groups" Welcomes You To NAMBLA
October 8, 2010 12:45 PM
87 Comments
Facebook updated its Groups feature this week, making it easier for your friends to create new groups and add you to them — without asking you first. As Mahalo CEO Jason Calacanis discovered, this means a long-forgotten "friend" can make you a member of just about anything, even a group known by the acronym NAMBLA. More »
(Best Buy)
Best Buy Wants To Be Your Consumer Electronics Advocate
October 6, 2010 3:44 PM
29 Comments
Best Buy has rolled out its plans for the holiday season with a new study on "consumer behavior and the emergence of new social connections." The upshot: Best Buy has discovered social networking, and has declared that it is "the consumer advocate in consumer electronics" because it helps people "find solutions for their needs and help them better understand the possibilities of all that we offer." Gee, thanks, Best Buy! More »
Motor Vehicles Bureau Gets Your Birthday Wrong, Makes You Pay
October 4, 2010 4:45 PM
56 Comments
A Cleveland driver paid to register his van and truck the day before his birthday, but got stuck with late fees because the Bureau of Motor Vehicles office insisted his birthday was three weeks earlier. The clerk's response when the man produced a driver's license with his correct birthday? Sorry; we can't update the computer record or refund the penalty. More »
(POM Wonderful)
Ad: POM Wonderful Got Sexy Eve Kicked Out of Eden
October 4, 2010 2:45 PM
16 Comments
POM Wonderful has moved on from the FTC's demand that the company prove that its products are effective against heart disease, prostate cancer and other conditions. A new TV ad for the beverage goes Biblical, featuring a sultry Eve sharing her Garden of Eden abode with a bottle of POM Wonderful instead of an apple. More »
(afagen)
Ask President Obama About Health Care Reform
August 26, 2010 12:36 PM
143 Comments
Consumer Reports Health is going to the White House next week, to speak directly with President Obama about health reform, and they want your help. Send in your questions, and they may become part of the interview. More »
Texas Longhorns Selling Electricity To Fans
By Marc Perton on August 2, 2010 4:45 PM
36 Comments
You can buy t-shirts, bobbleheads, cutlery, camping gear, computer gear and, oh, bobbleheads, based on your favorite college teams. So, what's left to brand? How about the power coming into your home? That's what's happening in Dallas, where the University of Texas and Texas A&M have begun selling electricity and natural gas under the Texas Longhorns Energy and Aggies Energy brands. No word on whether you'll get hit with rolling blackouts if the teams hit a losing streak. More »
Basketball Championships To Be Vuvuzela-Free
By Marc Perton on August 2, 2010 1:45 PM
12 Comments
Kobe and Lebron won't be at the World Basketball Championships, which start on August 28th in Turkey. Neither will any of the other NBA players who helped Team USA win the Gold at the 2008 Olympics. But if you're still going to watch the tournament, here's one consolation: No vuvuzelas. The organizers have banned the horns, saying that they're "not appropriate in a confined space such as a basketball arena." More »
Watch Out For Sneaky New Credit Card Fees
By Marc Perton on August 2, 2010 11:52 AM
63 Comments
Remember the CARD Act, that shiny new law that's supposed to stop credit card issuers from hitting you with all kinds of nasty fees and force them to disclose all of their terms? Well, even if you do, it looks like the card issuers have forgotten all about it. They're working overtime to come up with a raft of new charges on things that aren't covered by the new law, like annual fees and cash advances. More »
This Is What You Eat
By Marc Perton on July 30, 2010 6:29 PM
115 Comments
If you are what you eat, this graphic from Visual Economics may not make for the best inspirational reading. Then again, is there really anything so bad about drinking 53 gallons of soda or eating 85 pounds of fat and oil each year? (No, you don't have to answer that.) More »
Consumer Protection Bureau May Halt "Abusive" Financial Ads
By Marc Perton on July 30, 2010 5:32 PM
17 Comments
The soon-to-be-created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has at least some Wall Street insiders worried. No, not the bank bigwigs or hedge fund managers. The latest hand-wringing comes from the advertising community, which worries that the new agency may create "overly cumbersome, cost-prohibitive and possibly even onerous requirements" for financial ads. More »
Miami Sues DirecTV, Says Ads Mislead Consumers
By Marc Perton on July 30, 2010 4:30 PM
47 Comments
Miami-Dade County's consumer cops are suing DirecTV, after receiving over 300 complaints from customers over the company's pricing. According to the county's Consumer Services Department, DirecTV's ads led customers to believe they'd get a satellite package for $34.99 a month, but actual charges went as high as $65.99. More »
(elle-emm)
You Have Nine Years To Build A House In Tampa
By Marc Perton on July 29, 2010 1:15 PM
24 Comments
Want to build the home of your dreams and can't find enough land for it? Try moving to Tampa. The area has 27,923 building lots, enough to keep homebuilders busy for nine years. That's assuming anyone actually wants to build something, of course. More »
(Suffolk County Police)
Your Feeble Security Is No Match For The Dark Side
By Marc Perton on July 23, 2010 7:54 PM
51 Comments
So, Darth Vader robbed a bank yesterday. Actually, it was just a guy in a Vader costume. How do we know this? Because the real Vader would have sent a minion, or just done the whole thing remotely, using the Force. Come on, people. More »
This is an x-ray image. The doll doesn't really look like
this, though it would be kinda cool if it did.
Barbie Can Now Spy On Your Enemies For You
Mattel gushes over the spy-doll:
By Marc Perton on July 23, 2010 5:06 PM
40 Comments
Yesterday we talked about Bratz, so it's only fair that we give Barbie some space today. Especially this Barbie, the Video Girl Doll. While this piece of plastic looks like any other Barbie doll, it harbors a secret: a hidden camera in a pendant around her neck, which can record up to 30 minutes of video.Mattel gushes over the spy-doll:
Budding filmmakers, take note: Barbie® doll now doubles as a video camera! Girls can record and play back clips with this multi-tasking doll, which has a video camera built right in. Capture everything from a doll's-eye-view, then watch it instantly or upload to your computer. There's an LCD screen on Barbie® doll's back, and a camera lens hidden discreetly in her necklace. Talk about making movies in style!More »
Free iPhone 4 Cases Available Now
By Marc Perton on July 23, 2010 4:27 PM
13 Comments
Looks like Apple's Tim Cook meant it when he told shareholders that most programs submitted to the company's App Store are approved within a week. Just seven days after CEO Steve Jobs promised to put together a program to allow iPhone 4 customers to get a free case, the iPhone 4 Case Program app is now available for download. (Yeah, Apple probably could have come up with a better name for the app, but what do you want for free?) More »
Burger King Kids' Breakfast No Competition For Cini-minis
By Marc Perton on July 22, 2010 7:51 PM
44 Comments
Burger King is launching its first kids' breakfast next week, a $3.38 package that will include an egg-and-cheese sandwich, fry-shaped apple slices, juice and a toy. While BK may be taking some heat for promoting the 410-calorie meal to kids, only parents are likely to be swayed. Burger King's real kiddie breakfast has long been the Cini-mini, and no right-thinking child will be swayed by fry-shaped apple slices when that's on the menu. And parents, you can get four Cini-minis for $1. More »
Are You Ready For The Return Of Bratz Dolls?
By Marc Perton on July 22, 2010 6:53 PM
44 Comments
After a 2008 court ruling found that the creator of the Bratz line of dolls had stolen the idea from Mattel (or rather, from himself, when he was working for Mattel), all Bratz products were supposed to be destroyed, and Mattel had the right to take over the brand and do whatever it wanted with it. A judge put the mass annihilation on hold, and today an appeals court overturned the initial ruling, meaning your local toy store may soon be carrying the next generation of the once-popular dolls. More »
Sitting Too Much Can Kill You
By Marc Perton on July 22, 2010 5:50 PM
53 Comments
You may want to stand up to read this. According to a new study from the American Cancer Society, spending too much time sitting down can increase your risk of death, even if you're otherwise physically active. The study apparently did not address the risks of lying down, so we assume it's okay to replace our office chair with a couch in order to improve our health. More »
(afagen)
Hershey Will Help You Learn To Eat Right
By Marc Perton on July 21, 2010 6:07 PM
22 Comments
Hershey has joined Mars, Coke and Pepsi as a sponsor of the American Dietetic Association, which bills itself as "world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals," and says its goal is to "optimize the nation's health through food and nutrition." Hershey? Nutrition? Actually, it's the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition, which is devoted to "the sweet science of chocolate." Hey, we can live with that. More »
App Store: No Porn Allowed, But Tethering Tool Slips In
By Marc Perton on July 21, 2010 3:40 PM
54 Comments
If you were trolling around the App Store last night, you might have come across a new 99-cent flashlight app called Handy Light. And if you were willing to pay for it, you would have found a bonus: the program contained a hidden tethering app that would allow your computer to connect to the Internet over your phone, a privilege that normally requires a $20 monthly payment to AT&T. While the app somehow made it through the inspectors at Apple, once word got out, it was gone. More »
Hong Kong Tourists Forced To Shop 'Til They Drop
By Marc Perton on July 20, 2010 5:51 PM
60 Comments
For decades, Hong Kong has attracted shoppers with its tax-free designer knock-offs, antiques of recent vintage, and just about any kind of electronic gear imaginable. Most shoppers are there because they actually want to buy something. But some are forced onto long shopping marches, and one tourist died of a heart attack recently after arguing with a tour guide after refusing to shop. More »
Consumer Advocate Says Protection Agency Should Be Like Harvard's Elizabeth Warren
Why Elizabeth Warren, you ask? More »
By Marc Perton on July 19, 2010 7:03 PM
19 Comments
Jeff Sovern at Public Citizen has a simple message for the Washington bureaucrats who will soon create the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency: Put Elizabeth Warren in charge and build the agency in her image.Why Elizabeth Warren, you ask? More »
(dougtone)
No, This Isn't The Dude's Bank
By Marc Perton on July 19, 2010 6:00 PM
37 Comments
Seen during an endless drive up Route 17 in New York's Catskill Mountains: Jeff Bank, which summons images of some, er, dude named Jeff who just happened to be striding through the area and decided to open a bank. Because, you know, sometimes it's convenient to have a cash machine nearby. More »
Turn On A Fan To Swat Mosquitoes
By Marc Perton on July 16, 2010 8:48 AM
37 Comments
Forget about coating yourself with DEET, turning on that bug zapper or buying one of those gas-powered, suction-enhanced instruments of mass annihilation. If you want to rid your yard of mosquitoes, the answer may be as simple as turning on a fan. More »
1.6 Million Homes Hit With Foreclosure Notices In First Half Of 2010
By Marc Perton on July 15, 2010 8:46 PM
35 Comments
If you received a foreclosure notice this year, you're not alone. According to tracking firm RealtyTrac, 1.6 million properties received a foreclosure filing — defined as default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — during the first half of 2010. The good news: that number is down 5% from the previous six months. The bad? It's up 8% from the first half of last year. And RealtyTrac doesn't see any relief coming, as a "massive number of distressed properties and underwater loans continues to sit just below the surface." More »
More "Moldy, Musty" Tylenol Recalled
By Marc Perton on July 9, 2010 9:00 AM
10 Comments
That stink coming from your medicine cabinet may just be Tylenol, Motrin or Benadryl, according to the latest recall from Johnson & Johnson. The company is recalling 21 additional lots of drugs, including batches of Tylenol, Children's Tylenol, Benadryl and Motrin. The company says "the risk of adverse medical events is remote." More »
(Woot.com. Please don't charge us for this. We need the
money to upgrade our database server.)
