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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Refurbished Laptop Computers

There is big misconception among many users regarding refurbished laptop computers. Many of us think that refurbished also known as reconditioned laptops are not good in quality and used devices that are resold after repairing and upgrading them. But this is not true in all cases. Although used refurbished products are available in the market but brand new unused factory reconditioned products are also available for purchase.

Consumers, who want to purchase low cost products, look for affordable and cost effective deals on gadgets, but the idea of buying refurbished devices is straight away rejected with the thought of getting a used product or products of inferior quality.


This does not hold true always. As already mentioned earlier, refurbished products can be of two types, use reconditioned and factory reconditioned. The user refurbished devices are definitely used products that are sold after repairing the damages and making them fit for resale. But factory refurbished devices are the products which fail to pass the quality check at one point due to some reason or other such as minor scratches and other defects. These devices are then repaired and again released for sale. This makes the products all the more worthy as they are passed through various rounds of strict and stringent quality checks, making sure that they perform absolutely fine when used by the customers.

There are many advantages of buying reconditioned products. The customers can be assured of high quality and performance when buying refurbished computers as they are checked for high standards of performance at each level of examinations. You can get a top quality and branded refurbished model at very affordable and low price as compared to their counterparts that are sold under fresh retail. You can get refurbished laptop computers of all the reputed companies such as Dell, Acer, Compaq, Toshiba, Sony, Apple and Lenovo. You also get the warranty on these products.

To find a perfect factory refurbished product, you need to do a bit of research before making the purchase. There are many online electronic stores that provide complete information and the product details along with the price comparision of the deals available with them. You can visit these websites and get the details of your chosen products. Always keep one thing in mind that the cheapest deal is not the best deal always. Before finalising the final model, look into the specifications and recheck whether they match your computing needs or not.

So now if you want to buy a high specification laptop computer at very low prices, reconditioned products are good options for you.

LG Optimus Review

Handsets LG Optimus T and Optimus S review By Myriam Joire posted Nov 5th 2010 5:00PM Review It wasn't long ago that buying a smartphone meant spending at least a Benjamin and committing to an expensive 2-year contract. But things are changing, and shopping for a smartphone on a budget is getting easier than ever, thanks in great part to a recent flood of reasonably-priced Android devices that are pouring into the market. We've already talked about the HTC Wildfire, Huawei Ascent, ZTE Racer and Blade/San Francisco, and the Motorola Citrus -- not to mention the lovely Comet (and its international cousin, the Ideos) on T-Mobile. Enter the LG Optimus T ($30 post-rebate on T-Mobile) and Optimus S ($50 post-rebate on Sprint), two Android siblings that might prove once and for all that "affordable" doesn't mean "cheap." Let's dig in.

Hardware

At a glance, the Optimus T and Optimus S look attractive if not somewhat generic. Our review units came in a lovely shade of burgundy (T-Mobile) and purple (Sprint), but each is also available in black. Both devices feel solid and comfortable in hand. Build quality is excellent, and the abundance of soft-touch plastics remind us of Sprint's HTC Hero. LG rightfully opted for physical buttons all around, and added a smattering of tasteful chrome / silver hard plastic accents. The 3.2-inch 480 x 320 pixel TFT LCD is bright, with vibrant colors and decent viewing angles. The capacitive touchscreen is responsive, but we're still debating the material -- likely glass but possibly high-grade plastic. There's a 3.5mm headphone jack and power / lock button on the top edge, a micro-USB connector and microphone hole on the bottom edge, and a volume rocker on the right edge of each phone. In back, a color-coordinated aluminum pod houses a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera without flash.

Read full review here

For exciting mobile phone deals on LG Optimus and other mobile phones, visit the site

A Closer Look At American Fridge Freezers

American fridge freezers are the integrated units which have fridge and freezers combined into one. These fridge freezers are generally used for domestic use, especially the upright models. With the newest designs and technologies, combined into one fridge freezer, it becomes really easy to store beverages, food items, bottles etc. in a very neat way in an American fridge freezer. These fridge freezers are available in a lot of sizes, deigns, colors and models. They even come in a variety of capacity levels so that the customers can buy them according to their needs and requirements.

