UK Mobile Price Comparison at its BEST
HOMEHOW IT WORKSGOING ABROADSHOPTALKHELP
COMPARE THE BEST DEALS
Which MP3 player is the best buy for you
UK buyers guide to finding the best MP3 player
Buying an mp3 player – your quick guide
First of all, how do MP3 players work? MP3 is a standard of digital audio processing that enables digital audio files to be compressed to a smaller file size, so that they become portable. The player is the machine that allows you to store and listen to the music or other audio/visual content.
There are three different digital player options – an MP3 player with a hard disc for program storage, an MP3 player that uses flash memory (memory sticks, flash cards etc) or an MP3 player that uses standard CD format with music stored in MP3 or other compressed formats. Each option has its strengths and weaknesses and they all come with different features, functionalities, designs, battery life, and prices. On some you can watch video, on some you’ll get a FM dial to tune into the radio. Leading brands include the Apple IPOD, Creative Lab, Scandisc, Phillips and Sony.
Hard-Drive MP3 Players
With Hard-Drive players like the iconic Apple iPod memory sizes go up to 100GB at the time of writing. 60 GB will store about a thousand hours of music which, at about four minutes per song, means you can store roughly 15,000 songs. Video consumes more memory and the hard drive route is the only realistic option if you expect to store a lot of video. The only downside of a Hard-Drive player is its size and weight. The bigger ones aren’t suitable for your average jogger because, with their moveable parts, they can be damaged by shock. Hard-Drive MP3 players usually have a shorter battery discharge life than flash memory machines.
Flash Memory MP3 Players
Flash memory players currently offer storage up to 4GB, which means you can store about a thousand songs – not bad. Flash memory players are more durable and tend to be smaller and lighter too. Battery life will be a lot longer than a hard disc player.
CD Media MP3 Players
These fall half way between a CD player and an MP3. Basically, they’re CD players that can play mp3 and other compressed audio formats as well as CDs. You download your music on to your computer, burn it onto a CD in mp3 format, and play it in your portable CD MP3 player. Storage capacity is a doddle. A single CD will hold 700 MB of music or about 200 songs. CD MP3 players are usually relatively cheap to buy but they’re easily damaged and reliant on CD storage – which is part of the beauty of MP3 – no plastic to store.
Weighing up your options
With portable players issues such as weight, size and battery life are important. Don’t rely purely on the manufacturers’ claims when it comes to battery life. Go to the review sites and check out users’ views too. Players with Hard-Drive storage weigh more and are bulkier than those with flash memory. CD players will have to be at least as big as a CD so think about how you are going to use the player. If your main use is for exercise, a bulky CD or Hard Drive player may not be a great idea.
Other issues to consider are the quality of headsets and the accessories included with the player or bought separately. These include power adaptors, additional memory, carrying cases, car adaptors and software for other forms of content.
Text4Price helps you compare the different MP3 players from hundreds of different brands and vendors. Going for the discount or very cheap MP3 players isn’t necessarily going to get you the best value. It really is worth checking what you’re going to get for your money and thinking through how you’ll use the player.
Find the best value MP3 and Digital Media Players and MP3 Accessories using text4price UK price comparison
BBQ Barbeque buyers Guide
Yes the barbeque season is here again
Buying a barbeque
BBQ Barbeque buyers Guide
As I write, Spring is in the air, summertime isn’t too far away and before you know it, we’ll all be out in the garden burning sausages and gnawing at semi raw, charcoal black chicken legs.
Yes, the barbeque season is here again and if you haven’t got a barbeque yet, here’s a few tips to help you buy one that’s right for you.
The first thing to consider is size. How big will you need your barbeque to be? Is it something you’ll use for occasional meals with one or two guests or will you catering for large parties? Where will you store it? If you haven’t got a garden shed, you’ll need to protect it and an expensive barbeque should be well looked after – it could last for years.
The next factor is budget and fuel source. There are two main types of Barbie – charcoal fuelled and gas fired. The former is authentic, cheaper, occasionally problematic but worth persevering with if you like the unique taste of charcoal grilled food. The latter is less authentic, less messy, more expensive and better for large barbies - the gas will typically come from a portable gas cylinder.
You can get electric barbeques too but they’re really only for indoor cooking – what’s the point?
