Looking for the perfect high definition television isn’t easy, especially with all the new choices technology has placed at our fingertips. Questions like what HDTV should I buy or how different is it from my television of ten years ago often come to mind. That is why any smart buyer must first consider checking out an HDTV buyer’s guide such as this one. Take yourself out of ignorance and enter the fascinating world of television technology.
Like any consumer you must first consider how much you are willing to spend. HDTV’s do tend to be more expensive than your normal television but it also gives better quality images and a great viewing experience. The budget you prepare must also take into account shipping or delivery costs as well as all the accessories that go with your new HDTV. You may also want to factor in ‘extended warrantee’ as well as HDTV calibration once your HDTV has been set-up.
Although there are different HDTV technologies out there, acquaint yourself with the basics. There are generally two kinds of television in the market today, the digital TV also known as monitors and the Integrated TV. Digital television is those that can receive both the analog TV signals (NTSC or National Television Systems Committee) and digital TV signals (ATSC or Advanced Television Systems Committee). Digital TV signals produce better quality images than analog signals. Digital TV can either be HDTV-ready or HDTV-capable. It is HDTV-ready if it can receive the digital signals and it is HDTV-capable if it can receive and has the ability to display the digital signals. To make the TV display the digital signal, you have to have an HDTV receiver, which is an external device plugged in the TV. An Integrated TV is a digital television that has an internal HDTV receiver in it. This costs much higher than the usual digital TV. Make sure that either your Integrated HDTV or your digital TV and HDTV receiver is compatible with your cable or satellite provider. Any HDTV cannot work if it is not compatible with your cable or satellite provider.
The next to consider is your HDTV features. You have to choose between either a 1080i (1080interlaced) or 740p (740 progressive scan) resolution. HDTV offers high resolution which means more pixels which translates into clearer sharper images. The 1080i gives more detail but a 740p makes fast moving images clearer. A 1080p resolution combines both more detail and sharper fast moving images. You may also want to consider having a picture-in-picture feature that enables you to watch 2 shows at the same time. However, some cable providers and satellite systems do not allow this feature. Also make sure that your HDTV have sufficient connection ports for the accessories you may want to connect such as DVD, game console or an iPod.
For the perfect entertainment experience you need not only a great TV but also awesome audio. The standard for HDTV has always been Dolby Digital which means 5.1 Channel Surround Sound or better. Though some HDTV manufacturers have their own audio system you can never fail with a Dolby digital. The size of your HDTV and the lighting in your house must also be considered in choosing that HDTV.
This ‘guide’ is not comprehensive but I hope it helped you in choosing and understanding HDTV. Happy Shopping!
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With around $270 billion dollars worth of coupons for freebies and discounts that are printed annually in the US, the fraction of coupons actually redeemed is quite ridiculous - just around the $4 billion mark. Meaning, only about 1.5% of the coupons are actually used for savings and rebates that could be for purchases from supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, and other retailers. That’s really a big amount of potential savings going down the drain, so to speak. Savings, which for ordinary Americans, can mean thousands of dollars annually.
The problem is that coupon clipping is usually associated with the elderly, who are obviously aware of its vast potential in terms of maximizing the purchasing power of their limited incomes or pensions. But the fact is - you need not be a geriatric to avail of the great savings one can get from coupons. You only need to be practical and wise. All you need is just a little time scanning newspaper, magazine inserts, and you’ll get a fairly large amount of coupons which you can use in your next purchase.
Of course, you also need some creativity and good organizational skills to make the most out of discount coupons: it’s no good cutting and storing these clips of papers if you can’t find one when you need it most. Indeed, a messy stack could result in missed opportunities and that’s why veteran coupon-clippers take their tasks to a higher-level. They sort coupons into categories and expiration dates to help them easily locate coupons. Some use separate envelops for each category while those really conscientious use multi-compartment coupon organizers.
To add more coupons - and hence, more savings - one can go beyond the usual sources mentioned above. Manufacturing companies and even supermarkets often offer discount coupons directly to consumers, aside from those made by marketing firms that are inserted in publications. Or if you don’t have the time to do the actual searching and cutting, you can visit online coupon-clipping services which can provide you with the coupons you need for a nominal fee.
