consumer-reports

Consumer Reports Science Shows Magic Jack Is Actually Worthwhile

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Consumer Reports didn't love Vince's nuts, and their tests found that the Snuggie sheds like a pack of crazed Labrador retrievers. But in their article about informercial products this month, they did find one that their mad science shows actually works, provides good value, and is useful: the Magic Jack. More »

Consumer Reports Science Proves Slap Chop Sucks

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Consumer Reports decided to compare the infamous Slap Chop commercial to the actual reality of using a Slap Chop. Can you guess how this goes? More »

Make Your New HDTV Slightly More Awesome

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(Photo: cloudzilla)

Did you acquire a shiny, flat new HDTV in 2009's end-of-the-year buying frenzy? If your new TV looks a little odd, you may need to calibrate it. Consumer Reports Electronics can help. More »

Watch Out For Stricter Post-Holiday Return Policies This Year

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(Photo: theogeo)

If part of your plans this week involve trading in some of your holiday gifts for sweet, sweet cash, you may need to plan ahead. According to the National Retail Federation, 17% of stores have tightened their return policies since the end of last year. What should you know before you try to bring back that magenta scarf or duplicate toy? More »

Senate Concerned About Buy.com's Aggressive Webloyalty Checkout Hardsell

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Before you can finish your purchase at Buy.com, you have to go through an entire page trying to upsell you to the much-maligned Webloyalty program and click the tiny "no thanks" button at the bottom. You can find it located under the large YES! button. More »

41% Of Sudden Acceleration Complaints Are Toyotas. That's A Lot.

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Here's a beauty contest you don't want to win: 41% of the 2008 model safety complaints about "sudden acceleration" problems were for Toyota and Lexus models. That would be the same complaint lodged by that California family this summer when they crashed into a highway barrier at 120 mph when their loaner car wouldn't stop speeding up, if they were still alive to make it.

It's Official, Everybody Hates AT&T

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(Photo: wot nxt)

There's a new Consumer Reports survey out that ranks cellphone companies by customer satisfaction, and to pretty much no one's surprise, AT&T comes in last in all 19 cities surveyed. (Verizon came in first.) As AllThingsD notes, the survey "suggests that AT&T’s shortcomings are more widespread than the carrier would have us believe and not simply the product of a high concentration of iPhones in the country’s larger cities." More »

Black Friday Picks From A Tightwad

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Image: Dryicons.com

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 »

Scientific Proof That You Hate Christmas Creep

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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 »

Which Condom Holds The Most Air Before Exploding? (Video)

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You might be be surprised how much air a condom can hold, or water (try 25 liters). But which holds the most before bursting to pieces? Our friend Theresa at Consumer Reports donned a lab coat and glasses to find out which brand of condoms came out on top in their durability tests.  More »

Some Ford Cars Are Reliable, Actually Worth Buying

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Several Ford cars are among the world's most reliable vehicles, according to the latest annual car reliability survey from Consumer ReportsMore »

What You Know About Car Care Is Probably Wrong

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Most Americans drive cars, but haven't the faintest idea how they work. Often we have car care axioms inherited from our parents or driving teachers that apply to cars from a generation or two ago. What are some commonly believed car care myths that simply aren't true?  More »

Testing Stuck Accelerator Survival Strategies

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The recent recall of millions of Toyotas due to their floor mats' unfortunate tendency to trap the cars' accelerators, a flaw which has caused at least one confirmed horrific fatal accident, has caused people to wonder: if this happened to me, what would I do? Equipped with several different makes of cars and a test track, our colleagues at Consumer Reports Cars decided to play Mythbusters and put different stuck-accelerator survival strategies to the test.  More »

Consumers: Adopting Greener Behaviors Or Just Cheap?

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This month, Consumer Reports is publishing the results of a survey of American adults asking about their adoption of "green" behaviors. Interesting, right? However, we can't help but wonder whether some of these behaviors are more about saving money than saving the planet.  More »

Seven Free Sites To Track Your Personal Information

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The Consumer Reports Money Adviser has compiled a great list of sites that store your personal information and will provide free copies of their reports to you if you ask.  More »

Keep Track Of Your Prescriptions With This Free App

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If you have to take meds, you know that one of the big issues is watching out for potential drug interactions—the last thing you want is to pass out at the supermarket from uncontrollable flatulence and a sudden onset of glaucoma. Consumer Reports has developed My Medication Tracker, a free desktop app that lets you privately keep a record of your medication history (and related costs), as well as watch out for potential interactions.  More »

Consumer Reports Finds Generic Foods Taste As Good As Brand Names

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Labels are eye-catching and all, but they don't taste so good. Consumer Reports undressed some food items and found out that deep inside, generics are just as tasty — and in some cases even yummier — than their labeled counterparts.  More »

Top Ten New Cars, Trade-Ins From Cash For Clunkers

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With Cash for Clunkers mostly over, Consumer Reports looks at the most popular new cars and the most popular clunkers that were traded in.  More »

Coming Soon - Cash For Clunkers: Home Appliance Edition

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Now that it's ending, you thought you were done hearing about the Cash for Clunkers program, didn't you? Not yet. Coming soon will be a state-administered, federally-funded program providing rebates to consumers who buy Energy Star appliances. Check out Consumer Reports for a previewMore »

Hello, credit card reform! The first pieces of the CARD Act went into effect today. Card issuers must now allow customers to opt out of some changes to their cards, mail bills at least 21 days before the due date, and give 45 days' notice of all changes in interest rates or fees. [Consumer Reports MoneyMore »

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