The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
I love watching the commercials hitting the TV at this time of year. Happy parents, grumpy children, and loads of new stuff. It is almost time for back to school and retailers are, as usual, making the most of it. This time of year is one of the busiest for buying technology, but a lot of purchases are very pragmatic, focusing on hardware and new software products that people have been holding out for, whereas at Christmas a lot of people buy games and products for entertainment. But the problem is that I don't understand a lot of what I see. People are claiming all over the place that kids need new laptops, new mp3 players and digital cameras to head back to school. Commercials talk about thumb drives, Bluetooth, and wireless Internet service as things you absolutely need to get for your kids. But of course, you don't. Retailers know that people spend a lot of money at this time of year and everyone is trying to get in on it. Shop smart and you might actually pick up a deal or two, but know what you are buying. First of all, let's deal with computers. As usual, if you know what you want, you might be able to find a deal, but be careful. If you want a basic, back-to-school kind of computer, one that your kids can use to surf the web and type their assignments, you really don't need a very powerful machine. I've seen laptops this season for under $800, which is quite a dramatic drop in price from last year. The same is true for desktop computers Ð consider what you want it for before you buy. If you want a machine that can edit video or still pictures, or a one that will be used to play games regularly, you need a stronger processor and an upgraded video card. Mp3 players are everywhere and Apple has almost cornered the market with the iPod. I have an iPod and it goes almost everywhere I do. Mine can hold 5,000 songs and with all of the podcasts and music that I download, it stays about half full. Newer models allow people to watch videos and take their photos with them as well. But iPods are expensive. There are a lot of different models of mp3 players on the market, and you can sometimes find them for under $50 for a small one. The two key things to look for are battery life and storage capacity. Most songs are between 4 and 5 mbs, so a 250 mb player will hold about 50 songs. A good battery should last eight to 10 hours. Try to get one that doesn't take regular batteries and is instead rechargeable. You'll save money in the long run. As with everything else, do your research before you start looking at a camera that you might want to buy. Websites like CNET.com are filled with reviews, and cameras are especially important to look up because the market changes almost monthly as new models come out and old ones are left behind. I always find that when you check reviews, a lot of people are willing to share their thoughts about their camera. I changed my mind about the last camera I was looking at buying after I read the reviews. Something new this year, especially for students moving away to college or university, is a global positioning system (GPS). Many new models have cheap (or free) downloadable maps available for certain cities, and they can be used either as a handheld or placed in a car. With the falling prices for these, it may be something worth looking in to. As usual, do your research, know what you want, and don't be talked into buying something you don't need. ([email protected]) Tech Notes runs Mondays.
