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CNET
13 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Isn't the Card I Fell in Love With Anymore. Here's Why I'm Moving On
Chase will offer 1.25% boosted redemption on travel through October 2027. Viva Tung/CNET For a while, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card* was CNET's best travel card. And it's been a favorite in my wallet -- until now. Sadly, Chase recently removed my beloved 25% boosted redemption rate when booking travel through Chase Travel℠, which is why I applied for the card in the first place. Chase's Ultimate Rewards portal lets you redeem your points for travel, gift cards, experiences and even shopping. But I mainly redeem my points in the portal for flights and hotels. Chase replaced it with a Points Boost program, which offers a higher per-point value than the 25% bonus, but only for specific flights and hotels that can periodically change. If you redeem for any other, nonboosted, flight or hotel, you'll receive only 1 cent per point. While the other card benefits are sticking around, like the $50 hotel credit and the 10% anniversary bonus points, the new rewards program makes the card less valuable than it was with the previous 25% redemption bonus. I'm not thrilled about Points Boost. It might even push me to swap cards. Let's walk through the program and figure out if the Chase Sapphire Preferred is still worth it. What is Chase's Point Boost program? The new Points Boost program went into effect last month. However, any points earned before Oct. 26, 2025, can be redeemed under the previous rewards program for the next two years. But any points earned after Oct. 26 will be valued at up to 1.5 cents per point on select flights and hotels, and up to 1.75 cents per point on premium flights. However, the boosted offers will change. That can mean good savings if you're booking a first-class flight or find a good deal on a hotel, but the promise of a flat 1.25-cent redemption value regardless of the day or form of travel was an easy way for me to secure value. I'm glad I'll have two years to use my points as I have been. Points redeemed during this time will qualify for the Points Boost program, too. That gives some time to compare the value and savings. Why I'm not excited about Chase's Points Boost Chase's Point Boost feels like gambling for a travel deal. You may spend more points for the same deal you could get for less. Here's how the math shakes out. If I book an economy round-trip flight from Charlotte to New York's LaGuardia airport, I'll spend $179 or 14,316 points booking through the Chase portal. But if those points were redeemed at only 1 cent, I'd need 17,900 points. If I'm lucky enough to score a Points Boost offer that lets me redeem points at 1.5 cents per point for the flight, I'll need fewer points: 11,933. But the big question is, Will the offer apply when I'm ready to book, since offers are limited and can change? Where once there was certainty in landing a good deal, it now feels like it's up to Chase's whims to decide when I can earn more value and when I'll miss out. The Chase Sapphire Reserve's new annual fee doesn't make it worthwhile, either The Chase Sapphire Reserve®* is Chase's premium travel card, and though it may seem like the next best choice if you're not happy with the CSP's changes, think again. The Sapphire Reserve could be worthwhile if you use the myriad of perks and annual credits attached to its steep $795 annual fee, but the Points Boost changes will apply to the CSR, too. Seeing that I'll run into the same problem with my points, the card's benefits and annual fee don't make sense for my wallet. I'm not breaking up with Chase yet, but it's complicated Although I don't like the new Points Boost program, it's not all bad. For example, I like that Marriott is a Chase travel partner, and I'm a fan of the card's travel insurance perks. But I'm on the fence. So is my colleague Evan Zimmer, a CNET money editor who's covered credit cards for eight years. He typically uses the Chase portal to book flights and has been able to score some savings. But he's not certain of his future with the CSP. "I'll keep the card for the foreseeable future, but the redemption changes certainly are making me reconsider it," he said. "I'll probably wait to see if I notice a big difference in savings." I'll likely do the same, but in the meantime, I'm shopping for new cards that are a better fit for my wallet and have a better redemption value than what Chase will give me, like the Capital One Venture X and the American Express Gold Card.