Woot To AP: You Owe Us $17.50 For Copying Our Content
By Marc Perton on July 6, 2010 7:47 PM
84 Comments
When Woot announced last week that it was going to be acquired by Amazon.com, just about everyone wrote about it. However, of the many media organizations that covered the deal, only one has floated a policy that would charge bloggers for the kind of excerpting that's historically been considered fair use. So, when the Associated Press, in writing about the Woot-Amazon deal, borrowed some of Woot's own verbiage, the deal-a-day site struck back and told the wire service it expected $17.50 for the words. Or the AP could just buy two pairs of Sennheiser in-ear headphones and call it even. More »
Newspapers Add Card Readers To Vending Machines In Vain Attempt To Sell More Ink
By Marc Perton on July 6, 2010 6:02 PM
33 Comments
As newsstand prices continue to go up, and circulation numbers take the elevator in the opposite direction, newspaper publishers are looking for new ways to make it a little less daunting for customers to part with the money needed to buy their daily dead tree. One idea: credit card readers on vending machines. "Have you got eight quarters in your pocket right now?" asks Ian Jackson, VP for circulation at The Wall Street Journal, which sells for, yes, $2.00 at street level. More »
Consumer Reports Finds iPhone Signal Loss In "Informal Tests"
By Marc Perton on July 4, 2010 11:47 AM
88 Comments
In "informal tests" this weekend, Consumer Reports has been able to "reproduce the signal loss that's at the heart of the controversy" over the iPhone 4. And, no, it wasn't just an inaccurate bar display, as Apple recently claimed. "The drop had a significant effect on both call success and quality," according to CR. More »
Know Your State's Fireworks Laws
By Marc Perton on July 4, 2010 10:25 AM
86 Comments
How did America's birthday become synonymous with blowing sh*t up? We assume it has something to do with Francis Scott Key — or maybe it's just that a lot of people think blowing sh*t up is really, really cool. But you probably don't want to spend July 4th in jail, so you may want to learn a little about the hodgepodge of state fireworks laws — or just skip the DIY stuff and let someone else burst their bombs. More »
Use Your Obsolete Computer To Grate Cheese
By Marc Perton on July 3, 2010 6:13 PM
37 Comments
While Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi might think slicing cheese with an Eminem CD is the ultimate in repurposed tech, MacForce has one-upped him big time. The tech consulting company is out with a video demonstrating how the Apple PowerMac G5, launched in 2003 as a $2,000 workhorse computer, is now better suited to working as a humble cheese grater. More »
Concept Rack Keeps Towels Sort Of Clean And Dry
By Marc Perton on July 3, 2010 2:25 PM
33 Comments
Kim Jin Yeong’s towel rack concept proposes using ultraviolet light to sterilize towels and heat to dry them, making them "always clean and tidy." We're not sure how well it would work to clean, but hot towels are almost never a bad thing. More »
Johnnie Walker Owner Funding Pension With Booze
By Marc Perton on July 3, 2010 12:22 PM
27 Comments
Not every company can use its product to fund its employees' pensions. But Diageo, which produces Johnnie Walker, has managed to do just that. The company has handed over ownership of $645 million worth of whiskey to a pension fund. If the company goes bust, the employees could get to keep the scotch, though it's more likely they'd sell it for market value and take the cash. More »
How To Take Better Pictures Of Fireworks
By Marc Perton on July 3, 2010 10:38 AM
15 Comments
If you're planning on snapping some pictures of fireworks this weekend, you may want to take a look at these tips from Consumer Reports first. While CR's tips may seem most applicable to DSLRs, it's possible to get decent fireworks shots with "advanced" compacts. The key: manual controls. Or you can just set the camera to its built in fireworks mode, and be done with it. More »
(Microsoft)
Microsoft Rescues You From The Tyranny Of Battery Insertion
By Marc Perton on July 3, 2010 8:40 AM
80 Comments
If you've ever spent hours with a new gadget, inserting and removing batteries until you finally get it just right, you may appreciate Microsoft's latest invention. Instaload is a technology designed for battery compartments that includes both positive and negative contacts at both ends. Yes, we know that sounds like a recipe for a world-ending cataclysm, but somehow Microsoft manages to make to make it work with any pyrotechnics. More »
(drustar)
Apple Says iPhone 4 Signal Problem Is Really Just About Bars
By Marc Perton on July 2, 2010 1:32 PM
36 Comments
The iPhone 4 seems to have a problem with bars. First, the prototype for the Apple smartphone got left in one by a careless engineer, and now the new iPhone apparently has trouble displaying an appropriate number of bars to accurately depict its signal strength. Maybe the phone and the engineers need to find other places to hang out. More »
Help Wanted: iPhone Antenna Engineer
By Marc Perton on July 2, 2010 11:45 AM
14 Comments
Those "death grip" antenna problems in the new iPhone? There's an app for that. As in job application. Apple has posted some ads on the company web site for "Antenna Engineer(s) - iPad/iPhone." Candidates will be expected to "create test plans, execute them, publish test reports, provide feedback to the other design engineers, and lead some of the manufacturing of antenna." Does this mean nobody was doing this before? Or that Steve executed his own death grip on the previous holder of this position? More »
ShamWow Vince Wants You To Slice Cheese With Eminem CD
By Marc Perton on July 2, 2010 8:38 AM
23 Comments
One is a white rapper looking to make a comeback. The other raps about kitchen gear on late-night TV. An odd couple? Or oddly suited to each other? You be the judge, as Vince Shlomi trades in the ShamWow and Slap Chop to pitch Eminem's new CD, which he boasts "cuts razor-thin slices." More »
Banks Must Now Ask You To Opt In To Debit Card Overdraft Plans
By Marc Perton on July 1, 2010 6:40 PM
42 Comments
If you're opening a new bank account today, don't be surprised if you're asked to enroll in an overdraft plan for debit-card purchases. And don't be afraid to say no, either. Today's the first day that banks have to ask your permission to enroll you in such plans; yesterday, they could have just signed you up automatically. If they did, though, you can still back out. Existing bank customers must opt in no later than August 15th if they want to keep their overdraft "protection." More »
White House Backs FCC Plan For Wireless Broadband
By Marc Perton on June 29, 2010 9:18 AM
13 Comments
If you're having trouble getting a signal on your smartphone, the White House feels your pain. The Obama administration has endorsed an FCC plan to nearly double the bandwidth available for wireless devices by freeing up additional wireless spectrum. But don't expect blazing speeds or better signals overnight. The plan will take several years to implement, require congressional approval, and is tied to a bandwidth auction to get the carriers to pay for the right to use the spectrum. More »
McDonald's Wants You To Come In For A Drink
By Marc Perton on June 28, 2010 6:09 PM
81 Comments
Emboldened by its success with coffee and lattes, McDonald's is about to take on Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and your local coffee shop, and grab a bigger chunk of the $153 billion beverage market. Coming next month: McDonald's smoothies, which the company hopes will lure customers away from Jamba Juice and other smoothie chains. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Toyota Recalls 17,000 Lexus HS 250h Hybrids Over Potential Fire Risks
By Marc Perton on June 25, 2010 10:27 PM
14 Comments
No, you're not having a flashback. This is a new Toyota recall, and it's not based on sticky pedals, stuck floormats or problems with emergency handling. This time, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the problem is that the Lexus HS 250h hybrid could leak fuel in rear-end collisions, potentially causing fires. Sales of the vehicle have been halted as Toyota works on a solution. More »
FDIC Says Pilot Program Offers Alternative to Payday Loans
By Marc Perton on June 25, 2010 9:29 PM
63 Comments
The FDIC has announced the results of a two-year pilot program designed to help banks offer alternatives to payday loans that would be "safe, affordable and feasible." Under the test program, participating banks offered loans of up to $2,500 at maximum interest rates of 36% — instead of the 400% offered by some payday lenders. More »
American Apparel Dress Code: Yes To Disco Pants, No To "Expressive" Makeup
By Marc Perton on June 25, 2010 5:55 PM
44 Comments
It's well known that American Apparel likes the models in its ads to wear as little as possible. But what about the company's sales staff? Turns out the dress code for AA retail workers is strict — and kind of dull. No tattoos, no piercings (well, one earring per ear for the girls), and no boots. What's in? Sperry Topsiders, knitted sweaters and pleated shorts. Is this American Apparel 2010 — or J. Crew 1980? More »
(Apple)
Consumer Reports: New iPhone Is Best Ever
By Marc Perton on June 25, 2010 7:17 AM
52 Comments
Consumer Reports sent their intrepid shoppers to wait on line for the iPhone 4 Thursday morning, and rushed the new models back to their labs. Their initial assessment: "Based on the first few hours of using this fourth-generation Apple smart phone, it’s the best iPhone yet." More »
Brits May Challenge Visa's 2012 Olympics Exclusivity
By Marc Perton on June 24, 2010 6:00 PM
48 Comments
If you've gone to an Olympic event over the past 22 years, Visa was everywhere you wanted to be. And everywhere you didn't want to be. In fact, thanks to a contract between Visa and the International Olympic Committee, Visa has been the only credit or debit card allowed at the Olympics since the Seoul games in 1988. But Britain may challenge the exclusivity in the run up to the 2012 games. More »
FTC Makes Twitter Promise Not To Mislead Customers About Privacy
By Marc Perton on June 24, 2010 5:20 PM
20 Comments
Twitter has settled a Federal Trade Commission investigation, which started after a hacker gained access to a number of Twitter accounts (including President Barack Obama's) and sent out fake tweets from those addresses. Under the terms of the settlement, Twitter "will be barred for 20 years from misleading consumers about the extent to which it maintains and protects the security, privacy and confidentiality of nonpublic consumer information." We don't know what happens in year 21. More »
(mint.com)
Top 10 Cities Where Owning Is Cheaper Than Renting
By Marc Perton on June 23, 2010 9:13 PM
56 Comments
As home prices continue to stagnate in many markets across the country, renters are facing some tough choices: should they take advantage of low prices and make the move into home ownership, or wait a while longer, on the chance that the market hasn't yet hit bottom? In some cities, the choice is easier: prices have fallen so much that it's cheaper to buy than it is to rent. More »
Court Says Arbitrators Can Decide If Arbitration Is Fair
By Marc Perton on June 23, 2010 7:07 PM
63 Comments
Think the arbitration clause in a contract is unfair? Go ahead and contest it! Of course, you shouldn't expect to win, since the Supreme Court has just ruled that it's just fine for the arbitrator to decide whether the clause is fair. More »
(Dell)
Did Microsoft Make Dell Take Back Love Letter To Linux?
By Marc Perton on June 23, 2010 6:01 PM
44 Comments
Dell sells lots of computers that run on Windows. It sells a few that run on Linux. Apparently eager to sell a few more of the latter, Dell boasted on its site that the free operating system is "safer than Microsoft Windows." Bad idea. The claim has vanished, replaced by the less specific "Ubuntu [Linux] is secure." More »
(FTC)
New FTC Lightbulb Labels Still Won't Explain What A Lumen Is
By Marc Perton on June 22, 2010 8:02 PM
92 Comments
If all of the new lightbulbs — CFLs, LEDs and more — have left you wondering whether switching technologies is a bright idea, the government is here to help. Sort of. Starting next year, the Federal Trade Commission plans to mandate new labels for all lightbulbs, modeled after the nutrition labels on most packaged foods. There's just one problem: If you don't know what a lumen is, or how it relates to a watt, the labels may not shed much light on the subject. More »
Restaurants Want You To Spend More, But Won't Stop Selling Cheap Food
By Marc Perton on June 22, 2010 7:04 PM
77 Comments
Fast food outlets and "family style" restaurants are suffering a bit of indigestion. After years of cutting their prices, handing out coupons and creating discounted special menus, they're having trouble making ends meet, and are trying to lure customers to higher-priced meals. But cash-strapped diners aren't buying it; they want the cheap stuff, and restaurants aren't about to say no and risk losing customers to the cheaper eatery next door. More »
Drinking Coffee Could Lower Risk Of Head And Neck Cancer
By Marc Perton on June 22, 2010 5:58 PM
16 Comments
We now know that coffee doesn't really help you stay alert, and that the only magic to be found in so-called Magic Power Coffee is a sudden disappearing act. So, is there any good news about the bean? Turns out there is, at least according to a new metastudy, which finds that coffee might help lower the risk of head and neck cancer. More »
(dyson.com)
Dyson's Freaky Air Multiplier Really Works
By Marc Perton on June 21, 2010 8:32 PM
113 Comments
Dyson claims that its Air Multiplier, which looks sort of like an interdimensional portal from a bad sci-fi movie, can "generate smooth, uninterrupted airflow with no unpleasant buffeting" and "amplify the surrounding air." And according to the lab geeks at Consumer Reports, it really works. Too bad that, at $300, it's priced closer to an interdimensional portal from a bad sci-fi movie. More »
Report: Reader's Digest And Radio Shack Will Disappear Next Year
By Marc Perton on June 21, 2010 7:05 PM
75 Comments
The psychics at 24/7 Wall Street are back with their latest list of brands that won't be long for this Earth, and the new selection includes deadpool darlings like Blockbuster and Zale, as well as some less obvious choices, including Kia and Moody's. How's their record? Last time around, the list included Palm and Newsweek. One of those has already been purchased by a buyer who may not keep the name alive. The other? 24/7 says that "Newsweek has little chance of staying open." More »
Big Brother Is Watching You -- And He Has Ice Cream!
By Marc Perton on June 21, 2010 5:59 PM
38 Comments
If you happen to be going to Cannes this summer (and, really, if you aren't, you should be) mega-conglomerate Unilever is ready to tempt you with a treat straight out of Minority Report. The company has set up a vending machine that lets anyone who walks by score some free ice cream. The price? Just smile for the machine's facial recognition software, which will determine your age, gender and emotion. Only the most happy will get ice cream. The rest? We don't really know, but we seem to remember something having to do with stolen eyeballs that can be used to trick such systems. More »
Brits Stuffing Themselves With Junk Food
By Marc Perton on June 18, 2010 6:51 PM
37 Comments
Next time someone hassles you about how lousy the American diet is, point them to a new survey which shows that British consumers spend about 25% of their weekly food budget on junk food, including potato chips (or "crisps," as they so quaintly call them), chocolate and soda. Then go finish your bag of chips. More »
Health Cops Tell Schools To Cook Up Alternatives To Bake Sales
By Marc Perton on June 18, 2010 5:55 PM
92 Comments
As part of its never-ending battle of the bulge, New York's health police have found a new target: bake sales that schools use as fund raising events. The sales have already been limited to once a month, and barred during school hours. Now, the city's Health Department has warned parents that they need to look for other ways to raise dough. More »
Does Chrysler Even Know Where Its Cars Are Made?
By Marc Perton on June 17, 2010 12:18 PM
77 Comments
If the vuvuzelas haven't scared you away from watching the World Cup, you may have noticed a Chrysler commercial that salutes all things American, including, of course, the company's cars. Just one problem: The car featured in the ad was made in Canada, using German technology and Italian funding. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Nothing Will Silence Those Damn Vuvuzelas
By Marc Perton on June 16, 2010 9:41 PM
142 Comments
If the sound of vuvuzelas — those ubiquitous plastic horns used by thousands of soccer fans — has made your World Cup viewing experience seem more like a visit by a horde of 17-year cicadas, Consumer Reports has a message for you: tough luck. Nothing short of muting your TV's sound will silence the noisemakers, though there are a few ways to make them less annoying. More »
(roitberg)
Bolivian Coca Colla Is The Real Thing -- Coca Leaf Included
By Marc Perton on June 15, 2010 9:02 PM
52 Comments
Back in the late 19th century, Coca-Cola hooked customers with a narcotic hit drawn from its namesake coca leaf. These days, Coke is cocaine-free, and may or may not still have coca-leaf flavoring, depending on who you speak to. But a new drink from Bolivia, Coca Colla, isn't shy about its ingredients, even sporting a bright green coca leaf on its label. More »
(ESPN)
ESPN3 Coming To Some Xbox Live Consoles
By Marc Perton on June 15, 2010 7:45 PM
21 Comments
Have a Gold Xbox Live account? Want to catch the latest in bass fishing, Aussie rules football and high school volleyball? You may just be in luck. ESPN has cut a deal with Microsoft to provide its streaming ESPN3 service — which includes all of these events, as well as the latest in cricket and poker — to many Xbox 360 owners with Gold accounts. Okay, you're not limited to just those sports. ESPN3 also has the FIFA World Cup, a selection of MLB games — and the Scripps National Spelling Bee. More »
New Rules To Cap Credit Card Late Fees At $25
By Marc Perton on June 15, 2010 7:40 PM
37 Comments
New rules announced today will take some of the sting out of those penalties that hit you when you don't pay your credit card bill on time. Most fees will be capped at $25, regardless of your balance, and can be much lower in some cases. If your minimum payment is $10 and you're late, your late fee can't go above $10. More »
(Route map: jetblue.com)
Jet Blue COO: Flying From NYC To Boston Is Stupid
By Marc Perton on June 15, 2010 11:55 AM
70 Comments
It's not often you hear an airline exec recommend alternatives to flying, but Jet Blue Chief Operating Officer Rob Maruster decided to wing it yesterday and told attendees at an air-travel conference: "I may be shooting ourselves in the foot here, with five daily flights from JFK to Boston. But it just may not make that much sense for an airplane on a 150-mile route to fly over 300 air miles to get there. Maybe there’s a different mode of transportation that may be better to carry those customers from point A to point B." Maybe we should be calling him former Jet Blue COO. More »
(usbtypewriter.com)
USB Typewriter Turns Ancient Object Into Something Almost Useful
By Marc Perton on June 15, 2010 8:57 AM
40 Comments
If you're a computer user of a (cough, cough) certain age, you may think the IBM Model M is the only real keyboard and everything else is a poor imitation. If you're of an even hoarier vintage, you may wax nostalgic for your trusty Underwood. Well, wax no more! The USB Typewriter is here, and it will take your century-old doorstop and turn it into a keyboard for a newfangled computer faster than you can say Jack Robinson! More »
(apple)
Security Experts Claim iPad Vulnerable To New Attacks
By Marc Perton on June 14, 2010 2:29 PM
17 Comments
Goatse Security, thewhite-hat hackers that exposed the iPad's problems keeping email addresses under wraps, is back with a warning about additional risks to owners of the tablet. And they're also more than a little peeved that AT&T called them "malicious" in yesterday's apology to customers. "When we disclosed this, we did it as a service to our nation. We love America and the idea of the Russians or Chinese being able to subvert American infrastructure is a nightmare," Goatse's Escher Auernheimer said. More »
Wendy's Drops Donna Summer Hit Over Misheard Lyrics
By Marc Perton on June 13, 2010 9:00 AM
72 Comments
Donna Summer's 1978 hit "Last Dance" won a Grammy and an Oscar, sold over 5 million copies, and reached Number 3 on the Billboard chart. But none of that matters to the tastemakers at Wendy's. The fast-food chain has dropped the Karaoke Disco Fever CD — which included the Summer hit — from its kids meals because some customers apparently thought the line "when I'm bad I'm so, so bad" was actually "when I'm bad I'm so, so horny." We can only wonder what they would have thought of "Love to Love You Baby." More »
(PhillipC)
Spirit Airlines Grounded By Pilot Strike
By Marc Perton on June 13, 2010 5:19 AM
63 Comments
If you've got a reservation for a flight on Spirit Airlines, you'd better start looking into other alternatives. The airline's pilots have gone on strike after contract talks with management broke down yesterday morning. Apparently, the pilots were upset that they'd have to pay extra fees to carry baggage onto flights. Nah, just kidding. It's just you getting stuck with those fees, not the cockpit crew. More »
( mjar81)
New Yorkers Can Get A Late Note From The MTA
By Marc Perton on June 12, 2010 3:35 PM
31 Comments
Remember those days of getting your friend with the really good handwriting to forge a note from your mom so you could avoid getting busted for being late to school? If you're a New Yorker and take public transportation to work, the Metropolitan Transportation Administration is on board with a similar service. No, the agency won't lie for you. But if you can't make it to work on time because your train was delayed, the MTA now offers a web-based service that will get you a note to prove it to your boss. More »
Want Airplane Food? Go to Turkey
By Marc Perton on June 12, 2010 2:12 PM
38 Comments
While many fliers may mourn the death of surcharge-free baggage hauling, some passengers actually miss the trays of "food" that airlines once handed out on nearly all flights. For anyone nostalgic for that golden age of rubber chicken, mystery sauces and reheated frozen veggies, The New York Times has a message: Come to Turkey. More »
( epicharmus)
Fraudster Stole $900K From Best Buy
By Marc Perton on June 12, 2010 1:10 PM
36 Comments
Is ripping off Best Buy destined to be this summer's hot new felony? Just last week, an Illinois couple was convicted of bilking the retail giant of $41 million over a four-year period. Now, a Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to scamming Best Buy for a more modest $900,000, by submitting false invoices for electronics equipment. More »
(genome.gov)
FDA Cracking Down on DNA-Test Providers
By Marc Perton on June 12, 2010 12:29 PM
18 Comments
After scaring Walgreens out of the genetic-testing business, the FDA has now decided to crack down on the entire industry, and will be subjecting DNA tests to the same rules that it applies to medical devices such as blood-glucose meters. More »
Elizabeth Warren Wants To End Exploding Mortgages
By Marc Perton on June 10, 2010 6:07 PM
63 Comments
Why does financial-reform advocate, Harvard professor and overall force of nature Elizabeth Warren want a Consumer Financial Reform Agency? It's simple: "We stopped exploding toasters. We're going to do the same with exploding mortgages and crazy credit cards." More »
(gdgt.com)
Idealistic Apple Developed iAds To Keep Apps Affordable
By Marc Perton on June 7, 2010 4:58 PM
57 Comments
Why did Apple come up with iAds, the company's new platform for mobile advertising? It had nothing to do with the $60 million Apple has already taken in from companies like Nissan, GE and Best Buy. And it apparently didn't have anything to do with Apple's plans to control nearly half of the market for mobile ads. No, the real reason is simple. As CEO Steve Jobs explained it today, Apple created iAds "for one simple reason: to help our developers earn money so they can continue to create free and low-cost apps for users." More »
(Ninja M.)