To efficiently use your collection, you should list the things you need to buy in your next grocery shopping. See which of these items have matching coupons that you may use and clip these coupons to your list! But if I were you, I’d bring along all the other coupons as well, as you never know when a great buy comes along unexpectedly and the coupons come handy in such occasions. Also, some supermarkets offer promotions in which they double or even triple the face value of manufacturers’ coupons – affording smart consumers much more value for their money.
Finally, coupon-clipping and usage need not be a lonely chore for mothers alone. Mothers can involve kids and even hubby in this task which ultimately benefits the whole family. It’s a good way to teach kids math skills (computing how much is saved or how many more items can be bought for the same amount); recognition and memory aptitude (by allowing the kids to find the items that matches each coupon); organizational skills and most important of all, truly learning the value of money.
Are you convinced now? Then get that scissors and start clipping all those coupons!
After all that is said and done, it is natural enough to assume that not all ATV tires are created equal. If this is your first time buying your own set of tires for your ride, you must consider a lot of variables, which we will enumerate here. You do have to remember that this task is really no different from buying automobile tires. The ATV make, model and manufacturer should be your top consideration, rather than budget and availability. Although we are not discounting the fact that budget and availability of the products are important variables when buying ATV tires, we are simply saying that these should not be your top or your only consideration.
Finding the right set of ATV tires will help keep your ride in better shape; will help driving and steering easier; and will guarantee your safety as well.
Try to find out first what make, model and the name of the manufacturer of your ride is. These are essential information which could dictate which tires you can and cannot use. As a matter of relevance, some of the types of tires are: O.E. type tires, mud tires, paddle tires, race tires, sand tires, sports utility tires and trail tires. The truth is, you can use just about any tire type on your ride, but if you have performance and safety in your mind, then it would be best to follow through with whatever the ATV manufacturers’ recommendations are; these are usually seen in the ATV manual or the manufacturers’ websites. The manufacturers could also ascertain which tire size you may safely and efficiently use in the event that you want to go bolder and bigger.
Tire wear is also a top variable to consider. Most ATVs that roll off the assembly line are fitted with 2 ply tires – and yes, these are serviceable on their own. However, most ATV enthusiasts, especially those who run the roads or tracks like crazy, prefer higher ply rating for their rides. A heavily used ATV in a rough and rocky riding arena would probably need a 6 ply set of tires to avoid (or at least reduce the chances of) being punctured by the elements of the terrain. If your ride is mostly used for scenic tours and rolls around on basically level ground, you may not need tires with higher ply ratings at all. It goes without saying that higher ply ratings also mean higher price tags.
Other variables to consider if you are thinking about your ATV’s performance includes: the contour of the tires (flat or rounded); tire height (short or tall); tire width (if you are unsure of this, you can always download an ATV fitment guide from the Internet); and tread pattern.
And now we finally get around to budget and availability. These two variables are almost always intertwined. Sometimes the tires we can afford are not available, or those that are available are way beyond our budget’s price range. The smart option here is to order your tires now and play the waiting game. You can always ask your local dealer to give you a heads up if and when the tires you want are available already. Nothing could be had by becoming too impatient and replacing your functional tires with unsuitable ones. You will only be wasting your money, especially when you begin to notice that lack luster performance of your ride. Plus, you are gambling with you own safety which is never a good thing.
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When doing any kind of athletic activity, whether it is competitive or not, it is important to choose your apparel wisely. When choosing athletic apparel, you want to look for fabrics that will keep your body cool and dry from perspiration. The type of athletic apparel you choose will differ depending on the activity you are participating in. For example, when you are participating in night activities, your workout clothing should be bright in color, or even reflective, as this will make you much more visible. Sportwear that is too tight may limit your range of motion, and affect your performance in your activity. It is also important to choose workout clothing that will allow your muscles to stay warm and limber. In short, determine your needs and then find a store that suits you.
T-shirts are one of the most widely used pieces of athletic apparel, and choosing the right t-shirt for your workout is a very important decision. These shirts are normally made from cotton, and can be very comfortable to work out in. They are also very affordable, and long lasting pieces of work out clothing. When you are participating in strenuous athletic activity, don’t wear shirts that have large painted or embroidered logos. These will force your sweat to stay on the skin instead of pulling it into the fabric which allows it to evaporate.
Choosing the proper pants or shorts for your activity is equally as important as choosing the correct t-shirt. It is again important to make sure that whatever type of pants or shorts you’re wearing enables you to operate in the full range of motion required. You want to ensure you will not have any chaffing or discomfort, or you will not be able to perform at your best.
