A quick look at Microsoft's slimmer Xbox 360 game system (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
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Daily Dispatch: YouTube increases upload length to 15 minutes; Are broadcast signals and your mattress doing you harm? (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
Daily Dispatch: YouTube increases upload length to 15 minutes; Are broadcast signals and your mattress doing you harm? Combing through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily, Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through the noise to bring you the tech news most important to consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below. Upload limit increases to 15 minutes for all users (Official YouTube Blog) We want YouTube to be the best place to upload video. Without question, the number one requested feature by our creators is to upload videos longer than 10 minutes. We’ve heard you, and today we’re pleased to announce that we’ve increased the upload limit to 15 minutes. Google’s Mobile Search Market Share: An Estimated, Whopping 98.29% (TechCrunch) ...Google currently boasts a mobile search market share of 98.29%, with it closest competitor Yahoo taking up just over 0.8% of market share and Microsoft’s Bing barely touching even half that, according to recent data from StatCounter as relayed by Pingdom. Left-Sided Cancer--Should You Blame Your Bed and TV? (The Huffington Post) ...Thus, as we sleep on our coil-spring mattresses, we are in effect sleeping on an antenna that amplifies the intensity of the broadcast FM/TV radiation. Asleep on these antennas, our bodies are exposed to the amplified electromagnetic radiation for a third of our life spans. X Prize for oil spill solutions (BBC) ...The X Prize foundation said: "The goal of the... challenge is to inspire entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists worldwide to develop innovative, rapidly deployable, and highly efficient methods of capturing crude oil from the ocean surface." Lighter side: Bear Wrecks Nice Kid's Car, Leaves Gift (Urlesque) ...In fact, a bear trotted out of the woods and into Ben's car, where, after the door slammed shut behind him, "he bumped into the gear shift and put the automatic transmission into neutral, sending the car rolling 125 feet back down a hill," reports The Denver Post. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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The future of digital photography: It’s called 3D (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
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NHTSA to apply new safety ratings for 2011 vehicles (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
NHTSA to apply new safety ratings for 2011 vehicles Good news for safety-conscious car-buyers: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is about to launch an overhauled crash-test program that makes it tougher for any car to earn five stars in crash worthiness. For 30 years, NHTSA’s 5-Star program has been a valuable resource for consumers looking to buy the safest vehicle. The tougher program will be used for testing and classifying the safety performance of all passenger vehicles. NHTSA has announced it has 55 vehicles from the 2011 model year scheduled to kick off this new rating, due to start rolling out in late September. The key change in the assignment of star ratings is that cars will be rated against each other rather than against a standard performance level. Under the current system so many cars get top scores that they all look alike. The new rating system will better identify the top performers. Some cars that currently have 5 stars may drop to 2 stars under the new system, NHTSA officials told us. The stricter criteria include more comprehensive and tougher crash tests (including a new pole test and a smaller, female-sized crash dummy), a single overall safety score, and information on crash avoidance technologies, such as lane departure and collision warning. NHTSA claims the updated program will also help consumers find cars with technology aimed at avoiding a crash in the first place. Since these new ratings will make it more difficult to achieve a high safety score, manufacturers will have an incentive to raise the bar when designing cars. The first vehicles to be evaluated under the new system include 24 passenger cars, 20 SUVs, two minivans, and nine pickup trucks. The list includes some new and redesigned models such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Fiesta, Honda Odyssey, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The new scores can’t be compared against results from previous years, since both the testing and scoring criteria will be different. Once the tests are completed, the new ratings will be posted on safercar.gov. —Liza Barth Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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X Prize Foundation launches Oil Cleanup X Challenge (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
X Prize Foundation launches Oil Cleanup X Challenge The X Prize Foundation has inspired innovation through a series of contests to further space exploration, human genome study, and automotive energy efficiency. Now the group is turning its sites to oil cleanup, a need that has become all too apparent since the Deepwater Horizon tragedy flooded the Texas and Louisiana coast line with crude oil and natural gas. Funded by philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, the Oil Cleanup X Challenge is a contest designed to inspire fresh solutions to oil spill containment. As seen with the Automotive X Prize, this challenge will be broken in to several phases designed to help contestants develop a viable, scalable solution that can be rapidly deployed. A $1 million prize will be awarded to the team that demonstrates the ability to recover oil on the seawater surface at the highest oil recovery rate (ORR) and highest recovery efficiency (RE). The second place team will receive $300,000 and the third place team gets $100,000. The contest begins August 1st and runs for just one year. It concludes with competitive demonstrations at the National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility (OHMSETT) in Leonardo, New Jersey. Inspired by headlines and the Gulf disaster, the Oil Cleanup X Challenge is both timely and urgent. Given the volume of clean-up suggestions tossed at BP, there may be some promising solutions not-yet realized that would benefit from the structure and publicity this contest will provide. See our Auto X Prize coverage here in the Cars blog, as well as in our special Auto X Prize section and via Twitter @CRcars. —Jeff Bartlett See our guide to fuel economy for advice on saving gasoline. Learn about future technologies in our guide to alternative fuels. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Best new car deals for the summer (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
