Tag archive: Budget

Apple isn't really known for reacting to competition, but rumors of an iPad mini have begun to surface. The device may or may not have a smaller screen–likely around the 7-inch size of the Amazon Kindle Fire–but it would be priced much lower than the current $500-$820 iPad, likely around $200-$300, says analyst Brian White of Ticonderoga Securities. The new device could launch in March-May 2012, which is usually when Apple… Read More

A week after India unveiled what it claimed to be the world’s cheapest tablet computer, the country's eastern neighbor, Bangladesh, has launched one of the world’s cheapest laptops. The country’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, unveiled the 10,000 taka ($130) Android-powered machine at a special ceremony in Dhaka on Tuesday. Named after the country’s national bird, the Doel (magpie) has been produced by the state-owned telecom company TSS… Read More

Sceptre isn't one of the most recognizable names in TVs but, then again, neither was Vizio during its formative years — and now look where that company is. It may not be long until Sceptre grabs enough mind-share to resonate well with the public, though. Its latest TV offering brings the performance and slim cabinetry of LED backlighting to consumers at an incredibly low price and, the company claims, without sacrificing quality. The… Read More

Gold, silver and bronze. Venti, grande and tall. El Jefe, extra hot, and hot. After going personalized with the Q-Jays Custom last week, Swedish headphone manufacturer Jays today joins these time-honored gradients of quality with its own: the a-Jays One, Two and Three. The characteristically low-key earbuds, which share the a-Jays name, all come with the same 8.6mm driver, extra-wide flat cables, and similar style, but a handful of changes to… Read More

In the complex kitchen sink of fees AT&T has built up around the iPhone, with separate billing for phone minutes, text messages, and even AT&T Navigator, the obligatory unlimited data plan has been like a Swiss Army knife taped shut: Technically, it can replace many paid features – including voice functionality – but Apple’s strict rules for apps have prevented it from doing so.

Within the past decade, cell phones have gone from pricy luxuries for the upper class to near necessities for over 80 percent of the population. But buying into 24/7 connectivity is still no bargain. The cheapest plans on many carriers start at a reasonable $40 a month, but additional minutes, text messaging, roaming fees, and overage charges can quickly send bills north of $100 in no time. Looking to reduce the cost of your existing plan? Here… Read More

Canon EOS Rebel XSi Street Price: $600 The slightly more capable brother of Canon's true budget SLR offering, the Rebel XS, the Rebel XSi debuted in 2008 yet holds strong even today as one of the best no-nonsense SLRs on the market. You can't take movies with it (unlike virtually every other camera in this overview), but the XSi is so technically proficient in the most critical areas that, in combination with a good set of lenses, it… Read More

Fujifilm FinePix J28 Street Price: $100 At the $100 mark, cameras that can pull off a solid photo are hard to find. But despite competition from models such as the Canon PowerShot A480 and Kodak EasyShare C180, we chose the FinePix J28 because it's lightweight, easy to use, and lithium-ion powered.

As any gadget enthusiast worth their weight in component video cables knows (and much to their chagrin), technology tends to get outdated very quickly. Just when you think you’ve got your surround sound speaker or home theater system perfected, a new standard or technology comes along to blow away the performance of your existing setup. It’s even worse for computers, which age incredibly fast. So what does that leave you with? In most cases, an… Read More

On the list of Bad Investments, most electronics and gadgets probably fall somewhere between Beanie Babies and Pogs at the tippy top. While a house might increase in value, and a car – even a new one – might trickle down in value over time, your cell phone, laptop and digital camera will all plummet. Some might even halve in value within a few months’ time, and practically all of them will be next to worthless in five years. But there are… Read More

Many mobile phone users pay for minutes they don’t need while others pay unnecessary overage fees because they underestimated their actual usage. Service charges can rack up quickly, so even small steps can make a big difference when it comes to your cellular bill.

Even the most Internet-savvy shoppers need to venture to retail stores once in a while. Whether for a last-minute gift, an item you just can’t bear to wait for in the mail, or a device you need to see in person, brick-and-mortar outlets continue to offer a handful of indisputable advantages over Internet buying. Although modern consumer lore suggests that you’ll always pay more to buy in person, a handful of simple tricks can help you get the… Read More

Whoever said there’s no such thing as a free lunch just didn’t have the Internet. Besides the plethora of free articles, videos, tutorials, manuals, software and other unmentionables the Web can serve up through your monitor, you can actually find an amazing selection of absolutely free real stuff. From magazines and toothpaste to cars and hot tubs, you can find it for free via the Internet… if you know where to look, and what to avoid.… Read More

Books, CDs, DVDs and video games are already some of the cheapest forms of entertainment around, but we’ve found three services that render them even more affordable – specifically, by making them yours at no cost whatsoever. OK, there is a catch, but it’s a very small one: You’ll incur shipping fees, but this never amounts to more than a few dollars per item. And most of the services operate on a trading model, which means you’ll need to give… Read More