Consumer Technology

A Door Lock That Opens with a Touch and Other Cool New Stuff

A Door Lock That Opens with a Touch and Other Cool New Stuff

Gary Kaye | March 7, 2014

Super-sharp TVs with nine-foot screens…digital eyeglasses that put the Internet right in front of your eyes wherever you go…cars that…

Help for Slow iPads and Other Devices

Help for Slow iPads and Other Devices

Rod Scher | October 2, 2013

To speed up a sluggish tablet, don’t just put the device into “sleep” mode, as you normally would—instead, shut it…

5 Top Laptops (That Cost Much Less Than a Mac)

5 Top Laptops (That Cost Much Less Than a Mac)

Mark Spoonauer | September 25, 2013

The introduction last year of computers with the new Windows 8 operating system was met with a less than enthusiastic…

Get More from Your eReader

Get More from Your eReader

Michael Kozlowski | September 24, 2013

The Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Sony Reader and other eReaders allow their owners to carry a library of…

New Trend: Sleep-Texting. Why It Happens and How to Stop

New Trend: Sleep-Texting. Why It Happens and How to Stop

David Volpi, MD | September 23, 2013

You’ve heard of sleepwalking and sleep-talking…but have you ever heard of sleep-texting?! No kidding—in this age of the ubiquitous smartphone,…

Easiest TV Remotes

Easiest TV Remotes

Jim Miller | September 11, 2013

It seems like most television remote controls today come with dozens of unnecessary buttons that make them very confusing to…

The Simplest Smartphones

The Simplest Smartphones

Jim Miller | August 8, 2013

If you’ve been toying with the idea of upgrading from a basic cell phone to a smartphone with Internet capabilities…

How to Win Sweepstakes on Facebook and Twitter

How to Win Sweepstakes on Facebook and Twitter

Carolyn Wilman | August 1, 2013

Tricks from the Contest Queen Sweepstakes have entered the Internet era—entries are submitted online through company Web sites or, increasingly,…

Attention Consumers: Fight Back with Facebook (and Twitter)

Attention Consumers: Fight Back with Facebook (and Twitter)

Natalie Petouhoff, PhD | July 19, 2013

Fix problems fast with the phone company, airlines, retailers and more When United Airlines baggage handlers broke Dave Carroll’s guitar,…

How Not to Ruin Your Flat-Panel TV

How Not to Ruin Your Flat-Panel TV

Stephen Rhoades | June 11, 2013

Dust and fingerprints can detract from a flat-panel TV’s picture quality — and improper cleaning can cause permanent damage. Traditional "tube"…

3D TVs and Seizures

3D TVs and Seizures

Norman Saffra, MD, FACS, FAAO | June 6, 2013

How badly do you and other members of your household want one of those cool new 3D televisions? Do you…

How to Make a YouTube Video That Goes Viral (And Maybe Even Makes Money)

How to Make a YouTube Video That Goes Viral (And Maybe Even Makes Money)

Kevin Nalty | May 3, 2013

The video Web site YouTube is now the Internet’s second-most-used search engine, trailing only Google. A popular video will attract…

10 Great New Gadgets

10 Great New Gadgets

Nilay Patel | March 14, 2013

A watch that gets e-mails…a fork that helps you lose weight…and much more One of the most notable trends at…

Best Smartphone Navigation Apps

Best Smartphone Navigation Apps

Wayne Cunningham | March 13, 2013

Easier to use than the ones that come with your phone Over the past decade, devices to help drivers and…

Lost a High-Tech Car Key?

Lost a High-Tech Car Key?

Ronald Montoya | January 24, 2013

How to Replace It for Hundreds Less Hardware stores used to copy car keys for just a dollar or two.…