Best new car deals for the summer The dog days of summer can be a great time to get a good deal on a new vehicle. Dealerships are making room for the next model year, and they are looking to move metal with attractive discounts and incentives. If you’re in the market for a new car, take a look at the deals available, as there may be one for you. Just note that not all deals are as good as they may appear, and a smart shopper needs to look at the pricing, discounts, and the quality of the car itself. Know that even a great deal on a bad car is not a deal at all. When buying in the summer, remember that your 2010 new ride will likely be perceived as a year old in just weeks as the 2011s roll out. Of course, short-term depreciation will be much less of a concern if you tend to hold on to cars for more than five years or are a high-mileage driver. The ones listed below are just a few of our Best New Car Deals, meaning there are notable discounts on models that meet Consumer Reports criteria to be recommended. These vehicles scored well in our testing, had average or better reliability in our subscriber survey, and performed at least adequately if included in government or insurance-industry safety tests. In reviewing the many deals currently offered, these models stood out for offering savings nationwide of 20 or 25 percent below MSRP. Other trims on the vehicles listed below may also present good deals. Make & model Expires MSRP Invoice price Customer rebate Dealer incentive Bottom Line Price Potential savings below MSRP 2011 Chevrolet HHR LT 9/7/2010 $19,720 $18,931 Yes Yes Get the Bottom Line Price 25%+ 2010 Chevrolet Malibu 1LT 9/7/2010 22,715 21,579 Yes No Get the Bottom Line Price 20%+ 2010 Kia Optima EX AT 8/4/2010 20,995 19,620 Yes No Get the Bottom Line Price 20%+ 2010 Nissan Armada Titanium 4X4 8/17/2010 45,240 41,180 Yes No Get the Bottom Line Price 20%+ 2010 Nissan Titan SE 4X4 Crew Cab LWB 8/25/2010 34,070 30,847 Yes No Get the Bottom Line Price 20%+ 2010 Porsche Cayenne S 8/27/2010 60,700 54,450 No Yes Get the Bottom Line Price 20%+ 2010 Suzuki SX4 sedan 8/31/2010 16,549 15,887 Yes Yes Get the Bottom Line Price 20%+ The full pricing information is available to online subscribers through the model overview pages. Consumer Reports also has a "Build & Buy" service that lets you configure a new vehicle online via the model overview pages and then get guaranteed, competitive price quotes from up to three dealers in your area who have agreed to meet certain guidelines of conduct. Available to online subscribers, the service is completely free and you are under no obligation to buy. See all current Best Deals, or use our New Car Selector to create your own list of vehicles by sorting and filtering by the factors that matter most to you. —Liza Barth Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Automotive X Prize: Finals race results, officials closer to naming winners (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
Automotive X Prize: Finals race results, officials closer to naming winners Results are in for Tuesday's final race for the Automotive X Prize, the $10 million competition to create a viable automobile that can deliver 100 MPGe, or miles per gallon equivalent. The Li-ion Wave, a bright-green tadpole of a car run by a team of friendly, down-home North Carolina guys, is the race winner, putting them at the head of the pack to win the $2.5 million prize for the Alternative class with side-by-side seating. Finishing that race just 0.18 seconds behind them is Finnish university team, Raceabout, with their low-slung beige sports car. Team TW4XP, a German team that sprang from the makers of the Twike, placed a distant third, more than 11 and a half minutes behind Raceabout. The race was 50 laps around Michigan International Speedway, with a large "bus stop" chicane on the back straightaway. Cars had to maintain at least 45 mph and not exceed 70 mph, yet it was very much a race for time and efficiency. There are two remaining teams in the class didn't finish the race. The ZAP Alias exhausted its batteries two laps before the end. And the Aptera, made by a California startup company that has been working on its electric car since 2006, suffered a breakdown 18 laps into the 100-mile race. The teams all managed to achieve more than 100 miles per gallon equivalent during the race. TW4XP returned 138.9 MPGe, Li-ion 125, and Raceabout 100. All five cars competing in this category are electric vehicles that run only on batteries. Three of them, TW4XP, Alias, and Aptera, are three-wheelers.  