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Consumer Reports Magazine | August

Published: August 2017

Cover Story

Is Now the Time to Get Rid of Cable TV?
CR's latest telecom survey shows that people still don't like big cable companies. For TV viewing, you have lots of alternatives.
• The Many Ways to Watch Television
You now have dozens of options, from antennas to new streaming services.
• Are City-Owned Municipal Broadband Networks Better?
Some of the best-loved Internet providers are owned and run by local governments—but they face opposition.
• How Much Broadband Speed Do You Need?
If you plan to stream more entertainment, you'll need to make sure your internet connection can handle it.
• TV Antennas Make a Comeback
What's not to like about free TV? And it's going to get even better soon.
• New, Cheaper Ways to Watch TV
Thanks to a growing number of streaming services, consumers now have unprecedented TV-watching options.
• The Freedom of Cable-TV Replacement Services
New online TV services are designed to replicate a traditional cable TV package, at a lower cost.
• 6 Ways to Watch HBO
The premium cable network is a harbinger of new ways to watch TV.
• Internet Privacy Policies: Who Has a Right to Your Data?
Consumers say they want more power over how their browsing information is collected and used.
• The Battle for Net Neutrality: Who Should Control Your Access to Content?
The outcome will determine whether your internet provider can play favorites with websites and online traffic.

Special Report

The Positive Impact of Advanced Safety Systems for Cars
The latest car-safety technologies have the potential to significantly reduce crashes.
• Guide to Adaptive Cruise Control
Added intelligence for cruise control.
• Guide to Automatic Emergency Braking
How AEB can put the brakes on car collisions.
• Guide to Blind-Spot Warning
How this technology improves safety by monitoring your vehicle's flanks.
• Guide to Forward-Collision Warning
How FCW can help prevent accidents.
• Guide to Lane-Departure Warning & Lane-Keeping Assist
Explaining how these systems can keep you on the right track.
• Guide to Rear Cross-Traffic Warning and Rearview Cameras
These systems reveal what you would otherwise not be able to see.

Features

What You Don't Know About Homeowners Insurance Could Cost You
You may be paying too much for protection that's not enough.
• How Climate Change Could Affect Your Homeowners Insurance Coverage
Homeowners will ultimately foot the bill for more extreme weather.

Product Updates

The Right Type of Flooring for Every Room in Your Home
Our guide will help you choose the best options for your kitchen, bathrooms, dining room, and more.
• Simple Strategies to Protect Hardwood Floors
When nothing but solid wood will do, take these steps to keep the surface looking its best.

Precise Devices: Fitness Trackers Are More Accurate Than Ever
Knowing how to use one of these gadgets to improve your health is not as simple as 1-2-3.
• Is Your Smartphone or Smartwatch a Good Enough Fitness Tracker?
They count steps accurately but lack some features.

The Best Matching Washers and Dryers
Washer-dryer pairs that cleaned up in Consumer Reports' tests.

Is Whole-Milk Yogurt a Whole Lot Better?
It may not only taste superior to low-fat but also could have more health benefits.

Road Report

2018 Chevrolet Equinox Review
It's a mixed experience, with a roomy but dull interior and a flat-footed engine.

2017 Jeep Compass Review
The all-new model fails to inspire, with torpid acceleration and a bumpy ride.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Review
It delivers more comfort and quiet, and no less frolic.

2017 Mini Cooper Countryman Review
The redesign shines in our tests, but its below-average reliability prediction is still a concern.

Departments

From Our President: Fighting for Fairness on Every Front
Consumer Reports advocates for a digital marketplace all consumers can trust.

Building a Better World, Together
Join with us to make a safer, healthier marketplace.

Selling It
Goofs, glitches, and gotchas spotted by our readers.

The August 2017 issue of Consumer Reports provides recommendations, expert buying advice, and Ratings on hundreds of consumer products. Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services, with more than 7 million print and online subscribers. It conducts the most comprehensive testing programs of any U.S. publication or website, and the company's experts have decades of experience in testing and reporting.

Subscribe here or call 1-800-333-0663. Access updated information and reports at www.consumerreports.org.

Consumer Reports magazine archive

Looking for a special report, investigative feature, or product review from a past issue of Consumer Reports? You can access that information and much more going back to January 2012 in our archive.