Smart Consumer

Amazon UK's "Black Friday"

2010-11-16T19:17:00.001Z

From amazon.co.uk:

From 22nd November, UK customers can experience ‘Black Friday Deals Week’ featuring over 200 limited time deals on products including Nintendo Wii consoles, Microsoft Xbox consoles, Sony TVs, Canon PowerShot cameras, Le Creuset cookware, Toy Story Talking Buzz Lightyear Space Rangers, Harry Potter Blu-ray box sets and much more...

Every year, towards the end of November, millions of shoppers on the other side of the Atlantic take advantage of the massive savings offered by retailers around ‘Black Friday’, the discount shopping day that follows Thanksgiving in America. Now, Amazon.co.uk is bringing those incredible deals to the UK with ‘Black Friday Deals Week’, five days of high discount, limited time, limited quantity offers culminating on ‘Black Friday’ (26th November).
“For many years, shoppers in the US have enjoyed massive savings on great products as a result of the ‘Black Friday’ phenomenon,” said Brian McBride, Managing Director, Amazon.co.uk Ltd.

“Amazon is always looking to offer exceptional value for money, especially in the run up to Christmas, and will replicate that activity for the benefit of all customers here in the UK. There will be some fantastic savings on must-have items.” ‘Black Friday’ signals the start of the Christmas shopping period in the US and it is reported that over $10bn was spent by shoppers in America on ‘Black Friday’ alone in 2009.

Offers on Amazon.co.uk will take the form of ‘Lightning Deals’ with a limited quantity of an item being offered at a discount for a short period of time. Once that quantity has been reached or the time limit elapses, the ‘Lightning Deal’ will end. There will be more than 200 great deals available over the five day period including*:

- Over 60% off Nintendo Wii Consoles
- Over 60% off Flip Mino High Definition Camcorders
- Over 60% off Microsoft Xbox consoles
- Canon PowerShot Cameras at less than half price
- Over 60% off Eternity Moment Eau de Parfum
- Over 70% off Pearl Necklaces
- Sony TVs at half price
- Coronation Street Golden Anniversary Collection DVD at less than half price

*All discounts from RRP or Amazon.co.uk selling price
Customers can keep track of all the deals by visiting www.amazon.co.uk/blackfriday

Kindle 3

2010-09-23T19:26:00.003+01:00

Finally, it's here. The latest in the wildly successful line of e-book readers produced by Amazon. The Kindle 3 picks up where the Kindle 2 left off: battery time is improved. The screen is even sharper. It's smaller and lighter. It now has wifi, so you can pick up books directly from the online store (not to mention browse the internet!)

Did I mention the price?

$139.

Again, $139.

That is a fantastic deal, in anyone's book.

Powerball Metal 350Hz now only ~€64

2010-02-21T16:12:00.000Z

The heavyweight metal powerball is now a bargain at about half it's original selling price: £56. Weighing in at 870 grams, this chromed beauty will take your hand off if you're not careful. For those now familiar with powerballs, they are a handheld gyroscope used to rehabilitate and entertain alike. But don't take my word for it, watch this crazy Greek in action:

Wow. Nuts.

They're made by RPM sports down in Thurles who are really super-nice guys who offer a lifetime guarantee on all powerballs. Now stop reading this and buy one.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with RPM Sports in any way. I just think their customer service rocks.

DS Lite £79.99

2009-12-31T12:45:00.000Z

Argos have come up trumps for this deal on the latest DS (until the next one) with a sub-£80 offer on this black DSi.

With normal prices of £119 online and €149.99 in Irish retail stores, you can't really go wrong with this one.

Argos don't do delivery to Ireland from the.co.uk site, so it looks like you'll have to collect in person or arrange some alternative method of collection.

€99 Wii at Golden Discs

2009-06-07T23:21:00.000+01:00

Like the title says. It's the standard Wii Sports pack.

For €99, in store.

Go liquidation!

Amazon relax delivery restrictions to Ireland

2009-04-07T22:39:00.000+01:00

After an exile of 5 years, you can now buy electrical items from Amazon again! Hale-freakin-lujah!

Exemptions: stuff over 30kg, mobile phones, toys, medicines, blank CDs and DVDs, light bulbs, TV equipment, freesat boxes. I'm sure there's more.