There were a few penalties assessed for speed violations: Team Li-ion received 1 penalty for driving under 45 mph Raceabout received 2 penalties for exceeding 70 mph TW4XP had 4 penalties for driving under 45 mph Cars competing in the other two prize categories did not race. There is only one team left in each category and those teams both have two more-or-less identical vehicles. In the Mainstream category, competing for a $5 million prize purse, is Edison2, with two cars running on E85 ethanol. X-Tracer, a team with two enclosed electric motorcycles (with outriggers that deploy at stops) is the last team in the Alternative tandem class, for "cars" with two seats in a row. Results from the combined performance/efficiency race: Team/Car Class Race results Edison2 #97 Mainstream - Edison2 #98 Mainstream - Li-ion Motors Wave Alternative side-by-side 1st place Raceabout Alternative side-by-side +0.18 sec. TW4XP Alternative side-by-side +12 min., 37 sec. ZAP Alias Alternative side-by-side -2 laps Aptera Alternative side-by-side -18 laps X-Tracer E-Tracer 7009 Alternative tandem - X-Tracer E-Tracer 7002 Alternative tandem - All of these teams will now move on to the Validation stage, where their fuel economy and emissions are retested on a stationary dynamometer at Argonne National Laboratory. If they make it through validation, with fuel economy averaging 100 MPGe or more between their on-road and lab results, they will be on track to win the X Prize. For Edison2 and X-Tracer, they are competing only with themselves. Should they pass the Validation phase next month, they win their classes. What is less clear at this point is what team will win the Alternative side-by-side, as that will come down to the details. The Alternative side-by-side class winner will be Li-ion, Raceabout, or TWX4P. After analyzing the data, including assessing penalties, to determine the best in each class, the winners in each class will be announced on September 16th. Follow our Auto X Prize coverage here in the Cars blog, as well as in our special Auto X Prize section and via Twitter @CRcars. —Eric Evarts See our guide to fuel economy for advice on saving gasoline. Learn about future technologies in our guide to alternative fuels. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Save the Manuals! A spotter's guide to this endangered species (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
Save the Manuals! A spotter's guide to this endangered species Inspired by a Car and Driver campaign called "Save the Manuals," we recently espoused the virtues of operating a manual transmission. As car enthusiasts, our Cars staff appreciates having more direct control over the car and the entertainment that provides. Consumer Reports tests have shown that manual transmissions typically use about 10-percent less fuel than their automatic counterparts and allow cars to accelerate quicker, as well. Factor in typical purchase savings of about $1,000 over the cost of an automatic, and what's not to love? (OK, admittedly manuals can be tedious in congested metropolitan areas.) Due to dwindling popularity, it has become increasingly difficult to find new cars with a manual transmission. Even if it is technically offered, many dealers may not carry them. To help with the search for this endangered species, we have put together this spotter's guide to current, mainstream models. Current new cars available with a manual transmission: Acura TL, TSX Audi A3, A4, A5, R8, S4, TT BMW 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, X3, Z4 Cadillac CTS Chevrolet Aveo, Camaro, Cobalt, Colorado, Corvette, Cruze, HHR Dodge Caliber, Challenger, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Viper Ford Escape, F-250, F-350, Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Mustang, Ranger GMC Canyon Honda Accord, Civic, CR-Z, Element, Fit Hummer H3 Hyundai Accent, Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Santa Fe, Sonata, Tucson Infiniti G Jeep Compass, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler Kia Forte, Optima, Rio, Sorento, Soul, Sportage Lexus IS Lotus Elise, Evora Mazda B-Series, MX-5 Miata, RX-8, Tribute, Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, Mazda6 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, SLK Mercury Milan Mini Cooper, Cooper Clubman Mitsubishi Eclipse, Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Outlander Sport Nissan Altima, Cube, Frontier, Juke, Sentra, Versa, Xterra, Z Porsche 911, Boxster, Cayenne, Cayman Saab 9-3, 9-5 Scion tC, xB, xD Subaru Forester, Impreza, Impreza WRX/STi, Legacy, Outback Suzuki Equator, Grand Vitara, Kizashi, SX4 Toyota Camry, Corolla, FJ Cruiser, Matrix, Tacoma, Yaris Volkswagen CC, Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, New Beetle, Tiguan Volvo C30, C70, S40, V50 —Jeff Bartlett and Mike Leung Next Steps Small Car Buying Advice: Types of Small Cars | Small Car Features | Small Car Brands All Small Car Ratings Subscribers can view and compare all Small Car Ratings. Recommended Small Cars Look at the ones that we chose as the best of the best. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Daily electronics deals (Fri, 30 Jul 2010)
Daily electronics deals Today's electronics deals, courtesy of The Consumerist: Newegg: Fujifilm 10MP Waterproof Digital Camera (Refurbished) for $69.99 [w/ Coupon EMCYVNX23] + $2.99 Shipping Crutchfield: Samsung 46" LCD 1080p HDTV for $784.10 [w/ Coupon 3A825] w/ Free Shipping SuperBiiz: 10-Megapixel Samsung SL50 $73.94 + free shipping Logitech: Logitech S315i Rechargeable Speaker w/ iPod Dock $41.99 + free shipping Entertainment Tanga.com: Weight Watchers Magazine Subscription $2.99 [w/ coupon code: LOSE] Dell: Playstation PSP Assassin's Creed Bloodlines Bundle for $169.99 w/ Free Shipping Dell: Nintendo Wii Summer 2010 Bundle - Black for $169.99 w/ Free Shipping Musicians Friend: Anniversary Sale - up to 88% off on musical instruments Neither Consumer Reports nor The Consumerist receive anything in exchange for featuring these deals; the posts are intended to be purely informational. These deals are often fleeting, with prices changing or products becoming unavailable as the day progresses. These posts are not an endorsement of the featured products or the Web sites that sell them—though some of the sites may be included, and recommended, in our Ratings of retailers for computers and other major electronics (both available to subscribers). Price shouldn't be your only criterion. Be wary of lower-priced deals that seem too good to be true, and check return policies for restocking fees and other gotchas. For general buying advice for many of the products on sale above, check out our free Buying Guides. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Questions of Health - from Consumer Reports (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