CNET
02-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
This is Your Last Day to Claim a Piece of Apple's $96 Million Siri Settlement: Here's How
If you're eligible for a settlement payout from Apple, make sure you sign up by July 2. Viva Tung/CNET As useful as they -- sometimes -- can be, virtual assistants can often be just as annoying, especially if you've ever called one up by mistake. If you're an Apple user who's had that sort of issue with Siri in the last decade, I've got a settlement you should know about. Apple customers may be eligible for a payout from a $96 million class-action settlement if the Siri virtual assistant was accidentally activated during a private conversation. However, if you want your payout for this privacy invasion, you'll need to make sure you sign up soon. The deadline to file a claim now less than a week away, and after that you'll be out of luck. Apple agreed to the settlement after being sued for allegedly allowing Siri to listen in on private conversations without consent. Now, a claims website is live, and if you meet the criteria, you could get a piece of the payout. Whether you're a longtime iPhone user or just want to see if you're eligible, here's everything you need to know before the window closes. The settlement period covers a full decade and given the ubiquity of Apple products, there's a good chance you'll be eligible for a piece of the payout. If you meet the eligibility standards, you can claim a payment for up to five Siri-enabled devices, with a cap on how much you can receive per device. We'll get into the specific amount a little bit later. The impact of this settlement has the potential to be wide-ranging, given the reach of Apple's product ecosystem. According to a Business of Apps report from November, citing company and market research data, there were roughly 155 million active iPhones in the US as of 2024, a number that's been steadily increasing since the product's debut. Similarly, active Apple TV streaming boxes in the US have also been increasing year to year, with more than 32 million active in the US as of 2023. To find out if you're eligible for this settlement, read on. For more, find out what's up with the recent delay of T-Mobile data breach settlement checks. Who sued Apple and why? This class-action lawsuit, Lopez et al v. Apple Inc., was first brought against Apple in 2019, with plaintiffs alleging that they were routinely recorded by their Apple devices after unintentionally activating the Siri virtual assistant, violating their privacy in the process. They further alleged that these recordings were then sold to advertisers and used to target them with ads online. Specific incidents mentioned in the suit include plaintiffs seeing ads online for brands like Air Jordan and Olive Garden after Apple device users discussed them out loud. In some instances, plaintiffs claimed that their devices began listening to them without them having said anything at all. At least one plaintiff involved in the case was a minor when it was first filed. Though it agreed to the settlement, Apple hasn't admitted any wrongdoing. "Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning," Apple said in a statement sent to CNET. "Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose. Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private." Who is eligible for this class-action settlement? The eligibility requirements for this settlement are fairly broad, as it's open to anyone who owned a Siri-enabled Apple device between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024. In order to opt in, you'll have to swear under oath that at some point during that period, you accidentally activated Siri on each device you want to get a payment for, and that these activations occurred during a conversation meant to be private. Siri-enabled devices include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, Apple TV streaming boxes, HomePod speakers and iPod Touches. How can I opt in to this Apple settlement? As of Thursday, May 8, a website has been launched where Apple customers can claim a portion of the settlement, if they believe they qualify. If you're looking to submit a claim, you have until July 2, 2025, to do so. It's not clear at this time when payments will be disbursed to approved claimants but it will surely be sometime after Aug. 1, 2025, when a final approval hearing is scheduled. How much can I get from the class-action settlement? Payments per device are to be capped at $20, although depending on how many people opt in to the settlement, claimants could receive less than that. Each individual can only claim payments for up to five devices, meaning the maximum possible payment you could receive from the settlement is $100. For more on Apple, see why a majority of users don't care for Apple Intelligence and find out which iOS setting can stop apps from tracking you.
