07/26/04 |
Help! I'm stuck in a TTL and I can't get out!
The telephone torture loop--or "TTL"--is attacking consumer help lines, subjecting us all to unnecessary anguish and humiliation. Nancy explains how you can escape.
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04/02/04 |
Gateway to customer: Want a refund? Sue us!
Four years ago, Karl Immermann bought a Gateway PC. He had nothing but trouble with it. So he asked for a refund. That's when the trouble really started. Nancy A. Feldman explains what happened next.
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03/10/04 |
How a custom PC can come with some very alien payment policies
Many gamer and enthusiast PC makers will charge your credit card as soon as you place an order, unlike mainstream vendors that debit your card only when the computer ships. Here are a few things you should know about this policy¡Xand your rights--before you click the Buy button.
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02/11/04 |
Streaming isn't stealing
If you legally purchase and download digital audio, you can transfer it to MP3 players and burn it to CDs. But if you find a way to stream those tunes across your home Wi-Fi network, you're a lawbreaker. Why do the technology and entertainment industries want to put you in an orange jumpsuit?
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05/16/03 |
In matters of privacy, whom do you trust?
Rik Fairlie explains what "trusted computing" is and how new technologies may affect computer privacy, security, and fair use.
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04/08/03 |
Good ways to beat bad ad tactics
The ad promises an unbeatable deal, but the actual selling price online is higher. What can you do?
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03/10/03 |
Searches rank revenue over relevance
The first results from search engines will be paid ads. Here's what you need to know to get real results.
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02/10/03 |
Protect your fair-use rights
In this issue of Consumer Alert, Rik Fairlie tells why you should support a bill that's designed to protect consumers' rights to copy media.
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09/06/02 |
Print prudently with recycled cartridges
Remanufactured inkjet cartridges cost at least 30 percent less than those sold by printer makers. Is there any reason not to buy?
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06/26/02 |
Fending off auction fraud
Online bidders lost millions of dollars in 2001. Editor Rik Fairlie can help make sure you're not a victim this year.
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05/29/02 |
Toxic technology
It's not PC to trash your old PC. Editor Rik Fairlie see what some companies are doing to encourage consumers to recycle their old computers.
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05/01/02 |
Living with DSL
California is leading the charge in helping frustrated consumers address service complaints. Editor Rik Fairlie has the details.
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04/17/02 |
The need for speed?
PC makers are trying to sell you systems stoked with more power than you can use, says Editor Rik Fairlie.
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04/03/02 |
Terms of ensnarement
The language in software agreements is perplexing enough. Editor Rik Fairlie thinks vendors shouldn't complicate them further with inexplicable actions or
statements.
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03/06/02 |
Protect your fair-use rights
Don't let the record labels run roughshod over your right to digitally duplicate the music you own. Editor Rik Fairlie reports on the fight to protect your right to copy and write CDs.
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02/06/02 |
Integrity is integral
Correct pricing, adequate availability, and balanced user reviews are issues that online shoppers care about most. Unfortunately, that's not what we always get, says Editor Rik Fairlie.
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01/09/02 |
To the rescue: online shopping watchdogs
Editor Rik Fairlie reports on two nonprofits are keeping an eye on online shopping sites. Also: shopping tips and tricks.
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12/07/01 |
Tech support tips for tough economic times
Editor Rik Fairlie describes how knowing tech support methods can help you get better service in the age of company cutbacks.
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