HTS Tech Tips

Computer Tips, Insights, and Technology News

Top Three Tech Product Sites with Customer Comments

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Trying to keep up with the ebb and flow of technology products is quite a challenge. Cutting through the hype and the marketing fluff adds complexity. Finding quality product information online from real people (not magazines or journals or manufacturers) can help simplify the process of separating out the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Paid publications many times won’t print negative reviews – even if the product is deserving. Sites that permit user comments allow visitor input across the entire range – from real positive to real negative. Three sites that consistently provide some of the most useful “real world” product information are:

Real World Product Reviews from Real People

  1. Amazon.com – our favorite, covers a huge spectrum of technology products. Popular products will often have dozens of comments with some essentially being very well written product reviews. Products that have been out longer may have hundreds of comments and reviews. The web site is very easy to navigate and find the information you want on a huge number of products.
  2. Newegg.com – focused strictly on tech products, this site provides great product selection with input from real techies. Geared a bit more towards technical users it’s a great site if you are looking for detailed info on items like graphics cards, hard disk drive, monitors and other hardware. Oh, and they have excellent prices also.
  3. CNET Reviews – this site brings a different twist as CNET provides news and downloads in addition to product reviews. They have an editorial staff, but their product listings also include a substantial amount of user comment and input. Each product will generally include both an Editor’s rating as well as an Average User rating.

So if the urge to research strikes you prior to buying that next monitor, MP3 player, wireless router or hard disk drive these three sites can provide some excellent insights prior to your purchasing decision. Do you have another site you would like to add to our list? Let us know with a Comment.

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Gadgets, Gear and Technology Sites

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Beyond the everyday web sites with reviews of of printers, computers, hard disk drives, HDTVs, wireless routers and monitors there are a number of highly interesting “gadget” sites. These sites (blogs actually) cover the latest tech toys, tools, and equipment — from mobile devices to OLED displays to “i-Everything” to DVRs and HDTV to wireless networks to Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader and beyond.

Great Gadget, Gear, and Technology Web Sites:

Some of these blogs may be an acquired taste but if your you are at all interested in the latest and greatest that technology has to offer it is definitely worth checking these blogs out.

Click on any of the names to jump to the appropriate blogs. Warning: if you enjoy technology these destinations can become habit forming.

Do you have any other special gadget & technology sites that you would like to share with readers? Feel free to leave a Comment (its really easy to do).

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LCD Monitors | Time to Replace?

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There have been huge changes with computer LCD monitors over the last few year. Prices have decreased, LCD monitor sizes have increase and pictures have improved. All provide a good reason to consider replacing your older monitor.

Question:  I have a 17″ four-year old LCD monitor that seems to work fine but I’m thinking about replacing it. Is there any real difference between my current monitor and a new LCD monitor?

Answer: Actually there is. Let’s compare apples-to-apples – your current 17″ monitor to a new 17″ LCD monitor. The main differences will be in brightness, contrast and overall sharpness of the image. Color accuracy will also be better. Significant progress has been been made with LCD technology represented by significantly better images and color accuracy along with larger screen sizes. Besides providing a better looking image these improvements can also reduce eye strain and fatigue.

LCD Monitor Size

Another point to consider is monitor size. Upgrading to a monitor that is larger than your current one is worth considering. Prices on 19″, 20″ and 22″ monitors have come down significantly in the last couple years. If you haven’t priced LCD monitors since you bought your last one you are in for a pleasant surprise.

There is also something to that old saying of “seeing is believing.” While retail stores don’t always show LCD monitors at their optimal resolution they can be a good place to start. If you know anyone who has a relatively new LCD monitor it can be helpful to get them to “demo” it for you so that you can getter a better sense of the differences with your own eyes.

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Using Windows Vista?

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There has been plenty written about Windows Vista both pro and con since its release.  I’d like to get some feedback on from real PC users on real world experiences with Vista.

  • Are you using Vista?  Why or Why Not?
  • If you are using it how is it working for you?   Which Version are you using?
  • What do you like best about Vista?
  • What do you like the least?

To leave a “Comment” click on the “comment” link directly below the Post title or simply click on the Post title and scroll to the bottom of the Post. For more info on leaving a comment on our blog click here and you will go to our “How To Use Our Blog” section Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts and experiences.

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Wireless Network Signal Reception Challenges

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Question: I have a wireless network installed in my home but have found several places where I receive poor reception or lose my network connection completely. What factors will affect my wireless network signal the most?

Answer: The most important item to keep in mind about wireless or Wi-Fi networks is that they are really a system of radio frequency transmitters and receivers. With this in mind, there are a number of factors that can impact a wireless network’s range (coverage area) and data speed (throughput) both in the home and in an office. These factors include: hard surfaces, hidden objects in walls, metallic objects, RF (radio frequency) generators, and water filled objects.

Hard surfaces

These can include stone or marble, thick paneling, and stucco. These can be both vertical (stone work in a kitchen, stone work around a fireplace, brickwork) and horizontal (floor coverings, tiles, stonework) when trying to get wireless coverage between floors.

Metallic objects

This can includ large objects such as refrigerators and ovens, duct work, kitchen wall coverings (stone or metal), the hood over a stove, filing cabinets, metal bookcases and foil-backed insulation.

Radio frequency (RF) generators

These can impact wireless networks by directly interfering with the signal. These items can include microwave ovens, cordless phones (2.4 GHz models) and baby monitors. Wi-Fi Routers and access points have a range of channels or subsets of the 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum that Wi-Fi networks use. Changing the channel on the router or access point can many times eliminate these interference related problems.

Hidden objects

Not easily detected but items within walls can include heating and air conditioning ducts, chimneys, foil-backed insulation, heater and dryer vents, pipes and cabling.

Large objects filled with water

Water filled items can also cause potential problems. These can include large fish tanks, water heaters, and hot tubs.

The Kitchen, A Potnetial Wifi Dead Zone

A common problem area of a house for Wi-Fi reception is the kitchen. Thick metallic appliances, hard stones surface, wall covering (stone or metal) ventilation hoods, and radio interference from microwaves and appliance motors can frequently make kitchens a challenging area for wireless networks.

It is helpful to keep these items in mind when planning or troubleshooting a wireless network.

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