Features Archives for 2012

As a guy who spends his days breaking down gadgets galore, Kyle Wiens of iFixit has seen the good, the bad, and the unrepairable. But he somehow managed to decide upon five favorite consumer electronics and gadgets amongst all the techie toys that vie for his affections.

It was a crazy year for consumers. We got not just one, but three new iPads, a new iPhone, tablets galore, and all kinds of other goodies. So, come, take a trip down consumer news lane with us as we investigate The Year In Consumer News 2012.

As winter settles over much of the country, some folks may find themselves wincing every time the furnace kicks on. That's because for many homes, the cost of heating and cooling is a major monthly expense. To combat these costs, energy experts recommend a programmable thermostat, like the Nest Learning Thermostat, which can make almost every home more energy efficient and thus save money.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Android, Ben Affleck, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Anyone on the hunt for cheap consumer electronics will have come across refurbished devices at some point. Available at knock-down prices, "refurbs" are often stigmatized as merely faulty rejects. But in fact, many devices are repaired, reconditioned, and retested, to be as good as new. Yet, beyond checking for dents and functionality, how can consumers know a refurb won't fail a second time?

How many of you got a new iPad or the Wii U this Christmas, or some other fancy new device? Are you now faced with the predicament of what to do with your old electronics? How about donating, recycling, or even exchanging your old tech for some cold hard cash?

As you bask in the glory that is your stash of gifts from Christmas, you may be pawing over a gift card or two. And today's After Christmas Sales might seem like an extremely tempting place to start redeeming them. But depending on what you're looking for, you might get the most value out of your gift card if you wait to shop.

Is your favorite Christmas tradition forgetting to buy gifts for people? Do you find yourself without a single present for anyone you care about? Fear not! We've compiled a list of last-LAST-minute gifts you can give to save your skin. Barely.

It seems that this time of year, some companies' policies and practices are especially aggravating. But when it comes to spotlighting those "hidden" pesky fees, analyzing the fine print, and noting unfriendly practices, Consumer Reports's Naughty & Nice List can help consumers avoid pitfalls and make more educated decisions in the new year.

The New York Times has announced its list of the 10 Best Books of 2012. Knowing what to read is good; knowing how to get it for cheap is better! Inside, check out the list and where to find the best books of 2012 for the best prices.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Facebook, Polaroid, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

This is a busy week for UPS, but it appears as if the shipping giant isn't up to the task. When entering an order number on the UPS tracking page, a message is displayed that says UPS Ground delivery guarantees are suspended until December 26. Are any of your orders affected by this delay?

Recent price-drops on the iPhone 5 have made it the most highly-discounted current-generation iPhone. Typically, Apple isn't known for unusual price drops, so why is this happening and what does it all mean?

Procrastinators, listen up: many stores are still guaranteeing Christmas Eve delivery, but you better hurry up and get your shopping done soon! To help, we've created a cheat sheet of confirmed holiday shipping deadlines.

Every day we compile deals on the lowest priced goods we can find. But there comes a time when we must acknowledge that there are just some things that continue to get more expensive. Whether it be a gradual increase in price due to supply and demand, or a noticeable spike in costs as a result of a change in inventory, these are 12 things that will cost more in 2013.

The convenience of online shopping has been a staple in the retail landscape for years, but this holiday season has demonstrated that consumers are increasingly turning to the Internet for their retail needs. Shoppers may thus feel compelled to further protect their private information, and a virtual private network like Hotspot Shield can do just that.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 240 is all about the end. (Of the world and the holiday season.) The panel discusses holiday shipping deadlines, last-minute expedited shipping deals, Instagram's new policies, Facebook gifts, Amazon's Gifting Tool, holiday stresses, and more.

Think Christmas is simple? Think again! Each gift you receive brings with it a mess of subtext. Before you accidentally offend someone this year with a misguided present, read through our list of the hidden meanings behind some of the most popular Christmas gifts.

December 26 is a busy day for shoppers. Whether you're using your new gift card or secretly making a gift exchange, retailers tend to bombard shoppers with after-Christmas sales. But what can you expect from sales in 2012? We analyzed our deals to find out.

Nowadays, lots of consumers are up on the latest gadgets, but remain committed to getting the latest tech for less via price comparisons. While some will prefer to shop online, there are many that still want the in-store experience. For those folks, we've looked at some of the most popular price-checking apps, so you can still come ready to do your research.

According to Bing, consumers are getting "scroogled" by Google Shopping's pay-for-play product search engine. But is Bing really any better? Inside, we compare Google and Bing's price comparison engines and find that Google still leads with accurate results — even if it refuses to include Amazon.

Just in time for the holidays, Amazon has launched its Friends & Family Gifting tool, which curates gift ideas based on Facebook "Likes." But does it really churn out good suggestions? We showed dealnews employees the items that Amazon selected for them, and asked: do you even want this? The results were sometimes pretty amusing.

Today's electronics have transformed our lives in countless ways, but their ubiquitousness has driven many consumers' electric bills sky-high. To help keep energy costs manageable, the Consumer Electronics Association developed an energy calculator that aims to inform us just how much energy we're using.

You may feel compelled to make a number of last-minute purchases in the coming week, so that you have plenty of gifts in time for Christmas, but if you're tempted to buy anything for yourself, hold off! Many of the year's biggest discounts come after the holiday rush.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Microsoft, Apple, Google, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

The pressure is on to get all of your online shopping done in time for Christmas, but what happens if you miss all the standard shipping deadlines? Our deal archives show that soon enough, many online retailers will begin to offer discounted expedited shipping. But when can you expect these promotions, and from what stores?