VAT is still charged at the Irish rate but advertised at the UK rate so when you get to the checkout page you may find the price jumps up a bit.

No sign of Super Saver Delivery. Shipping prices here.

WEEE exchange courtesy of Rehab Recycle in Cork, Galway, Dublin and Kilkenny.

Some great bargains to be had from a reputable seller! Have fun!

BOGOF: Two Porsches for the price of one

2009-04-01T22:10:00.002+01:00

Hahaha... April Fools day is now over. Nothing to see here.

Lenovo S10e for less than €290, delivered

2009-03-28T22:12:00.000Z

Cute. Small. Nicely built.

No, not Olga Kurylenko.

Blurb:

"Lenovo designed the IdeaPad S10e netbook as an introductory mobile PC for students in grades K-12 and as a secondary device for those in higher education. Ideal devices for connecting to the Internet for online research, students can use the netbook for sharing ideas and for conversation through email, social networking and other applications. Additionally, the Lenovo netbook provides basic functionality for word processing and light multimedia capabilities. A built-in webcam on the 10.1 inch display makes creating and sharing video messaging simple. And for a faster PC experience, the Quick Start feature allows students to quickly check email, browse the Internet, conduct video conferencing, view photos or listen to music without having to fully boot the operating system."

Facts:

It's small
It has a Splashtop style quick boot system
It has a 1024 x 576 screen which is good for widescreen SD and little else
It is very well made compared to other ~~netbooks~~ little notebooks
It is €275.27 inc vat and €12.66 in shipping to the ROI at dabs.ie

Near-free home delivery from Tesco (valid until 21st Feb)

2009-02-19T13:38:00.002Z

As the title says. Get a load of shopping delivered to your house for 1 cent.

http://www.tesco.ie/

Power User

2009-02-18T18:53:00.002Z

Now that your house is full of buzzing, bleeping gadgets of all descriptions it's time to make sure the juice isn't on the loose. That's right, it's time to get all environmentally conscious and normalise your electricity usage. First of all, good news everyone! The Irish Energy Sector has been deregulated to the point where you can be switched over to a new supplier within an hour. See that, Eircom, hmm?

That means you are now free to get your power from alternate suppliers. At a minimum saving of 10%, you'd be mad not to.

https://www.thebigswitch.ie/
http://www.airtricity.com/ireland/for_your_home/index.xml

Way-hey! Instant savings. Now how can you get it down further? Well, why not invest in a handy-dandy energy meter to see which devices are drawing down unnecessary Watts?

http://www.efergy.com/en/
http://www.ecostore.ie/acatalog/Energy_Saving.html

After buying one of these suckers you'll think twice before leaving that Xbox plugged in all night!

And finally the most important part of all: common sense. Electricity has only been in common usage since the early 19th century and people somehow managed to survive without it. I'm not suggesting using candles and horse-drawn carts but don't forget: walking is good for you, you can't watch television in the living room while eating dinner in the dining room and laptops are good enough for checking email.

Terabyte drives ahoy!

2009-01-22T08:53:00.000Z

Finally, those 1TB drives are hitting the sweet spot. That's TB as in the unit of capacity, not the disease. Now if only people would ditch FAT32 for a file system that makes sense. Seriously, why should I even care about how the bits on my disk are arranged? Grumble grumble blame microsoft grumble!

scan.ie
HDT721010SLA360 - 1TB Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.B, 3.5", SATA 3Gb/s, 7200 rpm, 16MB Cache, HDD
£72.38 + £6.99 shipping (I guess, not clear from site)

komplett.ie
Hitachi DeskStar 7K1000.B - hard drive - 1 TB - SATA-300
€79.00 + €12.50 shipping

And...

dabs.ie
Buffalo 1TB DriveStation Turbo USB2 3.5"
€92.51 + €12.66 shipping
For the record, I'm all in favour of the "naked" drives. I had a seagate 500 crash and burn on me for no particular reason other than the case was possibly a bit suspect. So from now on, I'm buying a good quality case with eSata + NAS and popping in drives as needs be. Instructions are widely available on how to do this and it is simple.

