• best

    Best Buy's Stock Magically Replenishes (Once You Buy it Online)

    Sometimes, we get a tip in that rides the line between malignant incompetence and stupid mistake. I'm not really sure which one this next one counts as, so I'll let you decide. More »
  • shady

    Buy.com: It's Not Our Problem That You Never Got Your Item

    Eric ordered a hard drive from Buy.com. He never received it, but Buy.com says that it was delivered. Eric's wife was home at the time that the delivery supposedly happened, and she remains hard drive-less. Now, Buy.com is saying that it's their policy not to be responsible for items once they are shipped, and Eric wants to warn others about this policy.

    More »
  • survey says

    Which Popcorn Pops The Most Kernels?

    I can't help but feel a little ripped off when you finish a bag of popcorn only to find a bunch of unpopped kernels at the bottom. Am I really paying for defective popcorn? Which is I'm glad reader Wade, a popcorn junkie, conducted a home experiment to see which brand of popcorn pops the most kernels, and which one is the best to buy. They're not the same. In his test of Newman's Own, Pop Secret, Jolly Time, Best Choice, Act II, and Orville Redenbacker popcorn, Newmann's popped the most kernels, but Wade dubbed said Act II the winner. Why? It's the cheapest, came in 2nd for popped kernel percentage, it comes decently close to providing the claimed amount of servings, and his subjects said it tasted the best. Check out his site for the full results and methodology.

    The Popcorn Test [Official Site]

    (Photo: H Shap)

  • deals

    Just Shop For Items With Free Shipping

    Free Shipping On is a new site lets you shop only for stuff with free shipping at Amazon, eBay and tons of other sites. To use the site, just click on the Amazon or eBay tab to find free shipping from those places, or click on the Free Shipping Coupons to get free shipping coupons for the oodles of other sites. A god-send for eager-beaver online bargain hunters.
  • cars

    Consumer Reports Top Auto Picks 2008

    Here are the cars Consumer Reports says are standouts in 2008 for "performance, versatility, reliability, and safety."

    Small Sedan: Hyundai Elantra SE ($18,000)
    Midsized SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe ($27,000 to $39,000)
    Luxury Sedan: Lexus LS 460L ($77,000)
    Family Sedan: Honda Accord ($22,000 to $31,000)
    Upscale Sedan: Infiniti G35 ($33,000 to $35,000)
    Fun To Drive: Mazda MX-5 Miata ($27,000)
    Small SUV: Toyota RAV4 ($23,000 to $30,000)
    Minivan: Toyota Sienna ($24,000 to $37,000)
    "Green" Car: Toyota Prius. ($24,000)

    A good starting guide if you're looking to pick up a new car this year.

    Top Picks 2008 [Consumer Reports]

  • cars

    Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient Luxury Cars

    ForbesAutos released its list of the top 10 most fuel-efficient luxury cars.

    10. Volvo C30
    9. Porsche Boxster/Cayman
    8. Lexus IS 250
    7. Acura TSX
    6. Volvo S40 2.4i sedan/V50 2.4i wagon
    5. Audi A4 2.OT
    4. Lexus GS 450h
    3. Audi A3 2.0T
    2. Audi TT 2.0T
    1. Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec

    If you're going to spend extra for a high-end car, might as well save some on gas.

    Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Luxury Cars [Forbes Autos]

  • buy

    Hi-Def TVs Cost Drops 40%, Quality Up

    Looking to upgrade to a hi-def TV? Now is the time, says Consumer Reports. Price are down as much as 40% and quality is up. They tested a whole bunch of TVs and rated as Best Buys the Sony Bravia KDL-46S3000 $1900 46-inch and Toshiba Regza 42HL67 $1,150 42 inch LCD TVs. Based on their surveys, repair rates have been very low, and so they still recommend skipping the extended warranty.

    TV Stars [Consumer Reports]

  • buy

    Who Should And Shouldn't Buy A Mac

    Walter Mossberg wrote a guide for buying a Mac and we like the parts that say who should and who shouldn't get one. Mac vs PC debates are highly personal, often end in bloodshed, and usually make no sense, so it's nice to see a rational discussion of each system's attributes. In the end, it really matters what kind of user you are, and what your price point is... More »
  • cars

    25 Safest Cars Of 2007

    These are the 25 cars you're least likely to die in, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Picks 2007. They do front and side crashes at high speeds. They see how much of a crick in the neck you get after being hit in the rear. One thing that stands out is that cars with optional electronic stability control are getting good grades.

    LARGE CARS
    Audi A6
    2008 Ford Taurus with optional electronic stability control
    2008 Mercury Sable with optional electronic stability control
    Volvo S80

    MIDSIZE CARS
    Audi A4
    Saab 9-3
    Subaru Legacy with optional electronic stability control

    Midsize convertibles and small SUV's, inside... More »

  • deals

    Virgin America Helping Pop Transcontinental Air Fare Prices

    As we read in their e-newsletter this morning, a top airline analyst told Farecompare.com, "because of the debut of Virgin America, watch for many airlines to lower the air fares on their transcontinental flights for the foreseeable future." Wow, look at that, increased competition means lower prices for consumer. Who would have ever have thunk it? And yes, that's a view inside one of their planes.

    (Photo: Ted Shelton)

  • poison ivy

    Tecnu Washes Away Poison Ivy Oils Instead Of Just Dulling The Itch

    We got some poison ivy and first we tried our Hot/Cold water method. In this, first you run hot water on the rash until it's so hot you can't stand it. Then hold it there. Then flip the water to freezing. Your nerves will be so freaked out they won't know how to itch for the next few fours.

    Days later, the rash hadn't gone away and we were starting to go insane. We bought 3 poison ivy products but only one of them really worked. More »

  • health

    5 Pedometers That'll Knock Your Socks Off

    Whether you're looking to start a serious exercise plan or simply want to keep track of how much walking you're doing, a good pedometer can be one solution for tracking your progress. And today's models are up to the task — having come a long way from the "shake and count" versions of just a decade or so ago. To find out which pedometer should be named King of the Walkers, Money magazine tested the five top units.

    The winner was the Omron Pocket HJ-720ITC. For $50, it is over 99% accurate, stores 42 days of data, and allows you to upload results to your computer. Alas... More »