Earlier this month, T-Mobile announced that it will cease offering subsidies for cell phones. On the surface, it may seem as if its customers will no longer be able to get a deal on the latest smartphones, but when coupled with budget-friendly service plans, T-Mobile users actually stand to gain. Would you be willing to pay full-price for your phone, in exchange for long-term savings?

While the idea behind Free Shipping Day might seem enticing, our data shows that the offers aren't as good as they seem. Moreover, waiting until December 17 to place a holiday order isn't smart, when so many retailers are already offering free shipping on deals.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 239 gets into the holiday spirit with talks about coffee, holiday shipping deadlines, the best time to buy toys, store tactics that manipulate you into buying more during the holidays, snow globes, Man Town candles, and more.

The great season of giving always brings with it the added challenge eventually returning unwanted presents. On account of many gifts having been bought weeks earlier, recipients may encounter snags with the typical 30-day return policies. But we've found stores that offer customer-friendly extended holiday return policies.

While most HDTVs on sale during Black Friday don't last long, our research shows that the same deep discounts on big-brand names are beginning to crop up again. If you hold your horses remote and wait it out, you'll see those same deep discounts return. But how long should you wait?

The concept of the daily deal appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and in a (ahem) flash, it became the hottest thing in retail. But the market is now crowded, and there seems to be daily reports of bad news for sites like Groupon and LivingSocial. This prompts us to ask: Is the daily deal dead?

Microsoft is in trouble. Despite its aggressive marketing campaign, sales of its new Surface RT tablet are well below expectations. However, Microsoft's troubles could spell good news for consumers as high inventory of an ailing Surface RT could spark a flurry of deals — just like it did for the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Amazon has established itself as the go-to source for everything from entertainment to the less-everyday items, like novelty signs, questionably legal consumables, and cat appeasing pheromones. As such, users have come to rely on reviews from fellow online shoppers to separate the crème from the crap. But inevitably, Amazon's customer reviews are on occasion hijacked by smartasses. What these reviews lack in helpfulness, they make up for in gleeful goofiness, and these are some of our favorites.

'Tis the season for gift cards — regardless of whether you're looking to give them or receive them. We've updated our roundup of current deals that come with free gift cards so you can score credits to buy future gifts, for yourself or someone on your holiday list.

We've raked through our data from November to determine what toys people are buying, to see which will be the hottest toys of the 2012 holiday season. From LEGOs to LeapFrog, click through to check out our top 10.

When it comes to holiday spending, we're all about making the most of our budget. And that means more than just getting great deals on wish list items. To avoid overspending this holiday, we recommend taking a look at these eight expenditures that offer wiggle room for extra savings.

Savvy shoppers have come to expect free delivery from merchants, but both UPS and FedEx announced that they will increase their shipping rates for 2013. Will this make it more difficult for retailers to offer the free shipping that consumers now crave?

The holiday season is one of the few times of the year in which a large portion of consumers feel compelled — sometimes even required — to shop. As such, retailers put a lot time into special promotions in December. And this year in particular, there are some interesting new shopping trends emerging. Here are the 10 ways in which holiday shopping will be different in 2012.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Shopping online can make buying gifts for the holidays much easier, but it also requires some advance planning to account for shipping times. As we near Christmas, you should start taking into consideration the potential risks that come along with online shopping for the holidays. Inside, we've got a list of stores to avoid if you're looking for a 100% risk-free Christmas purchase.

With Thanksgiving travel having increased for the fourth consecutive year, it's likely that Christmastime travel too will see an increase this year. But there are more driving dangers this time of the year than others, so to ensure the safety of you and your entourage as you embark on your holiday travel plans, take the necessary steps to winterize your car now.

There's no place quite like home for the holidays ... but we can think of a dozen or so places that might be more fun than celebrating Festivus with the family. You don't necessarily need a passport or a fortune to give yourself a holiday reprieve either, since the cheapest places to fly to for Christmas aren't that far away.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 238 is like Janus, looking forward towards the holidays, while looking backwards at Black Friday. This week, the panel talks about Redbox Instant pricing, more Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales numbers, the "True Cost of Christmas," better gifts to buy people who don't really understand what they want, and more.

During the holidays, it's natural to want to give the world to those we love, but a smart shopper never financially overextends himself at the holidays. And yet, these gift ideas have the ability to make your giftee think you splurged on their holiday present, when you really just shopped wisely.

Since there's so much news to cover as we head full-swing into the holiday season, you may have overlooked some important information to guide your purchases. Here are some recent features you might have missed:

• When Do Brand-Name HDTVs See Black Friday Prices?
• Is the Daily Deal Site on Its Death Bed?
• Extended Holiday Returns for Christmas 2012
• Notoriously Slow Shippers: Avoid These Stores for Last-Minute Gifts
• Gifts That Seem Expensive ... But Really Aren't

... and more!

We hear you're a safe driver, but you're probably paying too much for car insurance. But that may soon change, as the industry is dipping its toe into the water of pay-as-you-drive insurance, also known as usage-based insurance. So what's it all about?

Whether for gifting to friends this holiday or sipping a celebratory glass post-holiday shopping, having wine around is essential this time of year. But having the wine on hand is only the first step in presenting it with the dignity it deserves. There are a number of gadgets and wine-related devices on the market today that serve the purposes of uncorking, aerating, and chilling wine — but which are worth your money?

Sometimes, your family and friends want gifts from their wish list that, as a savvy shopper, you know won't offer them the best value possible. For example, while many people will request an iTunes gift card during the holidays, you'll learn that an Amazon card could actually provide the recipient with far more music in the long run. So instead of springing for, say, the new iPad mini, what should you buy in its place? Inside are our top 10 items you shouldn't buy this holiday season, and 10 alternatives to consider instead.