Dell Responds To Crazy Story Of Nudie Pic-Stealing Tech Support Guy
By Chris Morran on July 30, 2010 4:00 PM
1 Comment
Earlier today, we wrote about the woman in California who contacted Dell's tech support hotline and then watched as naked photos of her were downloaded remotely by the employee. After seeing the story, Dell has written Consumerist to let us know they're taking it seriously. More »
Guy Wearing Miami Heat LeBron James Jersey Escorted From Indians Game
By Meg Marco on July 30, 2010 3:45 PM
7 Comments
Watch what you wear to the game: The AP says that a man wearing a new official Miami Heat LeBron James jersey was escorted from a Cleveland Indians game after the crowd turned on him. No word on whether or not the man got to watch the rest of the game. More »
(mrbill)
Fry's Makes Me Log On To Bank Account To Prove I've Got Enough Money To Write Check
By Phil Villarreal on July 30, 2010 3:30 PM
39 Comments
Melissa wanted to pay for a hard drive at Fry's Electronics with a check, but management discouraged her from doing so by making her jump through what she feels was an unreasonable hoop. She was told she'd have to use one of the store's computers to log on to her account in front of a worker and prove she had enough money to make the purchase. More »
Haggis Ice Cream & 9 Other Questionable Frozen Treats
By Chris Morran on July 30, 2010 3:00 PM
11 Comments
As today is the last weekday of National Ice Cream Month, it might be the right time to look at some ice cream flavors that aren't exactly mouth-watering. Luckily, the editors over at TheGloss.com have compiled a list of 10 bizarre flavors for your freezer. More »
Forget about rockin'-n-rollin' all night. KISS would prefer that you just zone out in front of the tube. New TVs licensed by the aging rockers come in 32", 40", and 46" screen sizes and will cost somewhere between $800 and $1,400. No fire will shoot out of the sets, but they will have a "'diamond-plated look to the casing' and embossed KISS logos on each side." [Consumer Reports Electronics]
Canon Fixes 5 Year Old Camera For Free
By Meg Marco on July 30, 2010 2:45 PM
24 Comments
There was a defect with CCD chips on Rob's camera, so Canon fixed it for free. Rob would just like us to let people know that he had a great experience with Canon. More »
(nixter)
10 State Taxes That May Be Coming Your Way
By Phil Villarreal on July 30, 2010 2:15 PM
83 Comments
As states scramble to fill coffers, lawmakers are getting creative in dreaming up new ways to tax you. More »
Celeb Chef Mario Batali Sued By Staff For Alleged Tip Skimming
By Chris Morran on July 30, 2010 2:00 PM
45 Comments
We know that tipping is a touchy subject here, but not as touchy as it is to the wait staff at the restaurants owned by celeb chef Mario Batali. The red-headed TV personality is the subject of a class action lawsuit that alleges he's been screwing his employees over by skimming off the top of the tip pile. More »
Redbox Randomly Charges $1.25?
By Meg Marco on July 30, 2010 1:45 PM
23 Comments
Reader A. says Redbox randomly tried to charge him $1.25 for a $1 normal DVD rental. What's up with that? More »
(Sean)
GameStop's StarCraft II Boost Pack Offer Seems To Be A Whole Lot Of Nothing
By Phil Villarreal on July 30, 2010 1:30 PM
37 Comments
Sean has done some sleuthing and believes he has exposed a supposed GameStop exclusive game add-on is a fraud. The game-selling chain offered a "Boost Pack" for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty to those who picked the game up at a midnight launch earlier this week, but Sean says the pack's codes are unnecessary placebos that don't give code-holders any more access than those without the Boost Pack. More »
How Many Ways Are There To Reuse A Plastic Shopping Bag?
By Chris Morran on July 30, 2010 1:00 PM
57 Comments
While the debate rages about the merits of reusable grocery bags vs. plastic shopping bags, stores like Walgreens are pushing the many ways shoppers can reuse plastic bags with this handy list printed on the bag's side. More »
Hands-Only CPR Works Just As Well As Mouth-To-Mouth
By Meg Marco on July 30, 2010 12:45 PM
21 Comments
Here's something that could help you save the life of someone you'd rather not kiss. The American Heart Association says that hands-only CPR works just as well as mouth-to-mouth. More »
Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
More »
By Laura Northrup on July 30, 2010 12:30 PM
9 Comments
Here are ten of the best photos that readers added to The Consumerist Flickr Pool this week, picked for neatness and usability in a Consumerist post.More »
How A Police Barricade Becomes A DIY Bench
By Chris Morran on July 30, 2010 12:00 PM
24 Comments
For a city with so many people, New York has a severe shortage of comfortable places to sit and enjoy the outdoors for free. That's why this man in Spanish Harlem took matters into his own hands, transforming a police barricade into a public bench. More »
Top Posts Of The Week And Open Thread
By Laura Northrup on July 30, 2010 11:30 AM
66 Comments
- Is Ordering Drinks Without Ice Just A Scam To Get More Delicious Beverage?