Now there’s the issue of what functions you want. At its simplest, a barbeque is a container with air vents in the base and a grill over the top – that’s it. But, if you’re out to impress, you can go much further and almost replicate the kind of functionality you’d get with a high specification kitchen oven and hob – warming surfaces, rotisseries, chrome plated bodies, stainless grills, cast iron grills, prep surfaces and every variation of fork and tongs you can imagine. Stainless grills are worth the investment, if you can afford one. They’ll last for years, are easy to clean and look great too.
If you’ve never used a barbeque before, remember that charcoal generally takes a long time to reach the white hot point at which cooking should commence – usually about 40 minutes. Don’t be tempted to throw your food onto a flaming pile of newly lit coals – you’ll get blackened uncooked food and may poison yourself and your guests. Like most things, the best barbeques take time to cook – your food will be tasty, tender and moist.
If convenience is your priority, gas grills are the thing. They light at the press of a button and you won’t get covered in charcoal dust.
If you'll only be cooking occasionally, and on a small scale, you might want to consider disposable barbecues – these are foil trays with their own charcoal and lighter paper but they’re not exactly eco-friendly. They’re easy to light, and will burn long enough to cook a proper meal. They’re the only option for picnics but please follow the country code and dispose of your used barbeque in a bin or take it home.
Your barbeque should be tough enough to withstand the great British summer, not to mention the winter! It should have corrosion resistant paint and fittings and a cover will help keep things dry too – in fact, many professionals cover their barbeques when cooking to intensify the smokiness of the flavour.
In a recent Which survey, the European Outdoor Chef 480 Classic Charcoal cooker at £150 scored well. The Ellips Barbecook at £220 was highly rated too, albeit its unique lighting system proved less than 100% reliable. The Brinkman Smoke 'n' Pit Pitmaster at £180 was another popular model.
Find the best value BBQ's here
Technorati ProfileHow To... Check you are getting a good deal when buying abroad
Find Holiday Bargains Abroad with New European Service from Text4price.
Impulse buys at airport shops, headaches trying to work out prices at French hypermarkets and haggling in Italy, are banished forever with Britain’s first European wide price comparison service direct to mobile phones.
The unique service means customers can send an SMS with the word ‘find’ plus the product name such as ‘iPod’ or ‘Chanel No5 100ml’ when they are actually in a shop and find out within a couple of minutes if it is a bargain or if they should wait and buy it when they are back in the UK.
‘We are all tempted to make impulse buys when we are on holiday. There is something about being at an airport or in the sun that makes us think we have found a bargain but that is not always the case,’ said Simon Douglas, director of Text4Price which launches its European service today. (Monday April 24)
‘Since launching our service in the UK last year we have been asked many times by customers if they can get the same service in Europe, well now they can. Whether they are buying perfume, electrical goods or cameras, they can be sure of knowing pretty much instantly if they are getting the right price. If we can’t find a price comparison then we don’t charge,’ he added.
The service also means that customers can find out if it is cheaper to buy on-line. The on-line price includes postage and packing. The results of any search give the lowest price for a specific product from a store with available stock rather than a random retailer.
The Text4price team are often amazed by the results. On a recent visit to a well known computer store to buy a printer, a text from the shop showed the same chain offered the same item online for £30 less. When confronted the sales assistant agreed to sell at the online price, thus saving a third of the price for a 25 pence text.
‘We want to bring the fun back into shopping but with all the convenience of the 21st century. It combines the instant gratification of real world shopping with the benefit of instant price comparison wherever you are in Europe as along as you have the ability to call the UK from your mobile,’ said Mr Douglas, who runs the business with three internet entrepreneur partners.
He also believes it could be a useful shopping tool for holiday home owners. They can compare prices while abroad on items such as garden furniture, televisions, washing machines and microwaves.
Text4price also offers further unique service for customers including being able to save your favourite items to a personalized shopping list online or sending them to friends and family. ‘We really are about finding the right product at the right price. We are also a safety net for shoppers. They know if they are better off making that impulse buy on holiday, buying back in the UK or waiting until they are in front of a computer and buying online,’ he added.
Text4Price also has a conventional online comparison service via its easy to use website. To register shoppers can go to the website. When they are ready to start they simply send their text to 84070 and wait for the result. The international number is +44 7781 474 397 www.text4price.com
Wherever, Whenever, Whatever - to get the best deals Sign up here for FREE.Which Computer Printer is right for you.
