Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Blogger Sued for Comments Posted by Users
Brrrr. It is cold in bloggerland. Feel the chill of a lawsuit against a blogger for negative comments made not by the blogger, but by readers of his blog who posted certain product criticism. Brrrrr. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Free Credit Reports Come to Northeast
Finally, the long-suffering states in the Northeast can offer their citizens free copies of their credit report annually, as the rest of the nation currently does. Over the past year or so, the federal law giving everyone a free copy of his or her credit report has been phased in starting in the West. Tomorrow, September 1, is the day that those living in the Northeast become eligible. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Overseas Phone Calls Get Cheaper
One of the last places to see a real break in long distance prices is calling overseas. Now wired line companies and cell companies are lowering their rates significantly, and some VoIP companies (like voipbuster.com) even offer free calling overseas. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
States Watch as Hawaii Caps Gasoline Prices
Other states are watching with great interest as Hawaii becomes the first state to put a cap on the wholesale price of gasoline this week. CA might be the first state to follow Hawaii's lead. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.The Less-Traveled Low-Fare Sites***
Most people visit Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity when searching for a low airfare. But have you tried AirfareWatchdog or TravelZoo? This story reviews four sites that may help you finder lower fares. For more consumer news visit Consumer World. ***Story access may require free registration.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.CA-AG Sues Potato Chip/Fry Makers over Cancer Warnings ***
There is just nothing left that one can eat that won't be deemed unhealthy. The latest is the cancer potential of ingredients in certain french fries and potato chips. The California AG just sued several manufacturers saying they have to warn the public about the health hazard. ***NOTE: link may require free registration. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Microsoft Phishing Filter Raises Privacy Concerns
Microsoft is soon to introduce a browser add-on that will help you identify phoney websites. To do so, Microsoft will receive word of what site you are visiting, and then make a determination if the site is legitimate or not. That notification to Microsoft of what you are looking at is raising concerns among privacy advocates. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Junk Faxers Win 1 Legal Battle, Lose Another
Junk faxes, though (mostly) technically illegal, still plague many people, including Mr. Consumer. This past week the anti-junk-fax people won one battle, but lost another in their fight to stop this guys from tying up our fax machines, and wasting our paper. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Scam Potential: Scientists Turn Dark Chicken Meat White
Sears Optical used to answer their telephones by saying "we can turn your brown eyes blue." Now scientists have discovered a way turn a chicken's less desireable dark meat into white meat. Think of the scam potential. Unscrupulous meat packers might label chicken patties "all white meat" but they really contain dark meat. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Bank of America Curtails Bounce Fee Waivers
If you are in the habit of bouncing checks, and then begging forgiveness from your bank, better not be banking with Bank of America. A recent memo asks their branches to cut bank on courtesy waivers of these penalty fees, and will hold branches accountable if they over-waive too many fees. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Hawaii Caps Gasoline Prices
If high gasoline prices have you fuming, maybe its time to move to Hawaii. With prices even higher than California, Hawaii is not going to take in anymore. Starting next week, a ceiling on the price of gasoline goes into effect pegged to prices on the mainland. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
This Doll Listens, Talks, and has RFID
What happens when the doll your kid plays with is smarter than it owner? This doll is so smart (thanks to RFID technology), if she asks for a cookie and you give her peas, she'll balk. Read how it's done. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.NY-AG Settles with AOL over Cancellations
Did you ever have an AOL account you couldn't cancel (and you kept being billed)? That's the charge by NY AG Spitzer, and AOL has agreed to pay $1.25 million and change some of their practices. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Drier Wash Means Dryer Energy Savings
Scientists have come up with a detergent additive that gets clothes drier after the final spin cycle in your washing machine. The result: clothes will dry quicker in the dryer, and save electricity or gas. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Video Commercials Coming to Cellphones
Imagine getting a text message on your cellphone asking if you would like to view a video for a new car. Stop imagining. It is happening already in the UK. Thank goodness, only phones equipped with Bluetooth can get these potentially annoying messages. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Flat Panel TV Prices Keep Falling
When prices for tech equipment start in the stratosphere, it is not surprising that they eventually fall. That is what is happening to big screen TVs. They are dropping at about 25% a year, and the drop is expected to continue. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
LoJack for Laptops Debuts
Imagine being able to track down you computer notebook if it gets stolen, much like a car with LoJack can be found after police are notified of its theft. That's the promise of LoJack for Laptops, but it comes with some privacy concerns. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Caller ID to Pop-up on TV
Wouldn't it be nice to know who is interrupting your viewing of West Wing when the phone rings? In certain parts of the country, Time Warner Cable/Phone will be introducing a service that displays the caller's name and number in the corner of your TV picture. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Aetna to Disclose Actual Doctor Charges
It has always been a mystery what doctors and hospital actually got paid by insurance companies for particular services. Not any more. Starting tomorrow, Aetna Insurance is going to disclose what it pays doctors in one metropolitan region for various procedures. It is hoped that once consumers know how much medical procedures cost, they may do more comparison shopping in an effort to save money. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Will a Hybrid Car Really Save You Money?
