Entries tagged with shopping - Channel 10

New LifeCams Have Arrived!

sarahintampa — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:42:00 GMT

Microsoft recently announced two new LifeCams that join the lineup of webcams designed for users of Windows PCs: the LifeCam Show and the LifeCam VX-5500. The LifeCam Show is an ultrathin camera with a 2.0MP sensor and three different attachment options – a laptop clip, a desktop stand, and an attachment disk. This one is the more expensive of the two at $99.95. The LifeCam VX-5500 is only $59.95 and features a VGA sensor with great low-light performance. It also has interchangeable colored faceplates in red, white, and blue (how patriotic!).

By combining these cameras with Windows Live Messenger, you can can engage in live video chats with your friends and family at any time. And if your friends aren’t available online (or if they live on the other side of the globe and you don’t want to wake them!), you can always record a video message using the new Video Messages site at http://videomessages.live.com.

Want to buy one now? Both are available from the new Microsoft Store.

Introducing The Microsoft Store

sarahintampa — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:54:00 GMT

Did you hear the news? Finally! There’s now a way to buy genuine Microsoft software without a trip to the store – you can now download software over the internet instead. The new Microsoft Store, available at www.microsoftstore.com sells everything you need from Xbox games to Office to Windows and more. After making your secure purchase, the software is immediately available for download to your PC.

But the store isn’t just a software shop - you can also order Microsoft hardware like the new Arc Mouse, for example or one of the new Microsoft LifeCam Show webcams and have it delivered.

The Microsoft Store at the .com domain is for the U.S., but the UK, Germany and Korea have their own stores, too. Coming soon are Japan, France, Spain and the Netherlands. Other countries will have stores come online throughout the year.

Netbooks, Netbooks, Netbooks!

sarahintampa — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:39:00 GMT

Since I’ve attended 3 conferences over the past month and a half, I have become acutely aware for the need of a smaller, lightweight notebook. However, with 3 computers in my house (and not being made of money), it’s hard to justify the expense of a brand-new top-of-the-line desktop PC or laptop. But a netbook, on the other hand, is both inexpensive and lightweight. The question now isn’t whether or not I should get a netbook, but which one? Once I started looking into this, I discovered there are tons of them out there. It’s a bit overwhelming, to be honest. What I needed was a comprehensive resource. Not finding any to suit my needs, I decided to build my own based on the ones I’m considering.

Here’s what I have so far:

Asus Eee PC: Asus is responsible for starting the whole netbook trend in the first place. The current version of Eee PC, the 901, can run either XP or Linux and comes in 6 colors. The screen is 8.9” and has a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. The hard drive is a solid state drive (SSD) and is either 12GB (XP) or 20GB (Linux). Other features include a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 1 GB of RAM, integrated webcam, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0. Weight is 2.43 lbs and battery life is “up to” 8 hours, but Engadget says they only got 4.38 hours out of it. Price: $599

Asus S101: Another Asus netbook is the slim 0.7” thick, 2.2 lbs Asus S101. This portable has a 10.2” screen backlit with LEDs and a resolution of 1024x600. The XP model has a 16 GB SSD and Linux models offers both 32 GB and 64 GB models. Other features include 802.11n, Bluetooth, 1 GB of RAM, an Intel Atom processor, multitouch trackpad, 4-in1 card reader, 20GB free online storage, high quality speakers, and a 5-hour non-replace battery. It’s available in brown, champagne, or graphite. People are calling this one the ‘Macbook Air you can afford.’ Bingo. Price: $699 (XP), $699 (32 GB Linux); $799 (64 GB Linux)

Dell Inspiron Mini 9: This one is Dell’s first attempt at a netbook. Let’s see how they did. The Mini 9 is only 2.2 lbs and 9” long. The screen is a glossy 8.9” with an LED-backlit 1024x600 resolution. Like other Dell computers, you can get Ubuntu or XP pre-installed on either a 4, 8, or 16 GB SSD. Other features include an Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz processor, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, a 3-in1 card reader, Bluetooth, either a 0.3 or 1.3 megapixel webcam, and 2 GB of free online storage from Box.net. Battery life is only 3 hours. Comes in black or white. Here’s a great review. Price: $349 (Ubuntu), $399 (XP)

Note: If you’re looking to buy a Dell, it might be worth waiting for the upcoming Dell E Slim, rumored to sport either an 8 GB SSD or 40 GB HD with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and perhaps even WiMAX. (See a leaked pic on Engadget)

MSI Wind U120: The 120 is the latest in MSI’s netbook PCs, but won’t be out until December. The netbook will replace the older model, the U100. Specs are still somewhat speculative, but most are in agreement that the U120 will have the following: a 120 GB hard drive or 20/40 GB SSD, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and a built-in 3G modem that accepts a SIM card. Beyond that, the U120 should be very similar to the U100: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, 10'’ 1024x600 display, 1 GB DDR2 RAM. Will it still have the U100’s 3-cell battery? Unknown, but the 3G might be worth waiting for. (img credit: Fudzilla) Price: Less than $600 (rumored)

