Quickbooks supports a large variety of bookkeeping and accounting tasks, including invoicing, purchases, payroll and inventory management. It uses accepted accounting principles and double-entry bookkeeping, but users without detailed accounting knowledge can also effectively use Quickbooks.

The software is available in several different versions, and can also be used as an online service for a monthly subscription. Costs vary according to the size of the business, the number of users, the number of customers to be handled and so, but pricing is generally affordable for small businesses.

Getting Started with Quickbooks

It’s helpful to have an overview of what is involved in getting started with Quickbooks, as the process can seem intimidating to the beginner.

The first step is to choose the right version of Quickbooks for your business. Luckily the Quickbooks website provides a useful comparison chart to guide you. The majority of small business choose Quickbooks Pro, which will typically cost less than $200 to buy outright.

The second step, assuming you chose to buy Quickbooks rather than use the online service, is to install the program. Begin in the same way as with any other software, by inserting the installation DVD and following the step-by-step instructions on screen.

The third step, before you run the program for the first time, is to collect together all the information that you’ll be asked to enter. When Quickbooks first starts, it will take you through something called the “EasyStep Interview”. Here you’ll be asked for basic data about your business such as name, company number etc, and also for three important sets of records. These are:

• Your financial accounts
• Records of accounts payable, receivable, inventory and assets
• Lists of customers, suppliers, employees and inventory items

Collect as much of this information as you can, but don’t worry too much if it is not all to hand. It’s easier to enter the basics from the start, but it is always possible to add more data later.

Once you have your records to hand, start Quickbooks and choose New Company in the File menu. You’ll be asked to enter the name and details for you company, and then will be taken through the EasyStep Interview.

After entering your initial financial data, it is a good idea to make a “trial balance”. If you don’t understand the concept of a trial balance, this is one place where you might want to ask your accountant for help.

The final step is to enter what are known as your master file lists. In Quickbooks these refer to standard data that you refer to again and again, such as the names, addresses and account information of your regular customers.

Once you’ve completed these steps, you will be ready for day to day use of Quickbooks.

Invoicing with Quickbooks

All the features for working with customer matters are found in the Customers menu. Items in this menu will let you choose an invoice form to suit your needs, and customize it for your own business. For example, if you sell physical products, your invoice can be include desriptions of ordered items, whereas if you offer professional services, you could include billable hours.

Once you have designed your invoice form, use the Create Invoice command to make a new invoice and fill in the required details. Your regular customers should hopefully already be availanle for you to choose from a drop-down lists, as you will have entered all their information during the creation of your master files. However, if the invoice is for a new customer you should be able to create a new customer record at this point if you need.

After creating invoices in the system, you can choose whether to print each on individual, print them in batches, or email them.

Note that if your customers pay for items on the spot, you can create a sales receipt rather than an invoice, which let the system know. Otherwise, when you get payment for an invoice, choose the Receive Payments command in the Customers menu to enter the payment details.

Paying Vendors with Quickbooks

If you want to use formal purchase order for buying supplies from vendors, you can create and use them in the same way as invoices, but using the Vendors menu, rather than the Customers menu.

You can also track your business bills, technically termed accounts payable. To do this, select the Enter Bills command in the Vendors menu when a bill arrives. Later you can use the Pay Bills command from the Vendors menu to actually pay. Using this command you’ll be able to choose which bills to pay, which bank account to use to pay them, and whether you want to pay online or print a check.

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Arsenal is one of the most popular teams in the English Premier League. The best websites and online resources for Arsenal fans are described in this article.

Arsenal Background

Arsenal Football Club, also known to fans as The Gunners, are one of the most successful clubs in English football. They have won many trophies in their long history, hold the record for the longest unbroken spell in the top division, and are the only team to have gone unbeaten for an entire Premier League season. They have also qualified for knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League ten times, a record held jointly with Real Madrid.

Official Arsenal Sites

Arsenal.com

The official Arsenal site at www.arsenal.com is an invaluable source of information for all Gooners, as Arsenal supporters like to call themselves.

Here you can learn about club history, check out information on the current squad, buy tickets for upcoming fixtures and much more.

Arsenal TV Online

Access to the main Arsenal site is free, but there is also a paid service Arsenal TV Online which provides audio and video coverage of games. Currently subscription costs either £3.99 a month or £45 a year. There are also some free features here, including Facebook chat, live texting and phone-ins after matches.

Live audio commentary is provided for all games, and video highlights of games become available at midnight following a match day. Full match replays are available, but only appear a few days after the game.

Apart from coverage of games, there are interviews with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, profiles of individual players and various special features.

Note that Arsenal TV Online is only supported for Windows machines, as it uses Windows Media Player and Microsoft copy prevention technology for video streaming.