Report: Americans Trash The Environment And Don't Care
By Marc Perton on June 4, 2010 5:21 PM
164 Comments
The National Geographic Greendex survey of sustainable consumption is out, and most of the 17 countries in the study have improved over the past year. In the lowest-scoring one, though, consumers are actually less concerned about the environment and think that the whole issue is being exaggerated. And a majority in that country believe their current habits are unsustainable, but they're cool with letting their grandkids deal with it. More »
(GreenGraffiti)
You Cannot Walk Away From "Reverse Graffiti" Advertising
By Marc Perton on June 4, 2010 4:33 PM
46 Comments
If you think you can avoid advertising by, say, staring down at your feet as you walk through the urban landscape, you're out of luck. Sure, you won't see the billboards overhead, the skinny trucks that are really rolling billboards, or the dudes handing out flyers for various establishments of dubious pedigree. What you will see, however, are "reverse graffiti" ads, pressure washed onto sidewalks where, once upon a time, all you'd see were gum wrappers, dog poop and the occasional Obey Giant stencil. More »
(dotben)
KFC China Apologizes For Botched Coupon Promotion
By Marc Perton on June 4, 2010 11:30 AM
32 Comments
You do not want to piss of 1.3 billion potential customers. That seems to be the conclusion arrived at by the honchos of KFC China, which has apologized for a botched coupon promotion that left some customers with empty buckets. After canceling the promotion in April, KFC was roundly criticized and was even subject to "quasi-violent protests." Who says there isn't freedom of speech in China? More »
Colbert Report Takes On Consumer Reports
By Marc Perton on June 4, 2010 10:55 AM
52 Comments
Stephen Colbert paid a visit to our scientific siblings over at Consumer Reports, and got some shocking admissions from testing head Liam "Larry" McCormack, including the fact that the organization has never tested whether being electrocuted by a toaster makes you immune to electricity. (Alas, he did not ask about CR's groundbreaking tests of the KFC Double Down or Snuggie, but there's always Part II.) More »
(TheeErin)
Airlines May Be Forced To Treat You Like A Person
By Marc Perton on June 3, 2010 12:21 PM
66 Comments
Earlier this week, we got word that the Department of Transportation was considering requiring airlines to offer more cash to passengers that get bumped from flights. Turns out those rumors were true, and were just one piece of a package of changes proposed by the DOT. If the new regulations go into effect, airlines would be required to play straight about baggage fees and fare prices, would have to allow no-penalty cancellations within 24 hours of ticket purchases, and would have to add new contingency plans for long tarmac delays. More »
(amazon.com)
Hurt Locker Lawyers: Time Warner Cable Hearts Pirates
By Marc Perton on June 2, 2010 12:34 PM
71 Comments
If you're one of the 5,000 "John or Jane Does" accused of illegally downloading copies of The Hurt Locker, and your ISP is Time Warner Cable, you may be safely airlifted out of the battle zone. According to the law firm representing Hurt Locker producer Voltage Pictures, TWC is "a good ISP for copyright infringers" because it won't hand over the names of its customers as quickly as the lawyers would like. More »
(imdb.com)
Hurt Locker Producer Sues "Moron" Downloaders
By Marc Perton on June 1, 2010 4:57 PM
186 Comments
Nicolas Chartier, the movie producer who was banned from the Oscars for sending nastygrams about Avatar, and more recently, told a critic, "you're a moron who believes stealing is right. I hope your family and your kids end up in jail," is nothing if not consistent. Chartier has made good on his earlier threat to sue people who downloaded copies of The Hurt Locker, by filing a suit against 5,000 anonymous downloaders in Washington, D.C. More »
(pbm)
Tech Pundit Sneers At Your Online Privacy Concerns
By Marc Perton on May 30, 2010 2:54 PM
38 Comments
While the public outcry about Facebook's complicated privacy tools recently pushed the company to simplify its user interface, at least one industry insider believes that peoples' concerns are overblown and that, for all the hype and media coverage, the vast majority of users don't seem to care. More »
Eat More Salt Or Your Food Will Taste Like Damp Dog Hair
By Marc Perton on May 30, 2010 11:10 AM
101 Comments
With everyone from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to First Lady Michelle Obama pushing foodmakers to cut the salt in their products, the salt industry is fighting back. And they warn that without enough salt, processed meats start to taste like cardboard or "damp dog hair." Yum! More »
(Not a union organizer. Photo by ashi)
Union Organizing California Weed Workers
By Marc Perton on May 29, 2010 3:54 PM
18 Comments
You know an industry has hit the big time when labor unions decide it's time to organize the workers. So, it looks like California's medical marijuana workers are about to reach new highs now that the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 in San Jose has begun organizing local pot purveyors. Here's the big question, though: How long before they start showing up to picket non-union shops with a giant inflatable bong? More »
What Does Congress Want From A Consumer Financial Protection Agency?
By Marc Perton on May 29, 2010 11:18 AM
10 Comments
If you have a lot of time on your hands, you could probably read through the House and Senate versions of the financial reform bills, and get some idea of how each one addresses consumer financial protection. Or, you could just hope that a consumer lawyer would do it for you, and then summarize his findings in a tidy PowerPoint presentation. Guess what? More »
CVS Misprices Meds, Offers Refunds If You Say Please
By Marc Perton on May 28, 2010 2:11 PM
8 Comments
When CVS discovered that prices listed for brand-name drugs on its SilverScript Medicare site were mistakenly displayed at about 4% less than the drugs were actually being sold for, the company quickly fixed the glitch, according to a report in today's Wall Street Journal. But what happened to customers who saw the "low" prices and ended up paying more at retail? According to The Journal, CVS cut a deal with the government, allowing the company to offer refunds only to customers who asked for them. CVS then sent letters to the customers that said they could call and discuss "your options," and made no mention of the possibility of a refund. More »
(cpsc.gov)
This Is Where Stinky Drywall Comes From
By Marc Perton on May 28, 2010 9:56 AM
23 Comments
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has released the names of the top manufacturers of stinky, dangerous drywall, which emits high levels of hydrogen sulfide (the source of its stinkiness). According to the agency, drywall from the manufacturers, all based in China, emitted hydrogen sulfide at levels up to 100x greater than samples from non-Chinese manufacturers. More »
Indoor Tanning Quadruples Risk Of Skin Cancer
By Marc Perton on May 27, 2010 6:06 PM
70 Comments
Think that tanning bed is safer than the evil ol' sun? Not quite. A new study from the American Association for Cancer Research has determined that frequent use of tanning beds can quadruple your risk of skin cancer. But, hey, you'll look great, and isn't that the first step to good health? More »
(dfarber)
Internet Turns Bullsh*t Detector On Facebook CEO
By Marc Perton on May 27, 2010 4:53 PM
73 Comments
Yesterday afternoon, while everyone else was cheering about how Facebook's supercool new privacy settings were going to bring about world peace and end hunger, Marshall Kirkpatrick actually took the time to listen to what Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had to say about the changes, and noticed something interesting: Zuckerberg, as Kirkpatrick put it on ReadWriteWeb, "said a number of things that seemed of questionable...truth." More »
Cosmetics Retailers Tell You That Looking Good Makes You Healthy
By Marc Perton on May 27, 2010 4:31 PM
37 Comments
Research conducted for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has revealed that in order to be healthy, you first have to look really hot: "The first stage of health and wellness is beauty," said researcher Thom Blischok, during an event on "Redefining Health and Beauty Care for Untapped Profit Potential." More »
Government Investigating Apple On Music Practices
By Marc Perton on May 26, 2010 11:10 AM
45 Comments
The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly investigating Apple, to determine whether the company used its position as the nation's largest music retailer to unfairly influence music labels. Apple allegedly told labels not to offer exclusives to Amazon.com, and punished those that didn't comply by dropping marketing support on iTunes. More »
(uspto.gov)
Redesigned Hot Dog Breaks Apart When Eaten
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2010 4:39 PM
103 Comments
Just three months after the American Academy of Pediatrics put out a call for a redesigned hot dog that would be safer for small children to eat, Eugene D. Gagliardi, Jr. — the food designer who invented Steak-umms and popcorn chicken — has come forward with a solution. His patented hot dog has eight slits that open during cooking, which cause it to break up into smaller pieces, potentially reducing the likelihood that a child could choke on it. More »
Don't Bring Firearms, Knives or iPads To Yankee Stadium
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2010 1:56 PM
72 Comments
When the Yankees lost two out of three games to the Mets last week at New York's Citi Field, iPad owners could have tweeted about it, watched replay videos or switched to another game (an option many Yankee fans would have liked) using the device's big, bright screen. When the two teams have their rematch next month at Yankee Stadium, iPadders will have to settle for an iPhone or other small-screen device; iPads are welcome at Citi Field, but have been declared off-limits at the House That George Built. More »
(walmart.com)
iPhone 3GS Now $97 At Walmart ... 4G Coming Soon?
By Marc Perton on May 25, 2010 11:03 AM
27 Comments
Walmart has dropped the price of the iPhone 3GS to $97, which is $2 less than Apple charges for the older 3G model. The move has fueled speculation that Apple plans to announce the next-generation iPhone at its developers conference next month. They may as well. It's not like anybody's going to be surprised to see it. More »
Facebook's Zuckerberg: We "Missed The Mark"
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2010 3:56 PM
30 Comments
Echoing (or is that just endlessly repeating?) comments made by his minions last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg today said that the company "missed the mark" with its complex privacy controls, and vowed to give users a "simpler way to control your information." More »
(Zappos.com)
Zappos Eats $1.6 Million In Pricing Snafu
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2010 3:21 PM
68 Comments
Zappos-owned e-commerce site 6pm.com had a little pricing problem this weekend: A glitch in its system marked down every product in the store to $49.95. By the time the problem was fixed, the store had lost $1.6 million. So, did Zappos cancel the orders or charge the customers the "correct" price for their goods? Nope. The company ate the loss, saying it was "the right thing to do for our customers." More »
(genome.gov)
Congress Putting Genetic-Testing Companies Under Microscope
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2010 5:15 PM
48 Comments
While Walgreens may have voluntarily chosen not to sell home genetic testing kits in the face of an FDA investigation, its action has brought attention to the entire for-profit testing industry, and others may not have the luxury to quietly shut down on their own. A congressional committee is looking into the business, and could end up regulating the industry. More »
Best And Worst Places To Buy Tech Gear
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2010 4:55 PM
76 Comments
PC World has compiled a list of the best and worst places to buy a range of gadgets, including digital cameras, laptops and printers. While many of the results may not be surprising (Amazon ranked at or near the top in almost every category), there are a few interesting wrinkles, including a Best Buy victory for HDTV shopping. More »
Worst Phone Ever Wants You To Help Sue Apple and AT&T
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2010 1:43 PM
60 Comments
Tired of dropped calls? Want to do something about it? If you're an iPhone user, Worst Phone Ever wants you to send in your dropped call logs, with the goal of starting a class-action lawsuit against Apple and AT&T after it's collected enough of them. More »
Wait Until You're Dead To Pay For Your Funeral
By Marc Perton on May 23, 2010 12:42 PM
71 Comments
You're gonna die. Why make your family suffer even more by burdening them with the cost of your funeral? That's the pitch made by companies that try to get you to pay for your funeral years in advance. But, in most cases, you're better off putting your money into normal savings accounts or life insurance instead. More »
(betacup)
Starbucks Sponsors Contest To Create Green Coffee Cups
By Marc Perton on May 22, 2010 4:34 PM
50 Comments
Not content with offering discounts to customers who bring in their own travel mugs, Starbucks has now thrown its weight behind "betacup," a contest to "eliminate paper cup consumption through the design of a more convenient alternative to the reusable coffee mug." Some of the ideas submitted so far include a hemp-based cup (we have some ideas about how to recycle that one), cups made from coconut shells, and inflatable, reusable cups. More »
(bk.com)
Court Upholds Your Right To Cheap Fast Food
By Marc Perton on May 22, 2010 1:50 PM
47 Comments
The King hath won the latest round of a battle with upstart serfs, as a judge ruled that Burger King has the right to set maximum prices for some menu items. However, the indentured servants, er, franchisees that sued the chain over its value menu, are still planning to argue that the pricing system was entered into in bad faith. More »
Apple Finally Drops "I'm A Mac" Ads
The ads have already been removed from Apple's site, and have been replaced by the company's "Why you'll love a Mac" promos. Last month, Justin Long signaled the end when he told an interviewer: "You know, I think they might be done. In fact, I heard from John, I think they’re going to move on." More »
By Marc Perton on May 22, 2010 12:18 PM
72 Comments
Apple has finally caught on to something many of us have known for years: John Hodgman's befuddled "PC" is far more appealing than Justin Long's smug "Mac," so the "I'm a Mac" ads aren't really very effective at converting PC-users to Mac fans. Well. maybe that's not the official reason, but the company is still killing the long-running campaignThe ads have already been removed from Apple's site, and have been replaced by the company's "Why you'll love a Mac" promos. Last month, Justin Long signaled the end when he told an interviewer: "You know, I think they might be done. In fact, I heard from John, I think they’re going to move on." More »
FTC Shuts Down Bogus Credit Card Robocallers
By Marc Perton on May 22, 2010 9:42 AM
14 Comments
Three companies that made claims that they could help consumers reduce their credit card interest rates — and then charged fees of up to $1,590 — have been shut down by the Federal Trade Commission. “The last thing debt-ridden consumers need is to be deluged by illegal robocalls - especially when all the calls are offering is a scam,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. More »
(pbm)
Facebook Finalizing Privacy Changes, Giving Away Even More Of Your Info
By Marc Perton on May 21, 2010 4:53 PM
38 Comments
Confirming rumors that began trickling out earlier this week, Facebook today said that it would make its privacy controls easier to use. But the company stopped short of adding any specifics, and didn't lay out a timetable for the changes. Oh, and Facebook has also been caught handing over some allegedly private data to big advertisers. And did we mention the hack that could delete all your friends? More »
What's In The Financial Reform Bill?