Questions of Health - from Consumer Reports Consumer Reports Medical experts answer reader questions about salt substitutes and the long-term effects of heartburn medicines. Questions of Health - Podcast Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Daily Dispatch: Groupon ramps up personalization; Google Alarm helps you monitor your privacy (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
Daily Dispatch: Groupon ramps up personalization; Google Alarm helps you monitor your privacy Combing through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily, Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through the noise to bring you the tech news most important to consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below. Groupon Eyes Further Growth with Personalized Deals (Mashable) ...With Personalized Deals, Groupon subscribers in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle and New York City will receive deals tailored to their personal tastes and previous purchase behaviors. Google Alarm plug-in notifies you when info is sent to Google (geek.com) ...The Firefox add-in even keeps a running stat about the percentage of websites you visit that include Google tracking bugs. Details of 100m Facebook users collected and published (BBC) ...Ron Bowes used a piece of code to scan Facebook profiles, collecting data not hidden by the user's privacy settings. The list, which has been shared as a downloadable file, contains the URL of every searchable Facebook user's profile, their name and unique ID. Android wallpaper app that steals your data was downloaded by millions (MobileBeat) ...The app in question came from Jackeey Wallpaper, and it was uploaded to the Android Market, where users can download it and use it to decorate their phones that run the Google Android operating system. It includes branded wallpapers from My Little Pony and Star Wars, to name just a couple. Car thieves: Not too bright, please! (VOX) ...This column presents evidence from the Netherlands suggesting that car thieves stay away from cars in unpopular colours because of their relatively low resale value. It argues that driving a car in a bright, uncommon colour such as yellow is a highly effective deterrent against car theft – about as effective as an expensive security device. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Despite escaping CFPB authority, dealer financing could face greater regulation (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
Despite escaping CFPB authority, dealer financing could face greater regulation Even though most car dealer-assisted financing escaped regulation by the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), it could face additional oversight by federal authorities. As a result of intense dealer lobbying, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed by President Obama on July 21, gives the CFPB authority to regulate only direct dealer lending. Most dealers act essentially as brokers, providing loans from third-party lenders, such as banks and credit unions. The lenders and loans themselves will be under CFPB authority. The new law increases the speed under which the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can pass new regulations in that area, shortening the agency's rulemaking process from an average of about seven years to about one. Those lengthy procedures have discouraged the FTC from rulemaking in the past. Consumer groups, who had lobbied to give the CFPB jurisdiction over dealer-assisted financing, say the FTC's improved rulemaking power may mean that dealers face stronger and quicker regulation than had they been placed under CFPB jurisdiction. Consumer Reports has been actively engaged in the debate and strongly supported the Bureau having full authority to regulate all aspects of auto lending. The issue involves a variety of practices some dealers engage in when arranging for new and used car financing. Some of them already are illegal. (Read: "How to avoid hidden traps in dealer-financed auto loans.") It remains to be seen how the FTC responds to its improved power. The agency has not said whether it plans new regulations involving dealer financing, although it has said that the protracted rulemaking process imposed on it by law has discouraged it from pursuing new regulations in other areas. It points out that it has long had the authority to pursue dealers under its general authority to fight deceptive acts and has done so. The financial reform law also requires the FTC, Federal Reserve Board, and the CFPB's Office of Service Member Affairs to work together ensure that military service members and their families aren't victimized by car dealer financing abuses, especially by dealers located near military bases. Such abuses have been common, the Defense Department and military groups have said. Going forward, Consumer Reports will work closely with the FTC to ensure that consumers are protected for deceptive and abusive auto lending practices. —Anthony Giorgianni Related: Consumers Union advocates including car dealers in consumer financial protection bill Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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BMW 5 series earns IIHS Top Safety Pick award (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
BMW 5 series earns IIHS Top Safety Pick award The redesigned BMW 5 Series is the first BMW to earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick award since the organization added a rollover test to its scoring criteria. The Top Safety Pick award recognizes vehicles for earning the highest score of Good on the front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection. To earn this distinction, vehicles must also have electronic stability control, which is standard on the 5 Series. The Good rating on the side test of the BMW is an improvement over the previous generation, which only scored Marginal. The 2011 model has standard side air bags. In the rollover evaluation, the 5 Series earned a Good rating. The 4.04 score means the roof can withstand a force of above four times the vehicle weight. The 5 Series joins the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Lincoln MKS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Toyota Avalon, and Volvo S80 in the large car category for Top Safety Picks for 2010. —Liza Barth Next Steps Sedan Buying Advice: Types of Sedans | Sedan Features | Sedan Brands All Sedan Ratings Subscribers can view and compare all Sedan Ratings. Recommended Sedans Look at the ones that we chose as the best of the best. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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KISS-brand TVs; shooting flames are optional (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
