Consumer Reports News Archive - Yahoo! Finance

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 offers stellar performance

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

The newest tablet in Samsung's lineup, the Galaxy Note 8 ($400) received top marks in our latest Ratings of 7- to 8-inch Wi-Fi tablets. It's largely the Galaxy's versatility that puts it at the top, with ...

Faster Wi-Fi finally makes its way onto computers

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

A laptop and desktop from Vizio—the Vizio CT15T-B1 Ultrabook and the Vizio CA24T-B0, respectively—are the first computers into our labs with the latest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac. Though it's up and running, ...

HTC One and HTC First smart phones: Same maker, different results

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:30:00 +0000

The HTC One and HTC First may share a manufacturer and an operating system, but the similarities end there. Each phone has a unique interface for presenting and accessing news feeds and messaging apps. ...

That feel-good credit score may still disappoint

Thu, 16 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

If you ever failed to pay a bill that was subsequently sent to a collection agency, it can still hurt you even if you pay it off. That's because any blemish can stay on your credit report for up to...

Traveling abroad? Save money changing money

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:30:00 +0000

It's one thing to blow the bank on a gourmet dinner at a Paris restaurant, quite another to pay more than you need to for it because of fees or a bad exchange rate. So it will come as good...

The best video game console to help you get fit

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Ever since the major video game platforms (the Nintendo Wii U, Sony PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360) added motion-controlled gaming, players have been jumping off the couch and moving more than their ...

Supersized LG Optimus G Pro is a noteworthy Note II challenger

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:15:00 +0000

The LG Optimus G Pro, exclusively available now from AT&T for $200 with a two-year contract, is essentially a supersized version of the Optimus G, one of the highest-scoring models in our Ratings of smart ...

Google Play Music All Access merges your tunes with entire Google music library

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Take that, Spotify! At its I/O developer's conference today, Google took the wraps off a new music subscription service, called Google Play Music All Access, that blends your own personal music collection—songs ...

Why consumer advocates think a la carte cable programming could benefit you

Tue, 14 May 2013 20:45:00 +0000

Are you tired of paying for cable channels that you never watch? So is Senator John McCain: He's introduced the Television Consumer Freedom Act of 2013, a bill that would offer incentives to cable companies ...

BlackBerry updates the Z10 with better cursor control, HDR setting, and more

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:45:00 +0000

At BlackBerry Live 2013, the company announced that the latest version of the BlackBerry 10 OS, version 10.1, will be available for download on the BlackBerry Z10 as of today. BlackBerry also announced ...

Are Beats by Dr. Dre headphones worth the money?

Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Do you care whether your headphones look as good as they sound? If so, you might be considering a model in the Beats by Dr. Dre line. Developed in conjunction with Monster Cable, Beats helped usher in ...

Leaving underemployment, with lessons learned

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

When the Consumer Reports Index reported recently that Americans are feeling significantly better about their personal finances, I could definitely agree. My husband recently found a new job after an uncomfortable ...

AT&T Aio Wireless no-contract cell service: What you need to know

Fri, 10 May 2013 21:30:00 +0000

AT&T's new Aio Wireless (pronounced A-O) service is the company's answer to T-Mobile's recent radical switch to simpler, lower-cost, no-contract plans for phones and tablets. Like T-Mobile, Aio Wireless ...

7 ways to turn your garage sale into a moneymaker

Fri, 10 May 2013 21:15:00 +0000

I recently gave our house a top-to-bottom spring cleaning. My takeaway, besides sore muscles, was the realization that we have a lot of stuff we no longer use or want to clean. Among our collection are ...

Mobile security experts name their favorite apps

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Last week at our expert panel on mobile-phone privacy and security, host Sree Sreenivasan lightened things up a bit when he asked the panel members (and the audience) to name some of their favorite apps. ...

Now in our test labs: Seiki Ultra HD TV, plus hot new plasma TVs from Panasonic and Samsung

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Although we're just a few days away from posting new TV ratings—which include both smart TVs and more bare-bones models from LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Vizio, among others—our engineers are already hard ...

Consumer sentiment reaches highest level since 2008

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Americans are feeling significantly better about their personal finances, according to the monthly Consumer Reports Index. Consumer sentiment rose 8.8 percent to 54.5, the highest level in more than five ...

10 Mother's Day gift ideas today's moms will love

Sat, 04 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

There are just a few things to know about Mother's Day. First, remember the holiday. This year Mother's Day takes place on Sunday, May 12, so you don't have many shopping days left. Second, book a table. ...

Google Play comes to B&N Nook tablets

Fri, 03 May 2013 04:10:04 +0000

Google Play is available on Barnes & Noble's Nook HD and Nook HD Plus tablets, starting today. The move by the bookseller brings a much wider selection of apps to its tablets, which until now only included ...

Expert panel weighs trade-off between smart phones' convenience and privacy

Thu, 02 May 2013 20:08:04 +0000

"How do we make the most of this amazing device and do it in safe, sustainable manner going forward?" asked Sree Sreenivasan (Chief Digital Officer at Columbia University and faculty member of ...

What you don't know about flood insurance could hurt you

Thu, 02 May 2013 19:08:04 +0000

This spring's floods in the Midwest, against the backdrop of Hurricane Sandy's six-month anniversary, underline why a purchasing a national flood insurance policy can be so crucial regardless of where ...

Test your app-titude: Would you download these 5 apps?

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

It pays to be careful about which apps you download to your smart phone. More than 5 million smart phone users experienced symptoms of malicious software on their phones in the past year, our latest survey ...

Backup batteries for digital phones are vital—but be prepared to pay

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:38:05 +0000

The digital phone services used by millions of consumers today are likely to quit when the lights go out, as homeowners found to their dismay in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy last fall. These services, ...

A field guide to smart-phone users

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:08:05 +0000

There are just about as many types of smart-phone users as there are phones. Understanding the kind of user you are will help you figure out how to strike the right balance between protecting yourself ...

5 tips for managing your debt

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:08:05 +0000

Recently we asked debt-management experts for their best tips on handling debt. Several are certified credit counselors in agencies connected with the nonprofit National Foundation for Credit Counseling ...