Consumer Tech Radar
Articles by bsnyder
Consumer Tech Radar
Should Apple hobble FaceTime to battle distracted driving?
In 2014, a driver using Apple's FaceTime video app allegedly killed a five-year-old child. The grieving family says Apple knew the danger, and even patented a tech to reduce risk, but still did nothing.
Consumer Tech Radar
Everything you need to know to cut the cord and ditch cable
Thinking of cutting the cord and saying sayonara to cable for good? We've got you covered with this easy-to-digest rundown of all the hardware you'll need and the services that deliver the most value.
Consumer Tech Radar
T-Mobile’s free DIRECTV NOW deal is full of gotchas
The 'Un-carrier' continues to roll out offers that sound too good to be true ... until you read the fine print. T-Mobile's latest DIRECTV Now ploy is an all-out insult to AT&T.
Consumer Tech Radar
5G will give you blazing fast broadband at home
You’ll have to wait for 5G on your phone, but ultra-fast wireless will deliver speeds that blow away your cable connection.
Consumer Tech Radar
Finland is a tiny wireless nirvana the U.S. could learn from
It's clear that lively competition in Europe yields better wireless service options for consumers. Unfortunately, even more wireless consolidation may come to the United States under President-elect Trump.
Consumer Tech Radar
Beware these gotchas in T-Mobile’s ‘free’ iPhone 7 offer
T-Mobile's Black Friday offer includes 'free' Apple iPhone 7s and Samsung Galaxys, but details in the fine print might make it less appealing to some consumers.
Consumer Tech Radar
Facebook trolls should learn from Amazon’s new Prime ad
Abusing friends and relatives on Facebook has become all too common, particularly following the recent presidential election. Amazon took a refreshing tack in a new Prime ad — and internet trolls should take note.
Consumer Tech Radar
Today’s cable TV may not be better but it sure is more expensive
An FCC study found that cable TV costs have increased nearly four times as fast as the overall cost of living in the United States, and though many consumers have access to more channels, they may not actually watch any of them.
Consumer Tech Radar
T-Mobile’s Google Pixel offer has 2 hidden gotchas (updated)
T-Mobile says it will give customers $325 if they bring their own Google Pixel phones to its network. The deal sounds solid, but there are at least two things you need to know before you opt in.
Consumer Tech Radar
TV companies can drop your favorite channels without refunds
Dish Network customers recently sued the company after it dropped a popular channel without providing refunds. However, a U.S. court found that the fine print in their contracts basically gives Dish carte blanche to chop channels.
Consumer Tech Radar
Competition in gigabit internet market can significantly reduce prices
When U.S. cities or towns have multiple gigabit internet providers, prices for various service tiers drop accordingly, a new study reveals.
Consumer Tech Radar
It’s time for porn sites to embrace HTTPS
Popular adult websites are often much less secure than people think, and a civil liberties group wants to help protect adult consumers and improve online secure within the porn industry.
Consumer Tech Radar
Verizon’s miserable customer service is about to get worse
Verizon Wireless plans to shutter call centers in five U.S. states and reduce staff in 1,700 of its retail stores, a move that will surely affect the company's already poor customer service.
Consumer Tech Radar
New Comcast data caps spotlight disturbing trend
The age of data caps and metered broadband is here, though Comcast, the largest ISP in the United States, admits network capacity is not a problem. More companies are likely to follow Comcast's lead, and that's terrible news for consumers.
Consumer Tech Radar
Verizon iPhone 7 users report nagging connectivity issues
Many Verizon Wireless customers complain that their iPhone 7 and 7 Plus smartsphones frequently drop data and GPS connections, but neither the carrier nor Apple will confirm or deny the reports.
Consumer Tech Radar
New streaming devices from Roku, Amazon best Chromecast
Roku and Amazon this week debuted new or updated, budget-friendly streaming devices that challenge, and in some ways outperform, Google's popular Chromecast dongle.
Consumer Tech Radar
The U.S. airports with the best (and worst) cellular networks
A new report ranks cellular network speeds at the nation's 50 busiest airports, and the winners and losers are surprising.
Consumer Tech Radar
Researcher says bad battery design, manufacturing errors led to Note7 debacle
Samsung and a U.S. safety commission have recalled a million Note7 phones amidst concerns that their batteries are dangerously flawed. One researchers suggests the problems are directly related to poor battery design and Li-ion manufacturing issues.
Consumer Tech Radar
New Verizon, AT&T streaming options threaten net neutrality
Two new zero-rated services from Verizon and AT&T let subscribers stream premium content on their smartphones and tablets devices without eating into their monthly data quotas, but they also test net neutrality rules.
Consumer Tech Radar
Irritated iPhone 6 users sue Apple over ‘touch disease’ defect
A group of iPhone users claim Apple has refused to fix a defect in its iPhone 6 and 6s phones that causes displays to die, and the frustrated customers took legal action in California this week.
Consumer Tech Radar
iPhones are much more likely to ‘fail’ than Androids
A new report suggests Apple smartphones are significantly more likely to experience serious hardware or software problems than phones from Samsung and other Android phone makers.
Consumer Tech Radar
T-Mobile One ‘unlimited’ data plan is rife with gotchas
T-Mobile is doing away with the data cap in its new 'unlimited' wireless plan, but the fine print on the $60 T-Mobile One offering has some unfortunate fine print.
Consumer Tech Radar
Honor 8 is a high-end Android phone at a mid-range price
The new Honor 8 smartphone from Huawei packs a number of valuable features, including a dual-lens camera, and it costs just $400 unlocked.
Consumer Tech Radar
Which wireless carrier provides the best buying experience?
