Cell Plan Extra Charges: Why and What You Can Do

Your cell-phone plan supposedly costs $39.99 a month, say, yet your cell-phone bill usually runs to $52 or so. Here's a quick rundown of the reasons and some remedies.

Many of the major extras are beyond your control, at least as a subscriber. The biggest bite is from state and local sales taxes. Your telecom bills are typically taxed by those jurisdictions at the same rate as other goods and services, and those rates, to say the least, show no signs of going down. (There used to be a 3-percent federal excise tax—in place since 1898 to pay for the Spanish-American war—but it was repealed in 2005.) There's also a state fee for e-911, the location-based technology that helps emergency responders find you when you dial 911 from your cell phone; you may also have to pay a separate 911 fee to your municipality for having access to those emergency responders.

Carriers also tack an assortment of administrative and regulatory surcharges onto bills to defray the costs they incur when they interface with other networks in the course of providing service, as well as other incidentals. One such fee that's attracted attention lately is one, amounting to a dollar or two a month, that reflects the carriers passing along to consumers their contributions to what's known as the Universal Service Fund, which subsidizes phone carriers operating in remote or sparsely populated areas. With more than $7 billion now in the Fund, the Federal Communications Commission has just capped a portion of it. (If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed, you can see the FCC's press release on the cap on Universal Service here.) But the cap's impact on consumer fees is unclear, since the Fund still requires replenishment to remain at its current level.

But some extras that are swelling your bills are well within your control. Here's a rundown of some, and how to quell them:

New Blu-ray DVD players—one for under $300

While the latest Blu-ray players from several major brands aren't doing anything to lower the price barrier for Blu-ray ownership, Magnavox has introduced the first sub-$300 model, which is selling at Wal-Mart.

However, many models, including the Magnavox, are Profile 1.1 players that offer BonusView (picture-in-picture) capability, but not the Internet-access capability (called BDLive) of Profile 2.0 players. Even at lower prices, we still believe that holding off a bit longer—when fully featured players are both more plentiful and cheaper—makes the most sense for the majority of us. (Find other helpful buying advice in our "How to choose a high-def DVD player.")

But these all-inclusive players are now on the way. For example, Panasonic's newest standalone player is a Profile 2.0 model, and Samsung's new standalone model, a Profile 1.1 player, can be upgraded later this year to meet the Profile 2.0 specifications.

The down side, however, is that these players are still relatively expensive: $400 for the Samsung model, and $700 for the Panasonic. With the exception of the new Maganavox, the least expensive new Blu-ray players, even those from secondary brands, are $350. It's possible, though, that the introduction of the Magnavox model will put pressure on those second-tier brands manufacturers to get their player prices below $300.

Magnavox: Under $300 at Wal-Mart

The new Magnavox model, made by increasingly busy contract manufacturer Funai, has been sighted at Wal-Mart at a retail price of $298. The player, model NB500MG9, is a BonusView model that features 1080p/24 output (which sends film-base video at its native 24 frames-per-second rate to a TV or projector that can accept it; therefore, no conversion—3:2 pulldown—is needed to match the video to a TV’s 60 fps display). The Funai website has the owner's manual for the NB500MG9 (You'll need Adobe Acrobat, however.) if you'd like to see all of its features.

Get Your Exercise Shopping for Wii Fit

Nintendo wants you up off your sofa and working it with the new Wii Fit ($89). But it could be awhile before your exercise program begins. As with the Wii console, it's looking like the Fit (Click on images for closer looks.) will be a tough purchase.

A check of several online retail outlets, including Game Stop, Wal-Mart, and Amazon, led us to messages like "not for sale," "temporarily out of stock," and "preorders sold out." If you started shopping extra early, you may have been lucky enough to have bought a coupon for $5 to $10 that guaranteed you a Fit. Those seem to be sold out now, although double-checking with your local retailer may not be a bad idea. Once the product is launched on May 19, check frequently both online and in stores. If Wii sales are any indication, retailers will get shipments and quickly sell out, so you'll need to hit the right store at the right time.

At the very least, sign up with Best Buy, Circuit City, or another store for e-mail notification of availability.

