Tip #1 -- Rebates:
A rebate is not always a bargain. Computers with rebates are often close to being discontinued. You may pick up a good deal or purchase technology that's about to become yesterday's news. What's more, stores will often package computers with a bunch of free items to make it look like you're getting more value. Chances are the extras are either poor quality or items you're unlikely to use. Also, they're counting on you to not redeem your rebate, a very common occurrence.
Tip #2 -- Extended Service Warrantees:
Buyer Beware! They're a gamble, but not always a bad idea. If you're purchasing a laptop and you plan to travel a lot, an extended warranty that covers replacement of the monitor/display can be a good gamble. Replacing a display can cost $400-$600, making the warranty worthwhile. On the other hand, if you plan on buying the warranty for routine maintenance; save your money. Oftentimes it can take weeks for the store to send your PC out for service.
Also, remember the store where you purchased your computer does not always do warranty work during the first year, instead you may have to ship it directly to the manufacturer. In general, extended warranties cover electronics [things you can't see]. They don't usually cover physical damage. Most extended warranties have large gray areas, leaving the warranty provider a lot of room to reject claims.
Tip #3 -- Monitors:
Don't throw away your monitor if it's still working properly. Instead, keep it and save a chunk of money by just replacing your old CPU [computer tower]. Monitors last much longer than CPUs and the technology is usually compatible between your old monitor and the new CPU. However, if you're dissatisfied, then monitors, keyboards and mouses are the three tools to spend extra money on, since you use them every day!
Tip #4 -- Networking:
How are you connecting to the Internet? If you're using a high speed Internet connection, such as cable broadband or DSL, you'll want to make sure you have a network card built into your system. If you have a wireless network at home or at the office, save money and installation time by buying the wireless card built right into the computer.
About the Author
Sharron Senter is co-founder of http://www.visitinggeeks.com - an on site computer repair, security and networking company serving north of Boston, Southern NH and Maine. Visiting Geeks' technicians are crackerjacks at squashing viruses, popups and securing and making computers perform faster. Learn more about Sharron at http://www.visitinggeeks.com
Using SQL Server 2000 and above versions you can retrieve... Read More
This is the third in a series of articles highlighting... Read More
Music lovers have been carrying around radios and other bulky... Read More
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a protocol that is part... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
Heading off on vacation soon?Then perhaps you're tempted to take... Read More
In the first part of this home lab tutorial, CCNA... Read More
Below you will find some useful information and comments about... Read More
There are many sources of heat that can raise the... Read More
When you think of a help desk, what do you... Read More
The following practice, if done regularly, may help you to... Read More
Do you know how many fonts are currently installed on... Read More
HTTP ProtocolThe web is run on port 80. You are... Read More
OK, so you caught a computer virus and your system... Read More
The battle is heating up for market share, home movie... Read More
Microsoft Certifications are one of the most widely acclaimed, pursued,... Read More
Do you use Windows standard uninstall feature? How do you... Read More
Although there are many things that can affect the performance... Read More
With renting methods such as online DVD rental and pay-per-view,... Read More
Unless you place your faith in internal search engine software... Read More
About mail-mergingMail-merging is the process of merging variable data and... Read More
With the new technology used to transfer information to from... Read More
Most people download and save so much information on their... Read More
All of us are familiar with the pyramids of Egypt.... Read More
Introduction In this article I will clearly spell out the... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..As the owner of a Country Mall and Top Site... Read More
As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy"... Read More
There are plenty of articles out there about how to... Read More
I have a p3 500MHz PC with 128MB RAM, 10.2... Read More
Those small USB drives have so many names, pocket drives,... Read More
Not so many years ago, homes across the country watched... Read More
In the first part of this home lab tutorial, CCNA... Read More
If you have a computer for home use or for... Read More
Computer is an electronic machine work on the instructions of... Read More
If you don't have an mp3 player, and even if... Read More
IF WE say that it was mainly because of the... Read More
Do you use Windows standard uninstall feature? How do you... Read More
The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Certification is meant for... Read More
Get started creating web pages using text files and HTML... Read More
Microsoft Certifications are one of the most widely acclaimed, pursued,... Read More
MP3 players are Hot! Playing music has come a long... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
If you ask most people what frustrates them most about... Read More
Simone is exasperated. She has to work on her university... Read More
I recently took a good look at what was keeping... Read More
After reading this good article you will know some important... Read More
I met an entrepreneur who hole heartedly disagree with an... Read More
You???ve studied hard; you???ve practiced your configurations; you???ve used your... Read More
With their solid-state technology, compact size, and abundant memory, portable... Read More
JVC developed and used a high-performance reflective film to produce... Read More
Personal Technology |