Archive for the ‘Buying Guide’ Category

MP3 Player

Tags: , , , ,

MP3 Player Buying Guide

 

MP3 Player Buying Guide

MP3 Player Buying Guide

By Anne Ahira

Like it or not MP3 player technology is upgrading faster than the consumer can purchase. When buying an MP3 player your budget, your use and what capabilities you need will all is primary factors.

lso remember when buying an MP3 player that it will soon become outdated though still useable. If you plan to replace this MP3 Player next year when the newer prettier and trendier models come out, you may want to limit your investment.

Some questions to ask yourself before you decide on which MP3 Player to buy are, do you listen to music only or do you watch videos. Do you store a lot of music or videos?

Internet technology is now available on MP3 Players, so you can download music and other media from the internet, is that something you do or want to do?

Where do you use your MP3 player? Is size a consideration, not so much, if you are driving in the car and listening to your favorite music, more so if you are working out or jogging and need an MP3 Player that will stay in place and not weigh you down?  Most MP3 Players with hard drives will be bulkier than a player with a flash drive will. 

Hard drives may hold more music and flash drives will let you switch out your music or videos easier. Will you want your MP3 Player to hold almost ever tune or video that ever struck your fancy? You are definitely going to want a hard drive and a large one at that.

Watching videos and listening to audio books is a popular way to use an MP3 Player and if you plan to use your MP3 player to watch movies on you will want a good-sized drive and a decent display.

As mentioned before when buying an MP3 player there are options upon options available brands and styles. Your choices may be limited by your budget or if you have a little larger pocketbook then you can select to suit your purposes.

MP3 Player Buying Guide – Brands and Capabilities

How can any MP3 Player buying guide be considered complete without mentioning the IPod, it is so widespread that IPod has become a term known to everyone. However, you may not necessarily want to base your purchase on a brand alone until you consider the limitations as well as the capabilities of the IPod.

Many items such as TVs have special docking ports for the Apple IPod, and IPods have one of the simplest and most complete download abilities with direct access to legal music and media from the ITunes store.

However, the Apple name costs more and the proprietary software makes it a little more difficult to transfer music and media to your home computer. You may choose to investigate other brands with more capabilities and a lower price tag instead.

An adequate display screen is important if you plan to watch videos or movies on your MP3 player. If your Mp3 player has too tiny, a screen and you will be doing more listening than watching.  A screen on your MP3 player any smaller than 2 inches may not display your videos or visual media well enough to be enjoyable.

Do you want a touch screen on your new MP3 player? If so, what are the drawbacks to a touch screen?  Oil and other foreign substances can cause the touch screen to wear out faster.

If the resolution on the screen is too low then errors are possible (touching where you think the item could be but is not). They do not necessarily add cost to the MP3 player the Pro Ezbiz Video MP3 can be found for under $50.00 but they do increase the possibility of malfunction. However, it is the wave of the future and may well add to your enjoyment of your new MP3 player.

MP3 Player Buying Guide – What Is Your Choice?

It is time for the real decision-making. You have a budget, you have some capabilities in mind, and you have made the decision IPod or not iPod. What else is there? The short answer is all the rest! Do you want your new purchase to be internet capable or not. Do you want a hard drive or flash drive and how large for your New MP3 Player? How big is your budget?

Whether you buy your MP3 Player online or you shop at the local retail store you will find a wealth of choices. Avoid features you really do not need since often they will add to the cost but not your satisfaction.

Ask about the return policy on merchandise when you shop. Some online merchants offer refurbished MP3 players as well and new ones. If you are investing a larger amount in your MP3 player, you may want to pass up the savings on a refurbished model and go for the new one especially if you want the newest features on your MP3 player.

If you are buying your MP3 Player online then find out how much shipping charges are and how your player will be shipped as well as the expected delivery date. Shipping charges vary from source to source and usually account for a very small percentage of your MP3 player purchase price. The selection of MP3 player styles and capabilities may be more attractive online than at a local store.

If your MP3 Player comes with ear buds, you may also want to consider replacing them with something more suitable and comfortable. The included ear buds are usually low quality and not always very comfortable. Is the USB port 1.1 or 2.0 compatible? USB 2.0 ports provide the fasted data transmission when transferring files to or from your MP3 player.

As long as you bear in mind technology for MP3 players is constantly upgrading and you choose a player that has the sound quality, storage, and or display abilities you use most you will certainly find an MP3 player that you can use and be happy with until you are ready to upgrade.