- Vitaminwater Isn't Healthy, Rules Federal Judge
- Man Spends 24 Hours Inside A 24 Hour Fitness
- Man Demonstrates His Superior Walmart Shopping Technique
- Don't Do These Things If You Want To Save Dough
High Alcohol Content Beer War Continues With 60% ABV Brew
By Chris Morran on July 30, 2010 11:00 AM
32 Comments
Hot on the heels of last week's news about the 55% alcohol content beer (which also happened to come packed in roadkill), a Dutch brewer has upped the ante with a brew purported to contain 60% alcohol by volume. More »
The Lenscrafters Sales Vortex Will Not Let You Just Buy Frames
By Laura Northrup on July 30, 2010 10:30 AM
91 Comments
Ryun writes that his long search for the perfect eyeglass frames led him to Lenscrafters, but the store's sales tactics left him confused, embarrassed, and without the frames of his dreams. Was he wrong to walk out on the chain when they pulled out sales tactics he wasn't comfortable with? More »
Woman Watches As Dell Tech Support Swipes Nude Pics From Her PC
By Chris Morran on July 30, 2010 10:00 AM
158 Comments
So it looks like it's not only Geek Squad staffers that scour customers' computers for free porn. A woman in California has recently gone public with claims that she not only watched as a Dell tech support worker downloaded nude pics of her remotely, but that he also set up a website featuring the photos. Oh, and he used her Dell credit card to buy stuff for another woman. More »
Redbox Rolls Out Blu-ray Rentals Nationwide For $1.50 A Night
By Phil Villarreal on July 30, 2010 9:45 AM
39 Comments
After wavering between charging $1.50 and $2 a night for Blu-ray rentals during its test program, Redbox has decided to go with the cheaper price as it makes the high-definition discs available nationwide at 13,300 kiosks, with plans to nearly double that number by the fall. More »
(ASurroca)
How To Avoid Online Coupon Scams
By Laura Northrup on July 30, 2010 9:30 AM
32 Comments
The Internet makes it super easy to share e-commerce coupon codes and even printable coupons. However, it also provides more opportunities for counterfeit coupons to circulate, which annoy retailers and disappoint shoppers. How does a beginning online coupon hunter know what to look out for? More »
(Russ)
Grocery Shrink Ray Zaps Cows, Saves Environment
By Phil Villarreal on July 30, 2010 9:15 AM
40 Comments
Ranchers are discovering that one way to get more bang out of their land is to shrink the animals. The Guardian tracks down what looks to be the wave of the future -- cows that have been bred to be smaller. The story says mini cows can produce three times more beef than regular-sized cows while using only a third of the land. More »
(xmacex)
Firestone Complete Auto Care Hopes You Don't Notice Your Car's Broken Front Axle
By Laura Northrup on July 30, 2010 9:00 AM
54 Comments
Greg tells Consumerist that he was a loyal customer of Firestone Complete Auto Care, and brought his car in for some diagnostic tests to figure out some non-urgent problems. The shop called him to tell him that his car had a fuel filter problem and he would need to take it to the dealer: fine, that happens. When Greg started up his car to leave, it was hard not to notice the loud knocking sound in front. Either he happened to break the front axle when starting the car, or something went horribly awry during his repair. More »
(Scott)
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2 Comments
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US Airways Sold My "Choice Seat," Made Me Sit In Back Of Plane
By Laura Northrup on July 30, 2010 8:00 AM
86 Comments
Justin writes that he booked a flight on US Airways, and decided that his comfort was worth paying $15 extra for the privilege of having the seat of his choice, on an aisle at the front of the plane. When he went to check in, he learned that the same special seat had been sold to someone else. He warns Consumerist readers: don't assume that you will actually get the seat assignment that you pay for. More »