Live Coverage of Arsenal Matches

Arsenal on TV

Arsenal games are shown live on mainstream channels fairly regularly, but the channels can vary depending on the competition. The fixture list on Arsenal’s website also shows which TV channels will be covering any given game.

Usually the channels to look out for are Sky Sports 1, ITV 1, the BBC or ESPN. Most of these stream their coverage online as well as broadcasting on regular TV.

The next live Arsenal games to be shown will be the matches at home against Wolves on Sat 12th Feb, which will be on ESPN3, and the home Champions League game against Barcelona on Wed 16th Feb, which will be on ITV1.

Premier League TV Schedules

• Premier League TV Schedule for US viewers

• Premier League TV Schedule for UK & Ireland

ATDHE Arsenal Streams

ATDHE usually has video streams for most Arsenal games, compiled from wherever they are available on the net.

ATDHE only provides links on the actual match day itself. See the main articles on ATDHE and How to Use ATDHE if you need any more information.

Arsenal Players

The most interesting Twitter streams from Arsenal players:

• Cesc Fabregas
• Johan Djourou
• Robin van Persie
• Jack Wilshere

Arsenal Supporter Blogs

There are many Arsenal blogs, but two are highly recommended.

Arsenal FC Blog bills itself as “providing thoughtful, analytical and entertaining opinion” on Arsenal, and with justification. The blog contains intelligent post-match reviews, well-informed discussion of Arsenal issues, and interesting views on topics such as transfer news and rumors.

A Cultured Left Foot is likewise a well-written, balanced and intelligent blog covering the world of Arsenal.

Both blogs have active reader communities, and you can get a sense of what Arsenal supporters are thinking from the extensive discussions that take place in the comments on blog entries.

These comments threads are usually very active while a game is in progress, so if you are not able to watch with other fans in person, you can at least share in the fan community online.

Arsenal on YouTube

There is a lot of Arsenal content on YouTube. You can find goals and highlights from recent games, watch classic moments in Arsenal history, and see tributes to past and present players.

Some examples of the best of Arsenal on YouTube follow.

Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea, Dec 2010 (Extended Highlights)

Good quality highlights of Arsenal’s vital game against Chelsea at the Emirates stadium on 27th December 2010. An important match won in glorious style by Arsenal.

Arsenal – 125 Years

An affectionate look at Arsenal’s history through video clips, photo slideshows and music. It does focus much more on clips of recent teams than the title might suggest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bRylghzdvI

Thierry Henry’s Greatest Goals

A very enjoyable, extended tribute to Henry’s Arsenal career featuring a ten minute selection of TH14′s greatest goals in chronological order with a running count of his total goals scored.

A little searching on YouTube will usually find interesting videos on any Arsenal topic that you are interested in.

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ATDHE.net, streams live sports events and major TV and news channels. The ATDHE website is very easy to use, but there are a few things worth knowing about how to use it, and some issues which may arise.

Switch to ATDHEnet.tv

On Feb 1st 2011, a number of sports streaming sites including ATDHE.net had their domain names seized by the US Dept of Homeland Security as past of copyright infringement investigations. At the present it appears that ATDHE has switched to a new domain, ATDHEnet.tv.¹

Other websites claiming to be ATDHE have also sprung up, notably ATDHE.me. There are now reasons to believe that ATDHE.me is not the same site, and probably should be avoided.

This article will be updated when the future of ATDHE becomes clearer. In the mean time it is important to be cautious in using any website calling itself ATDHE, and in particular to avoiding downloading anything from any such site.

Normal Use of ATDHE.net

Go to the ATDHEnet.tv website, which will appear as shown in Screenshot 1 below. At the top of the main page you will see a list of popular TV shows, such as Frasier and South Park. If you want to watch live TV instead of these selected shows, click the Live TV link on the right directly under the ATDHE.net title. If you want to watch live sports scroll down the main page until you find the day’s events listed, as shown in Screenshot 2.

Live sports events are only listed for one day at a time, and will appear in order of their starting times. Since ATDHE covers major sports events worldwide, European events will usually appear first, and North American events will appear lower down the list, with West Coast events typically the last of all.

Each line shows information about one particular event, including its starting time in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Central European Time (CET). A small image shows the type of event, for example a soccer ball indicates a soccer match and a puck indicates ice hockey.

Sometimes there will be several different lines in the list for the same game. These are different streams from alternative sources, and if one of them does not work for you, it is worth trying another. Usually if there are alternative streams, the last one listed is most likely to be working, as it will be the most recently added.

If the list of events is not what you would expect, it may be that ATDHE has not yet been updated, and is still showing the events from the previous day. ATDHE.net only lists one day’s events at a time, and there is no advance schedule published beyond the current day.

When you click on the yellow link for the game you’re interested in, a new window will open with the video stream. If the game has not yet started, the screen may be black. Even for a game in progress, the screen may be black for a short time or have a “play” arrow that you need to click to start the video stream.

