What would it take for a Google Phone to beat out the iPhone?

If you’re a smartphone or gadget enthusiast, you’ve no doubt heard about the confirmation of the Google Phone. Of course, we’re not talking about a Google Android-powered phone by HTC, Motorola, etc. — but a pure Google branded phone, designed from the ground-up by Google (and so far, rumored to be manufactured by LG).

Though a few people are scratching their head on why Google will compete directly with their customers (such as the recently released Motorola Droid), an updated post from TechCrunch speculated that Google’s upcoming phone will be data or VoIP-only. Regardless if its VoIP-only, it would be immensely interesting to see how a pure Google Phone will disrupt the increasingly competitive smartphone market.

Are you a current iPhone loyalist? Or did you recently signed on to Motorola’s Droid? Although none of the details on what the phone will feature has been revealed, what would it take for you to switch? Do you prefer a touch-screen only phone? Or would you only consider the Google Phone if it has a full QWERTY keyboard? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

9 Ways ISPs Screw You Over

It’s tough to watch TV for more than ten minutes without being begged to switch Internet Service Providers. Indeed, competition for your ISP dollars is so fierce that we often see back to back commercials for different companies that provide nearly identical services. And if you believe the marketing, every ISP offers “blazing fast” speeds, “award-winning” customer service and just about everything short of eternal youth for “only $39.95 per month.” Naturally, such high and mighty promises are cause for some skepticism about what you actually receive. Today we shine the spotlight on 9 ways ISPs do and have screwed customers over, in spite of their bold claims and hefty fees.
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The Best Credit Cards For The Holidays

With the holidays just around the corner, many people are making their lists and checking them twice. One list that should not be neglected this shopping season is a list of the best credit cards for you, depending on what type of shopper you happen to be. The image below will help you decide how to get the most out of your budget and save money just by selecting the right way to pay for your purchases.

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20 Tips to Help Stay Within Your Holiday Budget

We admit it: much advice about holiday shopping is rather simplistic and preachy. Like diet and exercise, holiday shopping is something we all feel comfortable bleating about - even if we aren’t following best practices ourselves. But with so much money at stake, it never hurts to refresh on the fundamentals of intelligent, budgeted holiday shopping. Keep these 20 tips in mind and you’ll escape the holidays without a heart attack-inducing credit card bill in January.

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More Consumer Protection on the Way: The Creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency

It turns out that the Credit CARD Act of 2009 – a series of reforms in the credit card industry aimed at eliminating or mitigating unfair and abusive practices – was only the initial salvo of a legislative campaign aimed at benefiting consumers.

At this point in the economic recession, just about everyone agrees that our financial regulatory system needs a serious overhaul. President Obama is taking an important step with the creation of a new consumer protection agency — the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) — that will be the cornerstone of financial reform.

The proposed agency’s powers and oversight would extend to home mortgages, credit cards, consumer loans, and other consumer credit services. The agency’s first charter would be to create consumer-friendly, uniform disclosure to all home purchase and financing transactions, like ‘good-faith’ estimates and truth-in-lending statements.

The proposed CFPA puts consumer concerns front and center, rather than as a tangential issue. Designed to rule credit and loan institutions, the agency would be a toothier watchdog for financial institutions who are long accustomed to cozy relationships with the institutions meant to regulate them. Such cozy relationships are a big part of our current financial predicament, and the whole reason Obama and Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) are such major proponents of the agency.

BillShrink fully supports the creation of the CFPA. After all, we’re a company dedicated to saving people money by providing apples-to-apples comparisons on costs of their everyday bills.

Bottom line: In the everlasting conflict between big business Goliath and the little David, it’s about time David got some backup.

photo credit: amycgx

Best and Worst Gas Prices

Planning on traveling for the holidays? In the U.S., where you go will affect how expensive a trip by car may be. Here’s a look at where you’ll pay the most for a gallon of gas in the U.S. and the places where it’s cheap in comparison.

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Droid Launch: Is This The Start of The Android Revolution?

With its large, vibrant 3.7 inch WVGA (854 x 480 pixels), the Motorola Droid hits the shelves today, ready for the Android-hungry masses. Beyond its sharp display, the Droid comes with free turn-by-turn GPS, a fast Web browser, 5.0 megapixel camera — the Droid may just yet live up to its buzz and hype.

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Verizon Droid Eris: Officially launching on Friday for $99

It is official, Verizon has announced that the Verizon Droid Eris by HTC will be launching tomorrow, Friday, November 6th. The Droid Eris will launch alongside the Droid by Motorola. (See our Droid vs iPhone Comparison)

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