Several different features and functions in these American fridge freezers make it really easy to use them and they are more energy efficient than the normal fridge freezers available in the market. Presently, there are many different models available which has separate cooling systems for the fridge and the freezer which helps in separate air circulation and avoids temperature fluctuations. The American fridge freezers have automatic defrost systems which keeps the food fresh for a longer time and also keeps the unit odour free.

Talking about their designs, the American fridge freezers are designed in a way that their racks can be adjusted according to the length and width of the bottle or any other storage boxes etc. They even have wine chillers, separate dairy compartments, separate drawers for fish and meat, vegetable drawer is separate too, glass shelves etc. which helps you store food in a more organized manner. A lot of models of the American fridge freezers have a humidity control feature that maintains a certain level of humidity in the fridge so as to keep the food fresh for a longer time.

Water and ice dispensers are the most attractive features of these units. They are installed on the outside of the door of the fridge freezer so that the user does not have to open the door again and again to take water and ice. This feature also help the unit to be more energy efficient as a lot of energy is saved if the doors of the fridge freezer are not opened frequently. Some more features like the LCD display, child lock system and internal lighting make the American fridge freezers very comfortable units to use. Most of the units are absolutely noise free and very energy efficient which saves a lot on the electricity bills.

Xbox Birthday Signals Death of 5-Year Console Cycle

When the Xbox 360 turned 5 years old this week with no known successor on the horizon, and no new imminent PlayStation or Wii either, it may well have signaled the demise of one of the video game industry's most longstanding truisms.

Since at least the mid-1980s, major console makers have generally come out with new models every five years or so. For example, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) came out in 1985, followed by the Super NES in 1991, the Nintendo 64 in 1996, the GameCube in 2001, and the Wii in 2006. Sony put out the first PlayStation in 1995 and followed up with the PS2 in 2000 and the PS3 in 2006. And Microsoft introduced the original Xbox in 2001 and released the Xbox 360 in 2005.

But now, with the Xbox 360 having turned five, and the PS3 and Nintendo's Wii both having just hit their fourth birthdays, many industry observers see the ongoing success of each of the three major platforms as evidence that neither Microsoft, Sony, nor Nintendo have any intentions of following up in the next year or so. And why should they? Consumers are still buying the machines by the hundreds of thousands each month, and ramped-up online initiatives are breathing new life into the systems.

"I've been saying since 2002," said Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter, "that the generation [started] in 2005 might be our last one."

But why would the major console makers pass up the opportunity to make big new splashes with, say, an Xbox 720, a PlayStation 4, or a Wii 2?

To observers like Pachter, a lot of it has to do with the fact that with the current generation of consoles (often called the "next-gen"), each company found a way to maximize either the technology behind the devices, or the utility to a wide range of new gamers.

Read full story here

Sunday, November 28, 2010

8 Great Gadgets You Can Personalize

Making a gadget your own is much more fun than joining the anonymous ranks of consumers toting identical tech.

We’ve found eight examples of top technology that can be custom made, tweaked, tailored, personalized, customized and otherwise made special just for you — some of it even before it leaves shop shelves.

Have a browse through our selection of personalize-able products below, and let us know in the comments which ones you’d choose to suit you.

Pentax RS1000

Amazing digital camera as well as eight alternative skins bundled in with the RS1000, there’s a free online gallery you can browse, download and print more. And a stencil kit is included so you can make your own.

The Jelly Watch Shop

With a total of 110 possible color combinations, it’s almost statistically impossible that you won’t be able to design your perfect watch from the crazy-fun Jelly Watch Shop.

Dell’s Consumer Laptops

Dell’s Mini, Studio and XPS cheap laptops can all be customized with colorful lids. There are more than 240 designs from a variety of artists as well as partners such as Threadless, (PRODUCT) RED and Major League Baseball teams.