Cheap laptops at Dabs

2009-01-18T19:50:00.003Z

So they're not brand new. So they don't have integrated webcams. But for €312.98 and €12.66 for shipping, you can have a whole lot of dual core laptop.

To that I say: more please.

Thanks to lensman.

http://www.dabs.ie/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=5DN9&InMerch=1

Hint: Search for refurb

AVG Anti Virus

2009-01-07T21:39:00.002Z

I love AVG. I really do. Even though they absentmindedly borked the web when they released version 8, I still liked them (once I was able to fix the problem anyway). What I don't like is the "Invalid update control CTF file" problem I've been having lately. Luckily, there is an easy fix. Just delete the two .ctf files in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Avg8\update\download and all will be well.

This guy even wrote a VBscript for all you lazy suckers out there.

Oh, and that free 10 year subscription that's being doing the rounds on bargain sites? It is warez, made using the EMBRACED keymaker. Avoid. If not because it is the right thing to do, then because it will eventually fail when AVG block new updates to it.

This will be gone by tomorrow morning!

2008-12-15T23:55:00.000Z

Sony BRAVIA KDL-40V4000 40 Inch Full-HD LCD

Brand: Sony
Type: Sony BRAVIA KDL-40V4000 40 Inch Full-HD LCD
Full-HD: 1920 x 1080p resolution
50 Hz
Dynamic contrast: 33000:1
Audio modes: Dynamic/Standard/BBE ViVa/Virtual Dolby
Viewing angle: 178 degrees
Digital Comb filter
BRAVIA Engine 2
Connections: Digital audio-output (optical) / 3 x HDMI / HDMI-signal capability for the PC / PC input (15-pins D-Sub) and audio in / 1 x component / Composite video input/ USB 2.0 Input / Mini jack connection: 3.5 mm / PCMCIA-card slot / RCA audio out / RF connection / Scart 2 x RGB / BRAVIA Sync
Colour & design: “Draw the line’ piano black finish
Image format: 40 inches
Signal: 576i / 480p / 576p / 1080i / 720p / 1080p
24 P-input
Advanced Contrast Enhancer
AFD (Auto Format Detect)
Automatic noise reduction
Picture in Picture
Image ratio 16:9
S-Force Pro Front Surround
Analogue Terrestrial Tuner
Digital Terrestrial Tuner
Digital TV-cable tuner
Auto Labelling and Auto Start-Up/Tuning
EPG
Included accessories: Table stand / Remote control RM-ED013 / User’s guide
Dimesions: Including table stand (B x H x D): 98.6 x 68.4 x 27.9 cm / Excluding stand (B x H x D): 98.6 x 64.6 x 11.0 cm
Warranty: 2 years

Price: € 699,95

Blurb

"The Sony KDL-40V4000 40 inch Full HD television is the latest in the BRAVIA series and is equipped with the new BRAVIA 2 engine for a better contrast. With its “draw the line” design and the glossy black piano finish, the BRAVIA KDL-40V 4000 is a real vision to look at. The exclusive BRAVIA 2 engine creates unprecedented viewing quality with enhanced depth, improved clarity and high definition. You have a 40 inch viewing area at your disposal with an amazing resolution of 1920 x 1080p. Combined with an extremely high dynamic contrast of 33000:1 and with 3 HDMI ports, this gem of a TV ensures that you are all set for the future. Experience the effect of digital Surround sound from just two loud speakers with Virtual Dolby sound and BBE ViVA sound technology. This full HD TV is equipped with the Bravia Theatre Sync with which you can operate your sound system, TV and DVD player with just a single remote control. With the 3 HDMI ports, it is now easier than ever to connect high definition sources to your TV. At last, you get to watch movies the way the director meant it to be, with the Sony BRAVIA KDL-40V4000 40 inch full HD television!"

Awesome deal. Buy it if you can. Do not expect it delivered until mid-January though. €12.50 shipping to Ireland.

Couple of Christmas Crackers from Dell

2008-12-15T21:32:00.001Z

Just like to point out that both of these are going to expire TOMORROW, 16th December.

XPS ONE for €495 delivered

Dell all-in-one premium iMac knockoff is going for half the going rate. Presumably that means it's on the way out, but it's an ok deal for people with a need for an average but very portable/storable machine. The keyboard and mouse are a cut above the norm too. The built-in tuner means you can use it as a TV with PVR features. 20" is nothing to write home about, but it gets the job done. Throw in an accessory worth about €35 to qualify for 10% off, bringing the final price down to €495.