By Marc Perton on May 21, 2010 8:25 AM
37 Comments
Now that the Senate has passed the financial reform bill, it's off to non-smoke-filled rooms, where it will go into a Blendtec with the version passed by the House last year. CNNMoney.com sifted through all 1,600 pages of the bill and came up with a handy cheat sheet explaining what's actually likely to change when this thing becomes a law. More »
Financial Reform Bill Heading To Final Vote
By Marc Perton on May 20, 2010 5:10 PM
32 Comments
Despite opposition from most Republicans and a couple of liberal Democrats, the Senate today reached the 60 votes needed to block a filibuster threat, clearing the way to bring the financial reform bill to a final vote. In the 60-to-40 vote, Democrats were joined by three Republicans, including freshman Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts. More »
(KGO TV)
Apple Store Now Willing To Accept Hard Currency
By Marc Perton on May 20, 2010 12:38 PM
105 Comments
A day after refusing to take cash from a customer who wanted to purchase an iPad, Apple has reversed course and is now willing to accept Federal Reserve Notes backed by the U.S. government. "We want to make sure it's as fair as possible for people to get iPads," said Apple Sr. Vice President Ron Johnson. More »
Facebook May Simplify Privacy Controls
By Marc Perton on May 20, 2010 10:25 AM
17 Comments
Facing mounting criticism that its privacy settings have become overly complex, Facebook is now considering changes "for users who want simplistic bands of privacy that they can choose from." It's unclear, however, whether the planned changes will provide more options for users who don't want to share certain information, or just make the existing choices easier to access. More »
(itaser.com)
Do Not Tase Wendy's Clerk For Getting Your Order Wrong
By Marc Perton on May 19, 2010 4:12 PM
71 Comments
A worker at a Wendy's in Daytona Beach, FL, narrowly avoided being zapped with a taser after getting a customer's order wrong. According to police reports, the alleged assailant, Melane Asia Reid, "brandished a pink stun gun" and chased Jason HIll around the restaurant, until the manager threatened to call the police. More »
(Pantone Hotel)
Pantone Hotel Lets You View World Through Rose (15-1626)-Colored Glasses
By Marc Perton on May 19, 2010 4:10 PM
20 Comments
We know how it is. You get to the hotel, turn on the lights in your room, and — gasp — instead of the soothing Rose Dust (14-1307) you expected, the walls are painted a hideous shade of Butternut (18-0830). And those sheets — are they really Fuchsia Red (18-2328)? If this has happened to you, there's now an alternative, where every aspect of your lodging experience will be perfectly color-matched: The Pantone Hotel in Brussels, designed to "suit your savvy palette and colorful imagination." More »
(US Army)
NY AG: SmartBuy Scammed Military With High Prices, Illegal Credit
By Marc Perton on May 19, 2010 1:42 PM
52 Comments
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has filed a lawsuit against SmartBuy and a group of related companies that allegedly "scammed members of the military" by selling them electronics and other products at markups of up to 325% of the original retail prices, and then "financed the sales" illegally through undisclosed credit lines linked to the soldiers' bank accounts. According to the AG, the company aggressively targeted members of the military, and "salespeople were trained to specifically seek out people in uniform and people with military-style haircuts." More »
How Steve Jobs Blew $10 Billion
By Marc Perton on May 19, 2010 12:16 PM
44 Comments
So, you bought a house right before the property bubble burst? Got out of gold a year ago? Invested in Pets.com back in the 90s? Well, guess what? No matter how many dumb investment decisions you've made, they likely pale next to a little mistake Steve Jobs made a few years ago, which cost him about $10 billion. Ain't schadenfreude grand? More »
(joewoody)
Rapping Your McDonald's Order Is Not A Crime
By Marc Perton on May 18, 2010 7:56 PM
71 Comments
A Utah teenager who was arrested after rapping his order at a McDonald's drive-through was found not guilty of disorderly conduct,after a judge ruled that his behavior was not threatening and didn't create any unreasonable noise. The judge didn't rule on the skills of the teen, who was attempting to imitate the YouTube classic "Fast Food Freestyle" (aka "The McDonald's Drive Thru Rap"). More »
Airfare From Atlanta To Vegas Is ... Sorry, Too Late
By Marc Perton on May 18, 2010 5:24 PM
34 Comments
How much will it cost you to fly from Atlanta to Las Vegas? Don't bother checking; by the time you do, the price will have already changed. According to a new study from Yapta, the fare for flights between those two cities has changed 2,472,916 times so far this year, or once every six seconds. Better practice hitting that refresh button if you want to get a deal. More »
(Techbang)
What Does "Hot Fried" Windows 7 Taste Like?
By Marc Perton on May 18, 2010 4:19 PM
17 Comments
Just in case the legendary 7-layer Windows 7 Whopper wasn't enough for you, Microsoft has introduced "Hot Fried 77," the Windows 7 restaurant, featuring 7 Windows-themed dishes. And beer. However, if you're looking to grab a quick bite of hot fried Windows, be prepared to travel fast: The restaurant is in Taiwan, and is only open going to be open for two months. More »
(Sky News)
Fake Pilot Flew Passenger Jets For 13 Years
By Marc Perton on May 17, 2010 3:23 PM
113 Comments
Thomas Salme was working in maintenance at Scandinavian airline SAS, when he decided he wanted to move up into the cockpit. So, he did what any clever and ruthless crackpot would: He practiced on a flight simulator until he thought he was ready to fly, and then printed a fake pilot's license at home. He got a job at European airline Air One, and spent 13 years flying passengers around Europe until being caught in March. The heavy hand of justice: a $2,500 fine and a one-year grounding. More »
Is Gold Fever The Next Bacon Bubble?
By Marc Perton on May 17, 2010 1:41 PM
33 Comments
Gold prices may be setting new highs almost daily, but to commodity traders, the shiny metal is just another line on a graph. And it's a line that's starting to look very familiar to some traders, who see a pattern similar to one that played out recently with hogs. Prices for pigs flew to new highs, and then started drifting back into the mud. More »
Do Not Even Try To Escape Starbucks
By Marc Perton on May 17, 2010 12:59 PM
25 Comments
The Seattle's Best onslaught was just the beginning. Starbucks is ramping up efforts to make sure that, wherever you go, there it is (not that the brand was particularly difficult to come by before, but whatever). This includes making its Via instant coffee more widely available, and selling flavored coffee in supermarkets, all to bump up its share of the brewed coffee market from its current level of just 5%. More »
No, The Government Isn't Coming For Your Gold
By Marc Perton on May 14, 2010 1:36 PM
76 Comments
Goldline, a company that sells gold coins, has an important announcement: coin collectors made out well in the 1930s and were protected from "the whims and vagaries of a spendthrift government." More »
Senate May Break "Price Fixing" On Credit Card Swipe Fees
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 7:16 PM
65 Comments
As the Senate debates the financial reform bill, one amendment may be good news for small businesses — though it could offer a mixed bag to consumers. The amendment, floated by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) would give small businesses more flexibility when it comes to working with companies like Visa and Mastercard that process credit card transactions. And it would give the government the ability to force processors to cut the rates they charge to manage debit card transactions to fees that are "reasonable and proportional to the actual cost incurred." More »
(Adobe)
Adobe Hearts Apple - But May Not Be Too Fond Of Steve
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 5:41 PM
75 Comments
Two weeks after Apple CEO Steve Jobs published his anti-Flash manifesto, Adobe — which makes the rich media software — has hit back. But instead of just sending out an anti-Apple rant, Adobe blows a kiss at the company, before scolding companies like Apple that "put content and applications behind walls" and "dictate what you can create, how you create it, or what you can experience on the web." Oh, and Adobe also thinks that black turtlenecks are evil. More »
(Shippam's)
Recession Driving Brits To Cheap, Inedible Foods
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 2:46 PM
123 Comments
Shoppers in the U.K. are apparently cutting corners by swapping fancy foods for "wartime" comestibles like powdered milk, fish paste and powdered custard. One beneficiary is Shippam's, which has been making fine products such as the pictured "bloater paste" since 1750. And, no, we really don't want to know what this is. More »
Cuomo: Banks May Have Misled Raters On Mortgage Securities
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 1:15 PM
19 Comments
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has opened an investigation of eight major banks, to find out whether they gave misleading data to rating agencies to pump up the ranking of mortgage-backed securities. The companies in the crosshairs are Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, UBS, Crédit Agricole and Merrill Lynch (aka Bank of America). More »
(Sky News)
Gold-Dispensing ATM Converts Pesky Cash To 24K Bars
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 12:39 PM
48 Comments
Next time you're in Abu Dhabi and have to get some gold in a hurry (and we've all been in that situation, right?), you can just drop in to the Emirates Palace hotel, pop a few bills into the ATM and walk out with gold bars. The machine, Gold To Go, monitors gold prices and automatically updates its pricing every 10 minutes. More »
(Burger King Israel)
Ketchup Tastes Behind Burger King's Israeli Flameout?
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 11:43 AM
53 Comments
Burger King is leaving Israel, after its local franchisee, Orgad Holdings, determined that customers preferred the burgers at its other eatery, Burger Ranch. "All the research carried out over the past few months shows beyond a doubt that the taste of Burger Ranch is the preferred taste for most Israelis," said Orgad's directors, who plan to convert their 52 Burger Kings into Burger Ranches. However, according to one Israeli burger lover and former BK manager, the culture clash is less about the beef and more about condiments. More »
Get Ready For Anti-Net Neutrality Ads
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 11:35 AM
108 Comments
Foes of net neutrality are getting set to spend $1.4 million to air a series of ads against the Federal Communication Commission's efforts to enforce net neutrality rules by regulating broadband access providers as telecom services. First up: this peppy offering from Americans for Prosperity, that warns that the Internet will be the next domino to fall to the encroaching menace of a "Washington takeover." More »
(Netflix)
Netflix Now Offering HD Streaming On PCs And Macs
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 10:01 AM
46 Comments
Netflix customers using computers can now get something that Xbox 360 and TiVo users have taken for granted: HD streaming. However, the fact that Netflix is now apparently making most of its HD titles available for high-def computer streaming doesn't necessarily mean you'll actually get the highest resolution on your rig. And, no matter how sharp the picture is, some films will still be just as bad. More »
Tricard Credit Card Shows Off Your Debt
By Marc Perton on May 13, 2010 8:51 AM
21 Comments
The Tricard concept from Park Mi-na is based on a simple idea: It displays your available credit every time you take it out, so you can avoid overspending. Not surprisingly, the design has yet to be picked up by any actual banks, since they'd just as soon let you keep swiping that card until you're close to the edge, and then bump up your credit line so you can keep racking up debt. More »
Facebook Can Warn You When Someone Else Logs Into Your Account
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 6:29 PM
37 Comments
By the time someone hacks into your Facebook account and sends all of your friends plaintive messages about being mugged in London, it's too late to do anything about it. However, Facebook does have an early-warning system of sorts. Using a security setting, you can have the service alert you whenever your account is accessed from another location, giving you a chance to (hopefully) force the intruder out and change your password. More »
(Consumer Reports)
CR Index: You're Buying More, Less Worried
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 3:15 PM
8 Comments
Consumer Reports is out with the latest edition of its economic-health tracker, the CR Index, and the news is generally positive, with gains in jobs and consumer spending, and declines in stress. But that doesn't mean it's time to break out the bubbly: “We are seeing modest improvements across our indices since April, which demonstrate that consumers are starting the long slog out of this historic recession,” said Ed Farrell, a director of the Consumer Reports National Research Center. “But a full recovery will require a substantial period of growth for consumer confidence to fully take hold.” More »
FDA Investigating Walgreens Genetic-Testing Kits
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 2:46 PM
35 Comments
If you were, well, salivating at the idea of spitting into a test tube at your corner Walgreens and sending off for a list of diseases you're at risk for, you may have to keep that drool in check for a while. The Food and Drug Administration is investigating the planned test kits, which were due to appear in stores later this month. More »
Will Love For Continental Make You Forget You're Flying United?
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 2:43 PM
27 Comments
While United Airlines has languished near the bottom of many quality and popularity rankings, Continental's image has stayed sky-high. And now that the two are merging, will the new United benefit from Continental's popularity — or will the new airline be derided as nothing more than the old United with a new set of paint? Industry-watchers questioned by Ad Age aren't very bullish: "Fares will be higher, and service will be reduced," warns Chris Elliott of elliott.org. More »
(dooley)
Sorry, You May Have To Wait Two More Years For A Verizon iPhone
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 2:34 PM
49 Comments
Despite rumors that Apple's iPhone would soon be available on carriers other than AT&T, recently unearthed documents paint a different picture: they apparently confirm that AT&T and Apple signed a five-year exclusive deal in 2007, which means no Verizon version until at least 2012. More »
(Microsoft)
Microsoft Won't Offer Upgrade Discount On Office 2010
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 1:54 PM
66 Comments
The bad news: Confirming rumors that circulated earlier this year, Microsoft won't offer existing Office owners a discount if they want to upgrade to the latest version, Office 2010. The even worse news: The new version hasn't done away with the Ribbon. The good news: According to PC Magazine, There really isn't any reason to upgrade if you're happy with your current version of Office (or OpenOffice or Google Docs). More »
Cash4Gold Supports Regulations Proposed By Congress
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 12:45 PM
16 Comments
Cash4Gold supports legislation designed to regulate it and its competitors, according to a letter from the company's president, Jeff Aronson. "Cash4Gold supports HR 4501, the Guarantee of a Legitimate Deal Act, and the provisions outlined in the bill," Aronson wrote to two congressman who are backing the bill. More »
(Tower Records Japan)
Does The World Really Need A Rainbow-Colored DSLR?
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 12:32 PM
86 Comments
Well, does it? More »
Working Too Hard May Kill You
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 11:38 AM
32 Comments
A new study out of the U.K. has some bad news for overachievers: Working 10-11 hours a day on a regular basis can increase your risk of heart disease by close to two-thirds. Out of a group of 6,000 civil servants, the study found 369 cases "where people suffered heart disease that caused death, had a heart attack or developed angina." More »
FCC May Require Text Warnings Before You Get "Bill Shock"
By Marc Perton on May 12, 2010 10:26 AM
26 Comments
The FCC is considering requiring cell carriers in the U.S. to do something their European counterparts already have to do: send customers text warnings when they're about to incur massive charges because they've used up all their included minutes or are about to hit a roaming zone. More »
(Geek Squad Summer Academy)
Now Geek Squad Is Optimizing Girl Scouts
By Marc Perton on May 10, 2010 11:29 AM
33 Comments
We applaud the idea of teaching kids how to use technology more effectively, so we'll assume that Geek Squad Summer Academy, which teaches Girl Scouts and other youngsters "the basic components of technology through fun, engaging, and informative activities not likely found in a traditional school setting," is a great program, and not an insidious plot to get them to go home and start optimizing their parents' computers at the end of the summer. Then again, we bet the margin on those $39.99 tune-ups are better than what the girls make hawking cookies. More »
(Morgan Stanley)
No, The iPad Hasn't Killed The Netbook
That's essentially what Morgan Stanley did this week, and many media outlets picked it up as gospel. But there's no real evidence that the iPad has had any significant effect on netbook demand. More »
By Marc Perton on May 7, 2010 4:57 PM
39 Comments
Netbook sales growth has slowed down! Apple has sold a million iPads! Quick, someone make a chart and prove that there's a causal relationship between the two facts.That's essentially what Morgan Stanley did this week, and many media outlets picked it up as gospel. But there's no real evidence that the iPad has had any significant effect on netbook demand. More »
(Torani)
Are You Ready For Your Bacon Latte?
By Marc Perton on May 7, 2010 9:25 AM
36 Comments
Bacon donuts. Bacon and egg burgers. Bacon cooked in a machine gun. Have we left anything out that might make your breakfast extra-super-bacony? Of course: bacon-flavored coffee! Thanks to the syrup sprites at Torani, this frontier has at last been breached, and bacon lattes are just a stirrer away. More »
(Consumer Reports)
CR: You Can Buy A Lexus GX 460 If You Want
By Marc Perton on May 7, 2010 8:43 AM
7 Comments
Consumer Reports has lifted its "don't buy" warning on the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV, after reviewing the results of Toyota's recall fix. According to CR, that modification solved the emergency handling problem that had been uncovered in earlier tests. So, if you're in the market for a big, $60K luxury SUV, you can go ahead and add this one to your list. More »
Save Money By Switching To Century Gothic
By Marc Perton on May 5, 2010 4:08 PM
100 Comments
Century Gothic, a knockoff of classic sans serif fonts like Twentieth Century and Futura is one of the more stylish typefaces bundled with most Windows computers. And it turns out it's also one of the cheapest to use. A study by Printer.com found that using Century Gothic instead of fonts like Tahoma or Franklin Gothic can cut toner costs by as much as 31%. More »
(Balakov)
Facebook Disables Chat After Bug Exposes Private Data
By Marc Perton on May 5, 2010 3:26 PM
29 Comments
After two security glitches were revealed today, Facebook was forced to shut down chat functions while it worked on a fix. One bug allowed users to see allegedly private chats, while another exposed pending friend requests. Facebook didn't notify users whose accounts may have been compromised, presumably because, hey, they're Facebook, and they don't have to. More »
Target Chicken Nuggets Win Taste Test
By Marc Perton on May 5, 2010 2:58 PM
39 Comments
Consumer Reports subjected its team of trained taste-testers to more than a dozen varieties of chicken nuggets, including both supermarket brands and those from McDonald's. The winner among the frozen nuggets: Target's Market Pantry. Soy nuggets from Boca and Morningstar were judged to have "very little chicken flavor." More »
Houston and Cleveland Lose, Chicago Wins In UA/Continental Merger
By Marc Perton on May 5, 2010 1:19 PM
27 Comments
If and when the United/Continental merger is finalized, it's going to be very good news for Chicago, which will retain its status as the new airline's headquarters. Cleveland, on the other hand, will lose out, since it will basically be a redundant hub stuck between the airline's bigger operations in Chicago and Newark. And, Houston, current HQ of Continental? Sorry, pardner. More »
iPad Data Plan May Really Be Unlimited
By Marc Perton on May 5, 2010 11:56 AM
32 Comments
When AT&T and Apple announced an optional "unlimited" iPad 3G data plan for $29.99 a month, skeptics assumed that it would come with all sorts of fine print and caveats designed to introduce some limits and block "data hogs" from eating up all of AT&T's bandwidth. However, as one "torture test" confirms, the plan really does appear to be unlimited, which should be great news for early adopters who plan to use their iPads for Netflix or other streaming video services. More »
(Tom Tom)
Darth Vader GPS Will Turn You To The Dark Side
By Marc Perton on May 5, 2010 11:50 AM
56 Comments
He used the Force to search for rebel bases and track his errant son. And now Darth Vader can help you locate the nearest interstate — if you're willing to take a detour to the Dark Side first. Tom Tom has rolled out its first Star Wars GPS voice module, and everyone's favorite Sith Lord is ready to help you calculate every possible destination. Or, in Ani's own words: "Go around the roundabout. The circle is now complete." More »
FTC: Consumer Privacy System Is Broken
By Marc Perton on May 4, 2010 10:05 PM
20 Comments
Citing lengthy privacy policies, confusing information about how personal data is used, and a lack of transparency in behavioral marketing campaigns, Maneesha Mithal of the Federal Trade Commission declared the current Internet consumer privacy system "broken," and said the agency is working on a series of recommendations to help fix it. More »
Viacom's Redstone: All Newspapers Dead In Two Years
By Marc Perton on May 4, 2010 11:04 AM
44 Comments
Sumner Redstone, the boss of Viacom and CBS, has gazed into his crystal ball, and what he sees may not cheer up anyone in the newspaper business — though it may, conveniently, be good news for broadcasters. According to Redstone, "there won't be any newspapers in two years." More »
(United)
What Should You Do With Your United and Continental Miles?