Normally after trying the available links, you will find one that works and be able to watch the event you wanted to see. If following these steps does not start the video for you, see the section on Possible Issues below.

Screenshots

Screenshot 1 – ATDHE.net Main Page

This is what the top of the main ATDHE page looks like. Underneath the title there is a link to go the page which lists regular TV channels, while live sports events are found by scrolling down.

Live sports streams are found lower down this same page, sorted by start time

Screenshot 2 – ATDHE.net Live Sports Streams List

Towards the bottom of the ATDHE.net main page, the current day’s sports events are listed. These are highlighted by the red box in the image below. (The red box has been added to the screenshot to help explain the screen, and is not part of the website itself.)

The red arrow in the above image points to a single line, which lists the details for the Rangers vs Celtic soccer game from the Scottish Premier League. Note that there are several different streams for the same game, and the arrow points to the last of them.

Clicking on the name of the game (in yellow) will open a new window with the video stream.

Screenshot 3 – ATDHE.net Live Streaming Window

The new window will typically look as shown below. It is a smaller browser window, sized to fit the video. It may take a few moments for the video to begin.

Possible Issues

As explained above, some individual streams may not work. Perhaps the stream was found to be infringing copyright and was removed for legal reasons. Alternately there may be a technical problem with the stream, perhaps such as the server being too busy with many people trying to watch at the same time.

In either case, you will most likely find another stream listed for the same game that is working. Also it is worth coming back to streams later and trying again, and problems are sometimes only temporary.

Other issues can arise too. For example, ATDHE does not work on iPhones and iPads, sometimes it may have problems working in Internet Explorer, and sometimes you may be asked to download software.

Read the main ATDHE article for more information on how ATDHE works, and what your options are for dealing with these issues.

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab was unveiled in early September 2010, and quickly became seen as the state-of-the-art in Android based tablet computers, and the first real rival to the Apple iPad.⁴

The Galaxy Tab has a 7″ touchscreen and weighs about 0.8 lbs, making it a little smaller and half the weight of the iPad. Samsung’s advertising positions the Tab as a go-anywhere device almost like a phone, showing a user walking around the supermarket with it, looking up product information online while they shop, and later using the Tab as a recipe book as they prepare a meal.

The Galaxy Tab can function in this way as it is just about small enough to slip into a large jacket pocket, and light enough to easily use while holding it in one hand for long periods of time. In keeping with these uses, the Tab can function as a 3G phone using a headset, and also has two cameras for taking pictures and videos, and for making video-calls.

In the US, all five major carriers offer the Tab, with prices starting at $400 when bought with a contract for 3G service, or $600 without a contract. The cost of data plans currently ranges from the $15 per month for 200MB of data, up to the largest plans at $80 per month for 10 GB.⁵

Galaxy Tab Specs

Some of the most important specifications of the Galaxy tab are as follows:

• Internet access via 3G phone network and all current versions of wi-fi
• 7″ touchscreen with 1024×600 resolution and 169 pixels per inch
• Approx 7.5 by 4.75 by 0.5 inches in size, 0.8 pounds in weight⁶
• Custom version of Android 2.2, aka Froyo
• 16GB or 32GB memory, with additional memory card slot up to 32GB
• Phoning via speakerphone or Bluetooth headset
• Battery life of 7 hours for video playback
• 3.2 MP rear camera + 1.3 MP forward facing camera
• GPS built-in

Video – Hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab

Galaxy Tab Reviews

Most reviewers liked the Galaxy Tab a good deal after getting their hands on one for extended use. The few who were less than impressed tended to be people looking for a very iPad-like experience, who found that the significantly smaller-sized Galaxy Tab didn’t fit their expectations well.⁷⁸

Notably David Pogue of the New York Times and Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, both well known fans of Apple products, felt that the Galaxy Tab was a slick, well-made device, distinctive enough from the iPad to offer a genuine choice to the market, while being of a high enough quality to be a real contender against Apple’s offering.⁹¹⁰

Fortune’s Seth Weintraub opined: “If I was only allowed one mobile device besides my computer, I’d pick the Galaxy Tab.” He noted that being half the size and weight of an iPad made the Tab “anything but an iPad”, but that for him this smaller form factor was a good thing. ¹¹

Refurbished Galaxy Tab

At present the Galaxy Tab does not seem to be available refurbished, as it is too new and likely in too great demand. However, it is worth keeping an eye on the market, and following the general advice on buying refurbished products such as iPads.

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ATDHE is a website specializing in streaming video of live sports events. It recently moved location following a controversial seizure of its domain name by US authorities.