Flip Video Cameras

Buy a Flip video camera online and you can choose its casing design there and then. If you can’t find a design you like from the tons of top options available, you can personalize your own with the cool online design generator.

Hu Custom Colored Televisions

Want your television to co-ordinate with, or stand out from, your home decor? The Hu service can help. Any of the TVs bought from the Home Technology Store can be tinted to match a color swatch you supply.

Read full story here


Analog and Digital TVs

For years, we have been watching CRT television that involved cathode ray tube or CRT sets and analog signals. In these kinds of TVs, the signals constitutes of varying radio waves that are translated by the TV into picture and sound. Analog signals can be transmitted to a television set over the air through satellite or a cable. But CRT TVs based on the system of analog signals have certain limitations such as the conventional CRT television sets can display only around 480 visible lines of pixels and with the advancement in technology broadcasters find it difficult to fill a large television into the analog signal. Also the analog pictures are interlaced due to which on some TVs, the picture or the images flicker. One has to compromise with the video quality also as converting video to analog format lowers its quality.

Like all other fields, the gadgets and electronics sector has also witnessed a lot of innovation and advancement in technology to make the things better. Digital TV or DTV is the answer to above mentioned limitations. Rear projection, LCD TV and plasma TVs are based on the system of digital signals. A liquid crystal display popularly known as LCD is a thin, flat panel that is used to display information such as text, images, and moving pictures electronically. Digital televisions are based on the principle of digital signals where the signals are transmitted in the form of binary format or 0s and 1s. The information for video and sound are transmitted as ones and zeros instead of as a wave in the case of DTVs.

Due to this format, these televisions have several advantages over the CRT TVs such as the picture quality is much more improved in case of DTVs. The video is also progressive instead of being interlaced and the TV stations and broadcasters can broadcast using multicasting which includes sending several signals using the same bandwidth. Digital TV can also support high-definition or HDTV broadcasts. HDTV or High Definition TeleVisions are the digital TVs with highest of the DTV technological standards. Three major parameters define the broadcast system of HDTV including frame size in pixels which is the number of horizontal pixels x number of vertical pixels, scanning system and the third parameter is the frame rate which is identified as number of video frames per second. Currently there are two types of HDTV available in the market that includes an integrated HDTV and an HDTV ready set.

Two Must Have Appliances for Your Kitchen

Fridge and freezers are the most important appliances of your home, keeping food constantly fresh through cooling mechanism. With the newer technology and design, you have different option available in the market to suit your every day living needs. We will help you find a perfect fridge freezer and will discuss most important points you should consider before buying a fridge freezer.

Size

First and foremost thing is the size, while choosing a fridge freezer first things you should consider is the amount of space it will use in your kitchen. You can easily find the best fit fridge and freezers as they are commonly available in three widths and a variety of heights. If you have no space issue, then you should opt for a huge capacity American fridge freezer which comes in variety of styles, shapes, colours and sizes.

Storage Capacity

Look for your food habit; type of food you will store in your fridge. Consider the ratio of the split between the fridge and freezer compartment and choose the best combination that suits your needs. If you shop on regular basis and prefer fresh produces then you should go for a larger fridge space as you will need more room here to store products like frozen vegetables, ice cream and ice cubes etc. But if you are a bulk buyer and prefer the frozen food convenience then you should choose a bigger freezer model.

Usage Convenience

Conventional fridge comes with added burden called defrosting. So, choose a 'Frost Free' fridge and freezer and get rid off defrosting problem. Auto-defrost system automatically regulates the inside temperature of your fridge to prevent frosting. Easy cleanable shelves is necessary as they only require to be wiped with dampen cloth to keep them clean. So, look for glass shelves as they are easy to clean.

Energy Efficiency

Power consumption is another issue regarding home appliances. All fridge freezers are rated according to their Energy Efficiency from 'A+' to 'G'. 'A+ grade' appliances are the most efficient. Consider it, using an 'A-Grade' fridge freezer can reduce by up to £46 of your electricity every year in comparison to the conventional and older 'G-grade' model.

