Price of stamps to go up 3 cents

The price of a stamp will go up 3 cents in January.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A panel overseeing the U.S. Postal Service approved a three-cent hike from the current price of 46 cents. It will take effect on January 26.

That includes a one-cent increase -- to keep pace with inflation -- approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission last month. At the time, the cash-strapped Postal Service had sought the three-cent bump.

Related: USPS to rent mail vans

The additional two cents are intended to be temporary and to recoup losses the Postal Service suffered during the recession, the commission said.

It said the Postal Service must regularly report how much money the increase brings in and "develop a plan to phase out the rates once they have produced the revenue justified by their request."

Related: Postal Service delivers Amazon packages on Sunday

But the agency is in deep trouble with the shift away from mail and to the Internet. It reported a $5 billion loss in the most recent fiscal year, and a $16 billion loss in 2012. Those losses include expensive contributions to retiree health care required by Congress.

The Postal Service has considered paring back mail delivery and expanding the more profitable package delivery to bring in more revenue.

Related: Postal Service would love to ship you beer

Customers who purchase forever stamps before the new price takes effect will continue to pay 46 cents.

--CNNMoney's Jen Liberto contributed to this report.

First Published: December 24, 2013: 5:49 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

25 apps you should download right now

VSCO cam is the best one-stop shop for photo taking, photo editing, photo organizing and photo sharing

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Sure, you know about Facebook (FB, Fortune 500), Twitter (TWTR), Instagram, Pandora (P), Yelp (YELP), Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) Maps and Netflix (NFLX). But what about the rest?

Lucky for you, we have some recommendations.

Whether you want new apps, essential apps, or apps specific to your new iPhone, iPad or Android device, we got you covered.

5 new apps

Ridiculous Fishing - There are very few games that are truly and uniquely suited for smartphones. Ridiculous Fishing is one of them. [iOS, Android, $3]

Dots - It's like Candy Crush, but better. [iOS, Android, Free]

Vine - Twitter's (TWTR) strange little video-sharing app is still figuring out exactly what it is, but it's growing legion of experimenters are beginning to answer that question. [iPhone, Android, Free]

Hangouts - After years of amassing Gmail chatters, Google FINALLY created a truly unified, cross-platform messaging solution for all its products. It also means iPhone users' days of using horrible third-party apps are over. [iOS, Android, Free]

VSCO cam - VSCO cam technically debuted in 2012, but the second generation of the app has been so thoroughly overhauled that it's essentially a whole new app. It's the best one-stop shop for photo taking, photo editing, photo organizing and photo sharing. [iPhone, Android, Free]

Related: Tips for getting started with your new mobile gadget

5 cross-platform apps

Snapchat - The self-destructing photo and video sharing app first appeared last year, but it wasn't until the second half of this year that the service really hit its stride. The fun is undeniable. [iPhone, Android, Free]

WhatsApp - This may not be the BEST chatting or texting app, but you won't find a service on more devices, used in more countries, with more active users. [iPhone, Android, Free]

SoundCloud - If you mixed the old MySpace Music with Twitter, you'd end up with SoundCloud. And it's so much better than it sounds. Follow your favorite artists, labels, publications or users, and every time they upload new music to their profile, it ends up in your music stream. This is radio for a new era. [iOS, Android, Free]

Dropbox - There's a very good chance that if you're using a cloud service, it's Dropbox. There's also a good chance that's what your friends are using too. Might as well have your account within tapping distance on your phone. [iOS, Android, Free]

Kindle - The Kindle app is not only the best and most flexible way to consume e-books on your phone or tablet, but is also great for reading other documents including PDFs. [iOS, Android, Free]

5 apps for iPhone

Google Search - Once upon a time this was maybe the most worthless app Google offered for an Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) device. But once Google baked in its voice recognition technology and its Google Now predictive search, it's a must-have. Neither feature is quite as good as you'd find on a device like the Nexus 5 or Moto X, but it's close. [Free]

Fantastical 2 - If you don't like the stock calendar app on iOS 7 (and many don't), Fantastical may be the substitute that meets your needs. [$2 for a limited time]

Level - Level automatically sets up a daily, weekly and monthly budget for you, and then quickly and simply keeps you updated on your spending habits. [Free]

Mailbox - If you happen to be a mailbox zero devotee, you won't find a better mail client. [Free]

Figure - There is no easier way to make yourself sound like a musical genius when you have 10 minutes to kill. [$1]

5 apps for Android devices

1Weather - There's not really a great default weather experience baked into Android, so 1weather offers the best combination of usable information and clean design. [Free]