You'll double your challenge if you're pumped for the Fit but don't yet own a Wii console. It's still hit or miss when you walk into most retail stores, and sites like Best Buy don't sell it at all online. You'll have better luck if you don't mind shelling out about an extra $100 for a bundle that includes several games. Retail price for the Wii console alone is $250. Think about grabbing one now if you can, before demand for the Fit diminishes supplies even more.

Meanwhile, in the U.K., where the Fit has already been on sale since April, it looks like demand remains high. We were able to find a few units of the Fit at Amazon's U.K. site and several online stores, while others were sold out. But don't exercise notions of buying from one of these U.K. outlets. They probably won't ship to the U.S., and besides, we saw them selling for almost double the U.S. price at about 95 pounds, or $170.

We'll be testing the Wii Fit for its health benefits in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on Consumer Reports.org and on Consumer Reports Health for our findings. For an early look, check out this Wall Street Journal review.

—Donna Tapellini

LG and Samsung get the red out; new HDTVs sport crimson colors

With a host of fine-performing, piano-black HDTVs on the market, LG Electronics and Samsung are the latest manufacturers to introduce sets that try to stand out with stylistic flair. Both brands are launching new flat-panel models imbued with red color accents. Since some LCD sets from both brands have done well in our recent Ratings, available to subscribers , the new models promise to be more than just pretty faces, with performance to complement their stylish designs.

LG promotes “Scarlet” fever
LG’s new LG 60 Series—code-named “Scarlet”— features a super-slim profile and red-colored back and side panels. The TV line was launched with a splashy—and fake—ad campaign that promised a new TV series, named Scarlet, starring a young Hollywood ingénue and a big gala premiere, but was actually pitching a new series of TVs.

The new 60 Series sets will be offered in 32-, 37-, 42-, 47- and 52-inch screen sizes with 1080p resolution and 120Hz technology that doubles the TV's frame rate to reduce motion blur. They boast new “Intelligent Sensor” technology, which claims to automatically adjust the TV’s brightness, sharpness, color and tint to match the surrounding light in a room. The sets also have a new “invisible” speaker system—located inside and behind the TV’s bezel—and use LG’s Clear Voice technology, which boosts certain frequencies to help keep dialogue audible when background noise increases.

The 60 Series sets start shipping this month, at prices ranging from $1,700 to $3,800. Later this summer, new thinner (1.7-inch) 42- and 47-inch versions will be available, at a price to be disclosed closer to launch.

Samsung adds a Touch of Color
The new Samsungs use the Touch of Color (TOC) design announced at CES, which uses an injection molding process to infuse subtle red colorations into the material of the bezel itself. The effect is a reddish glow embedded into the semi-transparent piano-black finish of the bezel.

The TOC design is included in Samsung’s Series 6 (650) and Series 7 (750) LCDs, which feature 1080p resolution (except for the 17- 19- and 22-inch models), 120Hz technology (all models 40 inches and larger), and InfoLink networking, which provides RSS feeds of news, weather, sports and other content from USA Today directly to the TVs (no computer is required). The sets also include USB 2.0 with WiseLink, which provides access to, and management of, digital images and music stored on flash drives, camcorders or portable media players.

Both 6- and 7-series LCD TVs will work with a $35 wireless accessory, called Wireless LinkStick, designed to provide wireless access to the InfoLink RSS feature, supposedly obviating the need for an Ethernet connection.

Series 7 LCD TVs include several step-up features not found in 6-series models, including internal flash memory loaded with content, such as high-def artwork, cooking recipes and children’s game, and WiseLink Pro, which can play MPEG-4 and DiVX files as well as digital photos and MP3 music files. The 7-series TVs are also compliant with the Digital Living Network Alliance (DNLA) protocol.

Series 6 models are available in 19-, 22-, 31.5-, 39.9-, 45.9- and 52.2-inch screen sizes, with prices ranging from $480 to $3,200. The Series 7 sets, which launch this month, are available 39.9-, 45.9- and 52.2-inch screen sizes, at suggested retail prices of $2,600, $3,200 and $3,500, respectively.