CNET
28-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
Supplemental Security Income July 2025: Here's When Your Money Is Coming
Getty Images/Viva Tung/CNET Supplemental Security Income recipients didn't receive a check in June, and that's because it was sent on the last day of May this year due to the payment date falling on a weekend. The typical schedule is back in July, with payments being sent out shortly. We'll tell you when below. Supplemental Security Income is a program designed to help individuals with low income or resources, or those with qualifying disabilities. The application process can take time and requires several pieces of information to determine if you qualify, but once approved, monthly payments will be sent as long as you're still eligible. There's also a cap on how much you can receive in SSI money each month, which depends on your income and resources. Whether you're about to apply or just trying to find out more about SSI, we'll lay out the payment schedule for the rest of 2025. For more, don't miss how to apply for Social Security benefits. Read more: Social Security Has a 'Maddening' New AI Phone Bot. Here's How to Deal With It The SSI payment schedule for 2025 Here's when you can expect to receive your SSI payments for the rest of 2025: Tuesday, July 1 Friday, Aug. 1 Friday, Aug. 29 (for September) Wednesday, Oct. 1 Friday, Oct. 31 (for November) Monday, Dec. 1 Wednesday, Dec. 31 (for January 2026) Since July 1 falls on a Tuesday this year, the payment will be sent out right on schedule. Will other Social Security benefits come early? No. For the most part, each Social Security benefit has a straightforward schedule, with only a couple of instances where it can differ from the typical timetable. For your reference, the Social Security payment schedule for June is below. If you've received Social Security before May 1997 July 3 If your birthday falls between day 1 and 10 of the month July 9 If your birthday falls between day 11 and 20 of the month July 16 If your birthday falls between day 21 and 31 of the month July 23 For more, don't miss how your Social Security benefits can be suspended if you do one of these things.
CNET
28-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
Apple's $96 Million Siri Settlement Closes In Days. Chances Are Good You Could Be Eligible
If you're eligible for a settlement payout from Apple, make sure you sign up by July 2. Viva Tung/CNET As useful as they -- sometimes -- can be, virtual assistants can often be just as annoying, especially if you've ever called one up by mistake. If you're an Apple user who's had that sort of issue with Siri in the last decade, I've got a settlement you should know about. Apple customers may be eligible for a payout from a $96 million class-action settlement if the Siri virtual assistant was accidentally activated during a private conversation. However, if you want your payout for this privacy invasion, you'll need to make sure you sign up soon. The deadline to file a claim now less than a week away, and after that you'll be out of luck. Apple agreed to the settlement after being sued for allegedly allowing Siri to listen in on private conversations without consent. Now, a claims website is live, and if you meet the criteria, you could get a piece of the payout. Whether you're a longtime iPhone user or just want to see if you're eligible, here's everything you need to know before the window closes. The settlement period covers a full decade and given the ubiquity of Apple products, there's a good chance you'll be eligible for a piece of the payout. If you meet the eligibility standards, you can claim a payment for up to five Siri-enabled devices, with a cap on how much you can receive per device. We'll get into the specific amount a little bit later. The impact of this settlement has the potential to be wide-ranging, given the reach of Apple's product ecosystem. According to a Business of Apps report from November, citing company and market research data, there were roughly 155 million active iPhones in the US as of 2024, a number that's been steadily increasing since the product's debut. Similarly, active Apple TV streaming boxes in the US have also been increasing year to year, with more than 32 million active in the US as of 2023. To find out if you're eligible for this settlement, read on. For more, find out what's up with the recent delay of T-Mobile data breach settlement checks. Who sued Apple and why? This class-action lawsuit, Lopez et al v. Apple Inc., was first brought against Apple in 2019, with plaintiffs alleging that they were routinely recorded by their Apple devices after unintentionally activating the Siri virtual assistant, violating their privacy in the process. They further alleged that these recordings were then sold to advertisers and used to target them with ads online. Specific incidents mentioned in the suit include plaintiffs seeing ads online for brands like Air Jordan and Olive Garden after Apple device users discussed them out loud. In some instances, plaintiffs claimed that their devices began listening to them without them having said anything at all. At least one plaintiff involved in the case was a minor when it was first filed. Though it agreed to the settlement, Apple hasn't admitted any wrongdoing. "Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning," Apple said in a statement sent to CNET. "Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose. Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private." Who is eligible for this class-action settlement? The eligibility requirements for this settlement are fairly broad, as it's open to anyone who owned a Siri-enabled Apple device between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024. In order to opt in, you'll have to swear under oath that at some point during that period, you accidentally activated Siri on each device you want to get a payment for, and that these activations occurred during a conversation meant to be private. Siri-enabled devices include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, Apple TV streaming boxes, HomePod speakers and iPod Touches. How can I opt in to this Apple settlement? As of Thursday, May 8, a website has been launched where Apple customers can claim a portion of the settlement, if they believe they qualify. If you're looking to submit a claim, you have until July 2, 2025, to do so. It's not clear at this time when payments will be disbursed to approved claimants but it will surely be sometime after Aug. 1, 2025, when a final approval hearing is scheduled. How much can I get from the class-action settlement? Payments per device are to be capped at $20, although depending on how many people opt in to the settlement, claimants could receive less than that. Each individual can only claim payments for up to five devices, meaning the maximum possible payment you could receive from the settlement is $100. For more on Apple, see why a majority of users don't care for Apple Intelligence and find out which iOS setting can stop apps from tracking you.