Google Now Widget - Google Now's contextual/predictive search is baked into the default search app that comes preloaded on most Android devices. But sticking the widget on your home screen gives you the info you want before you even know you want it. [via Android home screen]

SwiftKey 4 - Once you get the hang of it, gesture-based keyboards are faster and more accurate than tapping at the screen. And, though Android has its own default solution, Swiftkey is still the best of the bunch. [$2]

Aviate - The stock Android home screen is pretty good, but if you're looking for something different, give Aviate a try. It's certainly cleaner than anything you'd find on phone from Samsung, LG, or Sony. [Free]

Car Widget - If you commute to work every day, you should not be navigating your way through the normal Android UI. Car Widget puts the apps you need front and center. [Free]

5 apps for iPad

Paper - Hands down the best consumer-facing app for drawing, painting and sketching. It doesn't do everything under the sun, but it does what it does extremely well. [Free]

iA Writer - This is a no-nonsense word processor that provides minimal distractions. [$5]

Traktor DJ - If you've ever wanted to try your hand at DJing, but didn't want to drop a small fortune on the gear, just download this app and call it a day. [$10]

How to Cook Everything - Tablets are excellent aids in the kitchen and there are few books on cooking better than Mark Bittman's opus. [$10]

Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP - Infinity Blade III might be the most technically impressive iPad game, but even three years after its release, Sword and Sworcery is the most original and engaging iPad game you'll encounter. [$2]

First Published: December 24, 2013: 2:11 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

Target credit card hack: The latest

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The discount retailer acknowledged on late last week that the hack began on Black Friday and stretched more than two weeks to December 15.

Here's what we know:

-- The breach: Malware on store point-of-sale systems was involved in the security breach. The company is cooperating with federal authorities, including the Secret Service and Department of Justice, and is withholding additional details at the request of law enforcement.

-- Where did it happen: The hack was limited customers shopping in U.S. and Canadian Target (TGT, Fortune 500) stores with credit and debit cards. Online purchases were not involved.

-- What got stolen: Hackers stole customer names, credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates and card security codes, Target said. PIN numbers, other customer information like Social Security numbers, and employee records were not compromised, according to Target.

-- Target customers: The company has notified "millions" of affected customers for whom Target has email addresses. CEO Gregg Steinhafel said "the cause of this issue has been addressed and you can shop with confidence at Target."

-- Banks: Target also notified credit and debit card issuers, many of which said they were monitoring customer accounts for fraudulent activity. Chase initially set low daily withdrawal and spending limits on its cards, though it adjusted those limits late Monday.

-- Lawsuits: At least two dozen federal class action lawsuits have been filed in a handful of states alleging the retailer was negligent and did not adequately protect customer privacy.

-- State AGs: Target said its legal team held a conference call with most states' attorneys general on Monday afternoon.

-- More fallout: Target has hired a private firm to review its information security and two U.S. senators called for consumer protection agencies to investigate.

-- What you should do: Consumer watchdogs say customers should check their credit card statements, including for small purchases that could indicate fraudsters are verifying an account is still active. Customers should also contact their banks to request a replacement card -- if one isn't already on the way -- and change their PIN.

-- How to contact Target: Customers concerned about the breach could call Target, and customer service teams would be available on Christmas, Snyder said. The company said additional information would be available at corporate.target.com, by phone at 1-800-440-0680, and on Twitter @Target.

First Published: December 24, 2013: 2:58 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

25 apps you should download right now

VSCO cam is the best one-stop shop for photo taking, photo editing, photo organizing and photo sharing

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Sure, you know about Facebook (FB, Fortune 500), Twitter (TWTR), Instagram, Pandora (P), Yelp (YELP), Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) Maps and Netflix (NFLX). But what about the rest?

Lucky for you, we have some recommendations.

Whether you want new apps, essential apps, or apps specific to your new iPhone, iPad or Android device, we got you covered.

5 new apps

Ridiculous Fishing - There are very few games that are truly and uniquely suited for smartphones. Ridiculous Fishing is one of them. [iOS, Android, $3]

Dots - It's like Candy Crush, but better. [iOS, Android, Free]

Vine - Twitter's (TWTR) strange little video-sharing app is still figuring out exactly what it is, but it's growing legion of experimenters are beginning to answer that question. [iPhone, Android, Free]

Hangouts - After years of amassing Gmail chatters, Google FINALLY created a truly unified, cross-platform messaging solution for all its products. It also means iPhone users' days of using horrible third-party apps are over. [iOS, Android, Free]

