consumers

In what could be construed as a shocking development in consumer electronics, flat-screen TV prices are creeping higher, according to data from research firm IHS.

IHS' iSuppli unit, which tracks the electronics supply chain, reports that flat-panel TV prices have climbed 11.4 percent since December 2011. In April, the average price for LCD and plasma TVs was $1,248, $78 higher than four months ago.

That jump may not sound like a lot, but it's the highest four-month spike over the last year. What's causing the price creep? … Read more

A lot of Facebook users seem to be in the dark over how to protect their private information.

Out of the 150 million Facebook users in the U.S., almost 13 million don't use or aren't aware of the site's privacy settings, according to a report published in the June issue of Consumer Reports. Further, 28 percent of the people polled by CR shared all, or almost all, of their wall posts with people beyond their friends.

Consumer Reports uncovered other types of risky behavior among Facebook users.

An estimated 4.8 million people have posted details … Read more

Google continues to up the ante on the money it spends each quarter on Washington lobbying.

The search giant spent a record $5.03 million (PDF) last quarter, according to the company's lobbying report. That figure compares with $3.76 million spent in the fourth quarter and just $1.48 million in 2011's first quarter.

Among the lobbying issues grabbing Google's attention were the regulation of online advertising, privacy and competition issues in online advertising, openness and competition in online services, and International tax reform.

The search giant devoted lobby dollars to HR 1389 - Global Online Freedom Act of 2011, … Read more

Here's something you can thank Steve Jobs for: a fatter electricity bill.

A dive into the data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) spells out what many of us intuitively know: the explosion in the number of computer gadgets and TVs has dramatically shifted the balance of household electricity over the years.

Even the rapid technology change of the Internet revolution can't compare to the always plugged-in lifestyle that's crept up on us through iPods, e-books, smartphones, DVRs, and the like. Electronics represented about 7.2 percent of household electricity use in 2001 and are … Read more

Customers in 38 countries around the world can now download Metro-style apps for Windows 8 from Microsoft's Windows Store. The tech company announced today that it is forging ahead with its goal to "deliver a global service" with its app store.

"We want to support developers regardless of where they are, and give customers apps that match their interests, including local offerings," Antoine Leblond, Microsoft's vice president of the Windows Web Services team, wrote in a blog post.

The Windows Store, which launched in preview mode in February, offers both free and paid apps, … Read more

The Windows 8 Metro Start screen can quickly get overrun with a huge number of tiles, making it hard to find the app you need. How can you manage this mishmash?

Users who have taken the Windows 8 beta for a spin already know that the Metro Start screen poses certain challenges. For every app you install -- Metro or non-Metro -- one or sometimes several tiles are plopped onto the Start screen. Each Web site you pin gets its own Start screen tile. Displaying features such as Administrative Tools adds even more tiles.

Windows 8 is designed with a … Read more

Apple and Australia are still at odds over the branding of a 4G iPad that doesn't support Australia's 4G networks.

Mediation between Apple and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ended today without an agreement on one sticking point -- the actual name used to sell the iPad. The two parties have been trying to hammer out a compromise since late last month when Australia's consumer commission filed a legal action against Apple over the use of the term 4G.

In its grievance, the ACCC has contended that labeling the tablet "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G" in … Read more

Another top retail exec gets the heave-ho -- this time at Best Buy -- and the company says all the right things in a dutiful statement pledging "new leadership" to spur growth and profitability.

Good as far as it went and I'm sure the search committee will try its hardest to land a solid replacement. But even if they combined the DNA from the best retail execs of this -- or any generation -- to conjure up a dream CEO, Best Buy would still need a miracle to avoid the fate suffered by the likes of Good Guys, … Read more

Selling consumer electronics isn't as easy as it used to be for Best Buy. The big-box retailer is closing 50 stores and compensating employees based on customer service after its fiscal fourth-quarter sales fell short of expectations.

The company today reported a fiscal fourth-quarter net loss of $1.7 billion, or $4.89 a share, on revenue of $16.63 billion, up 3 percent from a year ago. That loss includes charges related to Best Buy's decision to buy Carphone Warehouse's stake in Best Buy Mobile partnership. Best Buy also reported a write-off due to Best Buy … Read more