KISS-brand TVs; shooting flames are optional A company called RTC is selling a line of LCD TVs featuring the brand name of "KISS," the music group. Photo: RTC For KISS fans not yet willing or able to confront their own mortality by buying a $4,500 KISS Kasket coffin, there's a new way to show your love for the band: a limited-edition line of KISS-brand HDTVs. The TVs, manufactured by a company called RTC, are 1080p LCD models with LED backlights and 120Hz technology. The TVs come in 32-, 40- and 46-inch screen sizes, with prices ranging from $800 to $1,400. According to the KISS TV website, the sets have a "diamond-plated look to the casing" and embossed KISS logos on each side; every time you turn on the set, you'll be treated to an eight-second image of the band. Only 15,000 KISS HDTVs will be made worldwide, the website claims. The TVs come in collector's edition packaging, and include free shipping within the U.S. You can buy the TVs via RTC's website, and an extended warranty is offered on the TV; based on the info I saw, it looks like it costs $200 for a five-year plan, though I didn't spend the time to see exactly what was covered. But KISS the band has been touring for 36 years; if the sets last even a third that long, my guess is that buyers will be happy. —James K. Willcox Next Steps TV Buying Advice: Types of TVs | TV Features | TV Brands All TV Ratings Subscribers can view and compare all TV Ratings. Recommended TVs Look at the ones that we chose as the best of the best. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Recall: Toyota Avalon and Lexus LX for steering problems (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
Recall: Toyota Avalon and Lexus LX for steering problems Toyota is voluntarily recalling 373,000 2000-2004 Toyota Avalon sedans and 39,000 2003-2007 Lexus LX 470 SUVs for steering problems. The Avalon recall is to address the possibility that the steering lock bar could break due to improper casting. A crack may develop on the surface and expand after repeated lock and unlock operations. This could eventually lock the steering wheel and increase the risk of a crash. Toyota will replace the steering column bracket on the vehicles at no charge. The repair is estimated to take two hours. Owners can contact Toyota at www.toyota.com/recall or 1-800-331-4331. The Lexus recall involves a steering shaft condition on 2003-2007 Lexus LX 470 in which the snap ring on the shaft may disengage when the vehicle has an impact to the front wheels like hitting a pothole. Lexus dealers will replace the snap ring and install a newly designed component to prevent separation of the steering shaft free of charge. Owners may contact Lexus at www.lexus.com/recall or 1-800-225-3987. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Save the Manuals! The virtues of shifting gears yourself (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
Save the Manuals! The virtues of shifting gears yourself Car and Driver has started a campaign to protect the manual transmission from extinction called, not surprisingly, “Save the Manuals!” I couldn’t agree more. We’ve found in our testing that manual transmissions typically use about 10-percent less fuel than their automatic counterparts and allow cars to accelerate quicker, as well. Plus, the best manual transmissions can make the driving experience much more fun and engaging. All of this, and you save money, too -- opting for a manual transmission typically cuts about $1,000 off the sticker price. Sadly, fewer Americans learn to drive stick shifts each year, the sales figures of manual-shifting cars continue to dwindle, and the skill of rowing through the gears is fast becoming a lost art. Manual transmissions are disappearing from entire market segments. Today, they’re mostly found in only smaller or sporty cars. Our tests show that there remains a performance difference between automatics and manuals. One example is our tested Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It was equipped with a dual-clutch six-speed automated manual gearbox, technology that is touted to be very efficient. Thus equipped, the Jetta returned 33 mpg overall in our tests. However, when we later tested a Golf TDI equipped with a conventional six-speed manual, it got 38 mpg overall--matching the fuel economy of Honda’s CVT-equipped Insight hybrid. But the extra 5 mpg is not the entire difference. Opting for the manual made the car quicker, more fun to drive, and about $1,000 cheaper than the automatic. (The Golf is a hatchback version of the Jetta, and our test cars weighed in within 75 lbs. of each other). And it isn’t just diesels that benefit. We have tested several similarly equipped vehicles--identical all except for the choice of transmission. (The Mini Cooper/Clubman was the exception; the Clubman is a bit longer and heavier, but both had the same engine.) As the table below shows, getting a manual can yield big improvements acceleration and fuel economy. Model Fuel economy overall-manual Fuel economy overall-automatic 0-60 mph (sec)-manual 0-60 mph (sec)-automatic Ford Focus SES 29 26 9.0 10.1 Honda Accord LX-P (4-cyl.) 26 23 8.4 9.8 Honda Civic EX 31 28 8.6 10.1 Mazda3i 30 27 8.6 9.6 Mini Cooper/Clubman 33 29 9.1 10.5 Scion xD 34 29 9.0 9.7 Subaru Forester 2.5X 24 22 9.1 10.4 There are downsides to stick shifts. Congested traffic conditions can make rowing a manual and working a clutch pedal a tedious chore. Manual transmissions do have a learning curve, but like riding a bike, it becomes natural after a few days. While starting out on hills can be a bit nerve-wracking at first, many modern manuals have a hill-holder function so you don’t roll backwards. So if you are looking to shave some money off the purchase price of your new car, save fuel, and have a more enthusiastic driving experience, consider doing the shifting yourself with a manual transmission. Buying making this choice, you will help save the manuals. —Jake Fisher Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Daily electronics deals (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