By Marc Perton on May 4, 2010 10:06 AM
14 Comments
The Continental/United merger may not be officially consummated for several months, if ever. In the meantime, what should you do to make sure your frequent flyer points with the two airlines don't fly the coop? Consumer Reports has some tips to protect your miles, including cashing some of them in right now, before any changes are made to the reward structure. More »
(dmuth)
We're Finally Saving The Economy By Spending Too Much
By Marc Perton on May 4, 2010 7:47 AM
43 Comments
Back in the early days of the recession, circa 2008, people were nervous about the future, and decided to start saving more of their money instead of just spending it. That brought personal savings rates up to over 5% by last year. But after hearing for months that the recession is over, consumers are apparently starting to believe it — especially when numbers show the economy growing by 3.2%. Savings rates are down to about 2.7%, and consumer spending is up by 0.6% as of March. Unfortunately, incomes are only up 0.3%, so plenty of people may be helping the economy grow by spending more than they earn. Thanks, guys! More »
(fig leaf: geishaboy500)
Google Pushed To Block Kids' Access To Android Porn
By Marc Perton on May 3, 2010 4:37 PM
54 Comments
Last month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs cited the availability of porn apps as a major advantage offered by Google's Android platform (well, he didn't really, but some may have seen it that way). Now, the Parents Television Council, which earlier pushed to make Apple's App Store more family-friendly, has decided to follow up on Steve's endorsement, and is looking at what it sees as a lack of effective parental controls on Android phones. More »
(White Castle)
White Castle Candle Promises "Bed-of-Onions" Aroma
By Marc Perton on May 3, 2010 2:30 PM
24 Comments
If you misspent your youth in a part of the country where White Castle dominates the roadside landscape, the smell of the chain's onion-and-grease-laden sliders may have a Proustian effect on your olfactory nerve — or your bowels. Now White Castle promises to deliver that aroma on demand, minus the actual belly bombers, via the new White Castle scented candle. And here we thought selling frozen burgers in supermarkets was the worst idea White Castle ever had. More »
(Apple)
Will Advertisers Pay $1 Million To Join Apple's iAd Platform?
By Marc Perton on May 3, 2010 1:23 PM
27 Comments
When Apple announced its iAd mobile ad platform a few weeks ago, speculation was high that the company would soon dominate mobile advertising, and drive consumers to new levels of frustration with endless ads populating the iPhone and other devices. However, that may not exactly happen, for at least one reason: The $1 million cost of entry for advertisers. More »
Amazon Cuts Penguin Hardcovers To $9.99 In Fight Over E-book Pricing
By Marc Perton on May 3, 2010 11:05 AM
42 Comments
If you want to read recent Penguin releases like Roger Lowenstein's "The End of Wall Street" on your Kindle, you may have to wait a while, since Amazon and Penguin are still fighting over pricing. If you're willing to buy the hardbound version, though, Amazon has a deal for you: To pressure Penguin, Amazon is pricing recent Penguin releases at a very Kindle-esque $9.99. More »
Most Americans Don't Want Reagan On $50 Bill
By Marc Perton on May 1, 2010 2:31 PM
117 Comments
Fans of Ronald Reagan have gotten airports and highways named after the 40th president, but a proposal to put the Gipper on the $50 bill in place of Ulysses S. Grant is about as popular as putting Bonzo on the hundred. More »
Shopping Guru: Retailers Clueless About Serving Online Customers
By Marc Perton on May 1, 2010 12:25 PM
41 Comments
Behavioral researcher Paco Underhill has spent his career studying consumer behavior, and has documented it in best-sellers like "Why We Buy." His real business, though, is advising corporate clients through his Envirosell consulting firm. And he has some very bad news for them. Retailers, he said in a recent interview, are clueless about such basic niceties as offering price-matching in their online and physical stores, and providing a seamless experience between the two shopping venues. More »
(oskay)
Kindle Update Includes Folders, Passwords, Twitter
By Marc Perton on April 30, 2010 3:40 PM
45 Comments
Kindle owners may have had to sit by for a while as iPad owners got all the cool toys like Netflix, games and, oh, a color, backlit screen. But the latest software upgrade for the Amazon e-book reader promises a handful of niceties, including a Twitter client, password protection and better fonts. You can even — drum roll please — organize your books into folders. More »
(JaBB)
Steve Jobs E-mail Generator Lets You Create Your Own Zen Platitudes
By Marc Perton on April 30, 2010 3:01 PM
8 Comments
Jealous of all of those Apple fans who are getting random email messages from CEO Steve Jobs? Now there's no reason to wait around for him to contact you. Just use the Steve Jobs E-Mail Reply Generator, and you too can be the proud owner of a terse, Steve-esque one-liner like "No," "Nope" and "If you want porn, get an Android phone." More »
(Carl's Jr)
Carl’s Jr Breakfast Burger Tops List Of 11 Scariest Fast Food Breakfasts
By Marc Perton on April 30, 2010 9:47 AM
52 Comments
Activist site Care2 has come up with a list of what it calls "11 Scary Fast Food Breakfasts," based largely on sodium and saturated fat content. Leading the list is the Carl’s Jr Breakfast Burger. "How do you turn a regular burger into a breakfast burger?" Asks Care2. "By adding not only an egg-but an egg, bacon, American cheese and hash brown nuggets too!" Yes, it's a hamburger, with eggs, bacon and hash browns, all cohabiting happily on a bun. More »
Feds Said To Be Opening Criminal Investigation Of Goldman
By Marc Perton on April 30, 2010 8:53 AM
52 Comments
As if Goldman Sachs didn't already have enough problems with the SEC's civil probe of the firm and senators screaming at execs about the "shitty deals" offered to clients, word is out now that federal prosecutors are investigating the company. According to reports out this morning, the investigation is just starting up, and no charges have been made against the company. More »
(IMDB)
Financial Reform Bill Blocked Again
By Marc Perton on April 27, 2010 6:23 PM
79 Comments
It's deja vu all over again: For the second day in a row, Republicans blocked debate on the financial reform bill. Once more, the vote was 57-41. And, once more, Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska broke ranks and voted with Republicans against the bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to bring the bill up for a vote again tomorrow. More »
(C-SPAN)
Senator To Goldman Sachs: "Why Did You Push A Shitty Deal?"
By Marc Perton on April 27, 2010 4:06 PM
63 Comments
We don't normally put expletives in our headlines, but when a Senator says the word nearly a dozen times in an open hearing, who are we to argue? And, we have to admit, Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) certainly makes a compelling case when he reads back Goldman Sachs internal emails and concludes that the company's "top priority was selling that shitty deal." Video after the jump. More »
Financial Reform Bill Stalls In Senate
By Marc Perton on April 26, 2010 9:38 PM
84 Comments
With a 57-41 vote, Senate Republicans blocked debate over the White House-supported financial reform bill. The Democrats needed a 60-vote "supermajority" to avoid a Republican filibuster threat. Democrats plan to reintroduce the bill as early as tomorrow. More »
(Gizmodo)
Police Seize Gizmodo Editor's Computers
Update: The case is reportedly on hold as the San Mateo County District Attorney's office reviews Gizmodo's shield law defense. According to one report, Chen's computers haven't been examined yet, and won't be until after the DA completes the review. (Thanks, GetEmSteveDave!) More »
By Marc Perton on April 26, 2010 7:14 PM
245 Comments
Police on Friday seized several computers from the home of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen, after they were granted a warrant allowing them to confiscate property that "may have been used as the means of committing a felony." The warrant specifically mentions that officials are looking for information about the iPhone 4G, a prototype of which Gizmodo obtained from a source who found it after an Apple engineer left it behind in a bar.Update: The case is reportedly on hold as the San Mateo County District Attorney's office reviews Gizmodo's shield law defense. According to one report, Chen's computers haven't been examined yet, and won't be until after the DA completes the review. (Thanks, GetEmSteveDave!) More »
(Permuto Discoveries)
Middle-Aged Women Rule Online Marketplace
By Marc Perton on April 25, 2010 2:11 PM
38 Comments
Unlike meatspace malls, you can't scope out the other shoppers when you're browsing the online aisles. But thanks to this handy infographic from Permuto Discoveries, the truth is out: virtual malls are dominated by middle-aged white women with household incomes of $65K. Yeah, it's Paramus without the blue laws. More »
(Photo: JoelZimmer. These dudes appear to be using MetroCards,
so we assume they're innocent.)
Get Full Access To NYC Subways For $27
By Marc Perton on April 25, 2010 1:17 PM
25 Comments
Want to save a few bucks next time you visit New York City? Pick up one of these handy keys that can open the entrance to every subway gate and turnstile in the city's transit system for just $27. Just be ready to be locked away without a key if you get caught, since the all-access passes are illegal. The New York Daily News tried out one of the keys, which are supposed to be used only by transit workers and police. More »
FTC Protects Your Privacy, But FCC Rules At Hoops
By Marc Perton on April 24, 2010 3:43 PM
11 Comments
In a wide-ranging interview, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz spoke with NPR's On the Media about the agency's role in protecting consumer privacy, fighting back against deceptive marketing practices — and about Leibowitz's weekend basketball games with Federal Communications Commission chief Julius Genachowski: "Julius has been schooling me on the basketball court for some time. ... He's very crafty." More »
McDonald's Logo Makes You Impatient And Impulsive
By Marc Perton on April 24, 2010 2:12 PM
19 Comments
A new study has determined that just looking at the logos of fast-food companies like McDonald's and KFC can trigger behavior associated with your expectations from the brand — namely immediate gratification, even if that means getting something that isn't as good as what you could get by waiting. More »
(vivos)
Survive The Apocalypse In Luxury For Just $50,000
By Marc Perton on April 24, 2010 12:45 PM
66 Comments
Forget that musty shelter your grandfather dug in the yard. If you want to make it through the next zombie attack, earthquake or nuclear war in style, just write a check to Vivos, a company that's trying to build a network of swank shelters across the U.S. For $50K and up, you'll get an underground home designed to survive just about anything. Of course, you'll also have to sleep in bunk beds surrounded by 200 of your closest friends, and deal with survivor's guilt when you resurface and learn that your less fortunate neighbors have been eaten by the alien lizard people. More »
(yum! brands)
Eat Your Double Down At the KFC Yum! Center
By Marc Perton on April 21, 2010 2:59 PM
59 Comments
Sick of hearing about the KFC Double Down yet? If you're not, and you live in KFC's home town of Louisville, KY, you'll soon be able to order one — and pretty much anything else from KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut — in the KFC Yum! Center, a $238 million, 22,000-seat facility scheduled to open in November. Louisville-based Yum! Brands, parent to KFC and its brandmates, paid $13.5 million for naming rights to the stadium. More »
What's Going On With Retail Medical Clinics?
By Marc Perton on April 20, 2010 5:23 PM
59 Comments
Retail medical clinics — you know, those little offices in places like Walmart that promise to treat minor ailments in the amount of time it takes to check out on the express line — have been around for a few years, but haven't exactly won over tons of customers from the neighborhood GP. Now, it looks like they're about to take off in a big way. Or collapse. Or do nothing. That's what happens when you get a second opinion about the fact that Kroger is closing 20 of its Little Clinic branches. More »
(Uniqlo)
Uniqlo Paying Record $300 Million For Fifth Avenue Spot
By Marc Perton on April 20, 2010 4:38 PM
41 Comments
Retailers around the country may be shuttering branches and going out of business, but New York's Fifth Avenue is apparently recession-proof. Setting a record for a New York retail lease, Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo will pay $300 million over 15 years for a spot on Fifth Avenue and 53rd street. More »
(Harvard School of Public Health)
Tic Tacs Or Tobacco? Study Says Camel Orbs Look Too Sweet
By Marc Perton on April 19, 2010 4:37 PM
113 Comments
When is a tiny, mint-flavored tablet that dissolves in the mouth not a breath mint? When it's a Camel Orb "dissolvable tobacco" pellet, that's when. And that has health advocates — who worry that children may mistake the nicotine pills for candy — smoking mad. More »
(blue_j)
Toyota To Pay $16.4 Million Fine Over Delayed Defect Report
By Marc Perton on April 19, 2010 9:21 AM
15 Comments
The U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to announce today that Toyota will agree to pay $16.4 million over its failure to notify the government about the defects that led to recalls of millions of vechicles earlier this year. The company apparently knew about the problems for several months before reporting them to regulators; it should have done so within five days. More »
(Gamestation)
Read Fine Print Or GameStation May Own Your Soul
By Marc Perton on April 16, 2010 11:24 AM
45 Comments
Forget about those unreadable termsheets that come with your credit-card bills and warn you that your home is on the line if you miss a payment by 30 seconds. If you really want to experience the worst consequence of skipping the fine print in a customer agreement, head over to Gamestation.co.uk. The web retailer has an "Immortal Soul Clause" in its terms, and now owns the souls of over 7,500 customers. More »
Smaller iPad Coming Next Year?
By Marc Perton on April 10, 2010 12:21 PM
70 Comments
If the 9-inch iPad is an enormous iPod touch, what does that make the rumored 7-inch version? An iPad mini? The iPad Portable? Or maybe just the product Apple should have made in the first place, since it will come at a lower price point and won't require a special jacket just to carry it. More »
iPhone 4.0 Software: Multitasking, Billions Of Ads, No Porn Store
By Marc Perton on April 8, 2010 3:58 PM
102 Comments
Apple honcho Steve Jobs today unveiled the latest version of the company's iPhone operating system software, which adds long-awaited multitasking functions, so that you can finally listen to Pandora and check email at the same time. The new OS will also include the iPad's iBooks app and an email app that will let you manage multiple accounts from a single inbox. What's missing? Java and Flash are still no-shows. And don't expect a porn store anytime soon. "There’s a porn store for Android," Jobs said in response to a question about opening the App Store to unsanctioned products."You can download it, your kids can download it. That’s a place we don’t want to go, so we’re not going to." More »
Get Inked, Get Free Tacos Forever
By Marc Perton on April 5, 2010 1:07 PM
34 Comments
If you live in the Bay Area and don't mind getting a little commercial body art, Casa Sanchez has a deal for you: Get Jimmy the Cornman, the San Francisco restaurant's mascot, tattooed anywhere on your body (minimum size: four square inches), and you get free tacos for life. And, yes, you can get it in a not-quite-public spot and still take advantage of the deal. The restaurant keeps track of its walking billboards, so you don't have to lift your shirt (or any other article of clothing) to get fed. Unless, that is, you really want to. More »
Is Financial Reform Too Confusing For Most Journalists (And Consumers)?
