HDTV is revolutionising the way we watch television. With broadcasters like Sky offering up more and more true HDTV content, as well as HD gaming and HD Blu-Ray discs, increasingly people are turning on and tuning in to the HDTV format. So if you’ve decided to make the switch to superior TV quality, where do you start?

With so many HDTV models on the market now, it can be a little bewildering. Our guide will help you sort the best from the rest, ensuring that you make a purchase that suits your needs and will truly deliver.

Screen Resolution

First of all, you want to make sure that the TVs you’re looking at are in fact High Definition. It can be easy to confuse flatscreen TVs with HDTVs. For a television to be deemed truly HD, the screen resolution must be at least 720 by 1280 pixels.

Always Try Before you Buy

It helps to do a bit of research before you scour the stores. Set yourself a budget, and then do some comparisons online, at HD review sites like HD Guru, to get acquainted with what you can expect for your price range. Then it’s time to hit the shops and try them out. Although all of the sets in-store may not be powered up or fully tuned in, sales staff will be happy to help to test run your purchase before you buy.

Compare and Contrast

Contrast ratios are one of the first things you want to try out. You’ll often see huge figures given in terms of contrast rations, like 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The truth is, these numbers are pretty meaningless. While most modern TVs now perform excellently in terms of the white side of the colour spectrum, it’s the quality of the black side that you should give extra consideration to. Ideally, you want truly dark blacks, so cup your hands around a black area of the screen and take a good look. Is it glowing, or deep, dark black? Plasma screens have traditionally been superior in terms of producing true black visuals.

Consider Viewing Angles

You also want to make sure that the HDTV you buy has as wide a viewing range as possible, without losing saturation or changing colour. This is really simple to test out too. Simply stand in the middle of the TV screen and move to the right or left. You’ll be able to judge how quickly the colours start to blur and change, and opt for the HDTV model that is least susceptible to this.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5067130/giz-explains-how-to-choose-an-hdtv-like-a-pro

When you really need to connect to the internet you can almost guarantee that there won’t be an available WiFi signal in range, and even when there is, sods law saws it will be too weak or go down when you need it most. So what’s the answer? Well, if you have a smartphone and your contract includes a decent data plan, you could set up you mobile to use as a broadband modem.

Setting up your smartphone, or other mobile device to be used as a broadband modem, is known as ‘tethering’. Sharing your smartphone’s Internet connection can be done by wireless connection, via Bluetooth or by physically connecting to the device using a cable. Many of today’s phones come with tethering software already installed and doing so removes the need for a separate USB dongle.

How to Set Up Tethering on an iPhone

1. Go to the Settings menu and select Personal Hotspot.
2. In the Settings menu, select General and then select Network.
3. On the Network settings, click on ‘Set Up Personal Hotspot’. (If don’t have the Personal Hotspot service included in your iPhone’s data plan you will need to add this first by contacting your network provider.)
4. Slide the Personal Hotspot slider to On.
5. The password shown is the one you will need to connect to your Personal Hotspot using WiFi. You can change that password by tapping the password field.
6. Personal Hotspot is set to allow you to connect via Wi-Fi or USB by default. A pop up message will ask if you want to enable Bluetooth connection too.
7. That’s it! You can now share your iPhone’s internet connection with up to 5 devices at the same time via Wi-Fi.

How to Set Up Tethering on Your Android Smartphone

The Personal Hotspot feature is supported from Android version 2.2, also known as Froyo.

1. Go to the Settings menu.
2. In the Settings menu and select Wireless and Network
3. Next select Tethering and Portable Hotspot and turn on the Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot option.
4. Although Bluetooth and USB connectivity is already secure it is advisable to improve the security of your WiFi connection, by adding an 8-character password in the Settings menu.
5. That’s it! You can now share your Android mobile’s internet connection with other wireless devices.

How to Set Up Tethering on Your BlackBerry Smartphone

1. Connect your BlackBerry to your laptop using a USB cable.
2. Install BlackBerry Desktop Manager software. (BlackBerry Desktop is the software that coordinates the link between your smartphone and your PC)
3. Select the IP Modem option and connect your BlackBerry as a tethered modem by following the on screen instructions.

So there you have it, a simple step by step guide to setting up your smartphone to use as a broadband modem. Do remember though that your connection speed will depend on the strength of your smartphone’s strength.

If you have any problems whilst setting up your smartphone, the best idea is to give your network provider a call, who with be able with more specific instructions on how to tether your particular device.

This guest post has been provided by www.broadbandchoices.co.uk; helping you to save on broadband deals.

Would you like to be able to have your electronic mails on your new smartphone? Here is a free step-by-step guide, including photographs, on how to setup email accounts on the HTC Wildfire (should be very similar on other HTC models).

First click the mail logo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Second choose the second option titled ‘Other (POP3/IMAP)’.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Enter your details into the fields, it only requires the email address and password. Click next and it will then take a few seconds to load saying ‘Verifying Account Information’ on the screen.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Then enter details such as your name for your outgoing email from the smartphone. In the pic it says ‘Hotmail’ but you could put what you want.

Hit finish and your done, the phone will then grab the current emails in your inbox.
 
 
 
 
 

It will then take a few moments to get used to using the email function, but it is easy once you get the hang of it. In the main email section is where you have the options to read existing mails, and see them via ‘Conversation’, ‘Favorites’, ‘Unread’ and ‘Attachments’.
 
 
 
 
 

When reading emails you will see the ‘reply’ and ‘reply all’ options as well as buttons for next and previous mails. And if you want to do things such as ‘mark as unread’, ‘forward’ or ‘delete’ the email simply hit the ‘Menu’ button on the phone and the options appear. Quite simple. Have fun!