Daily electronics deals Today's electronics deals, courtesy of The Consumerist: Buydig: Kodak 12MP Digital Camera - Red for $68.49 w/ Free Shipping Walmart: Philips 47" LCD 1080p HDTV for $599 w/ Free Shipping Ebay: Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player $109 + free shipping Amazon: HP G42-230US 14-inch 4GB/320GB Laptop $549.98 + free shipping Entertainment Barnes & Noble: BOGO 50% Off Toys & Games [with coupon code W9M4U4U] Amazon.com: Rock Band Portable Drum Kit for Xbox 360 for $10 Neither Consumer Reports nor The Consumerist receive anything in exchange for featuring these deals; the posts are intended to be purely informational. These deals are often fleeting, with prices changing or products becoming unavailable as the day progresses. These posts are not an endorsement of the featured products or the Web sites that sell them—though some of the sites may be included, and recommended, in our Ratings of retailers for computers and other major electronics (both available to subscribers). Price shouldn't be your only criterion. Be wary of lower-priced deals that seem too good to be true, and check return policies for restocking fees and other gotchas. For general buying advice for many of the products on sale above, check out our free Buying Guides. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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FTC Adopts New Rules to Begin Curbing Debt Settlement Industry Abuses (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
FTC Adopts New Rules to Begin Curbing Debt Settlement Industry Abuses New Regulations Bar Debt Settlement Companies from Collecting Fees Unless Consumers Get Relief WASHINGTON, D.C. — Under new regulations adopted by the Federal Trade Commission today, for-profit debt settlement companies will no longer be allowed to collect fees for their services until they have settled some or all of a consumer’s debt. The new regulations will help curb deceptive and abusive practices in debt relief services sold through telemarketing, according to Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. “Most debt settlement companies charge big fees up front even though most consumers don’t get the help they expect,” said Lauren Bowne, Staff Attorney for Consumers Union’s Defend Your Dollars campaign (www.DefendYourDollars.org) “These new rules will help protect consumers who are already drowning in debt from being ripped off by debt settlement companies that fail to provide any relief. But more needs to be done to ensure that the amount of fees charged for debt settlement services are fair.” Most debt settlement companies market their services through internet, television, or radio advertising. The advertisements typically promise to substantially reduce debt and urge consumers to call a toll-free number to find out more. Once the consumer signs up, the debt settlement company takes its fees over the first half of the contract period. The FTC reports that nearly two-thirds of consumers who enroll in debt relief services, most of which pay an advance fee, end up dropping out of the programs within the first three years without getting the help they paid to receive. Debt settlement companies usually advise consumers to stop paying their creditors and to instead set up a special account to build savings that will be used in the future to negotiate a settlement. As the consumer deposits savings into the account, the debt settlement company withdraws money to cover its fees even though it hasn’t reached a settlement with creditors. By stopping payments to creditors, the consumer ends up with a worse credit score, additional penalty fees and more interest charges. While debt settlement companies claim they settle millions of dollars in debt for consumers, they have not revealed how much debt remains unsettled. The Better Business Bureau announced that it would stop calling debt settlement services “inherently problematic” if a company could show that it met several conditions, key among them that at least one half of its customers saved as much money as was paid in fees. The GAO reported in April 2010 that two debt settlement trade associations called that standard “unrealistic.” The FTC’s new regulation banning advance fees will go into effect on October 27, 2010 and takes a key step forward by addressing the timing of the fees. Under the new rules, a debt settlement company will earn fees when it reaches a settlement on at least one of the consumer’s debts that the consumer agrees to in writing. Fees cannot be collected until the consumer has made at least one payment to the creditor as a result of the negotiated agreement. Fees can be held in a dedicated account before that time but all unearned fees must be returned to the consumer if he or she decides that the debt settlement program is not working out or cancels the program. Debt settlement firms can only require a dedicated account under certain conditions, including that the account must be set up and maintained by the consumer at an insured financial institution. The consumer will be entitled to earn interest on the account and can withdraw the funds at any time without penalty. Beginning on September 27, 2010, the FTC rule requires that debt settlement companies make certain pre-contract disclosures, including how long it will take to get results and how much it will cost. The new rules cover calls consumers make to debt settlement firms in response to advertising as well as telemarketing calls made by firms. However, the FTC’s new regulation does not apply to in-person sales or to internet-only sales, so Congress or the states will have to act to apply the new rules to those debt settlement contracts. “The FTC regulations will ensure that debt settlement companies will only get paid if they help consumers but it doesn’t stop them from charging outrageously high fees,” said Bowne. “Now it’s up to state lawmakers or Congress to cap debt settlement fees to a reasonable percentage of the actual savings for consumers.” Two federal bills (S. 3264 and HR 5387) have been introduced in Congress to limit debt settlement fees to a one-time $50 fee and five percent of the savings from each final settlement. Contacts: Michael McCauley, Consumers Union, 415.902.9537 (cell) or mmccauley@consumer.org David Butler, Consumers Union, 202.462.6262 or dbutler@consumer.org Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. 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Amazon launches a new Kindle, with modest improvements (Thu, 29 Jul 2010)