Additional Features

To keep your food safe inside the fridge few fridge and freezers comes with anti-bacterial protection. These models have Microbial built around the lining of the fridge, which kills bacteria, micro-organism and algae growth inside the fridge, keeping your food safe and protecting your family health. Some fridge freezers have removable bottle racks, allowing you to save valuable storage space for other things. There is another very useful feature called separate compartments, which helps prevent contamination by separate food storing. Vacuum storage system helps create vacuum in a small container inside the fridge which ensure fresher food without compromising on texture or flavour.

Premier Features

Stylish finishes, colours that suit your mood and kitchen environment are necessary. Water dispenser allows you the quick access to chilled water. High-end fridge and freezer comes with Touch Control LCD Displays. You can adjust the temperature inside the fridge from outside itself just by clicking few buttons. Child lock and Open Door Alarm are other useful features you should look for.

The High-Performance Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED Lens

Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED Lens is one of the high-performance camera lenses compatible with FX format. These camera lenses are ideal for capturing images of architectures, landscapes and narrow indoor spaces.

Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED wide-angle camera lens comes with a focal length of 24 mm and a maximum aperture of f/1.4. With this, these Nikon camera lenses offer exceptional performance with handheld shooting under dim indoor lighting. With an aperture of f/1.4 it allows capturing images with beautiful blur characteristics.

The new Nikon lens offers exceptional optical performance featuring unique technologies like Nano Crystal Coat that has been designed to eliminate the type of ghosts and flare that are caused by strong light entering the lens diagonally. The silent wave motor (SWM) offers extremely quiet autofocusing.

Nikon camera lenses excel in their technologies. Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED Lens is no different. The lens is constructed with two Extra-low Dispersion (ED) and two aspherical lens components that help it achieve an excellent balance between high resolution and aberration. The ED elements provide superior sharpness and color correction by minimizing chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings. These features eliminate coma and other types of aberration, even when shooting at the widest available aperture.

With its natural wide angle of view and extreme light gathering capability, Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED camera lenses deliver astonishing performance required for a wide spectrum of challenging scenarios. The rear focus (RF) feature provides smooth and fast autofocus and also eliminates front barrel rotation and lens length changes. The M/A Focus Mode Switch is designed to provide quick changes between manual and autofocus modes. The rounded –blade diaphragm provides more natural rendering of out-of-focus elements.

Camera lenses from Nikon featuring the FX format have been well appreciated by professional and modern amateur photographers. AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED Nikon lens will do the same, no doubt.

Toshiba AC100 Review

Toshiba's MID makes Android Unintuitive - Quite an Achievement

In June this year Toshiba celebrated 25 years of notebook and laptops production by unveiling a number of products it believed represented the shape of things to come in the mobile computing world.

One of the devices was the AC100, a netbook lookey-likey powered by Nvidia’s Tegra technology and running Google’s smartphone OS - Android 2.1. Aimed at those after a very portable Internet experience, we have mixed feelings about the WC100 – and feel it’s a bit of a missed opportunity.

Let’s start with the good. At only 870g the AC100 isn’t a device you’re going to have any problems lugging around, while the fanless system (more on that later) has allowed Toshiba to cram the WC100’s components into a tiny chassis measuring only 21mm at its thickest.

Battery life is also a selling point for the WC100, and the six hours twenty nine minutes we got of video playback is impressive.

Toshiba AC100: Design and Build

The tough, matt black plastic employed in building the chassis – with an inoffensive crosshatch pattern – makes the WC100 almost impervious to scuffs and scratches, great for a life on the road.

The 10.1-inch screen features a detailed 1024 x 600 pixel resolution and is very bright and a pleasure to view photos and videos on. The AC100’s keyboard, although a little cramped, is more than usable – although there’s no delete key which a regular typist might miss.

802.11n Wi-Fi is onboard for speedy wireless networking, while a 3G module is also included. This means that, having purchased a tariff and SIM card from a network provider, you’ll be able to surf the web/browse your email away from Wi-Fi hotspots.