23" Full HD Monitor for €186 delivered

A nice, sizeable monitor with a 1920 x 1080 screen. At a nice, not too sizeable price.

Komplett Weekly Offers 08/12/2008

2008-12-10T23:00:00.000Z

Let me save you the bother. Nothing interesting this week. Tv, speakers, printer, graphics card. No bargains.

Free Boff still in progress

2008-12-02T19:47:00.000Z

Those of you who know Boffer should know that the free boff is still in progress. Those of you who don't, this means every product is free except for shipping charges, although those are free in some cases too.

If you missed it, don't worry. Apparently there is a secret sell-off on or before the ninth which should have plenty of cheap goodies thrown into the middle of it.

But don't tell anyone. It's a secret. That's why I'm not going to tell anyone about it either.

Komplett Weekly Offers 01/12/2008

2008-12-02T19:31:00.000Z

NETGEAR ProSafe Switch 8P gigabit

€ 39.00

-34%

My €0.02
It's cheap, but who needs an 8 port gigabit switch? If the answer is you, this is cheaper than any equivalent products at misco or pixmania. That said, for a little more you could get a much better product...

Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless

€ 95.00

-13%

My €0.02
I have one of these. They rock. Cost 15 euro this time last year.

Samsung 22" LCD Syncmaster T220HD

€ 273.99

-9%

My €0.02
There must be something seriously wrong because elara want 440 for this. Pixmania are selling it for 269.

Gigabyte GA-E7AUM-DS2H, GeForce 9400

€ 139.49

-7%

My €0.02
Not a bad price but only buy if you want the GeForce 9400. Which I find unlikely.

Samsung 40 Inch Full HD 100Hz LCD TV

2008-11-25T23:00:00.000Z

Brand: Samsung
Model: LE40A615
40 Inch Full HD
1080 24p Real Movie
Resolutiion:1920 x 1080p
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 30.000:1
Entertainment Mode
Picture in Picture
Picture Ratio: 16:9
100 Hz Technology
DVB-T
Clear Panel
Movie Plus
Wide Colour Enhancer 2
DNIe Pro
A2/NiCAM
Downfiring speaker
SRS TrueSurround XT
Electronic Program Guide
Loud Speaker Output: 20 Watt (2 x 10W)
Power Consumption: 240W
Connections:
3 x HDMI / Component (Y/Pb/Pr) / 2 x Scart / Video Monitor Out (L/R) Only Audio / PC Connection (D-Sub) / Optical Audio Out / USB 2.0 / S-Video / Composite / Headphone
Dimensions: 99.8 x 63.8 x 8.4 cm (WxHxD) / 99.8 x 69.9 x 30 cm (WxHxD) including Foot
Weight: 17kg / 20.2 kg including Foot
Warranty: 2 years

Price: € 777,00

Go iBOOD. That is one serious telly. I would buy it in a heartbeat if I wasn't up to my eyes in tv's, projectors and monitors at the moment. €12.50 shipping seals the deal.

Komplett Weekly Offers 24/10/2008

2008-11-25T08:29:00.000Z

Epson Projector EMP-X5, 1024x768, 2200 ANSI, 400:1

€ 469.00

-6%

My €0.02
This projector must be nearing the end of it's life cycle by now. I would go for a newer model, which would deliver more bang per buck. Or a Infocus IN1 for less than €200.

Creative Zen 4GB, SD/SDHC slot, MP3/AAC,2,5" LCD screen, DivX/XviD/WMV

€ 65.00

-12%

My €0.02
Why? All I want is an iPod Touch with an SD cart slot. And who watches video on a 2.5" screen?

Canon IXUS 80 Silver 8.0MP 3x opt.zoom

€ 148.00
-0%

My €0.02
Beats pixmanias €159. Any good? Dunno.

Samsung 19" LCD-TV Syncmaster 932MW, Widescreen, TV-tuner, DVI, 5ms

€ 189.00

-5%

My €0.02
19" LCD TV again? It's still pointless.

