The People's Lawyer Consumer News Alert
Center for Consumer Law
  Volume 98 Number 4

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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day

Your landlord may have an obligation to make repairs to your apartment, but you must first give him written notice. To see what rights you have as a tenant,

 Click here for more.


Rumor: Apple Interested in Beats by Dre

According to industry insiders, Apple is set to buy headphone maker Beats by Dre for $3.2 billion. If the deal happens, it will be the largest (by far) for a company known for its own innovation.



The deal is a potentially interesting one for Apple, as it has continuously missed the mark on its own headphones. With a Beats deal in place, Apple could give away Beats headphones with its products.



In addition to headphones, Beats also operates a subscription-based music streaming service like Spotify and Pandora. Although Beats doesn't release subscription information, estimates put its subscription number at a fraction of its competitors.



Is Apple wise to purchase Beats by Dre? Do some analysts believe the move to be a mistake?

 Click here for more.


Apple Bug Leaves Emails Vulnerable

If you use an Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod, you probably think your email is secure as long as your phone is locked. It isn't! Recently, a security expert found a major privacy flaw in many popular Apple products that allows anyone in possession of the mobile device to access its files.



The discovery is particularly alarming because email files were supposed to be encrypted. That is, even if a hacker bypasses a device's security, emails should only be visible as a jumbled mess of letters and numbers. Unfortunately, it appears they come through crystal clear.



Do you send and receive sensitive emails? Until Apple closes the security hole, you may want to switch to traditional web mail.


 Click here for more.


Apple Set to Release iPhone 6 Early

Are you still plugging away on your old iPhone 4 anxiously awaiting the release of the iPhone 6? Since most contracts span two years, many consumers skip a generation when upgrading their smartphones.



Rest easy. As your screens crack and buttons fall off, the end may be closer than previously expected.



How much earlier than expected will the iPhone 6 hit the shelves?


 Click here for more.


Your Money

Should you convert to a bi-weekly payment schedule?
 Click here for more.


For the Lawyers

Credit card fees are not unconstitutional.

The Ninth Circuit held that cardholders do not have a claim that fees imposed by the issuer violate substantive due process. The court noted that the jurisprudence developed to limit punitive damages in the tort context does not apply to contractual penalties, such as the credit card fees at issue.
Click here for more.

 

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