Monitor

Tags: , , , ,

Computer Monitor Buying Guide – Need versus Want

 

Monitor Buying guide

Monitor Buying guide

By Anne Ahira

Monitor technology is improving all the time and now when choosing a monitor the consumer has more choices in size as well as display types than ever.

Which one is best in your situation depends on the use you plan to put it to, the space you have to dedicate to a monitor and how long a life you expect from it.

The biggest and best computer monitor available may or may not suit you. Learn more about your computer monitor buying choices and decide for yourself.

Computer Monitor Display Types

The two main types of computer monitors are the older technology CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor and the newer LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors.

Newer technology is not always better than older but LCD is taking over the computer monitor field but as consumers gravitate to the smaller and more compact LCD technology. When you are buying a computer monitor, you may find a few CRT monitors listed by the merchant or in a corner of the shop.

Unfortunately, they will not usually have the large screen displays and they will be bulkier. However, some people still prefer CRT displays for image editing. The prices on CRT monitors will usually be much lower than the prices of comparable of LCD computer monitors.  CRT monitors also have a higher output of low-level electromagnetic rays.

LCD monitors are usually much smaller and with larger screen sizes than the old CRT monitors. Pricing is relatively reasonable and a slimmer profile monitor can be purchased when space limitations are a consideration.

The color range is for an LCD monitor is more limited than with the old style CRT monitor, blacks are not as black, color contrasts may be less extreme. The average lifespan of an LCD display is around 60,000 hours of use, and they are resistant to image burn in when compared to the old CRT displays.

Computer Monitor Buying Overview – What You Are Really Getting

The image quality in the store or in the merchant’s photo online may have little to do with the real performance of a computer monitor when hooked up to your computer at home. A lot depends on the graphics card as well the resolution desired. In addition, what tasks or entertainment purposes you commonly use your computer for have a bearing on performance and ultimately your satisfaction.

After all, company wants to put their best foot forward when in the showroom or in a promotional photos so when buying a computer monitor do not depend on the showroom or promotional display alone. You should check the computer monitor specifications as well.

Gamers might be require a higher refresh rate, screen resolution with their high end graphics card and  with their computer monitor than someone using a computer monitor for writing a letter or viewing email.

Refresh rate on a monitor is important. The refresh rate is the number of times a computer monitor refreshes the screen. Higher refresh rates mean less flickering. If you spend long hours in front of a computer monitor, you are a gamer, or you are prone to eyestrain this is an important feature in a computer monitor.

Do you want widescreen or standard display on your new computer monitor? Standard display is becoming rarer in new monitors so this may be a non-choice however if you do not often watch movies you may find a deal in a standard display computer monitor.

Is bigger better when buying a computer monitor? Usually, yes it is though the space you have available to place the monitor on should be a high priority, as well as your budget, since the larger the monitor screen, the heftier the price tag.

Screen resolution goes hand in hand with computer monitor screen size. A small computer monitor might be able to display the computer screen at the standard 1280 by 1024 resolution but it may be so small as to be useless and unreadable.

Computer Buying Guide – Summary

When you go computer monitor shopping whether online or in a store, budget and use are primary considerations. You may have to sacrifice one for another or shop very carefully over a longer period to find just the right computer monitor at just the right price.

You may be tempted to buy a used or refurbished computer monitor. This can be a considerable source of savings when buying a computer monitor and some merchants online and retail may offer computer monitors that have been refurbished or are used.

It is wise to read the fine print on these used computer monitors, see if there is a warranty, and be sure of the merchant’s return policy on computer monitors that are used.  If you feel, the savings in price are worth the risk and the computer monitor is satisfactory you stand to save a bundle.

New computer monitors can be purchased on sale and result in significant savings or an upgrade in size. You just need to be persistent, know what you want and keep checking. If you are shopping online, it is wise to choose a merchant who offers customer reviews for products.

Not all of the customer reviews will be positive and that is good for you. Knowing what other consumers liked or disliked about a particular computer monitor can help you finalize your buying decision and feel confident in your choice of computer monitor.

Final words on buying your new computer monitor. Buy from a merchant you can trust and be sure you know the return policies on the computer monitor. Do not rely on just the display in the store or the photo from the shop; know how it will perform on your system.

When buying a computer monitor and space is not a consideration then try and get the largest screen size you can afford, it will be easier to see, and you will not end up wishing you had that HP 20 Inch HD monitor instead of the Acer 17 inch LCD.


← Older Entries