The Touch of Color is also extended to Samsung’s Series 6 650 plasma line, which is offered in 50-, 58- and 63-inch screen sizes at prices ranging from $2,600 to $5,000. The 1080p sets include invisible speakers, WiseLink, Anynet+ (Samsung’s name for HDMI-CEC single-remote control of components) and 4 HDMI inputs.—James K. Willcox

Wireless data relief: Spelled W-i-M-a-x?

Net access over cell networks is still slower than with a home broadband connection, even on faster third-generation (3G) cellular data networks like EV-DO (Verizon and Sprint Nextel) and HSDPA (AT&T and T-Mobile). And those speedier networks aren't yet available in all metro centers, let alone in many rural areas. Laptop owners and those with advanced cell phones like the iPhone can get their broadband via Wi-Fi hotspots, but those are highly local, and so don’t really offer broadband access on the go.

Hoping to capitalize on these shortcomings, this week a coalition led by Sprint, Nextel, and Intel announced support for a more potent flavor of Wi-Fi called mobile WiMax. Based on the IEEE 802.16e wireless standard, mobile WiMax offers data speeds comparable to Wi-Fi (that is, about 5 to 10 times faster than today's cell data networks). WiMax also offers much greater range; indeed, some even think WiMax might one day replace cable or DSL as the home broadband access of choice.

But before you start salivating too much for a WiMax fix, consider the following issues that may yet trip up this promising technology—which, by they way, has been simmering in the wireless community for about a decade.

PC tech support: Apple shines, say our readers

Which computer company is tops in terms of free tech support? Don't expect it to be anyone on the Windows side of the computer world.

Our latest survey on computer tech support, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center and drawn from our readers' personal experiences with 10,000 desktop and laptop computers, finds that Apple owners have much to smile about. Apple's tech support was able to solve Mac problems more than 80 percent of the time, according to those surveyed who used Apple's support.

Overall, however, the news isn't stellar when it comes to using tech support to fix annoying computer problems. According to those surveyed, problems were solved for only about 60 percent of those who actually had to contact a manufacturer for help. What's more, many computer makers' free technical support policies end in a year or less. (One notable exception is, again, Apple. Free phone support runs out after 90 days, but you can get unlimited support at Apple stores—if you live near one.)

As such, salesmen will try to pitch an optional, extra-cost "extended" service plan. Our general advice is to skip such pricey extended service warranties. But if you absolutely need the hand-holding or know you'll travel everywhere with your laptop, you might want to consider one—especially since our latest report on extended service plans for computers (available to subscribers) finds that a few companies' extended plans do offer significantly better tech support compared to their limited free services.

ConsumerReports.org subscribers also have online access to more information, including which laptop tech support and desktop tech support scored among the lowest in our readers' satisfaction (Hint: It's a top-selling computer maker) and how to get free computer help.

Digital picture frames: Models for Mother’s Day

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and if you're struggling to come up with the perfect gift idea, here's a suggestion: A digital picture frame. With prices for these frames dropping and more big-name players like HP and Samsung entering the market, now's a good time to pick one up for your Mom.

We recently tested 10 frames that measured 7 or 8 inches diagonally. The five best had very good picture quality. Among that group, our top picks include two newer models from major names—the HP df800, $140, a CR Best Buy, $170, and the Samsung SPF-83V, $190—along with the Smartparts SyncPix SPX8, $180.

[UPDATE: May 9, 2008: As one of our readers noticed, the price of the HP df800 (seen above) has changed to $170. Also, we've posted on ConsumerReports.org the complete, updated report on digital picture frames. Our latest Ratings (available to subscribers) contains information on 10 new models, including the HP df800. It's no longer a "CR Best Buy" due to the price change, but it remains one of our three recommended digital picture frames. (Also available to subscribers only.) —Ed.]

All have internal memory, so you can store photos in the frame and return the memory card to your digital camera, as well as a USB port for transferring pictures directly from your computer. Each works with a wide range of memory-card types. The HP and Smartparts include a remote control. With its WiFi feature, the Samsung allows you to view pictures wirelessly from a networked computer. The Smartparts uses a motion sensor to automatically turn on and off.