By Marc Perton on April 4, 2010 11:04 AM
27 Comments
With financial reform likely to be the next big target of the White House, NPR's On the Media worries that the topic could be too confusing for most journalists to really understand well enough to explain to the American people. And this includes journalists who do this all day, every day. More »
Kraft To Cadbury Workers: Leave Pension Plan Or Take Pay Freeze
Separately, Kraft announced that CEO Irene Rosenfeld was getting a 40% pay hike this year, due in part to her "exceptional" management of the Cadbury deal. Rosenfeld's 2009 take will be about $26 million. More »
By Marc Perton on April 4, 2010 9:07 AM
118 Comments
Mac-n-cheese king Kraft Foods, which acquired British chocolate maker Cadbury earlier this year, isn't wasting any time when it comes to flexing some American-style corporate muscle. According to the Financial Times, Kraft has warned 3,600 Cadbury employees that they'll face a three-year pay freeze if they don't agree to "voluntarily" opt out of the company's pension plan.Separately, Kraft announced that CEO Irene Rosenfeld was getting a 40% pay hike this year, due in part to her "exceptional" management of the Cadbury deal. Rosenfeld's 2009 take will be about $26 million. More »
How Should You Charge Your iPad? Even Apple Isn't Sure
By Marc Perton on April 3, 2010 4:50 PM
46 Comments
In tests done earlier today, Consumer Reports learned that the iPad's included USB cable won't charge the device when it's plugged into a Windows computer or some Mac peripherals. And Apple support personnel contacted by Consumer Reports confirmed that the only official way to charge the device is via AC outlets. Too bad this advice didn't make it into the quick-start instructions included with each iPad. More »
Boxing iPad Takes On The Kindle
By Marc Perton on April 3, 2010 1:42 PM
13 Comments
You don't have to go very far to find plenty of videos of iPads being unboxed. But if you want to see an iPad in a boxing match with an Amazon Kindle, there's only one place to go: the streets of New York, where these two dudes battled it out to entertain the masses waiting outside the Apple Store (and promote electronics recycling business YouRenew). The winner? The guy in the Pink Floyd shirt, who managed to get himself into every shot. More »
The Consumer Reports science geeks are testing the iPad right now. Have something you'd like them to check? Tell them about it here.
Budget $1,170 If You'd Like Your iPad To Have Basic Accessories
By Marc Perton on April 2, 2010 10:20 AM
70 Comments
At $499, the iPad may sound like an almost, maybe, sorta okay deal. But add extra memory, 3G, a few choice accessories like a keyboard ($69), USB power cord ($29) and a case ($39), and you're up in MacBook territory. Jeff Fox of Consumer Reports tallies up his expenditures and comes up with a way to justify the purchase to his wife: it's his birthday — almost. More »
(ThinkGeek)
Poll: Which April Fool's Product Should Become Real This Time?
By Marc Perton on April 1, 2010 3:38 PM
56 Comments
Last year, demand for ThinkGeek's April Fool's Tauntaun sleeping bag was so intense that the company began selling it for reals. This time around, the site is taunting visitors with a "Want these products for real?" survey. We, however, don't want to limit our wish-fool thinking to one site, so we want to know: Which of this year's gag products would you most like to see in the wild? More »
Worst Company: Graystone Industries VS Massive Dynamic
By Marc Perton on April 1, 2010 10:38 AM
74 Comments
One develops technology that nearly destroys the human race. The other ... pretty much does the same. Which of these bad boys tops your list: the dysfunctional family that brought us the Cylons, or the Vulcan scientist and his one-armed sidekick who like to open doors that are better left closed? More »
Glowing Cash Could Help You (And Muggers) Find The Right Bill
By Marc Perton on March 30, 2010 6:03 PM
30 Comments
If you've ever had trouble identifying different denominations when digging through your wallet in the dark (or under other circumstances when you might find yourself visually challenged), Jaesik Heo's concept for luminous paper money may just, er, fit the bill. Of course, the telltale glow could also alert anybody else in the vicinity to the presence of big bills in your wallet. Maybe Heo's next version should let you customize your colors, so that your big pile of Benjies (or Sejongs, in Heo's example) would look like a pitiful stack of singles. More »
(u2acro)
Government Mortgage Relief Plan May Buoy Underwater Homeowners
By Marc Perton on March 26, 2010 6:01 PM
72 Comments
A new program announced by the Obama Administration today could help homeowners whose homes have declined in value by offering new government-backed loans and getting lenders to reduce the principal owed on homes whose values have fallen by at least 15%. The catch? Investors who own existing mortgages won't be forced to participate in the new, voluntary program. More »
(Google. Data: BLS)
Google Data Explorer Makes Pretty Charts From Depressing Numbers
By Marc Perton on March 26, 2010 9:47 AM
29 Comments
Google Labs recently unveiled its latest toy, the Public Data Explorer. The tool adds visualization features to Google's public data search engine, letting you make charts and graphs like this one, which overlays unemployment stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on a U.S. map. Colorful and cheery, right? All those lovely pale green circles (10% umemployment), flashes of orange (13%) and the occasional outburst of red (15%). Who knew that modeling depressing data could be so much fun! More »
New Polaroid Film On Sale Today
By Marc Perton on March 25, 2010 8:59 AM
33 Comments
If you've been hoarding packs of expired Polaroid film while waiting, not very patiently, for the day when you could once more buy new versions, it's time to open the fridge. The Impossible Project, the team of diehard instant-film lovers that vowed to bring the format back to life, starts selling new film today. More »
Nexon Isn't Worst Company In America, Yet
By Marc Perton on March 24, 2010 11:58 AM
18 Comments
When we began polling readers about companies they thought should be on this year's Worst Company in America ballot, we started noticing quite a few nominations for a certain company: No, not AIG, last year's Golden Poo recipient. Not perennial bad boys Bank of America, Comcast or Best Buy. Not even Toyota, this year's wild child. What company earned the opprobrium of voters, and still didn't make the cut? Korean gaming company Nexon, that's who. Nexon? Yeah, we were surprised, too. More »
You Don't Need HDMI 1.4 Cables For 3D TV
By Marc Perton on March 24, 2010 11:57 AM
28 Comments
If you're ready to shell out $3,000 for a new 3D-capable TV (plus as much as $150 for each additional set of goofy goggles), you can still save a few bucks in one place: cables. Despite what the aggressive electronics dealer might say, any high-speed HDMI cable will work just fine with today's 3DTVs and Blu-ray disc players. And those so-called HDMI 1.4 cables? They're not even allowed to mention them. More »
Fed Makes Sure Gift Cards Are Still A Bad Deal
By Marc Perton on March 24, 2010 9:33 AM
23 Comments
When the CARD Act went into effect in February, it also included new rules designed to limit some of the more egregious practices of gift-card issuers, like early expiration dates and "dormancy" fees. However, Congress put the Federal Reserve in charge of interpreting the new law, and yesterday the agency unwrapped its new collection of rules. Is it too late to return this one? More »
HDTV Popular With Octopuses, Jury Still Out On Squid
By Marc Perton on March 22, 2010 3:51 PM
18 Comments
Marine biologists studying octopi have begun using HDTV to simulate prey and predators, relying on the sharp onscreen images to trick the animals into responding as if they're actually under attack or on the hunt (when basketball is on, they reach for breaded shrimp and Hebrew National franks). More »
(amcnair)
You're Not Ready To Resume Your Spendthrift Ways
By Marc Perton on March 22, 2010 1:26 PM
49 Comments
We keep hearing that the recession is over, but every new consumer survey seems to confirm one thing: With unemployment rates high and home values low, most consumers aren't exactly in a rush to open their wallets again. And according to one new survey, many of you are even embarrassed about the way you used to spend, comparing those days to "some of the crazy things you did in high school or college." More »
Senate Bill Adds Consumer Protections; Advocates Want More
By Marc Perton on March 15, 2010 11:42 PM
14 Comments
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) unveiled a 1,336-page financial reform bill today, as consumer advocates warned that it doesn't offer enough to protect the public and concentrates too much power in the Federal Reserve, and bankers complained the bill would "confuse consumers and businesses." No wonder Dodd's quitting his job. More »
Rhapsody Announces New iPhone Feature With Video iPhone Users Can't See
By Marc Perton on March 15, 2010 7:35 PM
22 Comments
If you're an iPhone user and received an email from the Rhapsody music-subscription service today, you got to check out a video demo of the service's upcoming music-download tool. That is, unless you check your email on your iPhone. Turns out the video, on Rhapsody's Facebook page, is in Flash, which iPhones don't support. But all is not lost, iPhone users! We've embedded the video here, and through the magic of not being on Facebook (or something like that), we got it to work. So, go ahead, Consumerist Mobile readers! Click away, and watch the video that Rhapsody kinda, sorta, maybe, wants you to see. More »
(Blades pictured above are not part of recall.)
Gerber Machete Recalled Because It Could Cut You
By Marc Perton on March 11, 2010 7:23 AM
47 Comments
Gerber Legendary Blades is recalling 149,000 machetes in its Gator line, because you could slice your hand open if it slides across the blade. Yeah, we kind of imagine that's one of the things you'd want to watch out for if you're carrying an 18-inch blade that's razor-sharp on one side and saw-toothed on the other. Of course, it's one thing to slash yourself because you're off playing Indiana Jones without knowing what you're doing, and quite another to have it happen because the knife's handle wasn't designed as well as it could have been. More »
Don't Let Your Battery Charger Expose Your PC To Hackers
By Marc Perton on March 9, 2010 10:30 AM
11 Comments
If you're using the Energizer Duo battery charger, and have connected it to your PC to check the charge levels of the batteries, you may have inadvertently exposed yourself to a program that could give hackers access to your computer. The charger has been discontinued, and Energizer recommends removing the software along with the file that enables the backdoor. More »
(Google)
Poll: Are You Ready To Give Up Desktop Apps For The Cloud?
By Marc Perton on March 4, 2010 4:18 PM
92 Comments
Google's head of European online sales, John Herlihy, recently prognosticated that in three years, "desktops will be irrelevant," and everyone will work on mobile devices and store their data in the Internet "cloud." That would be good news for Google, but what about you? Would privacy concerns, limitations of mobile widgets and web apps or other issues keep you tethered to your desktop, or are you ready to launch yourself into the clouds? Tell us in our poll, inside. More »
Michaelsoft Binbows Is Japanese For "Get A Cheap PC Here"
By Marc Perton on March 3, 2010 2:37 PM
19 Comments
We have no idea who first posted this picture, but just to set the record straight, the sign is using a bilingual pun on the Japanese word 貧乏 (binbo) which can be translated as "poor." It's apparently promoting a store that sells cheap PCs and computer parts, though we do kind of like the sound of "binbows," and may just start using that around the office when we want to refer to Michaelsoft's flagship product. Or other products that are deemed worthy of such an appellation. More »
(Nestle)
Wonka To Launch Premium Chocolate With Golden Tickets
By Marc Perton on March 1, 2010 9:57 AM
42 Comments
The Willy Wonka name has been used to market candy for almost 40 years, and in all that time the Wonka company has yet to introduce anything as interesting as Fizzy Lifting Drinks or Invisible Chocolate Bars, instead subjecting consumers to Laffy Taffy and not-very-everlasting Gobstoppers. Now the Nestle-owned brand is going upscale, with its new Wonka Exceptionals line, which will launch with a Golden Ticket promotion. Winners will get a trip around the world, but won't be handed the keys to Wonka's factory or dominion over the Oompa Loompas. More »
(Chili's)
Chili’s Texas Cheese Fries Named Worst In America
By Marc Perton on February 28, 2010 7:48 PM
51 Comments
The killjoys at Men's Health are out with their list of the worst French fries in America — based on how toxic they are, rather than on relative yumminess — and have crowned Chili's Texas Chese Fries the deadliest. We suppose it has something to do with the cheese, ranch dressing and bacon that accompany the fries. More »
(Waitrose)
Cashmere Toilet Paper Cheaper Than Wiping With "Luxury Knitwear"
By Marc Perton on February 28, 2010 7:37 PM
30 Comments
Just in case Charmin isn't doing it for you anymore, UK retailer Waitrose has come up with what it calls a "super soft cashmere loo roll," designed to "put a smile on your face." Um, no matter what we're using when we're doing our duty, it's unlikely to make us smile. Waitrose says the product — which is really just plain old paper with some cashmere extract tossed in — carries the same "stamp of quality" as the "finest luxury knitwear." More »
Self-Auctioning Black Box Will Set You Back At Least $6,858
By Marc Perton on February 28, 2010 7:21 PM
49 Comments
Artist Caleb Larsen's latest creation, A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter, isn't likely to appeal to traditional art collectors, who tend to like to hold onto their purchases for a little while. That's because Larsen's black cube is programmed to try to re-sell itself as soon as a new owner takes posession — and buyers are contractually obligated to let it do so. More »
Did Apple Really Sell 10 Billion Songs On iTunes?
By Marc Perton on February 26, 2010 4:17 PM
101 Comments
Apple's breaking out the Champagne over the 10 billionth song downloaded from iTunes, which turns out to be "Guess Things Happen That Way" by Johnny Cash. Yeah, mazel tov, Apple. Thing is, most of the media are reporting that Apple's sold a billion songs, and that's simply not the case. Why? Oh, just a little thing called digital-rights management, which was included with at least 3 billion of those songs. More »
American Airlines May Be Hit With Record $20 Million Safety Fine
By Marc Perton on February 10, 2010 2:25 PM
25 Comments
Remember last year, when American Airlines grounded thousands of flights to catch up on safety inspections? The Federal Aviation Administration does, and according to reports, may be about to hit AA with a fine of as much as $20 million, which would be more than double the previous record safety fine of $7.5 million, which Southwest paid last year. More »
Too Much TV Can Kill You
By Marc Perton on February 9, 2010 6:47 PM
40 Comments
It might seem obvious that spending extended amounts of time sprawled on the couch in a semi-vegetative state, chomping on an endless bowl of Cheesy Poofs and expending only the minimal energy required to occasionally flick a button on a remote can't be healthy. But scientific research has confirmed what your mother told you: spend too much time watching TV, and it'll make you sick — and maybe even kill you. More »
FBI Wants To Follow You Around The Internet
By Marc Perton on February 9, 2010 11:50 AM
88 Comments
FBI chief Robert Mueller wants ISPs to track everything their customers do on the Internet, and keep those records for two years. The government plan would give the FBI access to "origin and destination information" for all users. Hey, at least they're not doing it in secret and lying about it. More »
Macmillan E-Books Will Now Cost $15 On Amazon
By Marc Perton on January 31, 2010 8:40 PM
110 Comments
After refusing to sell any Macmillan books or ebooks for three days, Amazon.com today gave in to demands by the publisher that it start charging $15 for Macmillan ebooks, rather than Amazon's customary $9.99. In a statement, Amazon warned that customers might "rebel against such a high price for books that cost far less to distribute than physical books." Will they also rebel against a $259, black-and-white, DRM-laden e-reader that doesn't let you share or re-sell books that you "own," and can yank them back without notice at any time? More »
(Chris Walters)
Consumer Reports Un-Recommends Recalled Toyotas
By Marc Perton on January 29, 2010 4:09 PM
31 Comments
Consumer Reports has temporarily dropped its "recommended" tag for Toyota models that have been recalled due to potential accelerator-pedal problems. According to CR Auto Test head David Champion, these are "fundamentally good cars," but CR felt that it had to drop its recommendation "until the accelerator problem is fixed." Added Champion: "The instances of sticking accelerator pedals appear to be few compared to the millions of affected vehicles that have been sold." More »
Swiss Govt Says Tax Cheats Can Stay Anonymous
By Marc Perton on January 28, 2010 4:52 PM
46 Comments
The Swiss government has reneged on a deal with the U.S. to disclose the names of American customers of UBS who may have stashed their cash in the Swiss bank to avoid taxes. Two Swiss courts said that the deal violated the country's secrecy laws and could not be enforced. More »
(Source: AT&T)
AT&T: Our Service Is Getting Better, Really
By Marc Perton on January 28, 2010 4:24 PM
32 Comments
AT&T may have tried to slow sales of the iPhone in New York to avoid putting additional stress on its overtaxed network, but in the company's earnings call today, the talk was all about how things are getting better. In slides shown to investors, the company highlighted service improvements in New York and San Francisco — the two cities where customer service chief Ralph De La Vega had warned that data hogs had been eating up too much network capacity. More »
New BofA CEO Makes Less Than Ken Lewis, More Than You
By Marc Perton on January 28, 2010 2:22 PM
37 Comments
Bank of America's new CEO, Brian Moynihan, didn't bother to ask what his salary would be when he accepted the job late last year. In fact, he's been working for almost a month without knowing how much he's getting paid. Maybe he assumed he'd get a deal like predecessor Ken Lewis, who earned an annual salary of $1.5 million (plus bonus), and pocketed over $50 million to walk out the door at the end of last year. Well, Brian, here's why job coaches always tell you to ask about money upfront: Instead of $1.5 million, you're stuck with a meager $900,000 this year. And your bonus? Yeah, we'll get back to you on that. More »
(Photo: DoorFrame)
Is The State Of The Union Good For Consumers?