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Putting the Phone in Headphones - from Consumer Reports (Wed, 28 Jul 2010)
Putting the Phone in Headphones - from Consumer Reports You don't have to choose between sound quality and convenience when it comes to after-market headphones for smart phones. From Consumer Reports' August issue. Smart Phone Headphones - Podcast Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Automotive X Prize: Video highlights from the Finals competition (Wed, 28 Jul 2010)
Automotive X Prize: Video highlights from the Finals competition The Finals phase of the Automotive X Prize competition is coasting down, literally. This third major phase in the $10 million contest to build a market-viable car that could achieve 100 MPGe began with 15 cars from 12 teams. Since the technical inspections began on July 19th, the field has been culled down to seven cars. Along the way there was much drama and excitement, as these talents finalists vied for bragging rights and a big check. There were some real upsets, with Edison2 blowing an engine on its Alternative class car, Aptera and Zap being unable to complete the combined performance/efficiency race, and Commuter Cars' Tango failing to meet the minimum fuel-economy requirement. These are all respected teams that made it through significant challenges to make it this far. And there were triumphs, such as the RaceAbout university team from Finland making a very strong showing in the race. The results from this phase are still being analyzed by X Prize officials, and we hope to share them soon. While Consumer Reports engineers conducted several performance tests, our CRTV team captured the action, with all the twists and turns. Now back in the studio, this is the first video from Finals. The teams approved to advance to the Validation phase are now at a coast down event at Chrysler Proving Grounds. The next step will be dynamometer testing at Argonne National Labs in Chicago in August. Then, the winners will be announced mid September. Learn more about the Finals testing. See the results from the Knockout phase. Follow our Auto X Prize coverage here in the Cars blog, as well as in our special Auto X Prize section and via Twitter @CRcars. —Jeff Bartlett See our guide to fuel economy for advice on saving gasoline. Learn about future technologies in our guide to alternative fuels. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Panasonic announces first 3D consumer camcorder and 3D SLR-like lens (Wed, 28 Jul 2010)
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First look: Samsung's Galaxy S phones look like star performers (Wed, 28 Jul 2010)
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Bargain Beer from Costco - from Consumer Reports (Tue, 27 Jul 2010)
Bargain Beer from Costco - from Consumer Reports Costco is selling Kirkland Signature beer by the case. But is it worth buying? Consumer Reports had untrained panelists compare Costco beers with leading competitors for the August issue. Bargain Costco Beers - Podcast Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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H2-0 Hype - from Consumer Reports (Mon, 26 Jul 2010)
H2-0 Hype - from Consumer Reports Sales pitches for two pricey bottled waters make them sound like the greatest thing since ... water! From Consumer Reports August issue. H2-0 Hype Podcast Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Best Budget Bikes - from Consumer Reports (Sun, 25 Jul 2010)
Best Budget Bikes - from Consumer Reports Paying a higher price for a bicycle generally gets you better components and lighter materials ... but you can get a nice ride for less. From Consumer Reports' August issue. Budget Bikes Podcast Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Road-Trip Savings - from Consumer Reports (Thu, 22 Jul 2010)
Road-Trip Savings - from Consumer Reports Here are some tips for stretching your travel dollars while on the road this summer. Road-Trip Savings Podcast Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Consumer Reports Health News — July 2010 (Thu, 22 Jul 2010)
Consumer Reports Health News — July 2010 WHEN A LOWER DOSE WILL DO If you take a prescription drug, there’s a chance you may not be getting enough of your medicine. Or, on the flip side, you may be getting too much.  In a new report about drug dosing, Consumer Reports Health explains how consumers can make sure they get the right dose when their doctor recommends a prescription drug.  Tailoring the right dose to a patient’s physique— based on height and weight—can be challenging and time consuming for doctors.  While drugmakers often recommend different drug doses for children, based on height and weight, it’s less common with adults. And even when drugs do have such recommendations, research suggests that doctors often don’t take them into account. In its report, “One size does not fit all,” Consumer Reports Health notes that large people, especially those who are also overweight, may need higher drug doses, in part because body size and composition affect metabolism.   Consumer Reports Health notes that women may be especially at risk because of their smaller size. Meanwhile, for men—particularly larger men taking relatively new medications that may have been tested in mixed-gender trials—the standard starting doses of some drugs may be too low.   To make sure you’re getting the right dose, ask your doctor if your size was considered when determining the dose.  Especially if you’re thin or small, ask if you can start with a lower dose.  