To see your photos at their best, look for a frame that's eight inches in size and has a resolution of 800x600. Avoid widescreen frames as they may distort your images. Also watch out for frames with glass over the screen, which can create glare.

Online subscribers can check our full Ratings of digital picture frames and other CR-recommended models, both of which we'll be updating soon to reflect the new models.

—Donna Tapellini

Are you ready for green TV?

Flat-panel TVs, especially plasma TVs, consume a good deal of power—perhaps more than your fridge, as we found when we tested the power consumption of a range of TV types recently. But how much do you care about that?

We ask because some TV manufacturers, when they gather at events like the Consumer Electronics Show, say that energy consumption and other green considerations aren't yet a high-priority concern for a critical mass of consumers. And that, they say, makes them reluctant to compromise on attributes that are clear consumer priorities, like low prices and bright screens, in order to boost greenness.

Yet greener computers and monitors have entered the market. Why? In part because the federal government buys millions of those products every year and insists that 95 percent of them meet environmental standards set by EPEAT—the Electronics Product Environmental Assessment Tool. The standards stipulate that desktops, laptops, and monitors contain fewer toxins like lead and mercury, be Energy Star-qualified, and contain recyclable or reusable parts, among other criteria. Some of the greener models developed to meet EPEAT's stipulations are available to consumers, too; the program's website has a searchable list.

Currently, EPEAT standards are being considered for TVs. But since the Feds don't buy many TVs, the incentive to create the standards wouldn't be there the way it is for computers. Our advocacy colleagues at Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, believe it will be key to have other big purchasers and retailers engage in the development of the standards.

Of course, the biggest driver in all of this is you, the consumer. Are greener TVs on your radar? Would you trade off other attributes, like screen size or price, to get a greener set? Tell us what you think.

Rules on DTV converter coupons might ease, but expiration date stands

As the rollout of digital converter boxes for next year's conversion to all-digital TV continues, the federal government is considering loosening some eligibility requirements for subsidies on the boxes. But other beefs from consumers and consumer groups remain unaddressed.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the agency administering the distribution of $40 coupons to offset the typical $50 to $70 cost of the boxes, is considering allowing nursing home residents and consumers who use post-office boxes to apply for the coupons, as our colleagues at Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, are reporting on hearusnow.org.

But the agency isn't budging on the expiration of the coupons after 90 days. CU and other groups complain that this is a potentially bigger issue, because there are still relatively few converter boxes in stores, few have the analog pass-through feature some consumers want, and none are as yet priced at $40 or less, meaning consumers must bear some out-of-pocket cost.

We've reviewed three coupon-eligible boxes without the analog pass-through feature and one, a Philco product, that has it. All did a decent job, but you might have to tinker with your setup to get optimal results.

For more helpful advice and links to other DTV resources on the Web, check out our Digital TV Transition information center on ConsumerReports.org.

Low-cost Blu-ray players: Still not so low

With prices for entry-level Blu-ray players still hovering near the $350 mark, we've been anticipating the arrival of the first Blu-ray players from second-tier brands, presumably at lower prices than the major brands.

Based on first models slated to arrive, however, that's not going to happen, at least immediately. For example, Funai, a low-cost Japanese manufacturer that controls the Emerson, Sylvania and Symphonic brands in the U.S., is readying the debut of a Sylvania-brand Blu-ray player, which should arrive in a few weeks. Amazon.com is now taking pre-orders for the player, and it's priced at $350—not the bargain we imagined. And Best Buy will begin selling an Insignia-brand Blu-ray player—presumably manufactured by Funai, which makes standard-def DVD players for the retailer—on June 9th, at the same $350 price.

These prices are higher than we anticipated, particularly since Funai said at CES in January that a Sylvania model would be available this spring for less than $300. (This link takes you directly to an Adobe Acrobat version of the company's official press release.)

