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Skeptical Shopper
Skeptical Shopper
Senior Editor Yardena Arar helps you avoid the gotchas and pitfalls of buying and using technology products.
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Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:00 PM PDT

Preview Your Next Cell Phone--Virtually

You need a new cell phone--but you can't make up your mind which one to get. Sound familiar?

Sprint Palm Centro on TryPhone; click to view full-size image.

Given all the cool handsets around, with new ones coming out all the time, it's no wonder people have difficulty deciding. And all the user and/or expert review sites in the world can't substitute for your own hands-on evaluations--but who has the time to traipse from store to store to play with every model you're considering?

A Web site called TryPhone might help you narrow down the field. It shows large replicas of selected handsets, complete with a few clickable keys that activate the screen and demos for important tasks such as creating a new contact or SMS message. The site also provides user reviews and technical specifications.

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008 10:00 PM PDT

Unlimited Voice Calls: I'm Not Impressed

Four major U.S. cell carriers offer all-you-can-eat voice-call plans, but they're pricey--and the drawbacks abound.

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Wednesday, March 26, 2008 12:00 PM PDT

Tips and Strategies for Last-Minute Travel Planning Online

Today's sophisticated Web-based travel-planning tools can help spur-of-the-moment travelers find great deals.

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Monday, February 25, 2008 10:00 PM PST

For True High-Def Movies, Discs Are Best--for Now

Services for downloading or streaming movies sound great, but not if you're looking for 1080p HDTV content.

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Monday, January 28, 2008 01:00 PM PST

Top Sites for Bargain Hunters

Bargain-finding sites cater to many preferences--and the best have reality checks in the form of user input.

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Wednesday, January 02, 2008 05:00 PM PST

HDTV Delivery Services Vary Widely

Some TV delivery services will deposit your big-screen set only on your doorstep, while others will even take care of installation--for a price.

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Monday, December 17, 2007 01:00 PM PST

TrialPay--Free Stuff With Some Strings

TrialPay lets you get some products for free by agreeing to try out others. But I'd rather pay for the stuff I want.

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Tuesday, October 23, 2007 10:00 PM PDT

Easy Product Returns -- at an Extra Cost?

Worried about buyers' remorse? Some merchants will make it easy to return your purchase--if you pay extra.

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Friday, October 05, 2007 06:00 PM PDT

Same Name, Different Product

It pays to know your specs: Product names don't always tell the whole story.

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007 04:00 AM PDT

Who's Behind That Web Site? Hard to Know

Some self-described consumer sites are actually industry shills--and it's not always easy to tell.

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Monday, July 23, 2007 01:00 AM PDT

Are Tech Salespeople a Dying Breed?

Good sales help is getting increasingly difficult to find--and the latest high-tech substitutes have me worried.

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Thursday, June 21, 2007 01:00 AM PDT

New Sites Ease Travel Planning

Services provide recommendations, companions--even a couch to crash on.

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