Disposable batteries have become a staple in our world of high-tech portable electronic devices. But do you really need to buy and use those pricey brand name batteries to keep those gadgets up and running? It depends.

Britax Child Safety is recalling about 14,220 Chaperone infant car seats because a defect in the harness adjuster can result in ineffective safety harness straps, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported today.

Consumers are well aware of fuel economy and concerned about tailpipe pollution. But it’s much harder to get information on the whole lifecycle environmental impact of cars: how much energy it takes to produce a car, the pollution generated, and recyclability. Now Chevrolet is taking a step toward making this information more readily available.

Digital cameras and camcorders were a big part of the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. And one of the hot consumer gadgets that caught our eyes at CES in Las Vegas was the Sony Bloggie Live camcorder.

Here at Consumer Reports, we’re on record complaining about some of the less well-conceived features of push-button start buttons. Sometimes trying to turn off a car has begun to look like a Three Stooges routine. The same can be said for getting into a car and starting it, thanks to “convenient” new technologies. After driving three cars recently with different combinations of keyless entry and push-button start, it became clear to me that they are not all created equally.

User reviews are an established part of the online shopping landscape. And so it comes as no surprise that companies have tried to "game" the system to their advantage. It also means reviews from actual consumers can be up for sale, undermining the entire process.

Often a slow period at dealerships, January can be a good time to buy a new car. As the end of the month approaches, dealers may be more willing to negotiate. Analyzing prices nationwide, we have compiled a list of 2011 and 2012 models that offer the best discounts. Prices on the models selected are between 10 percent and 15 percent below MSRP, and all models meet our stringent standards to be recommended.

Nintendo announced that the Wii U, its new video game console with a tablet-like controller that was announced last June, will be launched in 2012—in time for the holiday season.

Forget Dickens—this is more of an outdoor-gear spin on the Aesop fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” a moral lesson on the virtues of hard work and planning ahead. But in this case it was a snow blower and not a winter food supply that stymied the grasshopper. And the ant learned that, when it comes to snow-blower maintenance, there can be a downside to having the only working machine in the neighborhood.

An increasing number of U.S. consumers are turning to "cutting the copper" when it comes to home telephone service, relying instead on their cell phones or Voice over IP (VoIP) service that uses their home's high-speed Internet connections. However, such systems can stop working during an emergency such as a power blackout, hurricane or other natural disaster.

With a tight economy, every penny counts when you’re looking to buy a car. To get the most for your money, consider buying used. Even though it may not be factory fresh, you can get a pre-owned model that is efficient, safe, and likely reliable. To make it easier to find what you’re looking for, we have identified some of the best used deals under $10,000.

Today's electronics deals, courtesy of The Consumerist:

The genius behind the genius bar at Apple is now reimagining JCPenney’s 1,100 stores. Penney CEO Ron Johnson, who made it more attractive to go to Apple stores than shop elsewhere, wants to do the same for the 110-year-old retailer. To do so he is creating stores-within-a-store and a “town square” where shoppers can hang out—just like they do at Apple. He’s also enlisting the help of such A-listers as Martha Stewart, Ellen DeGeneres and designer Nanette Lepore. Johnson described his plan as the six P's: Price, Personality, Product, Promotion, Place and Presentation. While there are no iProducts on the list, some of JCPenney's branded goods have topped Consumer Reports' Ratings.

Shipments of ultrabooks—the lightweight cousins to laptops, and one of the hottest new product categories in electronics— are expected to grow three times faster than shipments of tablet computers, according to a new report from U.K. analyst firm Juniper Research.

As the nation debates adopting a 54.5 mpg fuel economy standard for 2025, California is planning to leap ahead once again in requiring greener vehicles than does the federal government.