You spend all day at work staring at a computer monitor. Then you come home and relax by glaring at a TV screen or squinting at a book or laptop. That sort of routine doesn’t give your eyes much of a break, so it helps to take measures to make things easier on your beleaguered peepers. [More]
Speed Up Your Reading Ability
By February 1, 2012
In the Information Age, the speed-reader is king. The faster you read, the more information you’ll be able to process and put to use. While skimming has its advantages, you always retain more information if you actually look at every word. [More]
Penguin Will March New Ebooks Out Of Library Lending Program
By November 23, 2011
Readers used to loading up on free ebooks they download through their libraries will have fewer options available. Penguin announced it will keep its new ebooks off of the OverDrive lending program due to security concerns. [More]
DC Comics Suffers Midlife Crisis, Gets All Modern
By June 1, 2011
It seems that in the world of comic books, the equivalent of getting a sports car and a mistress when confronted with mortality is a wholesale shake-up that includes renumbered issues, new uniforms for its heroes and a focus on digital delivery. DC Comics, the home of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, is attempting to reinvent itself in the face of falling print sales before it’s too late. [More]
Relive Your Fondest Retail Memories With New Graphic Novel
By June 28, 2010
Have you worked retail? You might be amused by a new book called Hello Do You Work Here?, a collection of illustrated true stories about crazy-making customers. [More]
Publisher: "If You Can Afford An Ebook Device, You Can Pay More For Ebooks"
By February 19, 2010
Imagine trying to buy a book from Big Generic Bookstore and watching the cashier add $5 to the sticker price. “What are you doing?!” you cry out, waving a fist menacingly at him. “You look like you can afford it,” he says back to you with a hint of entitltement. That’s basically what a publishing industry expert said in a piece he wrote last week about ebook pricing. [More]
Six e-Readers Compared
By February 1, 2010
If you’re thinking of buying a digital reader in the next six months and you’re wondering what device to get, here’s a handy chart that compares six of the most highly publicized models side by side. As you might guess, bigger screens and more flexibility with file formats means higher prices. Also, the iPad is sort of a misfit here as it’s the only device that’s not a dedicated ebook reader. [More]
Goodreads: A Better Alternative To Amazon's User Reviews
By January 18, 2010
Amazon’s user reviews for books are problematic because they serve more than one master. They’re meant to help inform consumers, sure, but they’re also meant to drive sales, and sometimes they’re even used by angry consumers as a form of protest. If you’re looking for more honest feedback on books, try Goodreads. [More]
Barnes & Noble Says They'll Accept Gift Cards For Ebooks Before Christmas
By November 16, 2009
Apparently Barnes & Noble meant it when they said that they were looking into the gift card issue for ebook purchases. Currently, B&N gift cards can’t be used to buy ebooks, but a new post on one of the company’s blogs says that should change by mid-December.
Walmart Now Offering New Hardcovers For $9
By October 16, 2009
Walmart just tried to undercut Amazon on, of all things, books. They’ve announced that they’re now selling the “top 10 pre-selling books” for $9 each, with free home delivery. Amazon has responded by dropping its price to $9 on the same titles, but their free shipping doesn’t kick in until you buy $25 worth of merchandise (or pay the annual fee for Amazon Prime). Price war!
Now In Stores: Video/Book Hybrids
By October 2, 2009
Great news if you enjoy books, but have the puny attention span of a person raised on television and the Interne—oh, look at the kitten!
Three Recent Books That Help You Live Like A Cheapskate
By July 20, 2009
Frugality is all the rage in the bookstore aisles these days, and Sarah Beckham of the Austin American-Statesman has sifted through the masses of butchered trees to point out three that may be worth a look to help you trim your budget.
Live In Ohio? Your Library May Soon Close
By July 3, 2009
Here at Consumerist, we love libraries. They’re like some weird, old-school version of Netflix, but with books! And free! That makes them one of the most cost-effective sources of entertainment and reference material around. Unfortunately, Ohio may gut the funding on this public resource if the proposed state budget goes through.
Nearly 30% Of Books Sold For The Kindle Are Now Above $9.99
By January 27, 2009
It’s been a little over a year since Amazon released the Kindle, and now publishers are finally getting the chance to set their own pricing on ebook editions. The result has been a slow creep in pricing on some titles—in some cases to levels above the price of a paper edition of the same book—for a digital edition that you can’t resell, give away to someone else, or read on any other device. Kindle owners have started to notice, and now some of them are complaining that Amazon overpromised the $9.99 bookstore concept to move Kindles.
How To Read A Water Meter
By January 13, 2009
To make sure you’re paying the right amount on your monthly water bill, you should know how to read your water meter and compare it to the amount your utility company thinks it should charge you. As several readers pointed out previously, in some cities you can even do your own meter reading and call in the number each month. “But how do I read my water meter?” Here’s how.
Utility Bill Surprisingly High? Check Whether It's 'Estimated'
By January 12, 2009
Paul wants to know how his gas company can get away with estimated meter readings instead of actual numbers, especially since they lead to much higher bills. “This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of,” he writes, “And we are hoping that The Consumerist will be able to help us out.” It’s pretty common practice, actually, and the solution is to call the company and request a real reading as soon as possible.
By May 20, 2008
Here’s a list of 21 recommended finance books for people at every level of financial experience, from novice to “I could have written that.” [SavingAdvice]
Great Finance Books For All Ages
By December 7, 2007
J.D. at GetRichSlowly was asked by a reader for suggestions on good presonal finance books to give as a gift this year. He points out that giving such a gift is a sensitive matter, since it can be received poorly if the recipient isn’t in the right frame of mind. On the other hand, he writes, “It was because a friend gave me a copy of Your Money or Your Life that I finally turned my finances around.” Here are his suggestions for books geared toward children, teenagers, young adults, and “old folks.”