So we still think you should wait just a bit longer before buying a Blu-ray player. But getting a lower price is only one of the reasons. The other is that the Blu-ray technology is still evolving. For example, the Sylvania player is a so-called "Profile 1.1 model," with Bonus View (picture-in-picture) capability, but not Internet connectivity (BD-Live), a feature that will be included in upcoming Profile 2.0 players. We imagine that the Insignia model will also be a Profile 1.1 model. So far, the Sony PlayStation 3 game console is the only Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player available (and then via a firmware upgrade), although Panasonic is readying the release of the first Profile 2.0 stand-alone player, the DMP-BD50. (Click on the image above for a closer look.) That player doesn't yet have a price, and its launch is still four to six weeks away.

We fully expect Blu-ray prices to drop later this year, as the market becomes more competitive. By waiting just a few more months, you'll likely get not just a better price, but also a player containing all the features Blu-ray is capable of delivering.

—James K. Willcox

AT&T to pro-rate early termination fees for cell-phone contracts

In another sign of the growing consumer power in the cell phone marketplace that we reported last January, AT&T has joined Verizon in pro-rating its $175 early termination fee, a major thorn in the side of respondents to our latest survey of cellular service providers (available to subscribers).

But three other big wireless service providers, Alltel, T-Mobile, and Sprint, have yet to deliver on their promises to do likewise this year. Those providers still ding you for up to $200 if you cancel your cell phone contract before its full term is up. Consumer advocates including Consumers Union, Consumer Reports' parent organization, consider such flat fees to be unjustified, since consumers continually repay the cost of a low-priced or "free" cell phone with a portion of their bill each month.

AT&T's plan is similar to Verizon's. For both, there is no cancellation fee for the 30-day trial period at the beginning of a new cell phone contract, during which new customers can quit the service if they're dissatisfied. Thereafter, the $175 fee on one- and two-year contracts is reduced by $5 for each month you stay with the service.

Two promising new non-iPhones

Cell phones with iPhone-like design are garnering most of the attention as manufacturers begin to roll out their 2008 models. But we're also impressed with some conventional handsets that are taking more original, if not subtler, steps toward better cell-phone design. Here are two of them:

LG enV2 by LG. The original enV, with its tiny, hard-to-see keypad didn't impress us much when it debuted a more than a year ago. But, based on an initial look, this second incarnation, available this month from Verizon for $130 with a 2-year contract, seems to have fixed the problem. For one thing, the keypad is wonderfully large—roomy enough to accommodate the widest thumbs. It's also noticeably thinner and smaller, measuring just 4 in. x 2.13 in.  x 0.65 in. (For a closer look at the enV2, click on the image at right and the one immediate below.)

Like the old enV, it opens up like an eye-glass case to reveal a 2.4-in. screen, stereo speakers, and full QWERTY keyboard to satisfy heavy texters and multimedia addicts (though the keys did appear to be a tad more narrow than those on the original). Other niceties include support for GPS navigation and stereo Bluetooth headsets.

(Complete details of the original LG enV are found in our Ratings of cell phones, both available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers.)

Motorola MOTO Z9. GPS navigation, while flourishing on the Sprint and Verizon networks, has not been an option for most AT&T customers, save for a select group of smart-phone users (that doesn't even include owners of the iPhone, which lacks true GPS). That changes with the Motorola MOTO Z9, available now from AT&T for $250 with a 2-year contract. (Click on the image at right for a closer look.)

This GPS-enabled phone, which is compatible with AT&T's 3G data network, has a large, 2.4-in display that promises comfortable viewing of real-time, turn-by-turn directions offered by the extra-cost service. The Z9 is also compatible with AT&T's Video Share, which lets you stream live, one-way video of your special moments to another compatible phone. You can also download content directly music from eMusic and sideload tunes from Napster To Go. Other features include support for microSD cards up to 8GB and stereo Bluetooth headsets.

—Mike Gikas

HD DVD buyers get some relief

If you're one of the unfortunate souls who succumbed to the lure of a low-priced HD DVD player instead of a more expensive Blu-ray model, take heart: Several major consumer electronics retailers are offering refunds and credits that could help mitigate your pain over the demise of the HD DVD format.

Now that Circuit City's offer—full store credit for the return of a player—has expired, the best remaining deal we've seen is from Wal-Mart, which similarly offers to refund the full sales price of an HD DVD player to customers who purchased a player on or after November 1st, 2007. You need to have the sales receipt and return the player to the store, but you don't need the original packaging. But act soon, as the offer expires April 30th. A company spokesperson told me Wal-Mart is considering some other promotional high-def offers, but they'll probably be later this spring due to the current short supply of Blu-ray players on the market.