Most of the high performance athletic apparel that is presently on the market could not be available several years ago and with good reason - the technology wasn’t there. Consider some of these descriptions: waterproof breathable fabric for outdoor athletic apparel, an athletic apparel shirt that works with your body to regulate temperature and enhance performance, or the athletic apparel which is cut to stay closer to your body to allow for easy movement, while low profile seams and natural stretch properties reduce chafing. These do not sound like your old school sweat shirt and sweat pants!! Technically advanced products have been engineered with superior fabric construction, as well as exclusive moisture management, and proven innovation. Athletic apparel has, and will continue to advance at a very fast pace. You will continue to have more and more choices, and choosing the best workout clothing for you is just as important as choosing the right activity.
Now that it appears that BluRay has won the format war for high-definition video storage, many consumers are feeling left out in the cold, having purchased expensive HD DVD format high-definition video players. But luckily, some of these early adopters may soon get some relief, as several “big box” retailers are preparing to offer cash credits to consumers who purchased HD DVD players through them.
Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and now even Amazon.com are offering $50 credits to early adopters who backed the losing format in the “high def war.” Amazon’s offer will be available through April of 2009, and applies to purchasers of HD DVD players bought before February 23rd of this year.
News.com is reporting that Amazon is concerned about protecting their relationship with consumers, though it also makes good financial sense to offer HD DVD buyers a discount, as they will likely need to purchase a new player in the very near future. Toshiba and other manufacturers of HD DVD players have announced they will stop producing the units, ensuring that the HD DVD format will all but vanish within the next year, and new video titles available in the format will become increasingly hard to find.
Still, many consumers are feeling that they have been “hoodwinked” by the format war, and resent spending hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of dollars on a soon-to-be extinct format. The $50 credit to consumers may go a long way toward smoothing over some of the bad feelings HD DVD purchasers have, but there’s no denying that many early adopters (who purchased HD DVD technology at premium prices) are sure to be left feeling bitter about the experience.
Also, a $50 credit is not very much consolation to someone who has spent $2000 on a state-of-the-art HD DVD system. At the end of the day, what Amazon and the other retailers are offering is very similar to the IRS’s “stimulus package” to taxpayers: it’s nice to have, but it’s not going to make a lot of difference in any family’s long-term financial situation.
Back in the 1980s there was a similar format war between Betamax and VHS. As we all know, VHS won out, and the Betamax format (though clearly technically superior) was resigned to the dustbin of history. Oddly enough though, working Betamax machines often command astronomical prices on auction these days. Could it be worth while to hold on to your HD DVD player for 10 or 20 years in hopes of auctioning it off for big bucks? You never know. But one thing is for certain — in 10 or 20 years and HD DVD machine will be a rarity indeed.
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Earlier this year iTunes became the number two music retailer in the US, just behind super retailer Wal-Mart. Industry analysts and experts were amazed that Apple’s fledgling online music store had become so big in so little time. But now Apple is claiming that iTunes has reached the number one position in the U. S. market, outselling even Wal-Mart.
This claim is reinforced by a study released this week by NPD, a consumer media analyst group. NPD’s study found that iTunes sold more music during January and February of this year than any other national retailer, and is now the largest seller of music in the U. S., both online and off.
Since its inception in 2003, Apple’s iTunes store has sold over 4 billion music tracks. A great deal of the credit for this extraordinary feat goes to the success of the Apple iPod, which has become a cultural phenomenon not only in the US, but around the world.
Still, Apple’s victory celebration could be short-lived, as there is increasing competition among online music retailers, and MySpace (now owned by NewsCorp) has just announced that it will debut its own online music store, selling downloadable digital music tracks, and also music merchandise and concert tickets.
As the number one social networking web site in the country, Myspace has a huge infrastructure already in place to sell digital music, and industry watchers are taking their new digital music service very seriously.
Amazon.com’s MP3 store also continues to gain ground against the competition online. Launched just a year ago, the Amazon store offers music tracks and a slightly lower price than iTunes, and uses no digital right management technology, so that music downloaded from the side can be copied onto CD, or used in any type of MP3 player.
To keep up with all the competition, iTunes is rumored to be discussing a new plan to offer unlimited music downloads in return for an annual premium fee. Allegedly, Apple is also considering a plan to offer free music downloads in exchange for customer loyalty in buying several Apple products, such as the new iPod and iPhone devices.
