High-tech infotainment systems—the ones that allow drivers access to navigation, audio, and phone features—are distracting drivers for dangerously long periods of time, a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found. [More]
Check This List Of Recently Shuttered Joe’s Crab Shacks Before Heading Out To Lunch
August 16, 2017
Dozens of Joe’s Crab Shack restaurants have closed without warning in the last week. Since the chain won’t provide a full list of shuttered locations, we’re keeping this updated list of locations that we now know have closed for good. [More]
Comcast to Launch ‘Instant TV’ Streaming Service This Fall
By 7.27.17
Would you consider getting a cable-replacement TV service from a cable company? If so, Comcast has a proposal for you. [More]
More Tesla Service Centers To Open As Model 3 Launch Nears
By 7.11.17
Tesla announced Tuesday that it will significantly expand the number of service centers and technicians as it prepares for the rollout of the Model 3 sedan, its most affordable electric car yet. [More]
Tesla Autopilot Crash Victim Drove Mostly Hands Free, NTSB Says
By 6.20.17
The driver who died in a Tesla Model S using the car’s semi-autonomous Autopilot system last year spent long periods of time with his hands off the wheel, according to new National Transportation Safety Board reports. [More]
How The Fed’s Interest-Rate Hike Will Affect Consumers
By 6.16.17
The Federal Reserve’s latest increase in short-term interest rates will have only a modest impact on consumer borrowing costs. But if the central bank continues to push up rates, which seems likely, then consumers should be adjusting their borrowing strategies now to minimize the impact later on. [More]
14 Filters You Should Be Changing At Home
By 6.8.17
Dryers that don’t dry, vacuum cleaners that don’t clean, and air conditioners that don’t cool may all be plagued by the same problem: a clogged or dirty filter. To keep many top-performing appliances in tip-top shape, you have to clean or replace a filter. In fact, that’s the first thing to check when something seems awry. When Consumer Reports tests vacuums, air conditioners, dishwashers, and other appliances, filter replacement is one of the things we consider as part of our ease-of-use score. [More]
How To Beat Jet Lag
By 6.7.17
Nothing can wreck a vacation like arriving at your destination and being too exhausted to enjoy it. But that’s just what may happen if you experience jet lag—a disruption of your body’s natural 24-hour cycle, or circadian rhythm, which occurs when you travel across multiple time zones. [More]
How To Load A Dishwasher
By 6.6.17
Think your dishwasher has it bad? To test this workhorse appliance, Consumer Reports slathers plates, cups, and silverware with an imposing mix of peanut butter, egg yolk, and other gooey stuff, then lets it all sit out overnight before running the wash cycle. Dishwashers that make our list of top dishwasher picks deliver sparkling results every time. [More]
Your Car Could Be The Next Ransomware Target
By 6.5.17 — Updated: 6.6.17
The recent “WannaCry” ransomware attack that crippled computer systems around the globe has highlighted the digital vulnerabilities in our daily lives. [More]
Rising Number Of Bicycle Crashes Highlights Importance Of Wearing A Helmet
By 6.5.17
The number of cycling injuries among adults in the U.S. rose by about 6,500 each year between 1997 and 2013, and the medical costs associated with those injuries increased 137 percent, according to a new study published in the journal Injury Prevention. [More]
4 Tips For Maintaining & Repairing Your Gas Grill
By 5.26.17
Whether you’ve been using it all year or haven’t touched it in months, you should give your grill the once-over before the holiday weekend. Use these maintenance tips to help keep your grill in top shape or to spot problems that aren’t worth fixing. [More]
How To Check Your Tires Before Heading Out On A Summer Road Trip
By 5.26.17
A tire check should be part of your pretrip routine because a basic inspection can improve your safety and even help boost your fuel economy. To remind motorists about performing this important review, the tire industry has designated May 28 to June 3 as National Tire Safety Week. [More]
How To Protect Yourself From A Hospital Data Breach
By 4.4.17
You may never have considered whether your preferred hospital is one of the approximately 311 major teaching hospitals in the U.S., but according to a new study, the type of hospital you choose might affect your privacy. [More]
6 Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Unused Medication
By 3.20.17
Today is National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day, and chances are you haven’t given much thought to the unused medications taking up space in your medicine cabinet. [More]
Here Is The List Of RadioShack Stores Closing Soon
By 3.10.17 — Updated: 3.17.17
RadioShack is, once again, bankrupt and all of its locations that aren’t being converted to Sprint stores are potentially on the chopping block. A new court filing has finally revealed which of the nearly 200 Shacks will be closing in the immediate future. [More]
Announcing A New Open-Source Privacy Standard For The Internet Of Things
By 3.6.17
At Consumerist, consumer privacy and data security have been growing areas of coverage over the past few years. We regularly write about policies, corporate and government alike, that either threaten or help safeguard your privacy. We cover data breaches big and small, and investigate tips from you, our readers. We offer advice about good practices that can help protect you and your data, and try to give you a heads-up when a company changes something that might affect you. And when your kid’s doll is recording what you say and sending the information to a defense contractor — Consumerist is there.
But we’re excited to announce a new initiative that will allow us to do much, much more. [More]
5 Home Repairs To Make Now To Avoid Problems Later
By 2.17.17
If you put off fixing a wobbly fence post or squeaky door hinge, it’s probably not going to end in a homeowners insurance claim. Other home repairs, if left unchecked, can quickly domino into major disasters. Water is a factor—if not the primary cause—in the majority of high-risk situations. Here’s how to identify priority home repairs and handle them at their source: [More]