Lenovo IdeaPad S10: Although netbooks tend to be for consumers, Lenovo, the maker of business PCs has jumped on this trend. The 2.4-pound S10 has a 10.2” 1024x600 LED-backlit screen, 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 512 MB or 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ExpressCard, 4-in-1 card reader, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 2 USB ports, multitouch touchpad, and 80 GB hard drive. Battery is available either as a 3-cell (3 hours) or 6-cell (6 hours). Comes in black, white, or fire-engine red. But the best feature of this netbook is the price. Price: $399 (or $450 for 1 GB RAM + 160 GB drive)

Acer Aspire One: The 2.2-pound Aspire One is Acer’s first netbook offering. The portable offers an 8.9” 1024x600 display and comes with a choice of 80 GB hard drive (XP) or 8 GB SSD (Linux). Other features include a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, 512 MB DDR2 SDRAM, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, ethernet, 3 USB 2.0 ports, one free mini PCI slot for WWAN, either a 0.3 or 1.3 megapixel webcam, and either a 3-cell or 6-cell battery for 2.5 or 5 hours, respectively. Comes in five colors (white, black, blue, brown, and pink). Price: $379 (Linux), $388 (PC)

Avaratec Buddy: The Averatec Buddy is a 10.2” netbook featuring a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1 GB DDR2 RAM, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, a 4-in-1 multicard reader, three USB 2.0 ports, and a 160 GB hard drive. Has a 3-cell battery and comes in black and white. Runs XP. Price: $450

HP 2133 Mini-Note: The HP Mini-Note is 2.63 lbs and 1” thick with a 8.9” display. There are all sorts of configurations available starting with a Via processor, 512 MB RAM, Linux, and a 4 GB SSD for only $399. At the top end, the netbook runs Vista and include a 1.6 GHz Via processor, 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM, a 120 GB hard drive, a VGA camera, and a 6-cell battery ($799). However, one of the mid-range offerings might be the best fit like the 1 GB RAM/120 GB HD/XP option for $499. The prices on these just dropped, so they might be in for a refresh soon.

This isn’t a comprehensive listing, but just a few that I’m looking at now. I have to admit, this is a tough choice! Feedback appreciated.

Use PayPal’s IE Plugin to Pay for All Your Online Shopping

sarahintampa — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:12:00 GMT

I just saw that PayPal has an IE plugin that lets you pay for anything on the web with your PayPal account – even on sites that don’t take PayPal! I immediately thought “wow, this is cool!” - but I then realized that this could also lead to some dangerous impulse shopping. Sometimes the only thing holding me back from a purchase is the fact that I would have to get up and dig through my purse for my credit card. No more! Assuming you have a PayPal account, you can install this plugin, which uses PayPal ‘single use’ credit card numbers to pay for your online purchases. You can also use the plugin to save and print receipts, enter addresses with 1 click, check your PayPal balance, and avoid fraudulent websites. To get access to the plugin, you have to first login to PayPal and go to your profile, where you’ll see a link to “PayPal plug-in” on the menu on the left.

MSN as a Shopping Tool

sarahintampa — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:03:00 GMT

These days, more and more people are eschewing the hustle and bustle of the malls and the crowds in favor of doing their holiday shopping online. Online shopping is a convenient time-saver, but sometimes it can still be hard to know where to begin. For that, MSN Shopping brings you several guides to help you find just the right gifts for your friends and family this holiday season. Here are 5 tips to help you get started shopping online:

1. Get Shopping Advice: if you need tips, how-to's, ideas, or detailed information about a product, technology, or trend, you should check out the MSN Shopping Advice Guide. Complete with Consumer Reports, Expert Guides, Buyer Guides, and Editor Picks, you can not only learn about a product or technology, like Plasma TVs, but also find out which ones were rated the best by Consumer Reports. There are also tons of guides, picks, & lists, like the Most Unique Toys and Games, Classic 80's Toys Make a Comeback, the Office Survival Guide, or a guide to Holiday Wines.

2. Gift Ideas from the Today Show - a video guide: MSN and NBC got together to create a 9-episode, clickable Holiday Guide featuring episodes like Sports Gifts, Gadget Guru, and Procrastination Central (I should watch that one!). In every video, you can click on a green arrow to link to the product being discussed.

3. Alternative Gifts - Giving to Charity: the holiday season is a good time to think about giving to those less fortunate. Charitable donations make a great gifts for those people on your list who don't want or need "presents." The Alternative Gift Guide offers you the chance to find a worthy charity instead. Whether it's saving endangered species, saving the rainforest, or giving the gift of a goat through Heifer International, the Alternative Gift Guide can help you make a lasting difference.

4. Green Gifts: Feeling a little guilty over your materialistic urges? Then do the right thing and Shop Green at MSN. Here you can find items made from recycled materials, items made from sustainable materials, energy-saving solutions, or chemical-free solutions.

Holiday wishes

Laura — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:11:00 GMT

We all love to go shopping, and especially around the Holiday times. Sometimes for ourselves, sometimes for others. Whatever the case may be, I decided to head down to our largest electronics store and see what people had in their goodie bags.