For now, Apple is refusing to comment on their future plans, but it is clear that the company will need to expand and grow in order to retain their number one position. With so many different competing music portals online, many analysts believe the future may bring a plethora of smaller niche music sites, dedicated to a particular style of music, or type of media — such as vinyl records.
It seems that every other day the Apple iPhone is in the news. This is especially surprising when you consider that the iPhone debuted a year ago, and has already wowed the press and consumers with its sleek, user-friendly design.
But if the latest news reports are correct, the iPhone could now be making news because it’s actually too popular! The New York Times is reporting that there is a shortage of iPhone’s at Apple’s retail outlet stores in the United States. The shortage has prompted a frenzy of speculation among industry insiders, and many believe the current “shortage” is just Apple’s way of phasing out the current version, to make way for a new and improved iPhone to be debuted later this year.
In the past, Apple has often led their inventory of existing products run low when they were on the verge of releasing a new model. For example, retailers reported a shortage of Apple iPods available from the manufacturer, just before the video iPod was released. But could the current shortage of iPhone’s be just a coincidence, or simply the result of poor management? A few analysts say it’s very possible.
Industry expert A.M. Saccanaghi notes that there is no shortage of Apple iPhone’s outside the United States, where the company’s retail outlets are well-stocked, particularly in the European market. Mr. Saccanaghi believes that this fact makes it highly unlikely that Apple is allowing iPhone stocks to shrink in preparation for a new model release. But other analysts are not quite satisfied with this explanation.
Either way though, industry insiders say that a new 3G iPhone is likely to be introduced later this year, although the phone may sell significantly better in Europe, where there are more 3G enabled wireless networks.
When asked for a comment about the shortage of iPhone stocks in their US stores, an Apple representative would only say that the company is working to “replenish iPhone supplies as quickly as we can,” according to the New York Times story. Obviously, whatever the reason for the inventory shortage, Apple is keeping their mouths shut for the time being, fueling the never-ending rumor mill that surrounds both the company and their best-known product.
Apple has been under increasing pressure this year to stop releasing updates and new versions of their products every four to six weeks. Many iPod touch and iPhone buyers have been outraged to discover that only weeks after purchasing the latest model, Apple had released and “improved” version, boasting more features for less money.
At the rate they are going, Apple’s motto will soon be, “upgrade or die.”
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Electronics retailers in the U. S. are gearing up for a new eco-friendly electronics recycling reprogram, in an attempt to boost lagging sales and do their part for the environment at the same time.
So-called “big box” retailers, such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart have announced plans to incorporate a recycling program, allowing consumers to return old cell phones, MP3 players, computer hardware and nearly any other type of electronic gadget to receive store credit in the form of a consumer gift card. The amount of credit received will be based on the type of device returned and its condition.
Conveniently, consumers may return any electronic item, regardless of where they purchased it originally. The electronics recycling firm EcoNEW will handle collections and provide the in-store credit gift cards.
With the growing amounts of electronic “junk” clogging up our attics, garages and landfills, eco-friendly programs like those recently announced by Best Buy and Wal-Mart are likely to become more and more popular among retail electronics stores.
Other companies are offering a type of guaranteed buyback program, which is similar to the extended warranties already offered by some electronics retailers. The buyback program is in essence a type of consumer insurance against future upgrades that may render the electronics product out of date.
TechForward is one company handling guaranteed buyback programs for retailers. Their program boasts a respectable 12% conversion rate, and nearly 70% of the items covered under their buyback plan are eventually returned for a predetermined fee or store credit.
The US in general has been gradually shifting toward more ecological awareness over the last few years, and this trend is expected to continue after the 2008 presidential election. While George W. Bush has not been exactly friendly to environmental causes, all three of the remaining candidates for president, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, all agree that global warming is a real phenomena, and that the United States should take more decisive action to protect the environment.
Along with this political change in policy — regardless of which candidate is actually elected president — is sure to come a cultural change toward greater ecological awareness. This cultural shift bodes well for companies promoting consumer recycling. And with Americans now buying and discarding electronic gadgets at an increasing rate, it makes good financial and ecological sense to provide incentives to recycle our discarded electronic “toys” for cash, instead of letting them continue to pileup in our closets and attics.