ATDHE sports feeds cover a broad range of the most popular sports in the US and globally, including live games of football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer and other sports. These feeds are collected from many different original sources, including Justin.tv and Ustream.tv, but are carefully chosen by ATDHE editors to make sure that they work properly, are free, and actually feature coverage of the game expected. The selected feeds are shown to users in a short list of the day’s events, making ATDHE very easy to use. The stream quality available may often not be as good as various paid options offered online, but streams are usually watchable enough for sports fans who are unable to get to a TV and want to follow their teams online.

The ATDHE site is totally free to viewers, and is funded by advertising. According to the site’s terms of service, ATDHE does not directly host any of the content itself, but only collects together suitable feeds that are already available elsewhere on the net. Some of these feeds may be infringing copyright, but ATDHE asks rights holders to contact the sites hosting the material, and denies any responsibility for either the material it points to, or the actions of its users.

ATDHE does not give the names of any of the people involved in the organization. whether as founders, staff or editors, and the site does not provide any information on how to contact the organization other than an email address atdhenet(at)live.com.

Seizure of ATDHE domain by Homeland Security

On Feb 1st 2011, a number of sports streaming sites including ATDHE and Roja Directa had their domain names seized as part of an investigation by the US Department of Homeland Security. Since the websites are actually located outside the US, only the use of the domain name itself seems to have been affected.

Techdirt, a blog specialising in legal and policy issues affecting technology, commented that the seizures were carried out:

under the legally questionable theory that linking to infringing material is, by itself, criminal copyright infringement. I’ve yet to find any legal expert who seems to believe that the law actually says this anywhere.²

More information will be provided as it becomes available, but it seems that for now ATDHE has switched its operation to a new domain, ATDHEnet.tv.³

Another website, ATDHE.me, which also claims to be the continuation of ATDHE has a different user interface than ATDHE.net used to have, asks for additional plugins to be loaded, and features a different selection of sporting events than ATDHE typically offered. This suggests that it is not operated by the same team as the original ATDHE site, and may not be safe to use.

Users should exercise caution with any site that claims to be the new version of ATDHE, and especially beware of downloading anything, as this may turn out to be malware.

Due to the low profile kept by the original operators of the ATDHE site, it is not easy to verify whether any site claiming to be “the new ATDHE” is really run by the same people, or by others attempting to exploit its former users.

ATDHE Compatibility

ATDHE and iPhone / iPad

Like the majority of sites, ATDHE uses Flash technology for streaming its video content. Apple has taken a strong stance against Flash for various reasons, so ATDHE videos cannot be watched on iPhone or iPads.⁴

Some other sites have chosen to develop dedicated apps for Apple mobile devices or have provided device specific streams that use Apple supported standards, but this is unlikely to happen with ATDHE which presumably operates on a small budget and is dependent on compiling feeds from many independent sources.

Since ATDHE takes many of its feeds from Justin.tv, one option that is worth a try for watching live sports on iPhones and iPads is the free Justin.tv iPhone app. While this app has a low rating from users in iTunes, a recent update seems to have improved stability. Given the lack of other good options, you may want to at least try this free app and judge for yourself if it meets your needs.⁵

ATDHE and Internet Explorer

For some reason, ATDHE streams sometimes don’t seem to work properly in Internet Explorer (IE). If you have an up to date version of IE and Flash, and the ATDHE window for your chosen show appears but remains blank it’s worth tryng it in a different browser such as Firefox, Chrome or Safari.

Is ATDHE Safe?

The following comments apply to the original ATDHE.net site, and much more caution should be used with any of the apparent successor sites.

According to both long-times users and Google’s Safe Browsing diagnostics, ATDHE.net was safe to use, and did not contain any malware. The site did not require anything to be downloaded to your computer, and worked by using the Flash plug-in within your browser, the same as the vast majority of video streaming sites on the Internet.⁶⁷

The ATDHEnet.tv site appears to be the same, but it may advisable to be extra careful when using it, and be especially suspicious of any downloads that are asked for.

On the original ATDHE there were some circumstances where you might have seen a message displayed about using software called UltraSurf. Most users won’t need this. However if you do, make sure you are downloading and using the authentic UltraSurf, which is software that was designed to protect the privacy and safety of internet users, especially in countries that have censorship and dictatorial regimes.⁸

Is ATDHE legal?

People are sometimes concerned about whether it is legal to watch ATDHE. As far as can be determined it is perfectly legal for viewers to watch ATDHE streams. As explained above, ATDHE compiles video streams from many sources, and if any of those sources are found to be infringing copyright, the copyright owners can have the streams taken down from the sites where they are hosted using US DMCA laws and their equivalents in other countries.⁹

The legality of ATDHE itself is somewhat more debatable, as there are some legal precedents for sites that only link to copyright violating material being found guilty of being accessories to the breach of copyright, when this is being done on a large scale and for commercial gain. However there have equally been cases where such sites have been vindicated in court cases. Legality may therefore vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and depend on the exact details of each case and the precise method of operation of a website.¹⁰¹¹

However there seems to be little legal risk to individual users of ATDHE, regardless of any issues which may arise for the site itself.