Read full review here

Visit site to get great deals on cheap laptops and reconditioned laptops

Sony Bravia HX803 3D TV Review

Sony's HX800 Series is a 3D Upgradable Slim Screet

Sony has turned up fashionably late for the 3D TV party, shipping its first wave of 3D screens months after the Samsung UE467000 and Samsung UE55C8000 models broke cover. But there’s no doubt that the iconic Japanese TV brand is arriving with intent. While rival Panasonic offers a single model, the excellent Panasonic TX-P50VT20, Sony has three full ranges, of which the 40 inch HX803 (reviewed here) is its everyman proposition.

Unlike its rivals, this screen isn’t 3D Ready out of the box. You’ll need to spring for an optional TMR-BR100 3D sync transmitter (£50) and TDG-BR100B glasses (£100) before you can start with the eye-boggling.

At just 74mm, the set is pleasingly thin. However, closer inspection reveals commodity build quality. Our review sample frame creaked under pressure and the bottom panel trim did not sit flush with the rest of the frame.

Sony Bravia HX803: Features

Inputs are spread across the back panel and sides. There are two Scarts, a pair of HDMIs, one component AV input, PC VGA input, optical digital output and Ethernet. Two extra HDMIs are side-mounted, along with a set of phono AVs and USB.

Other than 3D, the set’s claim to fame is networkability. It goes online to Sony’s Bravia internet content portal (home of YouTube, LoveFilm, Eurosport, DailyMotion… plus other stuff I wager you’ll never, ever watch), and can stream media cross your home network...kinda. While the set plays common video file types, including AVIs and MKVs from a USB flash drive, it doesn’t see these same files across a network.

The user interface of this LCD TV is based on the PS3 X-media bar, which is unflashy but easy to use. PS3 users will also be able to play stereoscopic 3D games.

Read full review here

For full review of Sony LCD TV, visit site. Also get cheap TV deals in UK

HTC 7 Trophy Review: Achievement Unlocked

It truly is a catchy name, but the Trophy is – so to speak – the consolation prize in the HTC Windows Phone 7 lineup. It’s not the big guy in the family nor is it the smartest. The Trophy is a middle-of-the-roader, the mass market choice. It’s the first HTC-made Windows Phone 7 device we’re reviewing and we guess it’s up to them to prove there’s no such thing as an ex PocketPC maker.

Windows Phone 7 is about sky-high hardware standards and Microsoft is not really encouraging out-of-the-box thinking. What does this mean for the HTC 7 Trophy? Well, believe it or not, this here Trophy has come onto the scene to bring the one thing that Windows Phone 7 is obviously short of – device personality.

Don’t get us wrong, WP7 is a great looking OS – and one that will only be getting better in terms of usability – but Microsoft-imposed uniformity is making it hard for manufacturers to set their products apart. They are trying to make up for that with better screens or free apps, but they still haven’t hit on a winning formula yet.

The HTC 7 Trophy will do its best to be the WP7 phone that stands out from the crowd. Since Microsoft forbids any customization, HTC took a different approach to giving the OS some individuality. Instead of offering free apps from the Marketplace, HTC have built their own – available to download for free off the HTC Hub. And the hub itself is a pinch of Sense UI sprinkled on Windows Phone 7, with some awesome exclusive apps.

Read full review here

For exciting phone deals with HTC Trophy, visit site

Vodafone is Upgrading Over 500 Sites to Improve Network Capacity, Speed and Coverage

Vodafone and its managed service provider Ericsson are rolling out a major upgrade of the operator’s London network infrastructure. Vodafone has more than 500 sites in the capital and is upgrading every one across central London and the M4 corridor.

Work began in September with 25 sites a day being upgraded until the end of the year. Existing 2G and 3G equipment is being upgraded into single boxes, which freeing up space, cutting energy emissions by up to 30% and future proofing the site for the next generation of equipment such as LTE.