[PIC] Moviestar.ie offer

2008-11-21T22:13:00.003Z

The code is buy4now

Komplett Weekly Offers 17/10/2008

2008-11-18T08:32:00.000Z

D-Link DSL-2740B Wireless N ADSL2/2+modem and router

€ 109.00

My €0.02
Great router, bad offer. Actually, isn't this the regular price?

Samsung 19" LCD-TV Syncmaster 932MW,Widescreen, TV-tuner, DVI, 5ms

€ 189.00

-5%

My €0.02
19 inch tv? Really?

Samsung 26" LCD-TV LE26A330-

€ 379.00

-13%

My €0.02
Wouldn't it make more sense to get one of these?

Western Digital Passport Elite 320GBTitan, USB 2.0

€ 99.00

-29%

My €0.02
Still a bad deal, just like last time...

100 posts ULTIMATE MADNESS!!!

2008-11-12T19:13:00.002Z

In celebration of reaching 100 posts (wowzers!) I'm going to do an extra large Midweek Madness. Like most of you are probably facing up to, Christmas is rapidly advancing so that means you needs gifts and ideas tout de suite! And as I am on a hundred post high, I will oblige.

37" LCD TV from BigPockets

This looks identical to my 37" Hannspree, which cost €500 delivered last year. Well worth the money in my eyes. Approx €420 including shipping

http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?product=ELONEX004

Yankee Candles - the stink of good cheer

Want to fill your house with Americanised Christmas smells? Sure you do, it'll mask the smell of gin! All Yankee brand candles are half price at Home Store + More.

http://homestoreandmore.ie/

Cheap printers at Tesco

Tesco have been quietly doing good deals on printers over the last couple of weeks. You'll find a variety of Wifi enabled or multi-function Lexmark printers for under €40.

http://www.tesco.ie/

Branch 309 Shoe Sale

Buying shoes online is always daunting. Branch 309 are nice to deal with, so you could do worse than dipping a toe (hur hur) here. The sale makes their good prices even better!

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Branded-Footwear-at-Branch309

Portable Mega Drive

It contains 20 Mega Drive games and costs €22.49. I mean, come on. It also has Tv-out.

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=30001&catalogId=1500001151&langId=-1&searchTerms=Mega+Drive+Portable

4GB Micro SD card

4GB Genuine Kingmax TF Micro-SD Memory Card for ~€7.50. Can't knock that.

http://www.focalprice.com/4GB_Genuine_Kingmax_TF_Micro_SD_Memory_Card_4G_MF075B_5440.html