At both Amazon and Best Buy, you can get a $50 store credit, and don't even have to return the HD DVD player (you're essentially getting $50 for the trauma of backing the wrong format). At Amazon, those who purchased an HD DVD player directly from the online retailer (and not one of its third-party affiliates) prior to February 23, 2008 are receiving emails with a promotional code for a $50 credit good toward future Amazon purchases. The code is valid through April 9, 2009.

Best Buy's deal—a $50 store gift card— applies to those who purchased an HD DVD player (or an HD DVD add-on for the Xbox 360) before Feb. 23, 2008. The retailer said it's proactively identifying those customers through its Rewards Program, extended service plan documentation and BestBuy.com purchases, and will mail gift cards automatically by May 1st. Others can call Best Buy (1-888-BestBuy), as long as you have a Best Buy receipt or credit-card information to serve as proof of purchase. The offer appears to be good through the end of the year.

If you're a two-time high-def loser—you not only bought an HD DVD player, but got it from a retailer who isn't participating in a return program—Best Buy still feels your pain. The company is accepting HD-DVD player trade-ins, regardless of where it was purchased, via Best Buy's online trade-in center. Though the offer isn't as generous as a full refund, at least it's something you could use toward the purchase of a Blu-ray player. To find out what you'd get for your HD DVD player, visit the Best Buy online trade-in site at https://www.bestbuytradein.com/bb/. And Best Buy customers can essentially double-dip, accepting the $50 gift card, and then trading the player in for additional store credit.

—James K. Willcox

Philco TB100HH9: A DTV set-top box with analog pass-through

With the clock marking the DTV transition ticking more loudly every day, we're starting to see more converter boxes showing up in stores. We recently posted First Look reviews of three boxes—the $50 Magnavox TB100MW9, the $60 Insignia NS-DXA1, and the $60 Zenith DTT900. Now we've just completed our preliminary tests on one of the first boxes with "analog pass-though" capability, the Philco TB100HH9.

Analog pass-through can be an important feature for households in areas served by so-called "low-power" broadcasters. Though all full-power stations are required to broadcast only digital signals as of February 17, 2009, the low-power broadcasters can continue analog broadcasts, at least for the time being. Since the converter box does not include an analog tuner, you will have to continue using your TV's built in analog tuner to pick up these stations. A converter box with analog pass through will not only put digital programs on the RF antenna output to the TV (channel 3 or 4), but will also pass along traditional analog antenna signals as well. For more information, check out "The DTV Transition: The low-down about analog pass-though."

Kids turned cybercriminals

You might know this kid. He's as young as 12 or 13, not all that popular in school. He spends a lot of time online. You figure he's playing World of Warcraft, constantly refining his MySpace pages, or maybe hanging out in Habbo, a virtual world popular with kids. But he may also be wreaking havoc on social networking sites, selling a veritable supermarket full of his own malware, and creating packages of phishing tools.

"These kids are obsessed with phishing," said Chris Boyd, director of malware research for Facetime Communications during a presentation at the RSA Conference, here in San Francisco. They don't see phishing as a problem, Boyd says, because they typically start out stealing large numbers of MySpace pages, then move on to stealing a few PayPal accounts—but for a lot more money.

Today's young hackers consider themselves stars of the cyberworld, not aware or not caring that what they're doing is illegal. "For these kids, it's a game, a hacker version of American Idol," Boyd said. "But the TV show they're really on is America's Most Wanted."

RSA 2008: Only you can prevent cyber-attacks

Ira Winkler looks like a guy with a lot on his mind. And rightly so. After all, he helped orchestrate a hack of a power company, at the request of the company itself, which wanted to test its defenses. It took Winkler, who is president of the Internet Security Advisors Group, and his team just a day to break in. If he'd wanted to, he could potentially have turned out the lights on the power company's customers—or worse, since this company ran a nuclear reactor.

