Electronics

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Trump Mobile Changes the Fine Print

Back in June 2025, a new phone service called Trump Mobile was trumpeted promising a price of $47.45 a month for unlimited service.

They also were taking pre-orders of the $499 T1 phone that was to be made in the USA, had a golden back, and would be available in September 2025.

All you had to do was pay $100 to secure your spot.

The terms of the sale were subsequently detailed in the “terms of use” statement on their website.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Some key points from it include:

ALL SALES ARE FINAL AND NON-REFUNDABLE.

Other than as may be required by law, we reserve the right to modify or withdraw, temporarily or permanently, the TrumpSM Mobile Services (or any part of) with or without notice to you, and you confirm that we shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification to withdraw or withdrawal of the TrumpSM Mobile Services or any portion of it.

Nothing on the TrumpSM Mobile Services constitutes a binding offer to sell you any products described on the Services or to make such products available in your area.

You agree that any dispute, claim or lawsuit, regardless of form, that may arise out of or related to these Terms or your use of the TrumpSM Mobile Services, must be filed within ONE (1) YEAR of the action, omission, event or occurrence giving rise to the dispute, claim(s) or lawsuit.

By October 2025, no phones had shipped and they were still asking people to pay $100 to get in line for one.

If we skip ahead to April and May 2026, they are still collecting $100 for the phone and a new section has rules about preorders which says in part:

*MOUSE PRINT:

Trump Mobile does not guarantee that: the Device will be commercially released; regulatory approvals (including FCC authorization) will be obtained; carrier certification will be secured; production will commence or continue; or delivery will occur within any specific timeframe.

They do say if the device is cancelled, customers will get their deposit back. Whewww! But that might not be necessary because just last week, the company told USA Today that shipping was about to begin.

And what about those original “made in the USA” claims? The company now uses tricky phraseology to make you think it is American made, but no longer uses “made in the USA” language:

Made in America?

Made in America-like claims

In that interview with USA Today last week, the Trump Mobile CEO revealed that while the first Trump T1 phones were assembled in the United States, going forward the phones “will use components primarily manufactured in the United States.” So the use of crafty language continues.

Feel free to add your comments about Trump Mobile’s advertising, but this is not an opportunity to either bash or extol the president.

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Google Home Speaker Upgrade Forces You Into a Trial Premium Plan

Google Home Mini Smart SpeakerMany people have Google Home Mini Smart Speakers which allow you to ask questions, set alarms and reminders, and get verbal answers and notifications. These devices are Google’s answer to Alexa.

They were quite the marvel starting in 2016, but as time went on, the voice became less useful, often saying, “sorry, I can’t help with that.” But late last year, Google incorporated Gemini, its AI platform, into the speakers as a free upgrade if you install it. And once you set it up in the Google Home app, you get an amazingly useful desktop tool that knows the answer to almost everything.

During setup, Google pitches Google Home Premium that adds extra features to the speaker beyond the basic free functionality like being able to hold a continuing conversation with the device without having to say the Google wake phrase, “hey Google” or “okay Google” after the initial inquiry. (Note, this advanced feature only works with version 2 or later of the smart speaker.)

But the way they offer this extra service — integrated into the basic setup process via a 30-day free trial — is worthy of a consumer warning. After the free trial is up, they automatically charge your credit card $100 or $10 a month if you fail to cancel. Here is the screen you see on your phone just before you are signed up for both Gemini and the premium free trial.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Google Home Premium acknowledge trial catches

There is no “accept” or “reject” button on that screen. You have to click “acknowledge” in order to finish setting your smart speaker for AI it appears. And that action subscribes you to the pay plan a month later unless you cancel on time.

It seems unfair to seemingly force people to sign up for the free trial when all you may want is the free basic upgrade to Gemini AI. And the way the setup process is presented might even fail to meet all the disclosure requirements for trial offers under the new Massachusetts “Unfair and Deceptive Fees” regulation.

We asked the company why they constructed the switch to Gemini as they did rather than simply allowing people to opt-in or opt-out of the premium plan trial separately from signing up for Gemini. Google provided an initial response which said, in part:

Users are not required to subscribe to Google Home Premium to set up or use their devices. From the screenshot you sent, it appears the user had already accepted the trial offer and was on an acknowledgement page, past the option to skip.

The spokesperson included a screenshot purported to show that just prior to the acknowledgement screen above that both an opt-in and an opt-out choice is presented at the bottom of the screen:

Google Assistant 6 month trial

The problem with that is the screenshot Google provided is for a different product and offer — Gemini Assistant 6-month trial — and not Google Home Premiun’s 30-day trial. Had such a screen been presented in the Gemini for Home setup allowing you to either sign up or reject the free trial, that would have been great. But that screen was not part of the sequence to the best of our memory.

We obtained the actual two screens users see just before they are signed up for the 30-day trial on the acknowledgement page:

Google screens prior to sign up

Since these screenshots were cut off, we asked Google to provide the full screens showing what was at the bottom. Were there only “next” or “continue” buttons (just as the entire setup process had been configured), or were there accept or reject buttons? They did not reply…twice.

Despite all this, because of Gemini’s amazing new abilities, I still encourage Google smart speaker owners to upgrade to Gemini for Home but to keep an eye on the calendar.

As an example of the brilliance of the new system, I had a neighbor ask a semi-complicated question that never would have been answerable in the old system. So she asked whether her flight back to Florida two days hence on JetBlue flight number so and so was on time. In a flash the speaker told her that at the moment it was leaving as scheduled but warned that this flight had a history of cancellations. My neighbor was absolutely blown away. And so was I.

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Amazon Sued Over Fake Sale Markdowns

Two consumers recently sued Amazon over fake discounts advertised during Prime Day this past July.

They allege that big percentage discounts are offered off of fake list prices to make shoppers think they are saving a bundle. In fact, the lawsuit asserts, that the savings are often far less than claimed, that the same sale price had been offered previously, or that Amazon never charged that stated list price in the previous 90 days.

As an example, the complaint says this headphone was supposedly 44% off:

Amazon headphone

The consumers’ lawyers contend:

But, in fact, Amazon does not deliver the promised 44% off because it uses a Fake Prior Amazon Price in calculating 44% supposed savings. While Amazon lists a Fake Prior Amazon Price of $134.99, in fact, these Skullcandy headphones have often been offered at the same “sale” price during the past 90 days, and never cost more than $110. … As the headphones were never offered on Amazon for the fake strike through price of $134.99, a customer buying these headphones during Prime Day 2025 overpaid because Amazon did not deliver the 44% savings it promised.

MrConsumer checked CamelCamelCamel.com and in fact that headset was offered at the full $134.99 price for about 10 separate days in the first half of 2025.

Amazon has made some modest strides in explaining what it means by “list price” in its product listings. That almost invisible little “i” reveals their definition.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Amazon List Price definition

And you can see Amazon’s own price history chart by clicking the Rufus button at the top left of the screen.

That said, for many years, Amazon and others have used exaggerated or rarely charged list prices to give shoppers a false sense of the savings being advertised and the product’s value.

It may be a while before this case proceeds because the judge placed a temporary hold on the proceedings while a similar case is being heard in a Washington appeals court.