When posting on Twitter, you’re limited to 140 characters. You can only replace so many words with emojis, which is why people share extended thoughts in the form of “tweetstorms,” or linked Tweets that tell a longer story. This is tricky to put together, though. In an effort to make it easier, Twitter may be testing a way to automate the process. [More]
testing
Spotify Reportedly Testing “Driving Mode” Feature
By 7.7.17
Spotify is reportedly testing a new system that would allow users to more easily control the service when behind the wheel. [More]
Apple Issues MacBook Pro Battery Fix In Response To Consumer Reports Testing
By 1.10.17
Two weeks after our colleagues at Consumer Reports said they couldn’t recommend Apple’s new MacBook Pro after testing its battery and finding it wildly inconsistent, the company has released a fix designed to address the issue. [More]
Taco Bell Testing Fries Again, But Only At One Location
By 12.28.16
While you can walk into just about any fast food restaurant and get french fries, there’s currently only one Taco Bell where you can get your fry fix. [More]
Why Does It Matter If Your Train Operator Has A Snoring Problem?
By 11.22.16
For most people, snoring is a minor annoyance — and usually for the loved one of the snorer. But if that snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, it could be a health issue that leaves you working through the day without a full night’s rest. That’s particularly problematic if your job involves controlling a massive train carrying hundreds of people at high speeds.
[More]
Drone Operators Could Outnumber Private Aviation Pilots In Just One Year
By 8.29.16
Two months after the Federal Aviation Administration released regulations governing the use of drones, thousands of would-be pilots have lined up to take the test to get licensed to fly on the first day it became available. The rush to fly the unmanned aircraft isn’t just for the novelty, it’s opening the door for new business possibilities for companies and entrepreneurs alike. [More]
Facebook Wants To Interrupt Your Live Broadcast With Ads
By 8.2.16
Facebook Live is becoming an increasingly popular way for Facebook users to broadcast live feeds to the world, so it was only a matter of time until the social media giant tried to monetize these streams by occasionally interrupting them for commercial breaks. [More]
Taco Bell Bringing Version Of Its Canadian Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider To The U.S.
By 7.28.16
Between Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos and Burger King’s Mac ’n Cheetos there is no lack of chips — or chip-like flavor — infiltrating fast food fare. Now, Taco Bell is upping its game, bringing a version of its Canadian Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider to the states. [More]
The Problem With Direct-To-Consumer Blood Tests: ‘Cancer Stethoscopes’ Are Not A Thing Yet
By 6.20.16
The idea of taking one blood test that tests for multiple cancers, a called a “liquid biopsy” in the medical-testing business, is a tempting one. If they work as promised, the tests check your blood for traces of various types of cancer before you even show any symptoms. The problem with these tests, meant as an option for very early cancer screening, is that they’re available, and even marketed directly to consumers, even though they haven’t been shown to actually be effective. [More]
San Diego McDonald’s Reportedly Testing Sriracha Sauce
By 6.17.16
Just when you thought American’s love affair with that hot-sauce-of-the-moment Sriracha was beginning to wane, the largest fast food chain in the country has begun experimenting with the spicy red sauce: select McDonald’s restaurants in San Diego are reportedly offering a Sriracha-Big Mac Sauce hybrid. [More]
EPA Overhauling Emissions Tests To Catch “Defeat Device” Cheaters
By 9.25.15
A week after ordering Volkswagen to recall 500,000 vehicles that contain “defeat devices” designed to cheat emissions tests, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it would overhaul its compliance processes to ensure vehicles meet standards not only in controlled environments but in real-world driving conditions. [More]
McDonald’s Offering Flavored Hot Coffees For The First Time, But In Just One Market
By 6.30.15
Craving a little flavor with your morning cup of hot java? If your breakfast joint of choice is McDonald’s, then you likely know that just isn’t an option. Until now – but only in one select area. [More]
Researcher Says It Only Takes Minutes To Hack Most Smart Home Security Devices
By 2.11.15
With a security hack taking place just about everyday, consumers are more on-guard than ever when it comes to making sure their personal information are secure from ne’er-do-wells. But a new report points out that we might be inviting those hackers into our homes with open arms thanks to the less-than-optimal security of many smart home products. [More]
SquareTrade Hurls Samsung Galaxy S4 At The Ground, Probably Denies Own Claim
By 4.30.13
Do you enjoy product reviews from our sibling publication Consumer Reports, but wish that there were more smashing? Do you love the classic “Will it Blend?” YouTube videos, but want to see items destroyed in more realistic situations? You’re in luck. The hard-working experts at extended warranty/protection plan provider SquareTrade conducted a publicity stunt series of tests on current top-of-the-line smartphones to see which was most likely to survive being dropped on a corner from shoulder height, dunked in water, and slid across a table. That last one is kind of anticlimactic. [More]
Consumer Reports Shows Some Love For The Ove Glove
By 6.7.10
I always get nervous when I find out that our labcoat-loving kin at Consumer Reports are about to test a product that I’ve grown to be fond of. It’s like taking one of those online IQ tests and worrying that somehow you’re going to find out you’re nowhere near as smart as your mom always said you were. Thus, I’ve been curious and anxious to find out the results of CR’s test on the Ove Glove, the Kevlar-containing oven mitt that has helped me fetch any number of piping hot items from the heart of a fire-breathing oven. [More]
Keep Your Hands On Your Urine If You Go To LabCorp
By 3.29.10
Mike was sent to LabCorp for some routine medical tests last week, and what he found was an understaffed, overcrowded dump where patients were arguing that their urine samples were missing, or in one instance stolen while the patient watched. This could just be one badly managed lab, but the Internet is swimming in LabCorp complaints around the country that all repeat the same problems. [More]
Why E. Coli Still Makes Its Way Into Your Meat Supply
By 10.5.09
Before you bite into that juicy hamburger, you might want to better understand how the meat industry creates, tests (or doesn’t test), then distributes ground beef. A detailed investigation by Michael Moss at the New York Times proves eating it is “still a gamble. Neither the system meant to make the meat safe, nor the meat itself, is what consumers have been led to believe.”
Mattel, Primary Reason For Toy Safety Law, Gets Exempted From It
By 8.28.09
When the CPSIA—the toy safety law that requires independent lab tests on toys—was passed, a lot of smaller toy manufacturers complained that it was really a dirty trick by the big toy companies to increase overhead for the small ones. Now comes word that the government has secretly exempted Mattel from the law’s testing requirements—even though Mattel was responsible for 6 lead-tainted toy recalls in 2007.
