A new option to travel light with babe in tow
Planning your summer vacation? Don’t forget to book your baby gear, too. Instead of lugging a car seat, stroller and Pack ‘n Play or making Grandma shell out for baby items or borrow them, why not rent everything you need to keep you and your little one safe and content?
New labels for higher risk birth control pills
If you take Bayer’s Yaz aka Yasmin or other birth control pills containing drospirenone, a man-made version of the hormone progesterone, you’ll soon notice new, stronger warning labels adorning their packages. That’s because these particular pills may put women at greater risk for blood clots–as much as 75 percent higher–compared to other progestin-containing oral contraceptives.
The potentially higher risk associated with these newer contraceptives prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue a safety alert.
Status update: Social network news
The social networking space is never quiet. Facebook’s IPO is scheduled to go live on May 18, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg putting the site’s value at up to $96 billion. This follows that social network’s recent launch of an organ donation tool, of all things. In other news, New York City teachers get some social networking guidelines for interacting with students online, and Forbes and The Washington Times look into the future.
Recall recap: BMW motorcycles and Michelin tires pose serious crash risks to vehicle occupants
Drivers and passengers beware: This week’s recalls include 2012 BMW S1000RR motorcycles with potentially catastrophic engine damage; and Michelin tires that experience rapid air loss during use, increasing the risk of a crash. Even if you don’t own any of these, let’s hope they’re not on the road when we’re on it.
Microsoft finds its e-book niche via the Nook
Thanks to some patent squabbles, Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have not been the best of friends of late. That’s part of what made Monday’s announcement that the crew from Redmond had turned around and formed a partnership with Barnes & Noble’s digital publishing operations a bit of a surprise. In retrospect, it probably shouldn’t have been given the fact that Barnes & Noble badly needed an injection of cash, and that Microsoft badly needed to figure out a way to, finally, get some traction in digital publishing. But what’s it all mean for the companies, and, more important, what’s it all mean for you?
Beware: The hidden cost of renting cars
The base price of a car rental tells only a part of the story to your wallet. Renters have to add to that initial base cost, extras such as insurance (if your credit cards do not cover you) and sales tax, which differs by state and sometimes within different cities in those states, too. There are also those extra taxes that renters are unaware of until they sign on the dotted line. These taxes have become more and more popular in the last decade and even more disconcerting: in some cases they can more than double the cost of your rental car.
Find out which cities are the worst culprits below and why.
The e-book lawsuit: The good and bad
Have you noticed that prices for new e-books have risen over the past couple of years, even though e-book readers themselves have been getting cheaper? So did the Justice Department. The agency recently filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and five of the six largest book publishers in the U.S., alleging that they conspired together to fix prices and raise the cost of new and bestselling e-books. The legal details are long, complex and yawn-inducing. The important question is: what could the lawsuit mean for you, the e-book devouring consumer?
Fortunately, not all of this is wild theory and conjecture; while Apple, Macmillan and Penguin plan on fighting the lawsuit in court, Simon & Schuster, Hachette and HarperCollins agreed to settle with the Justice Department immediately. The proposed settlement [PDF] shines a light on some of the things we can expect in the future.
More crazy kitchen tips: Unusual uses for your small appliances
Chances are you think some of your small kitchen appliances serve only one purpose. While you might not let your goldfish dwell in your blender, did you know you could make mashed potatoes in your coffee maker, or whip up a mean margarita in an ice cream machine? Well, it’s time to get the most out of your kitchenware. Read on to learn more innovative uses for the common and not-so-common kitchen appliances.
Intel building new Bridges
If you are in the market for a new laptop or desktop computer and can afford to put off your purchase for a little while longer, it might not be the worst idea in the world. Intel has finally released its third-generation Core processors, dubbed Ivy Bridge. The first wave of these chips is targeting high-end systems, though processors for mainstream and budget desktop and laptop computers will soon follow. Eventually, all but the cheapest cheap computers will sport the new technology. And Apple users aren’t being left out; if rumors are accurate, a new generation of Ivy Bridge powered Apple laptops and desktops could begin appearing as soon as this coming May or June. Let’s see some of the major improvements these new chips bring to the table.
Recall recap: STOK gas grills, Irwin circular saws, and Sakar battery chargers
It’s almost comical to say that circular saws cause laceration hazards; battery charges pose electrocution risks; and gas grills may result in fire and burn hazards. After all, the intended use of these products is to cut materials, create an electrical charge, and provide cooking fire, respectively. But in this week’s recalls, these products do all that, but in unintentional ways. Read on for the serious details.