Computer printers a buyers guide.
Computer Printer Buyer's Guide
In the age of wireless broadband, MP3 and emails by mobile, the humble computer printer seems almost old fashioned. So you would have thought that buying cheap computer printers should be pretty simple. If only!
Multifunction printers are those that combine a copier, fax and scanner. They’re produced by the main manufacturers such as canon and Epson.
There are four main types of printer and two types of multifunction printer:
- Inkjet (multifunction too)
- Laserjet (multifunction too)
- Dye sublimation
- Dot Matrix.
Inkjet Printers
There are two types of inkjet printers. Manufacturers like Epson and Brother offer machines with the an in-built print-head while others, like HP and LexMark put the printhead on the ink cartridge. The main difference is that those with the printhead type ink cartridge are usually more expensive to run.
Inkjet ink is usually dye based rather than pigment. This is because pigments are heavier and more likely to clog. The problem with dye based inks is that they lack vibrancy and don’t last particularly well but the good news is that the manufacturers are making progress in producing pigment friendly machines. However, this is only an issue if the quality of colour reproduction is critical to your needs. Otherwise, a dye based ink will suffice.
Manufacturers are using a fusion of dye based and pigmented inks to create high quality photo printing with vibrant colours that will last. If you do a lot of colour printing, you could find that it pays to invest in a four cartridge machine rather than the base level two cartridge version. This is because the two cartridge machines tend to waste colour ink and cartridges are horribly expensive. Inkjet printers are good all rounders for general purpose home or small business use but they’re not good for high volume work. You can print onto paper, card, photo paper, canvas and other media to get different effects.
Laser Printers
Laser printers use toner, a very fine powder, rather than ink. They’ve been the best option for heavy office use because they produce a high quality black finish and are relatively cheap to run. Prices of lasers have fallen but be careful. The cost of toners, just like cartridges, is worth calculating before you buy. They’re great for high volume use but they take a while to warm up, so are not really suitable for single sheet printing.
Solid Ink Printers
Solid ink printers are produced almost exclusively by Tektronix / Xerox and are typically aimed at those businesses needing high volume colour printing. They used to be cheaper to buy, and to run, than lasers but the price gap has narrowed. Quality of text and graphic reproduction is not as good as the top colour laser printers and photographic repro is inferior to the best inkjets.
Dye-Sublimation Printers
Dye-Sublimation printers are not worth considering, unless you need to print the highest quality photographic images. They’re usually more expensive to buy and run than lasers or inkjets but they do reproduce durable and visually stunning images. A constraint is that they are usually limited to photo sized prints and can only print onto specialised paper. And they’re not quick either.
Dot Matrix Printers
Old technology and cheap to run, dot matrix printers are slow, noisy and suitable only for continuous staionery and other low quality outputs. Cost of Ownership
In summary, when buying a printer, be clear about the quality and volumes you’re likely to need, the cost of consumables and the likely lifetime of the print.
Checkout where to get cheap computer printers including canon and all the major manufacturers here.
Sonys PSP a buyers guide
Sony's Play Station Portable (psp). Could it be the best product of all time?
Buyer’s Guide
The Sony Play Station Portable or psp wasn’t just the contender for best gadget of the year in 2005 - it could be a genuine contender for the best product of all time.
Put simply, the psp is the most important thing to happen in the video game industry since the launch of the original PlayStation.
Not only is it brilliant for games - being the only handheld that can deliver both the immersive experience of Metal Gear Acid and the adrenaline rush of Grand Theft Auto - but it can also play movies from UMD’s Universal Mini Discs, putting the portable world in a spin. The psp also acts as an mp3.
The psp is a triumph of design, and it looks incredible even before you switch it on. Finished in gloss black, the psp does for hand-held gaming what the iPod did for portable music players - it's desirable on an aesthetic level, rather than a purely functional one.
The fascia of the psp is dominated by the 4.3in TFT screen and we have never seen a display like this on a hand-held device before. The screen has a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, making it ideal for watching movies as well as playing games, with a resolution of 480 x 272 and a full 24-bit colour depth.
The screen also incorporates Sony's X-Black coating, so the image is amazingly bright and vivid. The image produced by the psp display is just breathtaking,
The psp fits in your hand comfortably and both the controllers and the buttons fall under your thumbs easily. It's surprisingly light and finding the perfect viewing angle is simple, even with strong ambient light sources. There's a wrist strap among the psp accesories, and although it doesn't look particularly cool, it's worth using, just in case someone knocks it out of your hand.