ATDHE Live TV

Although ATDHE is known for live sports, it also provides a range of TV channels. ATDHE live TV channels currently include general channels like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, children’s channels such as Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, a variety of news channels, a couple of movie channels, and channels in several other categories such as Syfy and Planet Earth.

These channels are provided in the same way as ATDHE live sports content, by compiling free online streams from around the net, and often come from sites such as BoxLive.tv.

You can find the full list of available live channels at ATDHE Watch TV.

Who uses ATDHE?

According to data from Alexa.com, the ATDHE site is rather more popular with males than females, and people in 18-24 year old age group use this site far more than others. Alexa estimates that users are a little more likely than average to have a college education.

ATDHE has an exceptionally diverse global audience with only 23% of visitors coming from the US, another 8-9% coming from Germany, and the rest of the viewers spread between many different countries around the world.¹²

ATDHE Alternatives

Other websites which often stream live sports events for free include Justin.tv and UStream, which ATDHE often selects its feed from. MyPremium.tv is another such service, and despite its name is also free.

Some people prefer Sopcast to ATDHE. However Sopcast is not simply a website, but a peer-to-peer technology, which uses your computer and bandwidth to share streams with other users, as well as delivering video to you.¹³

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Modern large-screen HDTVs offer a great viewing experience but can often be rather expensive. Buying a refurbished HDTV can be an excellent option for those on a limited budget or looking for a bargain.¹

While buying a refurbished HDTV can offer substantial savings, when purchasing any refurbished item, it is important to take some common sense precautions to make sure that you get a good product.²

Firstly, let’s go over the basics of HDTV. Almost all new TVs sold today are flat-panel HDTVs. The two most common technologies currently used are LCD TVs and plasma TVs, though LED TVs are starting to appearing at the top end of the market.³

For screen sizes up to 42”, LCD TVs are the most important option, while for extremely large TVs like those used in public places, plasma screens work out far cheaper than the LCD alternative. However in the popular range of sizes around 42”-50”, both are available and prices are about the same for both types.

Plasma and LCD TVs have different strengths and weaknesses but to most people, both are perfectly acceptable.

When deciding what size you need, the most important consideration is how far away you’ll be sitting from the TV. It’s best to find out for yourself what size is comfortable for you given the set up of your home, but you can find guides online to help you get an initial idea.⁴⁵

After size, the next factor to consider is resolution. Although there are still 720p models being sold, for the main large TV in a normal sized home, a 1080p model is the best choice for most people. A 1080p TV gets the best possible results out of modern viewing material such as movies on Blu-ray disc.

Now we consider the advantages of buying refurbished, and how best to go about it.

Video – The Benefits of Refurbished HDTVs

The following video shows a news segment explaining what refurbished means, and the advantages of buying refurbished HDTVs. Note that the video is a couple of years old, and the particular retailer highlighted, Second Act, stopped trading due to the recession. However the video remains a useful explanation of refurbished HDTV basics.

Understanding Refurbished Electronics

Many people have doubts about buying refurbished technology because they don’t properly understand what “refurbished” means. While in small local stores “refurbished” can mean used items that have been patched up for resale, in the mainstream electronics industry, “refurbished” means something rather different. For example it can be used to refer to an item that has been sold to a customer who opened the box and then returned it unused. Perhaps the product didn’t look right in their home, they suffered buyer’s remorse, or their spouse objected to the purchase. A refurbished product could also be one with mild cosmetic damage like surface scrapes which have subsequently been fixed back at the factory, or it can mean an an item that has been rebuilt to repair some more significant problem.

Around one in five consumer electronics items sold in the US are actually by the buyer soon after purchase, and only about 5 percent of those are actually seriously defective. Over two-thirds of electronics products returned to retailers work perfectly.

Consumer electronics products that are returned to the manufacturer in this way are fully restored to as-new working condition, re-inspected for quality and then repackaged before being offered for resale at a much lower than original price. Generally, these refurbished products are backed by the manufacturer’s warranty and will be exactly the same in looks and performance as brand new products. Therefore, refurbished electronics often present a good opportunity to buy an as-new product for a bargain price.

There are three main sources to consider when looking to buy refurbished electronic products. The first and often best option is from the manufacturer themselves. The second is to look online at a variety of internet retailers. The final option is to buy from specialist “buyout retailers”. We will now look at each of these three options.

Buying Direct from the Manufacturer

As with other refurbished electronics, you can buy refurbished HDTVs directly from their manufacturers, and this is always a good place to start looking, even if you later decide to buy from somewhere else. The manufacturer can make sure the product is in excellent condition and will offer the best warranties, so this gives you a baseline for comparison.