Know thy exchange rate

This year the dollar is up and the pound is down, so grab those british bargains

http://www.xe.com/ucc

~~~100~~~

Komplett Weekly Offers 10/10/2008

2008-11-10T21:54:00.000Z

OCZ DDR2 PC6400 4GB KIT, Reaper X HPC, 2x2048MB, Heat Pipe, (CL4-4-3-15), E.P.P

€ 93.00

-11%

My €0.02
I'm pretty sure those heatspreaders would be a nuisance. I'd go for these instead.

Samsung 32" LCD-TV LE32A430

€ 477.00

-6%

My €0.02
Does anyone else actually sell this model?

Netgear ReadyNAS Duo RND2150 500GB

€ 305.00

-9%

My €0.02
I get the distinct impression that most people would be better served by a low-end PC from DC running linux. Cheaper than play.com.

Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 1GB GDDR5,PCI-Express 2.0, DVI-I/HDMI/HDCP

€ 285.00

-5%

My €0.02
Hah. A good price for this expensive space heater. Still, cheaper than a Quadro 5800.

DVICO 6500 Multimedia Player 1TB, €449 ex. shipping

2008-11-05T20:59:00.000Z

For those of you who missed out on Monday's iBOOD Argosy 500GB offer, or who couldn't decide in time if it was what they wanted, here's what it aspires to.

The DVICO 6500 is a pretty high-end piece of kit. "Does it support format X?" Yes. End of discussion. It is one of the best devices ever for format support, especially HD because this sucker goes all the way to 1080p without breaking a sweat, unlike the 720p/1080i Argosy.

The 1TB SATA drive is almost the least interesting part, given that you can replace the Argosy's 500GB SATA drive at any time. A second drive bay would be nice, given the size. Still, better than a kick in the teeth.

I haven't used divxplayer.nl myself, but I hear good things. Head over to MPC club to find out more.

Oh, and why is it a bargain? Well, check out the usual price... (full specifications available)

Play Big at Misco, €146.80 shipped

2008-11-04T20:23:00.001Z

Yes, it's the same projector that cost €200 from elara back in the day. I picked one up then and I'm not sorry in the slightest. These are in limited stock so grab them while you can, last time they went quickly.

Comes with a free projection screen too! So it's cheaper AND you get a freebie!

UPDATE:

Unsurprisingly, this now appears to be out of stock. Maybe a few people might be tempted to part with theirs on ebay et al?

Komplett Weekly Offers 03/10/2008

2008-11-03T21:57:00.000Z

Nothing happened last week.

Really.

Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Player

€ 199.00

-17%

My €0.02
I would rather a PS3 for 299... seriously, who buys a low-end Blu ray player that ISN'T a PS3? Kindly explain the logic of that one.

Sony DCR-SR35E, 30GB HDD recorder

€ 296.00

-13%

My €0.02
Another hard disk camcorder. They all cost around 300 beans and all have 20 - 40 gigs of memory. The only differentiating factor is battery life and this pissed off guy says it drains rapidly in standby mode. Not ideal when the stated charge life is 110 minutes..

Freecom USB Storage XXS 320GB USB-2

€ 89.00

-10%

My €0.02
Terrible value. Next.

Asus P5N32-E SLI, nF-680i SLI, ATX,S-775, 2xGbLAN, DDR2, 2xPCI-Ex16 demo

€ 99.00

My €0.02
A really strange mobo with some funky heat pipes. If you buy it, make sure the bios is the latest version.

PS3 is €299 in Tesco today, nationwide

2008-10-30T09:38:00.003Z

Plus some other consoles are reduced too...

DS for 119.99 ( from 159.99)
Wii for 202.46 (from 269.95)
XBOX 360 for 179.99 from 239.99
Sony PSP for 134.96 (from 179.95)
Sony PS3 for 299.95 (From 399.99)

25% off DVD's music cd's and games too.

More good grub

2008-10-23T19:08:00.002+01:00

Marks and Spencer Dine For Two
Still going and will be on every 2 weeks until Christmas. Get down there now before all the good stuff goes! Got a large organic chicken, roast potato with veg, sticky toffee pudding and a bottle of wine last week. De'lish.
Valid until Sunday.

Dunnes Stores 20% back on everything this weekend
In VALUEclub points, naturally.
Valid until Sunday.

Tesco 25% back on booze + random in-store deal
25% back on beer, wine & spirits in points. Additionally, each store has there own deal at the moment: mostly bonus clubcard points under certain conditions.
Valid until Monday.

Komplett Weekly Offers 21/10/2008

2008-10-20T21:53:00.000+01:00

NZXT ADAMAS Black, Full Aluminum chassis, 4 chassis fans 120mm, No PSU

€ 59.00 (-34%)

My €0.02: A decent case. Price is ok too. But may be a little pricey to ship... perhaps the 'plett are offering an incentive for people to try the pick-up point?.

Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 1TB SATA232MB 7200RPM

€ 127.00 (-15%)

