If you head to Wikipedia and spot an advertisement, be warned: It probably means your computer's been infected with malware. The non-profit site is ad-free and funded by donors, so no ad you may spot there is legitimate.
Stream TV Networks announced today that it has struck a deal with a manufacturing company that will result in 3D-capable displays that don't require any 3D glasses.
Consumer Reports has long advocated that drivers check their car's tire pressure monthly to prevent uneven tire wear and tire failure. Now, a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reinforces that advice by determining that vehicles driving on tires underinflated by more than 25 percent are three times more likely to be involved in a crash related to tire problems than vehicles with proper inflation. And tires underinflated up to 25 percent run the risk of overheating, leading to failure, and at the very least adversely affecting handling and tread life.
Getting dinner on the table night after night can be one fine juggling act. Fortunately, many of the ranges on the market today have new features that trim cooking time and offer flexibility. If you haven't replaced your range in a decade or so, you'll be happy to see models with one or two high-powered elements, warming drawers and elements, and convection oven modes that speed baking.
After two of the hottest summers on record, homeowners are now assessing their cooling needs for the coming months and budgeting ways to pay for them. Cooling accounts for nearly 20 percent of a home's utility bill, according to Energy Star. And if you have a leaky central air conditioning system or a window unit that's the wrong size for the room, you'll spend even more and get less cooling. But there are ways to save even on hot summer days.
To kick its addiction to oil, the United States needs a raft of alternatives; no single alternative is likely to replace such an entrenched market any time soon. But electric car advocates at the Electric Vehicle Symposium held recently in Los Angeles say battery-powered cars are the one alternative that can meet all needs. Electricity isn't a fuel per se, only an "energy carrier." To generate electricity, you have to produce power from some other fuel source, such as coal, oil, and nuclear, or harness energy from renewable source, such as wind, hydro, or solar. Interestingly, this flexibility answers some big concerns of alternative-fuel critics.
The safety of 2012 Hyundai Elantra sedans is being investigated after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received a report from an owner who had been severely cut from a piece of metal reportedly from the car's side air bag deployment during a collision.
Although the Google TV platform—which uses the Android operating system and Google's Chrome browser—hasn't met with much success, LG will try to change that situation with a new G2 series of 3D LCD TVs that will be available later this month. The company is showing the TVs now at the Internet Week conference in New York.
Any consistent reader of the Consumer Reports blog knows that when buying test cars, we try to do nearly all of the research and interaction with the salesperson(s) online. And while most domestic and Asian brands work well this way, it's harder when buying German cars. Why is this?
A backyard barbecue skips the formalities and fills a patio with friends who answer the call of "come and get it" when steaks and corn on the cob are hot off the grill. This simple fare promises to taste even more delicious when eaten outdoors where the mood is relaxed, unless a problem flares up. Here are five gas grill goofs that guarantee your cookout will be unforgettable, although not in the way you intended.
Coming soon to a store near you: sunscreens with labels that are easier to understand. The Food and Drug Administration plans to give manufacturers until mid-December to make all the changes, but many products already have the new labeling. Here are some of the biggest changes, which will also apply to moisturizers and cosmetic products that contain a sun-protection factor (SPF):
With a long summer of mowing ahead, parents of teens and pre-teens may be wondering when it's safe for a child to take over this chore. Children under 18 suffer 13 percent of the 68,000 mower injuries treated annually in emergency rooms, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. With that in mind, the AAP recommends that no child younger than 12 operate a walk-behind mower, that no teen younger than 16 drive a riding mower and that children never be allowed to ride along as passengers.
Gas prices are mostly down except for the western part of the country compared to the week before. The national gasoline average is $.21 below the price this time last year. Diesel fuel is about six cents below this time last year. At $4.02, premium gasoline is down about three cents from last week.
Verizon is now compelling new subscribers to its DSL Internet service to also take landline voice service. Yet that phone service, like comparable services from AT&T, Frontier, and others, received only middling satisfaction scores in our newly released survey* of subscribers' home telecom services, including Ratings of phone, Internet, and TV services.
With the summer driving season right around the corner, the arrival of spring makes a great time for a quick spare tire check up. A few minutes now could save you from kicking off vacation or a weekend road trip stuck by the side of the road with a useless spare, or one that can't be removed because the hardware securing it is rusted.