By Marc Perton on January 28, 2010 12:27 PM
119 Comments
The Obama Administration has been promoting its financial reform proposals almost since the inauguration, and most of the administration's plans, including the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, have wide support among consumer advocates.So, how are consumers doing, and what did the President say last night that might be good news? More »
(Photo: Apple)
The iPad Is A Giant, $499 iPod Touch
By Marc Perton on January 27, 2010 2:21 PM
193 Comments
Apple's Steve Jobs finally introduced that iPad the whole world has been talking about for the past two centuries. What can you do with it? Watch movies. Read ebooks and news. Send email. Play games. All from a shiny multitouch display. Right, the same stuff you can do on an iPhone (except make calls, but you can't really do that on an iPhone either). But it's bigger! Faster! And will only cost $499. Quick, where can I buy one? More »
(photo: Buzzfeed)
It's Not Too Late To Join The Apple Drinking Game
(Oh, and if you're keeping score at home, it really is called the iPad, and Steve called it a "magical and revolutionary" product today! I think that deserves a 40!) More »
By Marc Perton on January 27, 2010 1:14 PM
38 Comments
Yes, we know it's the middle of a work day. But we also know you're probably switching between Consumerist and your favorite tech news site right now, hitting refresh over and over, as you wait to see what new gift His Steveness has bestowed upon mankind. Might as well have some fun while you're doing it, right? So, go ahead and join the Apple Press Conference Drinking Game right now.(Oh, and if you're keeping score at home, it really is called the iPad, and Steve called it a "magical and revolutionary" product today! I think that deserves a 40!) More »
MagicJack creator Dan Borislow with his daughter and puppies
Magic and Jack. We hope he doesn't swear in front of them.
Infomercial Smackdown: MagicJack Talks Trash About NetTalk
By Marc Perton on January 26, 2010 5:12 PM
27 Comments
MagicJack founder Dan Borislow is pissed. And who can blame him? After all, he's made a fortune selling a plastic dongle that lets you make calls over the Internet for $20 a year, and how he has to deal with upstart competitors like NetTalk, which is offering unlimited lifetime calling for $99. What does Borislow have to say about NetTalk? "The call quality is pathetic. There’s no phone numbers available, and it’s run by a bunch of fly-by-nights with no assets" And that's the part that's acceptable for family viewing and users of Nexus One phones. The rest inside. More »
(Photo: Gooooooogle)
Nexus One @%&#! Censors Voice-To-Text Messages
By Marc Perton on January 26, 2010 11:20 AM
46 Comments
Early adopters of Google's Nexus One phone can't catch a break. First, some overpaid. Then customers reported iffy 3G. And at least one had problems getting a dead phone replaced. It's enough to make you scream obscenities at your phone. Don't bother. Google has included an odd feature as part of the phone's voice-to-text function: When it transcribes speech, it automatically censors any curse words you utter. F*&k! More »
Hermit Shelter Lets You Nap In Public
By Marc Perton on January 26, 2010 8:49 AM
0 Comments
Interactive napping screen More »
(Photo: geeksquad.com)
Don't Ask Geek Squad To Reset Your Password
By Marc Perton on January 25, 2010 5:30 PM
48 Comments
Two not-very-sharp thieves walked into a Chattanooga Best Buy toting three PCs, and asked one of the resident Geeks to help override the passwords on the boxes. Instead, the Geek, who had heard that a local school had been robbed the previous night, tried logging in, and saw that the username on the PCs was the name of the school. The store confiscated the computers, and the the alleged perps were arrested. The lesson here: reset the password yourself at home, using open-source cracking tools, instead of paying Best Buy to do it for you. Just kidding! We salute this agent for his vigilance, and hope he gets snapped up for a career in forensic PC security. More »
Verizon iPhone Coming In Two Days ... Two Months ... Two Years
Regardless, the internets are in a frenzy about the potential for a non-AT&T version of the iPhone, after a reporter for BusinessWeek ran a quote about the possibility from Tim Horan, a telecommunications analyst at Oppenheimer & Co More »
By Marc Perton on January 25, 2010 3:39 PM
35 Comments
Is wishful thinking driving dozens of telecom pundits to conclude that Apple will announce that the iPhone is coming to carriers other than AT&T this Wednesday? Or are they just tired of reporting the same tired iTablet rumors? Regardless, the internets are in a frenzy about the potential for a non-AT&T version of the iPhone, after a reporter for BusinessWeek ran a quote about the possibility from Tim Horan, a telecommunications analyst at Oppenheimer & Co More »
(Photo: nicora)
Big Bankers Will Only Pay Themselves $40 Billion In Bonuses
According to Bloomberg, "even with lower amounts allocated in the fourth quarter, the compensation costs are enough to pay each employee at the three firms $336,843, more than six times the U.S. median household income of $50,303 in 2008." More »
By Marc Perton on January 25, 2010 2:07 PM
80 Comments
Three top Wall Street financial firms, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, plan to cut the bonuses offered to their top executives, as part of an effort to show that they're willing to cut back on what the White House recently called "obscene" compensation. For 2009, the three banks will award themselves just $39.9 billion, down from $44.7 billion in 2007. According to Bloomberg, "even with lower amounts allocated in the fourth quarter, the compensation costs are enough to pay each employee at the three firms $336,843, more than six times the U.S. median household income of $50,303 in 2008." More »
(Photo: Marc Perton)
Protein Shrink Ray Hits South Beach Cereal Bars
By Marc Perton on January 25, 2010 11:03 AM
15 Comments
Some of Kraft's South Beach Living cereal bars have been reformulated, and the new label boasts that, in addition to a "new lower price," the bars have "twice the protein of the leading cereal bars." That might be true, given that most cereal bars are made up of little more than corn, rice, corn syrup, rice and corn. But the new bars actually have 20% less protein than the previous versions. More »
Botched Parental Controls Let Kids Check Out iPorn
By Marc Perton on January 22, 2010 4:36 PM
53 Comments
The software that controls Apple's iPhone and iPod touch includes parental controls that are meant to block kids from buying porn apps. And it works. Sort of. While kids whose parents use the software to protect their iPods can't purchase any of the App Store's billions of "babe" apps (App Store porn is largely of the soft-core, pin-up variety), they can still browse it, checking out the app descriptions, reviews and, of course, screen shots. Oops. More »
(Photo: The Joy Of The Mundane>)
Have A Beer With Your Burger At New Florida Burger King
According to USA Today, the new restaurant will open in mid-February, and could be the first of several brew-and-burger shops:
"Don't look for beer at conventional Burger Kings. That's not in the plans. But more Whopper Bars — which offer an assortment of burgers, toppings and beer — could be on tap in tourist hot spots such as New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, says Chuck Fallon, president of Burger King North America." More »
By Marc Perton on January 22, 2010 1:22 PM
33 Comments
You can get beer at Burger King outlets in Germany, Singapore and Venezuela. In Japan, you can even get some whiskey with your Whopper. And, now, the U.S. becomes the latest country where you can really have it your way, at least in one "Whopper Bar" in Florida's South Beach. According to USA Today, the new restaurant will open in mid-February, and could be the first of several brew-and-burger shops:
"Don't look for beer at conventional Burger Kings. That's not in the plans. But more Whopper Bars — which offer an assortment of burgers, toppings and beer — could be on tap in tourist hot spots such as New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, says Chuck Fallon, president of Burger King North America." More »
(Photo: Toyota)
Toyota Recalls 2.3 Million More Cars For Sticky Pedals
By Marc Perton on January 22, 2010 12:33 PM
45 Comments
If you thought you were in the clear because you own a Toyota model that wasn't included in last year's mega-recalls, you'd better check your car against the company's latest list of vehicles being recalled for stuck-accelerator issues. This time, the recall includes Rav4s, Camrys, Highlanders, Corrollas and more. So, what should you do if you own an affected car? Just be careful, since, as of now, "Toyota is working quickly to prepare the correction remedy" and won't do anything to help you. More »
(Infographic: SpendOnLife.com)
Don't Flush Your Credit Down The Drain
By Marc Perton on January 22, 2010 12:12 PM
16 Comments
We don't like services that charge for access to your credit reports, but we are in favor of making it easier to learn about the risks of runaway debt. So, we think you should go ahead and take a look at this chart from . Just stay away from those "Free Credit Report" links and head over to AnnualCreditReport.com instead. More »
(Photo: jetsetpress)
Not Having A Mortgage Doesn't Stop Bank Of America From Foreclosing
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2010 1:30 PM
175 Comments
Charlie and Maria Cardoso managed to do something few homeowners can: They own their vacation home in Florida outright, with no mortgage. But that didn't stop Bank of America from kicking out a tenant who was renting the house, tossing out the Cardosos' possessions, and, yes, foreclosing on the debt-free home. More »
Congressman Demands FTC Probe Of Cash4Gold
Weiner is also proposing legislation, the Guarantee of a Legitimate Deal (GOLD) Act, which would regulate the mail-order gold-buying industry. "Cash4Gold is using these tough times as a golden opportunity to fleece customers," Weiner said. "These deceptive practices must end." More »
By Marc Perton on January 19, 2010 7:17 PM
44 Comments
Citing Consumerist's investigation of Cash4Gold, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) has demanded that the Federal Trade Commission investigate Cash4Gold and its competitors. Weiner is also proposing legislation, the Guarantee of a Legitimate Deal (GOLD) Act, which would regulate the mail-order gold-buying industry. "Cash4Gold is using these tough times as a golden opportunity to fleece customers," Weiner said. "These deceptive practices must end." More »
(Photo: alyates44)
GM Is The Latest Hot Stock. Yes, That GM
By Marc Perton on January 19, 2010 2:43 PM
41 Comments
Motors Liquidation Co., a company that exists solely to liquidate worthless assets of the old General Motors, has become the latest plaything of penny stock speculators and other market players, jumping about 40% since the beginning of the year, to 77 cents. Yes, this is going to end very badly for someone. More »
(Photo: FDA)
Counterfeit Alli Won't Cause Runs, Might Raise Blood Pressure
By Marc Perton on January 19, 2010 1:35 PM
34 Comments
The Food and Drug Administration has warned shoppers to be on the lookout for counterfeit versions of the weight-loss drug Alli. The real version of Alli contains orlistat, a drug with side effects that include "an urgent need to defecate," as those with delicate sensibilities like to put it. The fakes are made with sibutramine, a controlled substance that has been linked to high blood pressure in some studies. More »
(Image: Best Buy)
Geek Squad: Best Buy Software Installer Is Ugly, Nags Customers
By Marc Perton on January 19, 2010 11:57 AM
33 Comments
Now that Best Buy's shiny new Software Installer is showing up on PCs sold by the retailer, we're starting to see more reviews of the tool, including this one, from Geek Squad Agent Matt Van Dusen, who declares that the software has a "horrible" user interface and "suffers from too many of the same problems many of the trials preinstalled on computers today." Van Dusen's verdict: "If this was being offered by any company other than the one we work for, it would be at the very least disabled, and most likely uninstalled from each computer during the optimization." More »
(Photo: Toshiba)
Best Buy Software Installer Makes Early, Annoying Appearance
By Marc Perton on January 14, 2010 6:07 PM
70 Comments
Although it's not scheduled to make its debut until this Sunday, Best Buy's new non-optimization tool, the Best Buy Software Installer, has made at least one preview appearance — on a review unit supplied to a computer journalist, who wasn't exactly thrilled with the software's attempt to "radically simplify how you set up and customize your new PC." More »
(Photo: Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs)
Glaxo Funding Fat Film To Promote Poop-Causing Drug
By Marc Perton on January 8, 2010 8:08 AM
32 Comments
In an effort to get more people to try Alli — an over-the-counter weight-loss drug with side effects that include what our friends at Consumer Reports Health delicately refer to as "an urgent need to defecate" — drug maker GlaxoSmithKline has decided to make a movie about the dangers of overeating. And they've chosen the Creative Coalition, an advocacy group that includes Alec Baldwin and Susan Sarandon among its members, to make the film. More »
Is Best Buy About To Ditch Optimization To Sell Crapware?
By Marc Perton on January 7, 2010 10:49 PM
78 Comments
Best Buy is apparently dropping some of its "optimization" services, and will instead provide the "Best Buy Software Installer," a new tool that the company says will "radically simplify how you set up and customize your new PC or upgrade an existing one." Translation: Instead of you paying Best Buy to delete trialware from your new PC, Best Buy will get paid by software makers to try to get you to install it. More »
Blogger To Amex: No, I Won't Pimp My Friends For Zync
By Marc Perton on January 6, 2010 12:14 PM
64 Comments
Peter Rojas, founder of Engadget and Gizmodo, and co-founder of gdgt, knows more than a little about social media and marketing. So, when he got an email from American Express' ad agency offering an "exclusive relationship" with Amex's new Zync card, he asked for more info — and learned that what Amex really wanted was for him to "give them advice and insight ... and then to wrap it all up I get to pimp out all my closest friends." More »
(Photo: piez)
Lawsuit: Yoga Chain That Teaches "Brain Wave Vibration" Is Cult
By Marc Perton on January 5, 2010 6:34 PM
50 Comments
Former employees have filed a suit against Dahn Yoga, an Arizona-based chain of yoga centers. According to CNN, the suit charges that the chain is a "a totalistic, high-demand cult group" and that employees are submitted to "psychological manipulation, indoctrination and various techniques of coercive thought reform designed to induce them to become [founder] Ilchi Lee's disciples and devote themselves to serving him and his 'vision.'" More »
(Photo: Great Beyond)
Cold Weather Means You'll Pay More For Breakfast
By Marc Perton on January 5, 2010 5:53 PM
36 Comments
Yeah, you're freezing your butt off and getting tired of digging your car out — and it's only early January. But the real crisis is coming later this year, when this cold winter will cause prices of orange juice, bacon and cereal to skyrocket. That's right: when it comes to commodity futures, it's all about breakfast. More »
(Chart: The Atlantic)
Don't Even Try To Sell Your Home Now
By Marc Perton on January 5, 2010 4:32 PM
61 Comments
Yeah, it's that bad. More »
(Photo: Gooooooogle)
Should You Search For The Google Nexus One?
By Marc Perton on January 5, 2010 4:22 PM
45 Comments
Google has just rolled out is "iPhone Killer," the Nexus One, and while the tech world may be gushing over the phone's sleek figure, 5 megapixel camera and fast processor, we only care about one thing: can it play Doom? No, wait, strike that. The real question is: What does this do that last week's hot Google phone — you remember, that Droid thing — couldn't do? And why the heck should I buy a phone from a search engine company? More »
(Photo: The Joy of the Mundane)
Hey, Time Warner Customers, Ready To Pay For Fox?
By Marc Perton on January 4, 2010 9:28 AM
44 Comments
Customers of Time Warner Cable may consider themselves the victors in the battle between their cable operator and the Fox network. After all, the two sides came to a last-minute agreement on New Year's Day guaranteeing that TWC customers will still be able to catch up with Homer Simpson, Walter Bishop and Jack Bauer. But guess who's gonna pay for that? Here's a hint: It's not Rupert. More »
(Photo: playmobil)
TSA Withdraws Blogger Subpoenas, Offers New Computer
By Marc Perton on January 1, 2010 2:43 PM
38 Comments
The new year is starting off pretty well for bloggers Chris Elliott and Steve Frischling, who had been targeted by the Transportation Security Administration after they posted the TSA's bizarre Christmas Day Security Directive. Elliott reports that the agency has withdrawn its subpoena against him, and that Frischling, whose laptop was confiscated, is getting a new computer courtesy of Uncle Sam. More »
(Photo: tsa.gov)
TSA Targets Bloggers Who Exposed Draconian Policies
By Marc Perton on December 31, 2009 12:59 AM
87 Comments
The Transportation Security Administration has discovered a major new threat, and is targeting it with all methods at its disposal. No, not terrorists. The agency is going after two bloggers, Steve Frischling and Chris Elliott, for exposing its whopper of a policy document, issued Christmas Day in the wake of that day's failed terrorist attack. More »
Mac Cloner Psystar Sells T-Shirts, Vows Comeback
By Marc Perton on December 28, 2009 5:53 PM
19 Comments
You may not be able to buy Mac clones from Hackintosh-maker Psystar anymore , but if you're looking to relive those glory days of running OS X on generic hardware, Psystar has a t-shirt for you. And it looks like they even designed it themselves, rather than modifying the fabric of some other company's shirt so that it would work on their loom. More »
(Photo: Consumers Union)
AT&T Says Fraud. Consumerist Says O RLY?