Let’s take one example of a popular HDTV brand and look at Sony. In the US, you can visit Sony’s site at www.sonystyle.com, and locate the Outlet link in the Special Offers section, or look for the TV and Home Entertainment Outlet links within the TV section. You’ll see a good range of models available, often at excellent prices. However, if you had one particular model in mind that you were looking for, don’t be surprised if you don’t find what you want first time. Ideally, be prepared to check out the site a few times to see if any new deals have become available for the item you want. It’s also a good idea to be prepared to consider alternative models to those you originally wanted, to take advantage of what is actually on offer.

After finding the products you are interested in, make sure to carefully check the specifications to be sure that what is offered is the model you wanted with the specifications you were expecting. Before buying, also look over the warranty and any return policy information. You’ll want to be sure that if something is wrong when your refurbished HDTV arrives, you can return it for a refund or exchange it for a replacement. Usually, Sony offers a 90 day warranty on refurbished items, which will provide you with peace of mind and a useful fallback in case of unexpected problems.

Remember, though we looked at Sony as an example here, if you explore the websites of companies like Samsung or Panasonic, you’ll also find similar deals on refurbished HDTVs.

Buying from Online Retailers

The convenience of shopping online means that you can find good deals without leaving your home. Larger online retailers like eBay and Amazon often sell refurbished items, and this may include HDTVs and other home entertainment products. There are also a number of smaller companies who deal in refurbished electronics, including Overstock.com.

With any of these companies, it is important to understand what is meant by “refurbished” in the case of any given item.

Also, remember that these retailers usually ship to US addresses only, and typically do not ship to PO boxes or overseas military addresses such as APO/FPO addresses. However some of them have sites for other countries, and recently Overstock.com has started shipping to the UK.

Even more than when purchasing a refurbished item from the original manufacturer, be careful to check exactly what you’re getting, and that you are getting everything you need. For example, a pre-owned HDTV from some suppliers might come without an instruction manual or some accessories. Again, be sure to check what warranty is offered and the returns policy. These sites will most likely offer a less generous policy than companies like Sony, but you should still have maybe 30 days in which you can get a replacement or a refund if you have problems with the product.

Shopping with Buyout Retailers

You can also find refurbished HDTVs at so-called buyout retailers, which often have physical stores as well as online ones. These buyout retailers take the the overstock from large corporations and then sell it to the consumer at low cost. These retailers will stock all kind of products, including refurbished electronics, like televisions, stereos, and video game systems.

Some of the retailers that may well be worth a look include refurbdepot.com, warehousedeals.com and the specialist outlet stores of Crutchfield and Target.

As always when buying refurbished, remember to check model details, specifications, warranties and return policies before completing a purchase.

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The Dell Streak is the first of what is expected to be a line of mobile internet devices from Dell. The Streak, which can be considered a small 5” tablet computer or alternately a super-sized smartphone, was first launched in the UK in June 2010, with larger models such as the Dell Streak 7 expected in late 2010.

The Streak features a fast 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and runs Dell’s own version of the Google Android operating system. The Dell Streak is shipped with many apps already built-in, and also can download Android apps from places like the Android Market.

Important apps which come pre-loaded include QuickOffice and Nuance Voice Control. QuickOffice is an app that lets users to view Microsoft Office documents, such as spreadsheets, Word documents and Powerpoint presentations, along with many of other document formats. The Nuance voice app give the user a limited ability to control their Dell Streak by means of spoken commands.³⁴⁵

Applications which are built into the Streak include a browser, media players for videos and music, Gmail and Google Maps. The Dell Streak’s built-in GPS and large screen make Google Maps on the Streak very useful for satellite navigation.

Social networking is intended to be an important use of the Streak, so Dell has included handy widgets for Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. These widgets can show things like automatically refreshed Facebook status updates from friends, and have features such as letting users visit their friend’s profile in the web browser with a single click.⁶

Apart from apps that are bundled with the Streak, user can also download free and paid apps from the Android Market, where over 100,000 apps are now available.⁷

Unlike with the iPhone, Android users are not restricted in any way regarding where they get app from. As well as the central Google-backed Android Market, they are welcome to use sites like SlideMe and Mobango, or any other source for apps.

Video – T3 Get Hands On With Dell Streak

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The iPad is a new kind of mobile internet device from Apple, on sale in the US since the end of March 2010. This article explains iPad basics and how to approach buying a refurbished iPad.

Apple has aimed the iPad at filling the gap between a smartphone and a laptop, intending for it to be far better than either of those for many everyday uses. People have called the iPad a “couch computer”, best suited for leisure use around the house and beyond. This intended use was underlined by Apple itself at its launch event, where CEO Steve Jobs lounged on a couch, as he demonstrated the main iPad features, while calling it a “magical and revolutionary device”.¹

To the user an iPad consists almost entirely of a large high-quality touch screen, 9.7 inches in size. Internally it is powered by a high-performance custom Apple processor, and has wireless access the Internet. Apple believes the iPad’s design makes it ideally suited for entertainment uses and consuming media, including visiting websites, playing games, watching videos, and reading books and magazines.