If there's one problem with the psp's slick black design, it's the fact that it's a magnet for fingerprints and greasy smears. It sometimes feels like the psp just pulls fingerprints out of the atmosphere, because even after you've just wiped it clean, fingerprints will appear before you've even picked it up!
Another way to show off the screen is to transfer digital photos to your MemoryStick. The psp is great for showing slide-shows, and you can view the images in standard 4:3 ratio, with bars down the side, or you can make them fill the whole widescreen.
You don’t even need to bother with a separate mp3 player when you can simply drag and drop tunes onto cheap memory stick cards and listen to them on the psp.
The real tech heads out there are getting stuck into home brewed games and emulators (although watch out for the first psp specific viruses sneaking onto the web)
With built in WiFi for multi player gaming and web surfing, there really is very little this fantastic machine can’t do. In fact while you’re wandering around in wireless territory, we also suggest you take a quick surf and check out the increasing freebie content at www.yourpsp.com.
If only, while out and about and using the internet you could gain access to programmes from you homes TV or DVD play…..well soon, you’ll be able to! That’ll be what Sony plans with its forthcoming locationFree package.
The Sony’s tiny speaker slays its tiny rivals but, like the AV700 we still recommend an upgrade pair of headphones when you invest in accessories or psp parts.
Sony has redefined mobile gaming with the PlayStation Portable and we never imagined that the psp would be this good; this is one product that has to be seen to be believed.
Here are a few of our recommendations for psp accessories and parts
JoyTech Media AMP PSP Speaker System
You want simulated 3D sound? You got it plus a remote for flicking though the boring bits in films and dual headphone sockets
Don’t let your fun be thwarted by running low on juice. This rechargeable supplementary battery pack will double your playing time to between 7-10hrs
Looking for a cheap psp? Check out our best deals here
Compare top rated handheld and car gps devices
Wouldn't it be great to know what lies ahead? Here's how with portable or handheld gps devices
GPS Buyers Guide
At the beginning of every big journey, I'm so full of confidence - naturally I know where I going, so it can't be that hard, can it?
Then, while you're peeling the pickles off that over priced fast-food cheeseburger, you bought at the services, you miss your exit. So you take the next one, eight miles later. But you can't get back to the motorway from that exit, and you're forced to turn left when you want to go right. Before you know it, you're lost.
Could a global positioning system or gps device save you from such an ignominious fate? Perhaps: but as with most electronic gadgets, there are various gps devices aimed at different types of user and budget levels. Here we present a guide to help you determine which gps device is best for you.
What is GPS
At its most basic, a portable gps device is an electronic instrument that pinpoints your current location on a map. GPS devices for consumers are generally available as add-on accessories for Palm OS and Pocket PC PDAs; as handheld devices used by hikers, urban explorers, and others; and as navigational systems already built into your car.
If you are looking for a gps device that does everything, you will be disappointed as there just isn’t one out there.
So to narrow down you choices you need to decide:
- What will you use it for primarily?
- How often you will use it?
- How good are you at understanding maps and grid references?
- How much do you want to spend?
The cheapest devices are those that just provide basic compass direction & grid reference.
Most expensive are those with a (relatively) large colour screen, voice output and have integrated and downloadable maps. These are usually for in-car navigation systems.
Make yourself a checklist of requirements so you can compare gps devices. Do you want to use your GPS for:
Hill walking? Or for golfers.
Top rated handheld gps devices will:
- need to be fairly robust
- offer altitude information
- if not waterproof then be at least rain-proof
- route and waypoint storage to help me navigate
- long battery life would be an advantage.
For navigation while motoring
- "large print" display of heading, bearing, distance.
- The ability to take power from the cigarette lighter would be useful.
- The ability to use an external aerial might be useful (weaker satellite signals don't get through the car roof).
- Good clear and loud voice instructions
How much should I spend?
Budget plays a big part in what product you go for, and you need to sometimes stick to your budget, but don't stop yourself getting the next best product by upping your budget. It's true, you do in most cases get what you pay for, so if you're going for a cheap PDA add-on solution, ask yourself what's the catch?
But aren’t they too complex?
