Google has reached a tentative settlement with the attorneys general from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico on one of three major antitrust lawsuits against the company for its anticompetitive conduct in the Google Play Store. In July 2021, 37 attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Google alleging that the company used its monopoly power in the Android app market to inflate prices for paid apps and in-app purchases. “No company is too big to play by the rules, including Google,” the attorneys general who led the lawsuit, from the states of New York, California, North... Continue Reading
Posts Tagged With ‘ Computers ’
Remember to check recalls frequently so you can find out about harmful products like this one. Costco is recalling about 350,000 Ubio Labs power banks. It has received three reports of fires, including one on a commercial flight resulting in four reports of smoke inhalation and one report of a minor burn to passengers. This recall involves Ubio Labs power banks, sold in a one- or two-pack. The power banks are black and have the model number PWB1071 printed on the back, and the Costco item number is printed on the package. The item number for the one-pack is 1314518 and the two-pack is 1265470. The... Continue Reading
Unfortunately, September marks the end of summer, which is so sad. Many people, like me, aren’t fans of winter. However, in relation to sales, September is a good time to shop for deals, the Labor Day sales being one reason. Here are recommendations on the September sales from DealNews.com: Summer clothing Deep discounts are expected at many retailers as they want to make room for new fall items. Look for sales up to 80 percent off. Major appliances Labor Day is one of the last sales times of the year when you can reliably expect savings on major appliances. The savings typically range from... Continue Reading
As summer is winding down, you’d think back to school sales would be the best bet for deals. However, it also brings free cookies, tax free shopping, deals on garden tools, and more. Here’s what DealNews.com suggests as the best bargains to look for in August. National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day deals It’s Aug. 4, so look for free cookies and great deals. Back to school supplies These yearly sales are now underway. In addition to deals on color crayons, notebooks, and folders, look for price reductions on backpacks, lunch boxes, clothing, and tech items as well. Tax free items Some states... Continue Reading
Another lithium-ion battery recall reminds us that we need to pay attention to the possible fire hazards with the batteries. VRURC is recalling about 190,000 portable chargers. They can ignite, posing a fire risk. VRURC has received one report of fire during a flight, which injured four flight attendants who had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The recall involves VRURC portable chargers with model number “OD-B7,” which have built-in cables and a built-in wall plug. The model number is printed on the back, and the chargers were sold in black, blue, green, orange, pink, red, and white. The... Continue Reading
It’s hard to believe that the July Fourth sales are coming up. It seems like the Memorial Day sales were just yesterday. July Fourth is a huge shopping holiday in the United States and marks the middle of summer. Look for the sales to begin far in advance of July Fourth. DealNews.com offers these tips for the July sales: Electronics Get up to 70 percent off on electronics on a wide variety of electronics such as photography items, SSDs, monitors, laptops, TVs, phones, smart devices, and other items. Summer clothing Clothing sales make up a large part of the July 4th sales every year so look... Continue Reading

On Saturday, I received a strange email. It said it was from Gastro Health and a new lab result had been entered into my patient portal from my Gastro Health provider. To access my lab results, I was to go to my patient portal. I thought it was a scam. I haven’t had a test done recently related to my digestive system, and my doctor belongs to a practice called Gastroenterology Associates. The next day, I thought I’d write an article warning people about a possible scam. However, when I started doing research, I found that Gastro Health is a private equity firm that purchases the offices of... Continue Reading

Photo: Raysonho My newsletter this week has a lot of helpful information so I’m posting a copy here. You have until May 8 to use Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards and rewards and until May 4 to file a claim for an IKEA settlement. You’ll also find tips on how to save money on gas and a list of some store brands that are better than name brands. I also included in my newsletter what I posted about Thursday: You have to ask at Office Depot to get the online price if it’s cheaper. Although I only saved $3, imagine the millions that Office Depot makes every day by having this price difference... Continue Reading

When I was over by Fred Meyer, I stopped to see if the Canon ink I use was cheaper than what I’ve been paying at Office Depot. I looked at Office Depot’s website to compare its price. Fred Meyer wasn’t cheaper. So, when I went over to Office Depot, I was surprised to see that the store price was more than the online price by $3. I asked one of the sales associates about it and he said to ask for the online price at checkout. I did. And I learned that you have to ask for the cheaper online price. It won’t be given to you automatically. Just another way corporations gouge consumers every... Continue Reading

Earth Day is a good reminder of what to do every day and throughout the year for the health of the planet. I spend a lot of time on it. I know many people do, too. The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Invest in Our Planet. What Americans are doing for planet health Three-quarters of Americans say that they’re particularly concerned with helping the environment as they go about their daily lives, while 24 percent say they aren’t particularly concerned, according to a Pew Research Center survey. However, only one-in-five say they try to live in ways that help the environment “all the... Continue Reading