My €0.02: Cheaper at Dabs. Cheaper at Misco. Used to be cheaper at Elara! I think I'm starting to understand how Komplett's product managers work (previously I had assumed that a ouija board was involved)

Western Digital Elements 500GB USB2.0

€ 65.00 (-6%)

My €0.02: 500GB. Big whoop. At least it's not a Seagate.

Gainward Radeon HD 4850 1GB GDDR3, PCI-Express 2.0, 2xDVI, "Golden Sample"

€ 169.00 (-6%)

My €0.02: As usual, graphics card equals ripoff but this is an ok price for what it is.

Komplett Weekly Offers 13/10/2008

2008-10-13T07:52:00.001+01:00

Crucial PC2700 DDR-DIMM 1024MB CL2.5 6ns Unbuffered, Non-parity, 2.5V, 128Meg x 6

€ 26.00

-16%

My €0.02

Same price on dabs but of course the shipping is half price there. And I picked up something similar from ebay 6 months ago, for the same price including shipping. Thanks FastMemoryMan!

AXP Powersupply ATX 500W Retail, SATA, Dimension mm(163x150x85) 20+4 pin

€ 29.00

-36%

My €0.02

Dunno, but this guy is selling an aging gaming rig with a 630 Watt rated model. Maybe a little old?

WD Passport™ Essential 320GB Real Red, USB 2.0

€ 89.00

-25%

My €0.02

Under 90 seems to be a theme for this one, find it at misco for 88 and dabs for 85.

LG 19" Wide W1934-BN, 1440x900, 5ms, 700:1

€ 129.00

-10%

My €0.02

I fail to see how this is different to the W1934S-BN at pixmania. Typo, perhaps?

Poor show, big k. Only one item wasn't beaten on total price and that's because nobody else sells it anymore.

Feed me Seymour

2008-10-10T21:10:00.000+01:00

Image courtesy of Marks and Spencer

It's Friday and I've got food on my mind. Good thing there are some tasty bargains to be had this weekend :)

Marks and Spencer Dine For Two
A personal favourite. A nice main, salad, desert and a bottle of decent plonk to wash it down? What could be better?

Dunnes Stores 50% back on Groceries this weekend
If you're into that whole clubcard thing, that is. Personally I don't shop there often enough to make it worthwhile. Thursday to Sunday. 25% back on wine/champagne and laptops(how random) too.

Lidl Granary Medium Sliced Loaf
Half price bread? I'll take it.

Midweek Madness

2008-10-09T21:23:00.001+01:00

Move over DX, meet FocalPrice
Yup, a pretender to the throne. Maybe they are so cheap because they didn't need to pay to create a new website design? Not that DealExtreme was the prettiest in the world to begin with... Cheap $0.01 deal on iPod Nano 4G skins this week (1 per customer)

Good watching at the Hut
Yes, I do like the Hut. Free shipping and they keep the prices updated and competitive. Oh, and you get the order within a few days. Beat that, CD-WOW. Peep Show for approximately €24, anybody?

One rotten egg for Zavvi
Well, from the sound of nightly explosions it's that time of the year again. Zavvi have raised their shipping prices to Ireland, £4 to an address or £2 for in-store pickup. Boo! Hiss!
Please note: I do not condone the pelting of stores with rotten egss, tomatoes or poetry.

Komplett Weekly Offers 06/10/2008

2008-10-06T19:57:00.000+01:00

Sony Bravia 40" LCD-TV KDL-40W4000 Full HD, DVB-T, DVB-C

€ 1,157.00

-15%

My €0.02
An extremely good TV at an extremely average price, assuming you use the new collections facility. You could find it cheaper through private sales.

Western Digital My Book Home Edition 320

€ 80.01

-8%

My €0.02
Meh. Old stock?

EVGA GeForce GTX 260 896MB GDDR3, PCI-E 2.0, 2xDVI/HDCP, 448bit

€ 255.00

-6%

My €0.02
Ok price for Europe. The yanks get it far cheaper, of course.

Corsair Dominator TWIN 2X8500C5D 4096MB, DDR2,2x2GB(KIT), DHX, E.P.P, CL5-5-5-15-2T

€ 99.00

-9%

My €0.02
15 yoyos cheaper than dabs.

Komplett: Pick Up Point in Dublin is now open

2008-10-06T08:38:00.000+01:00

So, Komplett have finally opened their collections depot and surprisingly they are implementing a charge for you to pick up your stuff, so it looks like victory goes to elara. Full press release below.

From Komplett.ie

Komplett.ie is proud to announce that we have today, October 1st 2008, opened our Pick Up Point in Dublin 15 for business. When placing an order you will now have the option to choose Pick Up Point as the delivery method once you get to the payment screen, under delivery options. The cost of Pick Up is lower than any other method of delivery on any items, but you will really notice the difference when ordering large items such as TV’s – the price of delivering items under 10kg in weight is now €8 and over 10kg is €13.

This compares to An Post €13 for sub 10kg, and prices pushing up to and beyond €100 for big items such as TV’s depending on carrier. So we’re very happy that we can now make big deliveries a lot cheaper for you, and quicker too – if an item is ordered before 1pm it will be delivered 2 days later, which is quicker than An Post and DHL in many instances!