If you’re hefty, ask if you might need a larger one.  Consumer Reports Health lists several drugs to treat arthritis, cholesterol, depression, high blood pressure, insomnia, as well as heartburn and ulcers that can be effective at lower doses than the manufacturer recommends.   The report is available on request.   TIPS FOR STAYING HEALTHY AT 30,000 FEET If you’re summer plans include airplane travel, there’s plenty of things you can do to stay healthy at 30,000 feet.  For example, when booking your flight, opt for a seat by the wings, where you’ll feel the least movement, making motion sickness less likely.  If you’re at high risk for thrombophlebitis—blood clots in the leg that can break loose and travel to the lungs—ask about self-injectible enoxaparin (Lovenox) which may help prevent them.  When going through airport security, ask for a pat-down inspection if you have a pacemaker, insulin pump, or other implanted device.  If you anticipate motion sickness, take steps while waiting at the terminal, such as taking the over-the-counter drug dimenhydrinate (Dramamine and generic) or meclizine (Bonine and generic) at least 30 minutes before boarding.  For more tips, log on to www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org and click on the blog. IF YOU’RE THINKING OF TAKING THE STATIN CRESTOR…THINK AGAIN  You’ve probably heard an unusual amount of buzz in the news lately about the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor.  That’s because earlier this year, on the basis of one large clinical trial, the FDA granted rosuvastatin (Crestor) approval for use even in some people who have normal levels of LDL, known as the bad cholesterol, and recent criticisms about that study were published in June.  It turns out that Crestor (and probably other statins), appears to lower levels of C-reactive protein, a protein found in the blood that can help indicate inflamed coronary arteries.  Such inflammation can contribute to heart disease by damaging the arteries and encouraging the growth of clot-forming plaque deposits. However, does this mean it’s  time to get your CRP measured and possibly take a statin if that level is high, even if your LDL isn’t? Probably not.   In a new report about statins, Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs describes the benefits to taking Crestor as “modest,” while the risks can be significant.  Bottom line, in people with a normal LDL and an elevated CRP, the benefits of taking Crestor don’t clearly outweigh the risks. Most people with a normal LDL and just one other risk factor probably don’t need to get their CRP level measured. The same is also true of people at substantial risk of heart attack.  That’s because those individuals usually need to take a stain regardless of their CRP level.  Read more to see if you’re a good candidate for a statin at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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3D Comes to Cameras - from Consumer Reports (Wed, 21 Jul 2010)
3D Comes to Cameras - from Consumer Reports Fujifilm's new 3D camera promises snapshots and videos with the same 3d effects seen in movie theaters. From Consumer Reports' July issue. 3D Cameras Podcast Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Statement of CU In Support of H.R. 5381, "The Motor Vehicle Safety Act" (Wed, 21 Jul 2010)
Statement of CU In Support of H.R. 5381, "The Motor Vehicle Safety Act" Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, today endorsed H.R. 5381, The Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010, at a press conference on Capitol Hill.   Ami Gadhia, policy counsel for Consumers Union, made the following statement in support of the bill: “H.R. 5381 is a critical piece of consumer safety legislation that will help strengthen the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) ability to address and avert safety problems in the future.  We applaud Representatives Waxman, Dingell, Rush, Stupak, and Braley for their leadership on this vital issue." “At Consumers Union there are few issues as important to us as auto safety.  Every year we buy the newest line of cars and trucks anonymously.  We push the vehicles through thousands of miles of tests.  And we rate them on safety, reliability, and performance.  We believe the Motor Vehicle Safety Act is a good bill to help improve auto safety, prevent crashes, and save lives." “H.R. 5381 will bolster NHTSA’s resources, authorities, and expertise. Increasing funds for NHTSA will provide the agency better tools to do its work.  H.R. 5381 will also require NHTSA to address four areas that Consumers Union recommended for improvement in light of the Toyota sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) issues."  (LINK:  http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/02/consumers-union-calls-for-changes-to-strengthen-us-carsafety-net.html).  “In February 2010, in light of the concerns raised by SUA in Toyotas, Consumers Union called on NHTSA to require the following specific safety changes in all new cars:  brake override or similar technology to safely stop a car within a safe distance; simple, standard controls to turn off the engine in an emergency; intuitive, clearly labeled transmission shifters; and methods to address pedal entrapment.  H.R. 5381 directs NHTSA to make all of these safety improvements." “Consumers Union also commends the bill’s cosponsors for including in the legislation long-overdue improvements to NHTSA’s vehicle safety complaint database, and for requiring the issuance of safety standards for electronic controls, the addition of imminent hazard authority, whistleblower protection, anti-revolving door ethics requirements, increased civil penalties and the corporate responsibility language for NHTSA reports." “Consumers Union urges the full House to take up and pass this significant consumer protection legislation as soon as possible.” Contacts: Ami Gadhia, Consumers Union, 202.462.6262 or agadhia@consumer.org David Butler, Consumers Union, 202.462.6262 or dbutler@consumer.org Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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