A new and (p)interesting way to shop online

February 4, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

Just a year ago when I was moving into my first apartment, my cousin sent me an invite to a site she thought could help me shop for my new digs: Pinterest. I will admit: I played around with it, and I just didn’t get it; I was overwhelmed by images and I found the interface cluttered.  She said I was missing out on something great, and now I’m eating my words, as Pinterest is currently making waves. An infographic from Monetize reveals that Pinterest is referring more traffic to retail sites than Google +, and in the fourth quarter of 2011, its unique visitors increased by more than 400 percent to eight million.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Unsafe car seats and tires recalled; and mispackaged contraception packs scare consumers again

February 2, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

Several recalls this week affect the safety of your ride, including two large child car seat recalls, one tire recall and two vehicle recalls. And another oral contraceptive, Lo-Ovral, gets packaged incorrectly.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Are you buying a big-screen TV for the big game?

February 2, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

Over the years, the Super Bowl has grown from just being a game for all the marbles at the end of the NFL season to a near-universal day of celebration and parties that even non-fans can enjoy. Sure there’s the spectacle of the game itself, but watching all of those “can you top this” commercials has grown into its own national pastime. And nothing can beat the camaraderie of gathering a big group of friends for a big day of food and fun while you watch the goings-on on a big-screen TV … assuming you own one. That’s why, other than Black Friday, the run up to Super Bowl Sunday is the most popular time for shoppers to finally pull the trigger on a new TV. But is it really the best time to do so?

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Hands-on with four good, cheap new cars

February 1, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

I get to drive a lot of different cars throughout the year, and they run the gamut from Powerball-winner hardware to basic, affordable transportation. Sure, the glitzy stuff is a lot of fun, but some of the best new cars I’ve had the opportunity to try are also among the least expensive.  This is good news if you want to buy a new car but have a modest budget to work with. Four good examples that I’ve driven follow.

2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Completely restyled last year, the Hyundai Elantra is one of ConsumerSearch’s reigning Best Reviewed economy cars. Now I understand why.  In addition to audacious styling that makes it look more expensive than it is, the Elantra adds in a lot of features for the money.  My tester, a well-equipped Elantra Limited sedan, even had heated leather rear seats. Expected niceties like Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, and satellite radio also included. A nav system was not (it’s part of a separate $2,100 tech package).  The Elantra is roomy, fuel-efficient (I averaged around 29 mpg overall), gets plenty of power from its 1.8-liter four cylinder, and has a big (14.8 cubic-foot) trunk . Furthermore, the interior design is modern and pleasing to look at.  I stood in my driveway, eyeballed the whole package, and figured it to be a $25,000 car.  It was actually $21,500. Want to know why Honda’s already rushing out a revamp on its brand-new 2012 Civic for the 2013 model year? Just look at the Elantra.

Photo Copyright ©2012 Alex Núñez / ConsumerSearch.com


2012 Nissan Versa SL Sedan

For 2012, Nissan overhauled its entry-level Versa sedan (the hatchback is actually a holdover – it gets the same restyling later in 2012 for the 2013 model year). The new Versa can still brag that in base trim, it’s the cheapest new car in the US, at an MSRP of $10,995. Unlike the old version, the new car’s cut-rate price now includes a radio and air conditioning (you’ll still have to crank the windows the old-fashioned way.) Put side-by-side with its predecessor, the 2012 Versa’s better-looking, too, but that’s not saying much. Even with its desperately-needed restyle, the 2012 Versa still looks frumpy next to some other comparably-priced rivals.  Drivers and passengers alike will appreciate the Versa’s cavernous interior. In the top-spec SL trim (which is what I drove), the materials are hardy and the control layout is intuitive, but there’s no real panache to the presentation. Road noise, particularly on the highway, can be intrusive. Despite that, I genuinely liked driving the Versa. It’s a plucky little car — comfortable, easy to see out of, with ample performance and efficiency from its 1.6-liter four and continuously variable transmission.  I averaged around 35 mpg over five days at the wheel (the majority of my driving was on the highway). Even with the optional tech package (navigation, a touchscreen display, XM radio, traffic, and weather; and iPod compatibility) and a set of $170 floormats, the final sticker price comes in at $17,190. It’s not flashy, but the Versa’s a solid, easy-to-drive economy car.