Having problems setting up your Hotmail or other account with another major service provider? Ask your question in the section below and hopefully someone can help you as soon as possible. It would be great to turn this into a wiki on the topic.

Before you bring your mobile broadband internet service abroad, be sure you are not going to be hit with enormous charges when you come back home. Most mobile broadband providers charge huge fees for using their service outside your own country.

However, you need not worry. There are plenty of options for enjoying mobile broadband while you are travelling overseas.

1. Check with Your Provider First

The first thing you should do is check with your provider. They may offer service while you are abroad. With the spreading popularity of 3G and 4G across the globe, more and more providers are beginning to coordinate service. That way, you will not get home with a huge bill.

If your provider cannot accommodate you, do not worry. There are other options.

2. GSM Networks

Many countries across the world operate on the GSM network. In fact, 80% of all cell phones and mobile broadband operate on GSM all over the world.

That means you are in luck if you happen to use a GSM phone or USB dongle. Yes, even if your phone might work. More on that later, but first you should understand what you will need to do while you are abroad.

3. Switch the SIM Card

If you are using GSM, then you probably know what about SIM cards. If not, they are a little plastic card with imprinted microcircuits that determine the number of your phone or USB modem.

If you are in another country, the solution may be as simple as switching your SIM card. Though not always.
Look for Pre-paid Services

If you are lucky, you will be going to a country that has pre-paid mobile broadband services. It may also go by the name of pay-as-you-go or per-pay service.

That means you will not be committing yourself to more than you can afford. You simply switch out the SIM cards and purchase a pre-paid card to load time on the service. It is an easy solution. However, sometimes your local provider likes to lock you to their network only. Do not fret. There is a solution to that too.

4. Your dongle is locked to your network? It depends on where you go.

It is a simple concept. Most mobile broadband providers lock USB dongles exclusively to their own network. However, much like Smartphones, these devices can be unlocked. Sometimes the term is called openline or jailbreaking depending on where you go.

Usually, for a small fee, you can have your USB dongle openlined. Then, you simply purchase a new SIM card, insert it, and load up pre-paid service.

Once your USB modem is free of restrictions, you can use it in any country that supports GSM networks.

5. Consider Buying New Once You Arrive

Maybe none of the previous options work for you for one reason or another. That is okay. Depending on the country you are visiting, you may be able to buy a completely new USB dongle.

If the charges you will incur with your current provider are too much for you, then it might actually be less expensive to buy new.

You can normally find good deals in most modern and developing countries. A torrent of low-cost Chinese Smartphones and USB modems has recently flooded the planet with affordable wireless technology.

Moreover, if you are in a country that can openline your USB modem, that means you will be able to use it in any country that offers service via a new SIM card.

6. Your Cell Phone Might Work Too

If your USB modem is not based on GSM, then your cell phone might. If you use a phone that works on the GSM network, many times it will double as a USB modem simply by switching the SIM card.

This capability is becoming more and more popular in the new Smartphones. Also, consider buying one of these Smartphones if you happen to be visiting a country where you can get a good deal.

7. If Nothing Else Works

If you still cannot find a solution in the country you are visiting, then you might have to live without your mobile broadband.

Remember, you still have Wi-Fi. If Wi-Fi does not work, look for an internet cafe. You may lose some convenience, but you will not come home to outrageous charges on your bill.

Guest post by Richard from mobile broadband comparison site broadband-expert.co.uk

Here is a quick step-by-step guide, complete with photos, of how to setup email on your LG Cookie. This demonstration was done using a 2010 LG Cookie Fresh GS290. In this guide it shows how to setup Hotmail and POP3.

1) Locate the email icon in the ‘Communication’ section in your main menu and click on it.
 

 

 

 

2) First time you do this it will give you the option to ‘set up now’, click ‘yes’.

3) Choose either ‘Orange email’ or ‘Others’.

I don’t have an Orange account so for this guide I won’t be covering that, only a POP3 account and also Hotmail.

4) Enter in the necessary details. You will also have to choose an account name (that will appear on your phone).

Once you have put in the details click the save button to proceed.

Hotmail: Enter your email & password, phone will do the rest.

When it is successfully pulling everything it needs to your phone you will see this screen.

POP3: For this type of email account you also have to enter the ‘incoming mail server’ and also the ‘outgoing mail server’ as well.

Once done you will see a tick next to the POP3 mailbox type.

5) Once setup click the Email icon again in the menu area and you will see the live accounts. Click on the one you want to use to begin sending, reading emails and changing settings.

Secure POP3 Mail?
If your web host only allows secure mail, you need to go into settings, scroll to the bottom and click ‘Advanced Settings’ from there you can change the port numbers (contact your web host provider if you don’t know what they need to be).

We hope this article has helped you, if you still have problems with part of the process you can leave a comment in the form section below and maybe another user can give you a hand.

Having a problem setting up your phone? Post your issue in the section below and hopefully another visitor can you out to solve it.

If you’ve got one of these cool smartphones and want to get some applications on it which are available via free download, then here is how.

There are a few websites you can use. We recommend sites like GetJar.com or mobile9.com because they are super easy to use and have a good range of apps.

How To Use GetJar

• Visit the website
• Enter in your phone brand and model
• Navigate to the app you want using the menus
• Click the ‘download’ button
• Follow the instructions to get it onto your PC, or directly via your phone browser.
• Once installed, get using!

How To Use Mobile9
Same as above, except you have to download the file to your PC and then onto your phone via the PC suite software. You don’t get the option of direct to your phone.

It is normally fairly straightforward. However if you’re having problems with getting apps on your LG Cookie then post questions below and maybe another user can help you out.