VSCO cam - VSCO cam technically debuted in 2012, but the second generation of the app has been so thoroughly overhauled that it's essentially a whole new app. It's the best one-stop shop for photo taking, photo editing, photo organizing and photo sharing. [iPhone, Android, Free]

Related: Tips for getting started with your new mobile gadget

5 cross-platform apps

Snapchat - The self-destructing photo and video sharing app first appeared last year, but it wasn't until the second half of this year that the service really hit its stride. The fun is undeniable. [iPhone, Android, Free]

WhatsApp - This may not be the BEST chatting or texting app, but you won't find a service on more devices, used in more countries, with more active users. [iPhone, Android, Free]

SoundCloud - If you mixed the old MySpace Music with Twitter, you'd end up with SoundCloud. And it's so much better than it sounds. Follow your favorite artists, labels, publications or users, and every time they upload new music to their profile, it ends up in your music stream. This is radio for a new era. [iOS, Android, Free]

Dropbox - There's a very good chance that if you're using a cloud service, it's Dropbox. There's also a good chance that's what your friends are using too. Might as well have your account within tapping distance on your phone. [iOS, Android, Free]

Kindle - The Kindle app is not only the best and most flexible way to consume e-books on your phone or tablet, but is also great for reading other documents including PDFs. [iOS, Android, Free]

5 apps for iPhone

Google Search - Once upon a time this was maybe the most worthless app Google offered for an Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) device. But once Google baked in its voice recognition technology and its Google Now predictive search, it's a must-have. Neither feature is quite as good as you'd find on a device like the Nexus 5 or Moto X, but it's close. [Free]

Fantastical 2 - If you don't like the stock calendar app on iOS 7 (and many don't), Fantastical may be the substitute that meets your needs. [$2 for a limited time]

Level - Level automatically sets up a daily, weekly and monthly budget for you, and then quickly and simply keeps you updated on your spending habits. [Free]

Mailbox - If you happen to be a mailbox zero devotee, you won't find a better mail client. [Free]

Figure - There is no easier way to make yourself sound like a musical genius when you have 10 minutes to kill. [$1]

5 apps for Android devices

1Weather - There's not really a great default weather experience baked into Android, so 1weather offers the best combination of usable information and clean design. [Free]

Google Now Widget - Google Now's contextual/predictive search is baked into the default search app that comes preloaded on most Android devices. But sticking the widget on your home screen gives you the info you want before you even know you want it. [via Android home screen]

SwiftKey 4 - Once you get the hang of it, gesture-based keyboards are faster and more accurate than tapping at the screen. And, though Android has its own default solution, Swiftkey is still the best of the bunch. [$2]

Aviate - The stock Android home screen is pretty good, but if you're looking for something different, give Aviate a try. It's certainly cleaner than anything you'd find on phone from Samsung, LG, or Sony. [Free]

Car Widget - If you commute to work every day, you should not be navigating your way through the normal Android UI. Car Widget puts the apps you need front and center. [Free]

5 apps for iPad

Paper - Hands down the best consumer-facing app for drawing, painting and sketching. It doesn't do everything under the sun, but it does what it does extremely well. [Free]

iA Writer - This is a no-nonsense word processor that provides minimal distractions. [$5]

Traktor DJ - If you've ever wanted to try your hand at DJing, but didn't want to drop a small fortune on the gear, just download this app and call it a day. [$10]

How to Cook Everything - Tablets are excellent aids in the kitchen and there are few books on cooking better than Mark Bittman's opus. [$10]

Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP - Infinity Blade III might be the most technically impressive iPad game, but even three years after its release, Sword and Sworcery is the most original and engaging iPad game you'll encounter. [$2]

First Published: December 24, 2013: 2:11 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

Target credit card hack: The latest

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The discount retailer acknowledged on late last week that the hack began on Black Friday and stretched more than two weeks to December 15.

Here's what we know:

-- The breach: Malware on store point-of-sale systems was involved in the security breach. The company is cooperating with federal authorities, including the Secret Service and Department of Justice, and is withholding additional details at the request of law enforcement.

-- Where did it happen: The hack was limited customers shopping in U.S. and Canadian Target (TGT, Fortune 500) stores with credit and debit cards. Online purchases were not involved.

-- What got stolen: Hackers stole customer names, credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates and card security codes, Target said. PIN numbers, other customer information like Social Security numbers, and employee records were not compromised.

-- Target customers: The company has notified "millions" of affected customers for whom Target has email addresses. CEO Gregg Steinhafel said "the cause of this issue has been addressed and you can shop with confidence at Target."

-- Banks: Target also notified credit and debit card issuers, many of which said they were monitoring customer accounts for fraudulent activity. Chase initially set low daily withdrawal and spending limits on its cards, though it adjusted those limits late Monday.