J.D. Power asked thousands of U.S. consumers about their recent purchase experiences with wireless carriers, and a prepaid carrier ranked higher than each of the 'Big Four.'
Consumer Tech Radar
How ISPs get away with shiesty internet speed claims
A watchdog group charged Comcast with misleading consumers about Internet speeds. But Comcast isn't the only company to blame — ISPs rarely tell the truth about real-world upload and download speeds.
Consumer Tech Radar
Windows 10 Anniversary Update is infested with bugs
Microsoft's massive Windows 10 Anniversary Update has caused major problems for some users, and at this point it's a good idea to avoid the OS completely until the company squashes some of the bigger bugs.
Consumer Tech Radar
What you need to know about Dish’s TV ‘skinny bundles’
Dish Network's 'skinny bundle' TV packages are supposed to let consumers strip out channels they don't want and pick and chose the ones they do with add-on 'packs.' However, the bundles are so skinny, they're practically starved.
Consumer Tech Radar
How ‘super shoppers’ shape the future of online retail
A recent study found that 13 percent of the world's internet shoppers account for nearly two-thirds of all consumer spending on goods online, and the group's shopping habits could impact the rest of the consumer market.
Consumer Tech Radar
AT&T supports FCC crackdown on robocalls, other carriers … don’t
The chairman of the FCC asked U.S. wireless carriers to join a new effort mean to block annoying robocalls, but with the exception of AT&T, their response has been underwhelming.
Consumer Tech Radar
Comcast wants to blur line between cable and web content
Giant cable provider Comcast will soon let its subscribers access video content via Roku devices and Samsung smart TV, and it will offer 6,000 hours of programming from the Rio Olympics next month.
Consumer Tech Radar
Verizon to heavy wireless data users: ‘You’re fired’
Verizon is cracking down on customers who foolishly believe that an unlimited data plan is actually unlimited.
Consumer Tech Radar
Netflix vs. Hulu: How to choose a streaming service
Netflix gets the edge for movies and has better technology. Hulu has more TV shows, but you can’t watch tonight’s episodes until tomorrow.
Consumer Tech Radar
When should you buy your kids their first smartphone?
An informal poll of tech-savvy West Coast parents finds that many think giving younger children a smartphone isn’t very smart.
Consumer Tech Radar
No, sharing a Netflix password will NOT land you in jail
Despite the clickbait headlines, a recent ruling in U.S. federal court isn't meant to crackdown on consumers who share their Netflix passwords. In fact, some of the largest streaming providers say they're OK with password sharing.
Consumer Tech Radar
Microsoft Edge more power efficient than rivals? Not so fast …
Microsoft says Edge is far more power efficient than rival browsers, based on its own tests, but Opera, Google and Mozilla quickly offered responses to the contrary.
Consumer Tech Radar
T-Mobile’s Binge On still slows all of your video
Researchers tested Binge On and found that fixes made by T-Mobile haven’t fixed much. Even video data users paid for is still throttled.
Consumer Tech Radar
Why you won’t see a U.S.-made iPhone any time soon
Despite political bluster from Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, it's simply not possible for Apple to build the iPhone in the United States, and even if it could be done, the change would add $100 to the phone's price, according to new research.
Consumer Tech Radar
T-Mobile’s free stock offer may increase your tax bill
T-Mobile's novel new stock offer sounds interesting in theory, but the IRS will take a bite out of those 'free' shares, according to finance professionals.rnrn
Consumer Tech Radar
What big ISPs don’t want you to know about data caps
Comcast and AT&T want customers to believe broadband data caps are necessary to manage network congestion, but their real motivation may be much more sinister.
Consumer Tech Radar
Study finds Google, Twitter and Facebook keep closest tabs on users
A new Princeton University privacy study suggests Google's user tracking tech is practically ubiquitous, and popular social network sites Twitter and Facebook are the next worst offenders.
Consumer Tech Radar
A cord-cutter’s guide to digital TV antennas
Consumers who want to say sayonara to their pay TV providers need a quality digital antenna. Tons of different antenna options exists, and finding the right one can be a challenge. Here's how to get started.
Consumer Tech Radar
Is it wrong to use a VPN to skirt streaming restrictions?
Netflix says some of its customers use VPNs to access restricted content, so the company blocked the tech, raising questions about the ethical implications of location 'spoofing.'
Consumer Tech Radar
A key security takeaway from Walmart’s chip-and-PIN suit against Visa
Walmart this week accused Visa of not doing everything it can to reduce fraud. The legal action won't likely see resolution soon, but it spotlights an important payment security safeguard consumers can apply immediately.
Consumer Tech Radar
Amazon takes aim at YouTube, Netflix via new video offerings
Amazon this week unveiled its new Video Direct user-generated video service, a direct shot at YouTube, and it also upped the competition with Netflix via new, aggressively-priced streaming video offerings.
Consumer Tech Radar
U.S. carriers near bottom of wireless network performance list
Despite the high price of wireless service in the United States and recent investments designed to improve the 'Big Four' carriers' networks, American consumers still suffer comparatively poor service, according to a new report.
Consumer Tech Radar
Microsoft won’t let you use new Cortana features without Edge or Bing
Microsoft's Cortana, Bing and Edge are now joined at the hip, and the company limited a set of new features in its digital assistant to people who use its own browser and search engine.
Feature
Why enterprise developers could save Windows 10 Mobile
Microsoft continues to bleed mobile market share with Windows 10 Mobile, so why are some enterprise developers betting big on the platform's eventual success in the corporate world.
Consumer Tech Radar
You’re not getting the “blazing speed” your wireless carrier promises. But it doesn’t matter.
A study by Nielsen shows that the vast majority of files downloaded by consumers are so small the network doesn’t have time to hit peak speed.
Consumer Tech Radar