The iPad weighs about 1.5 pounds, and is approximately 9.5 by 7.5 inches in size, and half an inch thick. These dimensions makes it similar in shape to a medium sized book, although somewhat heavier. Its battery life has been found to be exceptional, with many reviewers stating that they get comfortably more than Apple’s stated 10 hours of use from a single charge.²

The iPad range consists of two versions, each of which can be bought in three memory sizes, making six models in all. The full prices of these models in the US ranges from $499 to $829. One version has wi-fi internet access only, while the other can also use 3G phone networks as well as wi-fi.

Official Apple iPad Video

Understanding Refurbished Electronics

Many people have doubts about buying refurbished technology because they don’t fully understand what “refurbished” means. In the electronics industry, “refurbished” can for example be used to refer to an item that has been sold to a customer who opened the box and then returned it unused, or a product with mild cosmetic damage like surface scrapes which has subsequently been fixed, or it can mean an an item that has been rebuilt to repair some problem.

“Refurbished” is also sometimes used to cover overstocked items or older models still in their original packing, though this won’t be the case with iPads as they are still new to the market.

Around one in five consumer electronics items sold in the US are actually returned by the buyer, and only about 5 percent of those are actually seriously defective. Over two-thirds of electronics products returned to retailers work perfectly, and are simply not what the customer thought they were buying.³

Consumer electronics products that are returned to the manufacturer either with small cosmetic problems or more serious technical issues are fully restored to as-new working condition, re-inspected for quality and then repackaged before being offered for resale at a much lower than original price. Generally, these refurbished products will be backed by the manufacturer’s warranty and will be the same in looks and performance as brand new products. Therefore, refurbished electronics often present an opportunity to buy an as-new product for a bargain price.

There are three main sources to consider when looking to buy refurbished products. The first and often best option is the manufacturer themselves, in this case Apple. The second is to look online at a variety of internet retailers. The final option is to buy from specialist “buyout retailers”. We will now look at each of these three options.

Buying Direct from Apple

A good place to look for refurbished iPads as with many electronic products, is directly from the manufacturer, Apple. In the US, explore the Special Deals part of Apple’s website at www.store.apple.com, and look for the products that interest you. Remember these offers will come and go, so it is normal that you might not find what you want first time, but need to be prepared to revisit the site a few times to see if any new deals have become available.

Currently the Apple’s US online store offers all iPad models at between $50 and $100 discount to the full price. i.e. The base 16GB wi-fi model is usually available for $449, while the top of the the range 64GB 3G model is $779.

Outside the US, you can easily find the Apple site for your country using a search engine, and you should look around the site until you discover the right sections.

At present Apple is offering 16GB refurbished iPads in the UK for £397, a saving of about £40 on the regular UK price.⁴

After finding the products you are interested in, make sure to carefully check the specifications to be sure that what is offered is the model you wanted with the specifications you were expecting. Remember, though, that it is also often a good idea to be prepared to consider alternative models to those you originally wanted, to take advantage of available offers.

Before buying, also look over the warranty and any return policy information. You’ll want to be sure that if something is wrong when your refurbished iPad arrives, you can return it for a refund or exchange it for a replacement. Usually, Apple offers excellent warranties on refurbished items, and most likely you will find they offer a full one-year warranty, which will provide you with peace of mind and a useful fallback in case of unexpected problems.

Refurbished iPad Christmas Offer

As a special offer over the 2010 holiday season, Apple is offering 16GB wi-fi only refurbished iPads at $429. Refurbished 64GB iPads, again wi-fi only, are also on offer at $599. These are limited time deals, though Apple has not said when they will end. Some people think these deals might mean that a second generation iPad may be due for release in early 2011.⁵

Buying from Online Retailers

The convenience of shopping online means that you can find good deals without leaving your home. Larger online retailers like eBay and Amazon often sell refurbished items, and this may include including iPads and other Apple products. There are also a number of smaller companies who deal in refurbished electronics, including Overstock.com.

With any of these companies, it is important to understand what is meant by “refurbished” in the case of any given item.

Also, remember that these retailers usually ship to US addresses only, and typically do not ship to PO boxes or overseas military addresses such as APO/FPO addresses. However some of them have sites for other countries, and recently Overstock.com has started shipping to the UK.

Even more than when purchasing a refurbished item from Apple itself, be careful to check exactly what you’re getting, and that you are getting everything you need. For example, a pre-owned item from some suppliers might come without an instruction manual or some accessories, and may not be in its original packaging.