Obviously, the company's defenses did not hold up well. What was most striking was how easy it was for Winkler and his team to break in. One step in accomplishing the task involved tricking employees into clicking on an e-mail that downloaded malicious code onto their work computers.

"There is a major storm brewing that is receiving insufficient attention from the government," Winkler said.

RSA Conference: Assessing online threats

I'm attending the RSA Conference in San Francisco—billed as the "world's largest security conference and expo"—where security software maker Symantec today revealed a few of the latest online threats, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff offered a few insights into what the federal government is doing to protect U.S. cyberspace.

The biggest threat to your personal data, according to Symantec, comes from the loss of laptops, hard drives, and USB drives, which accounted for 57 percent of the data loss outlined in the company's latest Internet Security Threat Report, released today. In addition, 70 percent of the malicious code unleashed in the last six months of 2007 was meant to steal confidential information. Finally, the creation of malicious software is now outpacing the creation of "good" programs, said Steve Trilling, vice president of Symantec Research Labs.

All this stolen information ends up in an underground marketplace that works just like a legitimate economy, Trilling said. Stolen eBay accounts go for about $8, e-mail passwords for $30, credit cards for as little as 40 cents, and bank accounts for up to $1,000 or so, depending on how much money is in the account. Interestingly, the virtual world is one of the most lucrative. A stolen World of Warcraft account can be worth 100 times more than a credit card.

Send in the iClones

Last week at CTIA 2008, the biggest tradeshow in the U.S. devoted to cell phones and other things wireless, key manufacturers Samsung, LG, and Sony Ericsson didn't even try to deny that the upcoming models they eagerly trotted before us bore a strong resemblance to the iPhone.

The newcomers unabashedly borrowed from Apple's hit multimedia smartphone in looks and ergonomic design. Like the iPhone, the Samsung Instinct, the Sony Ericsson X1 (click on the image at right for a closer look), and the LG Vu have a large, dark touch screen (about 3-in. measured diagonally) framed by a shiny metallic edge. Their interfaces, though distinct, all provide a quick way to jump in and out of their many functions, from phone calling and text messaging to media playback and Web browsing. And like the iPhone, if you select the wrong application icon, pushing a home key brings you right back to the main menu.

Pending our thorough tests of these pending pretenders, we can't say how well they stack up against their inspiration. But used briefly on the tradeshow floor, their performances seemed quite impressive, and some even add useful features the iPhone lacks.  Here are my first impressions:

DTV converter coupons: It's now or never

Use 'em or lose 'em. That's the bottom line with the $40 government coupons (seen at right) for buying digital converter boxes. Coupons expire 90 days after issue, and if you haven't used them by then, you're out of luck. You can't request a replacement.

That's a growing concern for consumers who rushed to request coupons earlier this year to ensure they didn't miss out on the program. They're anxious to buy a converter box before the coupon expires, but there are few models now in stores, and all cost more than $40, requiring shoppers to foot part of the bill. There will be $40 boxes this summer, but that's no help for those who need to redeem a coupon before then.

We just checked the websites for Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, and Wal-mart, and found that each had one or two boxes. Of the boxes listed, all but two cost $60; only Wal-mart had lower-priced models, for $50 and $53. With these four retailers, you can't buy the boxes online; they're available only in retail stores, or by phone from Radio Shack (877-773-8848) and Best Buy (877-229-3889).

XM-Sirius Merger: What it might mean for you

Last week, the Department of Justice granted rivals Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio permission to merge. If the Federal Communications Commission also grants permission in the coming months, as many expect, there could be a single, integrated satellite-radio company by 2009.

Consumers Union, our parent organization, and other industry stakeholders are continuing, however, to fight the merger. Such critics reject the companies' assertions that the merger would be in the consumer interest and say it violates anti-monopoly safeguards the FCC put in place about a decade ago as conditions for the satellite-radio operating licenses.

To help bolster support for the merger, both XM and Sirius have posted the fees and channel lineups they say would be in place after the merger is approved.

The new plans aim to deliver on the consumer benefits the companies promise will result from a merger. But our look at the proposals suggests the pluses generally come with tradeoffs or depend on some as-yet-unanswered questions.