-- Lawsuits: At least two dozen federal class action lawsuits have been filed in a handful of states alleging the retailer was negligent and did not adequately protect customer privacy.

-- State AGs: Target said its legal team held a conference call with most states' attorneys general on Monday afternoon.

-- More fallout: Target has hired a private firm to review its information security and two U.S. senators called for consumer protection agencies to investigate.

-- What you should do: Consumer watchdogs say customers should check their credit card statements, including for small purchases that could indicate fraudsters are verifying an account is still active. Customers should also contact their banks to request a replacement card -- if one isn't already on the way -- and change their PIN.

-- How to contact Target: Customers concerned about the breach could call Target, and customer service teams would be available on Christmas, Snyder said. The company said additional information would be available at corporate.target.com, by phone at 1-800-440-0680, and on Twitter @Target.

First Published: December 24, 2013: 2:58 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

Price of stamps to go up 3 cents

The price of a stamp will go up 3 cents in January.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A panel overseeing the U.S. Postal Service approved a three-cent hike from the current price of 46 cents. It will take effect on January 26.

That includes a one-cent increase -- to keep pace with inflation -- approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission last month. At the time, the cash-strapped Postal Service had sought the three-cent bump.

Related: USPS to rent mail vans

The additional two cents are intended to be temporary and to recoup losses the Postal Service suffered during the recession, the commission said.

It said the Postal Service must regularly report how much money the increase brings in and "develop a plan to phase out the rates once they have produced the revenue justified by their request."

Related: Postal Service delivers Amazon packages on Sunday

But the agency is in deep trouble with the shift away from mail and to the Internet. It reported a $5 billion loss in the most recent fiscal year, and a $16 billion loss in 2012. Those losses include expensive contributions to retiree health care required by Congress.

The Postal Service has considered paring back mail delivery and expanding the more profitable package delivery to bring in more revenue.

Related: Postal Service would love to ship you beer

Customers who purchase forever stamps before the new price takes effect will continue to pay 46 cents.

--CNNMoney's Jen Liberto contributed to this report.

First Published: December 24, 2013: 5:49 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fundamental index funds: Great players, wrong game

(Money Magazine)

Ever since, these "fundamental indexers" have waged a public debate with Vanguard founder Jack Bogle and other passive-investing purists over what an index fund is.

That argument distracts from the true advantages of fundamental index funds. Like traditional indexes, fundamental indexing calls for owning most of the stocks in the market, instead of picking individual issues. But rather than holding shares in proportion to a company's total market value, the new funds weight them based on attributes such as earnings, dividends, or valuations.

As a result, their portfolios tilt toward value stocks, or shares that are cheap relative to profits or assets.

Related: What to invest in next year

"And all the evidence we have seen is that there is a value premium" -- that is, an extra return for value stocks -- says Paul Kaplan of the fund research group Morningstar.

They also skew to smaller stocks, which likewise outperform over long periods. (Says who? Eugene Fama, for one; he just won the Nobel in economics.)

Purists cry foul. "Anytime you depart from the market, you're an active manager," says Bogle.

Here's the thing, though: Even if you think this is another form of active stock picking, it turns out fundamental funds may be the best possible way to do that. Arnott now argues that "we're more of a threat to active management than to cap-weighted indexing, because investors are more likely to be deeply disappointed with their active managers."

For example, PowerShares FTSE RAFI U.S. 1000 ETF (PRF), which tracks Arnott's strategy, gained an annualized 18.7% over five years, beating the S&P 500 and 91% of all active large-cap funds. Similarly, WisdomTree Earnings 500 (EPS) and WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings (EES) beat more than 60% and 90% of their respective active peers.

How? In addition to their tilts, these funds enjoy a cost edge. WisdomTree Earnings 500 charges 0.28% of assets, a percentage point less than the average active fund. It also trades infrequently, cutting transaction costs.

Related: Balance out a lopsided index fund

So if you want to dabble in active funds for a shot at outperformance, consider using a fundamental fund instead.

A portfolio half in an S&P 500 indexer and half in an average active large-cap fund would have returned 15% annualized over the past five years. Had that active stake been in the PowerShares fund, you'd have earned about two points better a year. That's a fundamentally sound result.

First Published: December 23, 2013: 4:35 PM ET

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Got a job at age 70, do I pay into Social Security again?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Yes. Even though you're already collecting, you'd have to pay Social Security taxes: 6.2% of your earnings on wages up to a cutoff that will be $117,000 in 2014, says AARP's Jonathan Peterson, author of Social Security for Dummies.