CNET
25-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
Apple's Privacy Settlement Deadline Is Almost Here. Make Sure You Sign Up in Time
If you're eligible for a settlement payout from Apple, make sure you sign up by July 2nd. Viva Tung/CNET Nobody wants to be eavesdropped on, but for Apple users who accidentally triggered Siri, that's exactly what happened. Apple customers may be eligible for a payout from the $96 million class-action settlement if the virtual assistant was accidentally activated during a private conversation. However, if you want your payout for this privacy invasion, you'll need to make sure you sign up soon. The deadline to file a claim is only a week away, and after that you'll be out of luck. Apple agreed to the settlement after being sued for allegedly allowing Siri to listen in on private conversations without consent. Now, a claims website is live, and if you meet the criteria, you could get a piece of the payout. Whether you're a longtime iPhone user or just want to see if you're eligible, here's everything you need to know before the window closes. The settlement period covers a full decade and given the ubiquity of Apple products, there's a good chance you'll be eligible for a piece of the payout. If you meet the eligibility standards, you can claim a payment for up to five Siri-enabled devices, with a cap on how much you can receive per device. We'll get into the specific amount a little bit later. The impact of this settlement has the potential to be wide-ranging, given the reach of Apple's product ecosystem. According to a Business of Apps report from November, citing company and market research data, there were roughly 155 million active iPhones in the US as of 2024, a number that's been steadily increasing since the product's debut. Similarly, active Apple TV streaming boxes in the US have also been increasing year to year, with more than 32 million active in the US as of 2023. To find out if you're eligible for this settlement, read on. For more, find out what's up with the recent delay of T-Mobile data breach settlement checks. Who sued Apple and why? This class action lawsuit, Lopez et al v. Apple Inc., was first brought against Apple in 2019, with plaintiffs alleging that they were routinely recorded by their Apple devices after unintentionally activating the Siri virtual assistant, violating their privacy in the process. They further alleged that these recordings were then sold to advertisers and used to target them with ads online. Specific incidents mentioned in the suit include plaintiffs seeing ads online for brands like Air Jordan and Olive Garden after Apple device users discussed them out loud. In some instances, plaintiffs claimed that their devices began listening to them without them having said anything at all. At least one plaintiff involved in the case was a minor when it was first filed. Though it agreed to the settlement, Apple hasn't admitted any wrongdoing. "Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning," Apple said in a statement sent to CNET. "Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose. Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private." Who is eligible for this class action settlement? The eligibility requirements for this settlement are fairly broad, as it's open to anyone who owned a Siri-enabled Apple device between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024. In order to opt in, you'll have to swear under oath that at some point during that period, you accidentally activated Siri on each device you want to get a payment for, and that these activations occurred during a conversation meant to be private. Siri-enabled devices include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, Apple TV streaming boxes, HomePod speakers and iPod Touches. How can I opt in to this Apple settlement? As of Thursday, May 8, a website has been launched where Apple customers can claim a portion of the settlement, if they believe they qualify. If you're looking to submit a claim, you have until July 2, 2025, to do so. It's not clear at this time when payments will be disbursed to approved claimants but it will surely be sometime after Aug. 1, 2025, when a final approval hearing is scheduled. How much can I get from the class action settlement? Payments per device are to be capped at $20, although depending on how many people opt in to the settlement, claimants could receive less than that. Each individual can only claim payments for up to five devices, meaning the maximum possible payment you could receive from the settlement is $100. For more on Apple, see why a majority of users don't care for Apple Intelligence and find out which iOS setting can stop apps from tracking you.
