Cracked iPhone screen? Where to fix it
Apple is loosening its grip on how its products are repaired to give customers more options for fixing cracked screens and other defects on their older iPhones. Under the new policy announced last summer, Apple will begin selling its tools and parts to more independent phone repair shops in the U.S. Apple will expand that to other countries later. Repairs at these shops, though, will be... READ MORE
Congress acts to fight hated robocalls
The Senate approved a bill on December 19 to crack down on robocalls, sending to President Donald Trump a measure meant to combat a persistent and costly problem for Americans. The bill, which Trump is expected to sign, would stiffen enforcement and require that phone companies offer free consumer tools to identify and block scam calls. It also calls for tougher fines when individuals... READ MORE
Keep your cell number safe from hackers
If you’re not familiar with SIM swap fraud, prepare to be terrified. This scam, also known as port-out or SIM splitting fraud, allows criminals to hijack your cell phone number. Once they have your number, the bad guys can clean out your financial accounts, confiscate your email, delete your data and take over your social media profiles. Fraudsters can do all this because many... READ MORE
Best Buy invests in tech for older adults
The nation’s largest consumer electronics chain, known for selling TV sets, cellphones and laptops, is looking to healthcare as a big source of its future growth. Best Buy Co. said last fall that in five years it hopes to provide five million seniors with health monitoring services, which can range from sensors placed throughout a home to a pendant worn around the neck. It currently... READ MORE
Apps can track spending in retirement
When Lauren Lindsay joined a large group of about 20 friends for brunch in Houston recently, things quickly got complicated. “Different people ordered different things, and some had to come and go at different times,” says Lindsay, 49, a financial planner. “And the place wouldn’t do separate checks.” But the friend who organized the brunch had a simple solution, Lindsay... READ MORE
Online thrift shops offer new ways to save
It’s not just eBay anymore. A slew of websites and apps act as virtual thrift stores for vintage devotees, deal hunters and those just looking to unload stuff they don’t want anymore. These sites have proliferated as the recession of a decade ago and the slow comeback in wages since then dramatically altered how people shop. Discounters like T.J. Maxx have been sweeping up, while... READ MORE
Technology 2020