Some good news: Because you are beyond your full retirement age of 66, working won't reduce your benefits. (In years before your full retirement age, benefits would be cut by $1 for every $2 you earn over an exempted amount -- $15,480 in 2014 -- although you'd get that money later as a higher benefit.)

Related: Does quitting at 63 affect my Social Security?

Your new work may boost your future benefits, which are based on your top 35 years of earnings. But any bump is likely to be noticeable only if you haven't already had 35 years of earnings.

First Published: December 23, 2013: 4:43 PM ET

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Lawsuits piling up on Target over hack

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Just days after acknowledging a massive hack of customer credit card data, Target is facing several lawsuits. And more could be on the way.

Customers in California, Oregon and Rhode Island have filed purported class actions in federal courts, alleging Target was negligent and did not protect their card information.

Target (TGT, Fortune 500) said last week that 40 million credit and debit card numbers, expiration dates and security codes had been stolen. It said it was cooperating with law enforcement and had contracted a private investigation firm. Target also said it began notifying banks, as well as "millions" of customers directly for whom it had email addresses.

It provided little information about how the hack took place until Monday, when spokeswoman Molly Snyder said investigators were looking at "malware that affected Target's point-of-sale system in our U.S. stores." She said the company was withholding additional details at the request of law enforcement.

Related: Which is safer, credit or debit?

Plaintiffs in California and Oregon alleged Target "failed to implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices."

Robert Ahdoot, a lawyer for the California plaintiffs, said he spoke to customers who claimed unauthorized ATM withdrawals had been made from their accounts.

"Target has an obligation to provide adequate security for the financial information they collect," Ahdoot said.

The Rhode Island suit also alleged negligence, and claimed customers would not have purchased from Target if they knew of the breach, which lasted from Black Friday through mid-December but was not disclosed until last week.

Snyder, the Target spokeswoman, said the company doesn't "comment on pending litigation."

Related: 4 things to do after your card has been hacked

Filing the suit is the first step but a judge would have to certify that affected customers constitute a "class."

A class action is "a different animal in legal work" from other types of cases, said Anne Bremner, a defense lawyer who has handled many such cases.

Judges would consider whether members of the class were similarly damaged; whether the plaintiffs are typical of and can adequately represent the class; and whether individual lawsuits would be impractical.

Target, she said, could choose to argue the plaintiffs haven't shown they were damaged by the breach.

"You can't just sue because something happened," Bremner said. "You have to have a claim and a damage."

And additional suits against Target could be filed in coming weeks, including some in state courts. Judges could decide to consolidate these and others into an individual lawsuit against the retailer.

First Published: December 23, 2013: 4:54 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cracker Barrel reverses decision to pull Duck Dynasty products

Phil Robertson, patriarch of the Robertson family and the "Duck Commander."

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The popular Duck Dynasty television show and Duck Commander products took center stage in a controversy over comments made by Phil Robertson. As patriarch of the family and founder of the company, he stars in the A&E reality show based on his Louisiana life and company.

Cracker Barrel (CBRL), a chain of over 600 Southern-themed restaurants and stores, said Friday it "removed selected products which we were concerned might offend some of our guests while we evaluate the situation."

Two days later, it had evaluated the situation.

"Our intent was to avoid offending, but that's just what we've done," the company announced. "Today, we are putting all our Duck Dynasty products back in our stores."

It cited messages of support, including on social media, for Robertson, a hunter who is known as the Duck Commander and for 40 years has sold the duck calls he designed.

"You told us we made a mistake," Cracker Barrel said. "And, you weren't shy about it."

Within hours, a version of the announcement posted to Facebook had been shared tens of thousands of times.

Related: Duck Dynasty is a retail powerhouse

Cracker Barrel's website doesn't list the calls, which look like whistles and retail on the Duck Commander website for between $10 and $150. But Cracker Barrel does sell t-shirts, a talking keychain and camouflage jelly beans with the Duck Commander logo. It also stocks Robertson's autobiography, his wife's cookbook and a mug bearing his catchphrase: "Happy happy happy."

Jeff Eller, a spokesman for Cracker Barrel, said products with the television show branding had been pulled but were now in stock again. He said stores offer a broader selection of Duck Dynasty products than does the website.

Robertson stirred controversy with comments he made in a GQ interview about homosexuality, bestiality and race.

A&E said he was indefinitely suspended from the show, but did not clarify what that meant for the announced January debut of a fifth season. It said the fourth season premiere had nearly 12 million viewers, making it the no. 1 nonfiction series in cable history.

First Published: December 22, 2013: 4:49 PM ET

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More