So far, American consumers seem receptive to the idea of recycling their aging electronics. It’s funny how many people will suddenly become “environmentalists” when they find out how much money they can save by trading in old electronic items.
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Every so often a funny story comes along about something odd being auctioned off on eBay for an enormous amount of money. After the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, for example, everything from foul balls to ticket stubs were being auctioned off on the Web’s largest auction site, and often commanding ridiculously high bids.
But that’s nothing compared to the latest eBay sensation. A Frosted Flake (as in Frosted Flakes breakfast cereal) in the shape of the state of Illinois is currently accepting bids on eBay, and in fact, a kind of bidding war has broken out over the misshapen serial flake.
By late Monday, the single Frosted Flake boasted 46 bids on eBay, with the current highest bidder at $1,175. The bidding for the flake began on Friday, and a feeding frenzy quickly began among collectors looking to acquire the oddly shaped flake.
Right about now, you’re probably asking yourself why in the world would anyone pay nearly $1200 for a single frosted Flake, no matter what it was shaped like? And while it is true that a picture of the flake reveals that it has an uncanny resemblance to the state of Illinois, the flake’s owner, an eBay seller from Chesapeake, Virginia, is as dumbfounded as the rest of us as to the enormous popularity of the breakfast cereal oddity.
Could this be a modern example of the pet rock? No one is entirely certain, but at the current rate of bidding, the single flake is likely to end up selling for close to $2000, if not more. One interesting question is, who exactly is bidding over $1000 to buy a single Frosted Flake? Because eBay protect the privacy of its bidders, we may never know for certain what kind of person would invest so much money for a seemingly worthless object, or what they expect to get out of it, investment wise.
But perhaps that is the entire point of eBay. Users can auction virtually anything, no matter how seemingly worthless it may be, and occasionally find an untapped market willing to pay big bucks for it.
Of course the Illinois-shaped Frosted Flake is not the strangest thing ever auctioned off on eBay — not by a longshot. Users have auctioned off everything from dryer lint to used bandages on eBay, occasionally attracting higher bids than you might expect for the seemingly uninteresting — and in some cases disgusting — objects.
We will see how the state-shaped Frosted Flake does in the next few days. One thing is for certain though; if this thing garners more than $2000 at auction, I’m going to start checking my frosted flakes very carefully before pouring any milk on them.
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The mega-popular online classifieds site, Craigslist.org has been found not liable for discriminatory content placed in classified ads on the site by users. Last Friday, a federal appeals court reaffirmed a previous ruling finding Craigslist not guilty of discrimination. The judges agreed that Craigslist.org merely provided an open forum where ads could be posted, and could not be held personally responsible for the illegal content contained in the ads.
The case was brought in February of 2006 by the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The plaintiffs in the action had argued that Craigslist had violated the fair housing act because some users of the site had placed classified ads with a illegal terms such as “no children” and “no minorities.”
The plaintiffs also pointed out that many users were more subtle in their discrimination, and instead of specifically rejecting certain groups of people, would go to great lengths to emphasize that the property in question was next door to a Catholic church, for example.
According to section 230 (communications decency act, 1996), a web site which is classified as a “interactive computer service” has immunity from being prosecuted because of illegal content contributed by the web sites members or users. In the case of the Craigslist lawsuit, a federal judge had already ruled on the case back in November, 2006. But the prosecutors decided to appeal that decision, and this latest ruling reinforces the concept that web sites can not be held responsible for illegal content posted by users.
Where this ruling gets tricky is in the area of online file sharing, which depending on which legal scholar you speak to, may or may not fall outside of section 230. But the judges in the Craigslist ruling concluded that although the site does provide the opportunity for users to post illegal content, they cannot realistically be held responsible for the legality of every ad or posting to the site.
This latest ruling simply reinforces the concept of a free and democratic Internet, where no single web site or service provider can be charged for the actions of that sites contributing users. In the era of social networking, YouTube, and Web 2.0 user content-driven sites, this is great news. In fact, without this legal precedent, web sites such as MySpace or Facebook would constantly be at risk of prosecution because of the actions and contributions of their users. This would, no doubt, put an end to social networking sites online as we know them.
But even though the court reconfirmed Craigslist’s immunity to the charges, the court left the door open for the prosecution of individual users of the site, which means that people who place discriminatory ads for housing, etc. can still be singled out and charged with violating the communications decency act. Sounds fair to me.
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