AT&T online customer service reps have apparently changed their tune since we first reported yesterday that they were telling potential iPhone buyers that New York "is not ready for the iPhone." The current line: "Due to increased fraudulent activity, the Apple iPhone may not be available to purchase online in certain ZIP codes." There's just one problem: It seems pretty unlikely. More »
By Marc Perton on December 28, 2009 1:44 PM
36 Comments
Update: New York customers are now able to order iPhones via AT&T's Web site. It would appear that the company has once more modified its "promotions and distribution channels." We've requested a statement from AT&T, and will update this post if and when we receive it.AT&T online customer service reps have apparently changed their tune since we first reported yesterday that they were telling potential iPhone buyers that New York "is not ready for the iPhone." The current line: "Due to increased fraudulent activity, the Apple iPhone may not be available to purchase online in certain ZIP codes." There's just one problem: It seems pretty unlikely. More »
(Photo: gumbyliberation)
5 Places To Do Last-Second Shopping
By Marc Perton on December 25, 2009 7:40 AM
15 Comments
Merry Christmas! Finished shopping yet? If the answer is no, relax. You've still got time. And you're in good company. Remember, after Scrooge got scared straight, he had to do all of his shopping on Christmas, and managed to pull it off. And according to one recent poll, 4% of consumers don't plan on finishing their shopping until after Christmas. Compared to them, you're an early bird. Just follow these tips, and you can avoid showing up empty-handed — or worse, bearing gift cards More »
Ford To Sell Volvo To China's Zhejiang Geely
By Marc Perton on December 23, 2009 4:14 PM
35 Comments
Ford has reached a deal to sell Volvo to Zhejiang Geely, a Chinese company that first started making cars just 11 years ago. The terms of the deal weren't announced, but Ford's take is estimated to be about $2 billion, a far cry from the $6 billion the company paid to buy Volvo in 1999. More »
(Photo: Terry Jones' Medieval Lives)
Think Times Are Tough? Try The Recession Of 410-1100
By Marc Perton on December 23, 2009 12:51 PM
67 Comments
Cheer up! Sure, you may be unemployed. The bank may be close to foreclosing on your home. And other creditors are circling like vultures to make sure they get a piece of your hide before you declare bankruptcy or go underground. But at least you don't have to deal with a complete collapse of all commerce, no infrastructure to speak of and the total loss of all skilled labor. Of course, as long as you weren't covered in sh*t, you were probably doing OK. More »
(Photo: Spidra Webster)
New Rules Require Lenders To Say Why They're Gouging You
By Marc Perton on December 22, 2009 5:21 PM
34 Comments
Under new rules issued by the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve Board, lenders will be required to tell consumers why they're sticking them with high rates or other lousy terms. How will creditors perform this incredible feat? By lying, of course. No, just kidding. They're going to give you a free credit report and a note explaining their decision. More »
(Photo: Coffeego)
Million-Dollar Homeowners Defaulting At Double The Rate Of Others
By Marc Perton on December 18, 2009 4:11 PM
58 Comments
The mortgage crisis isn't just about homeowners with underwater subprime mortgages on unsellable houses. Folks with million-dollar homes are also finding it difficult to get out from under their hefty mortgages, and are defaulting at rates that are double those for homeowners with mortgages under $250,000. The difference? They're often willing to sell at a loss, and their lenders are willing to let them do so, instead of foreclosing and destroying their credit ratings. More »
Print Your Own Consumerist Anti-Gift Cards
By Marc Perton on December 18, 2009 2:22 PM
19 Comments
More »
Consumerist Interview: White House To Banking Lobbyists, "It's On."
Inside: Video and full transcript. More »
By Marc Perton on December 18, 2009 1:11 PM
13 Comments
We went back to the White House this week, for our second interview with Obama Administration economic advisor Austan Goolsbee. In a wide-ranging talk, Goolsbee discussed the Administration's plans to help small businesses get credit, said that the battle against bank lobbyists is on, and expressed amazement that people in DC use the weather as an excuse to miss meetings. "I'm from Chicago," he said, explaining that even blizzards don't stop normal activities there. "We aren't wimps in Chicago." Inside: Video and full transcript. More »
Walmart.com's Plan To Take Over The Internets
By Marc Perton on December 18, 2009 8:44 AM
0 Comments
Walmart.com CEO aims dominate Web retailing - Yahoo! Finance
(Photo: Maulleigh)
Citi Getting Out From Under TARP
By Marc Perton on December 14, 2009 9:49 AM
19 Comments
Citigroup plans to repay $20 billion that it borrowed from U.S. taxpayers through the Troubled Asset Relief Program. That's good news for Citi execs, who will be able to pay themselves whatever they want once they're free from TARP restrictions. And it may be good for taxpayers, as long as Citi doesn't take any of those ultra-cheap Federal loans like BofA did. Citi shareholders? Hey, somebody's gotta pay for this. More »
Maybe It Just Needs A Little Love
By Marc Perton on December 12, 2009 2:13 PM
38 Comments
We've kept quiet about the rampant commercialization of classic holiday programming, in part because we kinda like our plush Bumble, and in part because, well, what's more commercial in the first place than a made-for-TV holiday cartoon? But we have to draw the line with this little item we found in a local CVS. Haven't these people listened to Linus? Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? More »
(Photo: Architect of the Capitol)
House Passes Financial Reform Bill
By Marc Perton on December 11, 2009 8:15 PM
25 Comments
The House of Representatives today passed the Wall Street Financial Reform and Consumer Protection Act, with a 223-202 vote. No Republicans voted for the bill, and 27 Democrats joined the nay column, If passed by the Senate and signed by President Obama, the bill would create the Consumer Financial Protection Agency and either fix a broken financial system or lead to a government takeover of Wall Street, depending on your perspective. More »
(Photo: residentskitz)
Buy A New Printer When You Run Out Of Ink
By Marc Perton on December 10, 2009 5:01 PM
171 Comments
If you're sick of the high cost of toner, and don't want to deal with messy refill kits or off-brand versions, here's a great way to save cash and help struggling manufacturers at the same time: Just buy a new printer every time you run low on ink. Sure, you'll have a house full of printers in no time, but you can always donate those to Goodwill, or to the local landfill. More »
(Photo: The Joy Of The Mundane)
You Must Buy Candy At Checkout
By Marc Perton on December 10, 2009 11:56 AM
60 Comments
A group of candy makers, publishers, and others threw down some cash on a study to find out what the big impulse buys are at checkout counters. The not-so-surprising results: candy topped the list, at 30% of all purchases. Hey, it's their money. More »
(Photo: roemerman
Why Bank of America's TARP Payback Is Bad News
By Marc Perton on December 10, 2009 11:05 AM
69 Comments
So, Bank of America is writing a big, fat, $45 billion check to the U.S. to pay back the money we handed the bank under the TARP program. Great news, right? Not so fast. Wall Street bad boy Henry Blodget points out that BofA is paying the money back while taking out ultra-low-interest loans from the government — loans that don't come with any of the restrictions bundled with TARP funds. More »
(Photo: Vancouver PD)
Card Skimmer Shows Up On 7-Eleven Gas Pump
By Marc Perton on December 10, 2009 10:02 AM
40 Comments
Just when you thought it was safe to fill up your car while filling yourself with a Big Gulp, a credit-card skimmer has turned up on a gas pump at a 7-Eleven in Vancouver, WA. The skimmer didn't affect transactions, so customers were able to pump gas while the skimmer quietly collected their credit-card numbers. More »
(Photo: kevindean)
FTC Sues "Interest-Reduction" Robocallers
By Marc Perton on December 9, 2009 2:24 PM
18 Comments
So, all telemarketing robocalls magically vanished a few months ago when the FTC banned them, right? Um, not quite. There are still companies out there exploiting their metallic minions in the name of feeding deceptive information to consumers. This month, the FTC filed suit against three companies that were pumping out "hundreds of thousands or even millions" of calls offering questionable interest-rate reduction services. More »
(Photo: foundphotoslj)
McDonald's Meat Is Safer Than Your Kid's School Lunch
By Marc Perton on December 9, 2009 1:28 PM
88 Comments
You might assume that the meat your kids get from their school cafeteria is held to higher standards than the flesh that's fed through the grinders at McDonald's or Burger King. Not exactly, according to USA Today. The paper conducted an investigation and found that "millions of pounds of beef and chicken" served up in schools wouldn't make the grade in many fast-food restaurants. More »
Live From The White House: Obama Plan For Job Growth
By Marc Perton on December 8, 2009 10:07 AM
97 Comments
In a speech this morning, President Obama is expected to address the economy, and "outline some key priorities for encouraging businesses to invest and create jobs," according to White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer. Will it work? Watch the speech here at 11:15 a.m. EST, and let us know what you think. More »
10 Reasons Why Gift Cards Suck
By Marc Perton on December 2, 2009 2:17 PM
106 Comments
When we announced the availability of free Consumerist anti-gift cards yesterday, we were surprised to see so many pro-gift card comments. So, we decided to put together a quick list of the reasons we think gift cards are lame — especially compared to cash. More »
(Screen shot: Comcast)
Comcast Tool Shows You Just How Great Metered Broadband Is
By Marc Perton on December 1, 2009 6:32 PM
75 Comments
Lucky Comcast customers in the Portland, OR, area got a new treat today: The cable giant rolled out a test of its new web-based bandwidth-usage meter, so that customers on metered access plans can see just what they're getting for their money. Comcast says the online meter is "designed to be simple and easy to use and will help customers better understand how much data they consume in a month." More »
Our Gift To You: The Consumerist Anti-Gift Card
By Marc Perton on December 1, 2009 10:05 AM
71 Comments
Why do gift cards suck? Let's see, how about expiration dates? Upfront and back-end fees? And, oh, the fact that if a retailer goes bankrupt, that shiny piece of plastic may become worthless (unless you know that fancy trick that lets you use it to pick locks). Yes, we know the government is working on fixing some of the most egregious problems with gift cards. But in the meantime, what can you do if you have no idea what to give someone? We've got the answer: It's called cash, and we're here to help make it easier for you to give it. More »
Image: Dryicons.com
Black Friday Picks From A Tightwad
By Marc Perton on November 26, 2009 9:18 PM
27 Comments
We still think that shopping on Black Friday is a really, really bad idea, but apparently we're in the minority. According to one recent poll, 54% of American consumers are planning on shopping at some point this weekend. We're hoping that at least some of them are just going to pick up some Zantac to help deal with today's excesses. For the rest, there are a few deals worth considering, if you know where to look. More »
Don't Forget The Tofurky Soda
More »
By Marc Perton on November 26, 2009 9:51 AM
13 Comments
Just thought we'd remind you about this in case you thought it was a gag — or a bad dream. More »
Photo: elle_emm
Yes, You Can Shop Today If You Must
By Marc Perton on November 26, 2009 1:21 AM
33 Comments
If turkey, football, pumpkin pie, a huge parade, and all of those great family members aren't enough to keep you occupied today — or if you're looking for an excuse to get away from all of those great family members — more stores than ever are open today, and some are even offering "Black Thursday" sweeteners to get you in before you slip into a tryptophan coma. More »
Photo: frankieleon
How To Navigate Our New Site
By Marc Perton on November 24, 2009 12:36 PM
103 Comments
Thanks for all of the great feedback on our new site! One reason for our redesign was to make it easier for readers to access our archives, and expand the kind of information we can offer. The navbar on every page is our first effort in that direction, and we thought it might be helpful to explain a little bit about what's behind each button on the bar. More »
Photo: CPSC
2.1 Million Cribs Recalled, Including 150,000 From Fisher Price
By Marc Perton on November 24, 2009 11:02 AM
56 Comments
Following four deaths, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced one of the largest recalls of cribs in the agency's history: 2.1 million cribs manufactured by Stork Craft, including roughly 150,000 sold under the Fisher Price brand. As in other recent recalls, this one is based on problems with drop-side cribs entrapping babies and seriously injuring or killing them. More »
Scientific Proof That You Hate Christmas Creep
By Marc Perton on November 24, 2009 9:26 AM
78 Comments
We've never doubted the fact that Christmas Creep is a nefarious plot to destroy Thanksgiving, Halloween, Columbus Day and even Labor Day (it's run by a big eastern syndicate, you know). But we never had proof that our disgust with early Christmas promotions is shared by other consumers. That's why we commissioned the Consumer Reports National Research Center to find out the truth. More »
Update: How Do I Reset My Password?
We've made some progress addressing the login problems that some of you have been experiencing, and I'd like to share some information about what we've learned today, and the steps we're taking to address these problems.
There was no security problem
Some of you reported receiving what looked like someone else's account information in your password reset email. As soon as we found out about that, we stopped sending out reset emails, to avoid exposing any account data. After investigating the issue, we determined that what looked like account information was actually data generated as part of database operations by this site's previous owner. No actual user data was exposed, and we are now in the process of reviewing those records to make sure all affected users get the information they need to log in to the site. More »
By Marc Perton on November 24, 2009 12:23 AM
337 Comments
Update, 11/24/09, 8:24PMWe've made some progress addressing the login problems that some of you have been experiencing, and I'd like to share some information about what we've learned today, and the steps we're taking to address these problems.
There was no security problem
Some of you reported receiving what looked like someone else's account information in your password reset email. As soon as we found out about that, we stopped sending out reset emails, to avoid exposing any account data. After investigating the issue, we determined that what looked like account information was actually data generated as part of database operations by this site's previous owner. No actual user data was exposed, and we are now in the process of reviewing those records to make sure all affected users get the information they need to log in to the site. More »
Hey, You Look Different!
By Marc Perton on November 23, 2009 7:50 PM
283 Comments
Something looks different about you. No, don't tell me, I can figure it out. New glasses, right? No? Haircut? You lost weight? You're pregnant? Wait, hang on. You redesigned your site? No way! Wait. Really? More »
(Photo: midorisyu)
Seriously, Your Mom Still Picks Out Your Underwear?
By Marc Perton on November 11, 2009 12:36 PM
0 Comments
A new poll out from U.K. retailer Debenhams casts a dim light on the personal purchasing habits of the men of that country. According to the poll, British guys typically count on their mums to buy their underwear until they're 19. After that, they finally catch on and realize they should pick it out on their own, the better to woo young women, who generally start picking out their own "knickers" when they're about 13. More »
Seriously, Your Mom Still Picks Out Your Underwear?
By Marc Perton on November 10, 2009 10:07 PM
98 Comments
—>A new poll out from U.K. retailer Debenhams casts a dim light on the personal purchasing habits of the men of that country. According to the poll, British guys typically count on their mums to buy their underwear until they're 19. After that, they finally catch on and realize they should pick it out on their own, the better to woo young women, who generally start picking out their own "knickers" when they're about 13. More »
You Will Probably Never See A Blockbuster SD-Card Kiosk
By Marc Perton on November 10, 2009 9:38 PM
89 Comments
—>Here's an idea: When your top rivals are renting dirt-cheap DVDs from ubiquitous kiosks, or streaming thousands of films as a free bonus to customers who rent mail-order rmovies, what do you do? If you're Blockbuster, you start a trial run of kiosks that will allow consumers to rent DRM-protected videos on SD cards, and play them back using a proprietary box that will do nothing else. Yeah, that'll show 'em. More »
Happy Comcast Employees Make Customers Happier
By Marc Perton on November 5, 2009 8:07 PM
54 Comments
—>Want to know the secret to Comcast's success? No, it's not high rates, poor service or random porn broadcasts. It's much more basic: The company's employees just love working there, and want to share their love with customers. Yay! More »