Again, be sure to check what warranty is offered and the returns policy. These sites will most likely offer a less generous policy than Apple, but you should still have maybe 30 days in which you can get a replacement or a refund if you have problems with the product.

Shopping with Buyout Retailers

In the future, especially after one of Apple’s frequent model changes, you may be able to find refurbished iPads at “buyout retailers”. These buyout retailers take the the overstock from large corporations and then sell it to the consumer at low cost. These retailers will stock all kind of products, including refurbished electronics, like televisions, stereos, and video game systems.

Retailers that may be worth a look include refurbdepot.com, warehousedeals.com and the outlet stores of Crutchfield and Target.

As the iPad is still pretty new, and demand is high, iPads are not likely to reach such retailers for a while. However, in the future as Apple brings out new models, these may retailers may be a good place to look for earlier versions of iPads.

As always when buying refurbished, remember to check model details, specifications, warranties and return policies before completing a purchase.

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The iPad is a new kind of mobile internet device from Apple, on sale in the US since the end of March 2010.

The iPad is positioned as filling the gap between a smartphone and a laptop, and is intended to be far better than either of those for many everyday purposes. Many people have termed it a “couch computer”, designed for leisure use around the house and beyond. This intended use was highlighted by Apple itself at its launch event, where CEO Steve Jobs sat relaxing on a couch, as he demonstrated the main iPad features, while calling it a “magical and revolutionary device”.³

In appearance, an iPad consists almost entirely of a large high-quality touch screen, 9.7 inches in size. Internally it is powered by a high-performance custom Apple processor, and has wireless access the Internet. Apple believes the iPad’s design makes it ideally suited for entertainment uses and consuming media, including visiting websites, playing games, watching videos, and reading books and magazines.

Technologically the iPad is rather like a much larger and faster version of an iPhone or iPod Touch. It uses the same operating system, once known as iPhone OS but now called iOS4, and runs almost all of the hundreds of thousands of apps already available for those smaller devices.

The iPad weighs in at about 1.5 pounds, is approximately 9.5 by 7.5 inches in size, and about half an inch thick. These dimensions makes it similar in form to a medium sized book, although somewhat heavier. Its battery life has been found to be exceptional, with many reviewers stating that they actually get more than Apple’s stated 10 hours of use from a single charge.⁴⁵

The iPad range consists of two versions, each available in three memory sizes, making six models in all. These range in price in the US from $499 to $829. One version has wi-fi internet access only, while the other can also use 3G phone networks as well as wi-fi.

Official Apple iPad Video

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FilesTube is a search engine for files, helping people find various kinds of files they want to download. Users type in search terms exactly the same as they would when using a search engine like Google, and FilesTube return lists of links to matching files.

Internally FilesTube works by keeping an up to date index of many file hosting and downloading sites like Rapidshare, Megapload, Hotfile, Mediafire and others.

As well as searching by name, users can also choose to specify the kind of file they’re looking for, limit the search to selected download sites, and they can organize the results in various ways, such as sorting by file size or popularity.

FilesTube tracks all the types of files commonly made available on sites like Rapidshare, including for example audio files in MP3 and other formats, video files in formats like MPEG and AVI, documents in formats like PDF, and compressed file formats like RAR.

FileTube does not hold any files itself, it only directs users to other sites where the file they are looking for might be available. Clicking a search result in FilesTube will show download links that take the user directlty to pages on sites like Rapidshare. From there, the user can download the file exactly as if they had reached Rapidshare directly.

Many of the sites that FileTube links commonly point to offer the choice of both free or paid downloading. Free downloads usually have restrictions and inconveniences, such as making a user wait for a short while before allowing downloading to begin. There may also be limits on how many downloads a user can make in given period of time Premium downloads don’t have these restrictions and sometimes also allow a faster download speed.

As well as basic search features, FilesTube also has some community and social networking functions. For example, users can create and join groups with shared interests, give ratings to content they like and so on.

FileTube also lets users play MP3s and some kinds of video directly on the site, without needing to actually download them first.

FilesTube Tutorial Video

The following video explains how FilesTube works, and how to use it. The text parts are in both English and Polish.

FilesTube Popularity

The popularity of FilesTube increased greatly in the second half of 2009 and the early part of 2010. According to a Compete.com estimate, visits grew massively from around 1m a month up to as much as 9m a month. Quantcast estimates showed a similar growth pattern, but estimated even greater traffic levels, peaking as high as 11m visits a month.³⁴

According to Quantcast, FilesTube is twice as popular with males as females, at least in the US. It is thought to be most popular with the young adult 18-34 age group.

A little unusually Quantcast guesses that the site is almost equally popular with people at all income levels, with 22% of US visitors thought to have an income of less than $30k pa, but 29% thought to have an income of over $100k pa.

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