Photo Copyright ©2012 Alex Núñez / ConsumerSearch.com


2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ

The Chevy Sonic replaces the spectacularly underwhelming Aveo. Like its predecessor, the Sonic can be had as either a five-door hatchback or a four-door sedan. The similarities end there, because unlike the Aveo, the Sonic is actually nice to drive.The standard 1.8-liter four-cylinder is joined by a 1.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder. Both make 138 horsepower, but the latter engine is smoother, delivers more torque, and is blessed with better fuel-economy. There’s a caveat, though: the better mpg figures are only achievable with a six-speed manual gearbox; the optional automatic transmission for the turbo doesn’t even become available until this spring. The good news, if you’re shopping right now, is that the Sonic with the base 1.8-liter engine is not at all disappointing.  Visually, there’s no difference between cars fitted with either engine save for a little “TURBO” badge. The interior is well assembled and stylish, with a clever analog/digital instrument cluster, an easy-to-use radio, lots of storage nooks, and plenty of room to get comfortable. Cargo capacity is great in both the hatchback and sedan. The former has19 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up or 30 cubic feet with them folded, the latter has a 14 cubic-foot trunk.  On the road, the 1.8-liter Sonic is buzzier-sounding  than the 1.4 turbo, but even with less torque, there’s plenty of usable power. I observed combined fuel economy of just under 30 mpg. The loaded Sonic LTZ 1.8 I drove had the optional automatic transmission, Bluetooth, satellite radio, the best available audio system, and iPod compatibility. An in-dash navigation system is not yet available in the Sonic (it eventually will be, however – GM unveiled the system destined for it at CES), but OnStar lets you download accurate turn-by-turn directions to the car, and you can use it on the fly as you drive.  My Sonic 1.8 hatchback tester’s MSRP came in at $18,880.

Photo Copyright ©2012 Alex Núñez / ConsumerSearch.com



2012 Hyundai Accent SE

This is my favorite inexpensive new car. Like the step-up Elantra, the Hyundai Accent wears dramatic, visually exciting sheetmetal, has an eye-catching interior, and drives great. You can buy it as a hatchback or a sedan; my tester was a hatchback with a six-speed manual gearbox (an automatic is available for an additional $1,000). The combination of the stick with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder gave me overall fuel economy of around 31 mpg in a week of mixed driving, and I never felt as if the car ran out of guts (a feeling that I did get at some times driving the sportier-themed  Hyundai Veloster equipped with the same powertrain). Inside, you’ll find a more modern look and more upscale materials than those found in the Nissan Versa. The Accent’s an econobox, but there’s nothing cheap-feeling about it. In terms of amenities, my tester had Bluetooth, satellite radio, and iPod compatibility. Nav is not available. All told, the Accent SE I sampled is the cheapest of the four cars I’m highlighting, at $16,770.

Photo Copyright ©2012 Alex Núñez / ConsumerSearch.com


read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

DOT tries to put the "fair" in airfare pricing

February 1, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

Earlier this week I booked a flight from New York to Miami.  Even though JetBlue only flies to the nearby Fort Lauderdale, I couldn’t pass up the advertisement in an e-mail sent to me: Book Today, $89 each way from JFK. When I went online to look up fares, I did not see that fantastic rate; instead the fares were through the roof with the flights I wanted ringing up to $500 round trip. I didn’t note the little asterisk (pictured at left in the screenshot from my e-mail), which referred me to a very lengthy paragraph entitled “Taxes, Fees and Restrictions.”

Hopefully that’s the last I’ll see of miseading airfare offers. Earlier this week, the Department of Transportation issued a release outlining new regulations that went into affect Jan. 27. Two important parts of the new rules: Taxes and fees now must be included as part of the advertised price, and baggage fees must be clearly disclosed up front. “Airline passengers have rights, and they should be able to expect fair and reasonable treatment when booking a trip and when they fly,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in the statement.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Can you trust online reviews?

February 1, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

The issue of fake user reviews is nothing new. We blogged about it back in 2009 after a Wall Street Journal article exposed the practice by certain companies of having employees post favorable write ups to user-review sites, such as Amazon.com. Now, The New York Times has shed some light on something new, yet still the same: offering real customers financial incentives to write positive reviews — in this case getting their product for free. Does this latest black eye for user-written reviews mean that it’s time to start ignoring them? Follow us after the jump for our take.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Should Google’s new privacy policy worry you?

February 1, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

“Don’t be evil.” Google’s unofficial mantra sounds pretty noble, right? But some say that Google has lost its guiding light in the wake of some recent changes to the company’s privacy policy and Terms of Use. What’s all the hubbub about? Why do some think it’s the end of privacy as we know it, and others just shrug their shoulders? Most importantly, what does it mean to you? Let’s find out.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

A sneak peak: the International Home and Housewares Show

February 1, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

Last week we attended the press preview for the International Home and Housewares Show. The show, which we will be attending (stayed tuned for blogs and video coverage), takes place in Chicago from March 10th-13th. At the preview we got a sneak peak of some interesting new product launches, below are a few noteworthy ones.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Counting calories: Of course, there’s an app for that…

January 31, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

Actually, there are hundreds of apps and websites to help you count calories: the ones you are burning and the ones you are consuming. If you’re turning to technology to keep your balance in check, read these user reviews below. ConsumerSearch found six women who have enlisted their computers and mobile devices (and have been doing so for at least six months) to track their efforts. Here’s what they’re using and their results.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Insulated food carriers and Kia models recalled, plus salmonella in sprouts and salts

January 26, 2012 · Filed Under Reviews · Comment 

Keeping your lunch cold keeps you healthy, unless it’s packed in one of two recalled California Innovations insulated food carriers whose gel packs can leak, posing a poisoning hazard. Other things you don’t want to ingest: LEASA Brand alfalfa sprouts and Jones’ Seasonings mock salts, because of possible salmonella contamination; and Price Chopper shredded taco cheese which also may contain shredded plastic fragments. And, in other recall news, Kia recalled certain Optimas and Rondas because the driver’s airbag may not deploy in a crash. Read below for these and other recalls.

read more

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb

Next Page »