If you are a basic beginner and do not have the knowledge of using a PDA or hate it when something goes wrong on your PC, then you really do need to avoid the PDA based GPS systems as you may find that you will constantly hit hurdles that are hard to overcome.
However, if you do have any problems, that's what our forums are for, but you may find that you get more frustrated and a dedicated PND (Personal Navigation Device) is the better route to go.
Once you've answered some of these questions, it's time to go shopping. Here are a few of our recommendations
- Mitac Mio 269 GPS Receiver
- Garmin StreetPilot c340 GPS Receiver
- Garmin nüvi 350 GPS Receiver
- Sony NV-U50T GPS Receiver
- Tomtom Go 500 GPS Receiver
Why you should buy an Xbox 360
The Microsoft XBOX 360 is an advanced videogame console with an internet connection and Media Centre Extender functionality. It delivers the power and performance of a top of the range gaming PC, with excellent digital media and networking features.
The Microsoft XBOX 360 is an advanced videogame console with an internet connection and Media Centre Extender functionality. It delivers the power and performance of a top of the range gaming PC, with excellent digital media and networking features.
Have we lost you? In that case, you’re probably not a serious gamer, the kind of person for whom the 360 was designed. But, if you want to play high definition games, digital music, DVDs and want to be able to link to a media centre PC, the XBOX 360 takes some beating.
So what does the core system offer? First of all, with a custom ATI graphics processor and 512mb of RAM running at 500MHz, all its games are in high-definition which means the graphics are stunning.
The 20gb hard drive is more than ample to store multimedia such as videos and music. Whilst the 20gb hard drive can be upgraded, it’s certainly capable of storing tons of multimedia – you could get five feature length dvd films or over 6000 downloaded songs on a 20gb machine. The XBOX 360 has a 3.2GHz processor – that’s right, three times the processing power of a decent PC.
Other features include an attractive exterior casing, a user-friendly interface, built-in support for wireless controllers, online gaming and communications via Xbox Live and you can play most of the original Xbox games on it too. The package also includes its key accessories, such as the wireless headset, which makes a pleasant change. You can buy it in silver or black both of which look great but if you’re so inclined, you can remove most of the plates from the casing and replace them with whatever colour you prefer.
The wireless remotes are great – no more broken bones as you or your mates ‘go over the wire’ and you don’t have to be so close to the console to play the games.
Does it have any downsides? Some would say that the first generation of games is less than thrilling – but they’d be fussy! The exhaust fan is a tad noisy, it has no built-in wireless networking, just the three USB ports. We could go on but we’re being picky. The fact is that the Xbox 360 provides a tough competitor to the Sony Playstation 3 and that’s got to be good news.
So, if you’re looking to buy an Xbox 360 and you need to know where it’s in stock, Text4Price can help you. Check out the best deals here.
Price Comparision on the Move
Text4price Launches Intelligent Shopping by SMS.
Text4price is the first UK based shopping search engine to provide price comparison results by SMS, delivering the best available deals on electronic products and appliances to shoppers anytime anywhere.
The text4price SMS service uniquely returns a plain English message, giving the lowest price found for a specific product from the store which has stock available, rather than a random retailer.
In less than a minute a consumer in the high street can see the best deal amongst hundreds of merchants via their mobile phone.
Shoppers in the UK send an SMS with the word “find” then product name to 84070. Searches can contain specific product codes or generic keywords and phrases such as ‘ipod mini’ or ’17inch Lcd Tv’.
Text4price has developed software algorithiums which construct each SMS results to fit the space available in a text message in order to present the user with the most appropriate information.
This facility is designed to improve the relevancy for shoppers and improve the mobile shopping experience. In addition to the SMS search functionality, text4price features a simple to understand and easy to use web based interface.
Users can register online at www.text4price.com for additional services such as a personalized and automatically updated shopping list.
"Our goal is to become the first choice for customers comparing prices and products when out shopping in the high street and away from their computer”, Said Simon Douglas, co-founder of text4price. “I love the fact that no matter where I am I can find the best prices online easily and quickly through my mobile phone", Said Simon.
In the future high street shops will no longer keep their products on the premises to any significant degree. Instead they will become places of entertainment.
For this reason Text4price plans to introduce greater shopper interactivity via mobile devices to bridge the ever widening divide between the high street and online retail experience.
shopping.com