With gasoline prices pushing $3 a gallon in many parts of the country, many current SUV owners are looking to downsize. Naturally they think a hybrid car (gas and electric) will be a money saver. Will it be? Not necessarily say some experts. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.FTC Fines Consumerinfo.com Over "Free" Credit Reports
The FTC landed a big one yesterday. They fined Experian and its Consumerinfo.com subsidiary nearly $1 million for deceptively advertising and promoting free credit reports. What was not disclosed generally in advertising was the fact that one would be charged $79.95 for a credit monitoring service if you failed to cancel your membership within 30 days. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Retailer Errs, Your Credit Card Rate Soars
Here's something nasty: a retailer makes a mistake and fails to post your payment on time to your account. Your bank checks your credit report, sees that you are late, and triples your interest rate on its credit card. Huh? It happens everyday. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Dell Slips in Satisfaction Rating
Apple has long been top of the ratings heap when it comes to customer satisfaction. Dell usually is not far behind. This year, however, according the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Dell has slipped into a virtual tie with most other non-Apple PC makers. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Help Your Aging Parents with Finances
Your aging parents will probably never ask for your assistance, but a major special report in today's Wall Street Journal says that many such senior need your help. This article tells you how to approach this subject. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Test Hybrids Get Up to 250 MPG
Imagine going 1000 miles on just four gallons of gas. Impossible? Nope. Some experimental hybrid cars that run on a combination of gasoline and electricity get close to that. One test hybrid today gets 80 miles a gallon, and only cost its owner a few thousand dollars to retrofit his Prius. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
The Pros and Cons of Health Savings Accounts
A health savings account is like an IRA, but not for your retirement; it is for your medical bills. Some love'm and some don't. Here are the pros and cons. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Don't Hoard Those Frequent Flier Miles
If you have been saving up those frequent flier miles for a rainy day -- look outside -- it's pouring. With some airlines in bankruptcy and others with one foot in the courtroom, expert say now is a good time used all those banked miles. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Most Airlines Raise Fares
Just as their fall sale is ending, four major airlines have announced fare increases resulting from higher fuel costs. Delta, United, Continental, and US Airway are raising roundtrip prices up to $20. American and Northwest are studying the increases. If they don't raise their prices, the other airlines will most likely rescind their higher fares. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Nearly Half Would Switch Cell Carriers
According to a new study from US PIRG, almost half of cell phone users would switch carriers, but one this: that huge termination fee (typically around $170). For more details on the study, here are links to the full report. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Replacing Good Appliances Can Save Energy/Money
Your refrigerator is 10 years old, and is working perfectly well. Should you replace it with a more energy efficient one to cut your electric bill? It depends on the model you have and the one you buy, but you could save $85 a year in electricity costs. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Spam King Pays $7-mil to Microsoft
To settle a lawsuit, "OptinRealBig.com" and its owner, allegedly one of the world's top three spammers, will pay Microsoft $7 million in damages. MSFT plans to use the money to help enforce efforts of computer crimes. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Daylight Savings Changes to Affect Electronics
Oh no... it is Y2K all over again. When the new dates for daylight savings time begin in 2007, will all your electronics adjust? Probably not. Your favorite program will not get recorded because your VCR will still think it is standard time, for example. More examples are in this article. For additional consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.How to Stretch Out an Inherited IRA
Inheriting an IRA is good news and bad news. The bad news is that there is both estate tax and income tax on the proceeds. The good news is that you don't have to take all the proceeds at once. This article tells you how. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Discount Stockbrokers Tested and Rated
Smart Money magazine opened a number of discount brokerage accounts, made trades, and contacted customer service. Which brokers came out on top? Read this story. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Smooth Security Scam Dupes Investors
In a twist on the old timeshare sales scams, followed by a timeshare resale scam, regulators are warning consumers about a new investment scam. You are sold a worthless investment, and then the scam company pretends to be a federal regulator several months later. They dupe you again by promising to help you get your money back. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Toyota to Add 10 Hybrids
Capitalizing on the success of its Prius (a hybrid electric and gas-powered car), Toyota has announced it plans to add more models that come in a hybrid version. It has a goal of selling 25% of its cars as hybrids. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Sites Rate Internet Dates' Profiles
If you watch "Hooking Up" on ABC, you know that people often lie in their profiles, use pictures that are 10 years old, and exaggerate their accomplishments. Now a couple of website let you list or lookup screen names of potential dates, and see if they are what they claim to be. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Drug Companies Unveil Voluntary Ad Guidelines
Under fire for advertising drugs directly to consumers thereby increasing demand for drugs, the pharmaceutical industry has just unveiled a set of voluntary advertising guidelines. Expect there to be calls for stiffer legislation. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
GM Lowering Sticker Prices, Rebates
Now that the employee discount promotion is over, General Motors is trying something new: lowering sticker prices. All is not good, however, because they are also reducing huge rebates, like $4000 per car. Bottom line is to focus on the bottom line price. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Low-Carb Leader Atkins Files Bankruptcy
In a sure sign that the low-carb craze is over, Atkins Nutritionals filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday. The company said in the future, it will focus on shakes and bars. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