The full upgrade should be finished in ‘a few months’, according to Jeni Mundy, Vodafone’s chief technical officer. The operator is spending around £1m a day across its whole network.

Read full story here

For exciting mobile phone deals in UK on Vodafone, visit the site

Nokia Toys with Context-Aware Smartphone Settings Switch

If Intel prognosticated correctly, context is the future of apps -- your device's array of sensors will determine where you are and what you're doing, and clever programs will guess from there. Problems arise, however, when one tries to run those accelerometers, microphones, radio antennas and GPS tracking devices constantly on the battery life of an average smartphone and determine what the raw data means, and that's where a group of Dartmouth researchers (and one Nokia scholar) are trying to stake their claim. They've got a bundle of algorithms called Jigsaw for iPhone and Symbian that claims to be able to continually report what you're up to (whether walking, running, cycling or driving) no matter where you place your device, and only pings the sensors as needed based on how active you are. (For better or for worse, Jigsaw also dodges the privacy concerns Intel's cloud-based API might raise by storing all personal data on the phone.)

Of course, we've had a very basic version of context-aware functionality for years in a little Android app known as Locale -- which modifies your smartphone settings under very specific conditions you specify (GPS coordinates, WiFi locations, battery life and more) and it just so happens that Espoo's doing much the same with an app called Nokia Situations. Presently in the experimental stage, Situations is a long ways away from the potential of frameworks like Jigsaw, but here you won't have to wait -- you can download a beta for Symbian^3, S60 5th Edition and S60 3.2 at our source links without further delay.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/27/nokia-toys-with-context-aware-smartphone-settings-switch-jigsaw/

Sony Aims for Half of Japan's E-reader Market by 2012

Given the dominance of Sony's Walkman over in the Land of the Rising Sun, it's a little surprising to think that Sony has been all but silent regarding the Japanese e-reader market. The company has already made its mark in digital cameras arena. We heard back in May that the mega-corp was planning an e-reader launch in Japan by the year's end, aiming to build out an elaborate e-book distribution platform with local telecom operator KDDI. Fast forward a few months, and it seems as if thing's are finally falling into place. New reports are suggesting that the 5- and 6-inch Sony Reader devices will be on sale in Japan on December 10th, with pricing set for ¥20,000 ($237) / ¥25,000 ($297), respectively.

Additionally, it's planning to crack the seal on an online e-bookstore with around 20,000 titles, and that one should be ready to roll prior to the "year-end shopping rush." Perhaps more stunning, however, is Sony's intentions to "sell 300,000 Readers in the first year and win half the domestic market by 2012" -- that's according to Sony Marketing Japan president Nobuki Kurita. Bold words, Sony, but we love the ambition.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/28/sony-aims-for-half-of-japans-e-reader-market-by-2012/

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Acer Unveils Android and Windows Tablet

After creating its niche in the laptops industry, Taiwanese manufacturer Acer is taking on Apple and Samsung with the launch of three tablet devices.

Acer has produced both a seven-inch tablet and two 10.1 inch tablets to take on the rival companies’ offerings Samsung Galaxy Tab and Apple iPad. Acer has already made its mark by producing range of cheap laptops and has gained a lot of popularity among the consumers.

One of the two 10.1 inch devices produced by the company is powered by Android and the other by Windows. The Android based device is designed with HD entertainment in mind with full capacitive touch-screen and Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. It comes in an aluminium casing and has a built-in HDMI port and 1080p capability. The 10 point multi-touch and gyro meter control offers the best games consoles.

The Windows based 10.1 inch Acer tablet is 15mm thick and comes with a full-size keyboard and more connectivity options. Incorporating Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, the device will run on the next-generation AMD platform and will be equipped with two 1.3-megapixel cameras, one rear and one front-facing.

The third offering from the company in the form of seven-inch tablet has HDMI support and is powered by Android. The device comes with Dolby Mobile Technology and offers Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. It has a dual-core processor with Adobe Flash Player 10.1 support for fast HD web experience and multimedia playback.