The Pick Up Point is located just past the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre / Blanchardstown Bypass (which connects to the M50) in Blanchardstown Corporate Park 2 – A helpful tip is to look out for the Texaco petrol station directly across the road from the entrance to the park. (Drive in the gate past the security post and take a left, not a right! And yes, we’re currently looking at signposting the route with Fingal County Council.) Full details can be found here and maps here.

Please do note that we do not sell stock directly in the Pick Up Point, it must be ordered online; and while we will be accepting payment in the Pick Up Point in a few weeks, for the moment you must pre-pay online as usual. We do not and will not accept cash in the Pick Up Point, but we will be accepting Laser and Visa debit cards when we begin accepting payment at the Pick Up Point itself.

You may also drop back RMA’s, as the returns department lives in the same building as the Pick Up Point. Please do note that you have to have an RMA number issued through the regular customer service lines (email and phone) before we can accept it in the Pick Up Point.

Komplett.ie

Komplett Weekly Offers 29/09/2008

2008-09-30T20:05:00.000+01:00

Samsung 22" LCD Syncmaster 226BW TCO03,1680x1050, 2ms, 3000:1

€ 234.99

-10%

My €0.02
Hmm. Good quality panel, but a little too old for my liking, with questions over colour bleed. I'd prefer the 2253BW for the same money, shipped.

D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N WirelessGigabit Router, 802.11n (draft 2.0)

€ 95.00

-21%

My €0.02
Expansys have increased the price to €136 and dabs are still not competitive at €103. Reality appears to have restored itself after the aberration in July.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1TB SATA232MB 7200RPM

€ 113.00

-19%

My €0.02
Seagate? No thanks.

Sennheiser Headphones HD 515, 14-26000Hz, Cable 3m, 255g

€ 52.01

-12%

My €0.02
Yeah, whatever. Have you ever seen Ferrari sell a cheap car?

Dellicious mouse, €52.43 including shipping

2008-09-27T21:39:00.000+01:00

Logitech MX Revolution

Cordless Laser mouses

Overview

Smarter, faster, and fully-loaded, the MX™ Revolution gives you powerful new controls that will streamline the way you work. Logitech´s innovative MicroGear™ Precision Scroll Wheel lets you fly through long documents at hyperspeed, or switch to precise click-to-click scrolling for navigating lists, slides, and image collections. Toggle between open documents with the convenient Quick-Flip thumb wheel, or search the Web by highlighting a word or phrase and pressing the Search button.

Hyper-fast scrolling: Fly through long documents at hyperspeed. Shift to precise click-to-click scrolling to navigate lists, slides, and image collections.
SmartShift™ technology: MX™ Revolution detects your current application and automatically applies the scrolling mode that best fits the task at hand
Document quick-flip: Move effortlessly between documents. Cut and paste between applications, compare documents or check email.
One-Touch™ search: Highlight a word or phrase and press the search button to instantly display results from your favourite search engine
Rechargeable Li-Ion battery: Never worry about replacing batteries. A 4-stage battery level metre lets you know when to recharge
Cordless laser: Full-speed USB wireless technology and state-of-the-art laser engine deliver absolute precision and control.

System Requirements

PC
- Windows^® XP
- Windows Vista^™ (requires Internet connection)
- Available USB port
- CD-ROM drive
Mac
- Mac^® OSX 10.2.8+
- Available USB port
- CD-ROM drive
- Internet connection

* Logitech Control Center 2.1 or later is required to enable advanced mouse features such as scroll wheel fine-tuning and One-Touch Search. LCC is compatible with both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs running OS X.

Package Contents

Logitech^® MX^™ Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse
Recharging station
AC power cord
USB micro-receiver
Logitech^® SetPoint^™ software CD
User's guide

In English

This is a good mouse and dell are selling it about €20 cheaper than anyone else.

Play.com, up to 85% off

2008-09-24T20:02:00.000+01:00

Of course, your mileage may vary. Usual electronics restrictions and free shipping apply.

DVDs from €4.49

CDs from €4.49

Books from €4.49

Games from €11.49

Komplett Weekly Offers 22/07/2008

2008-09-21T22:11:00.000+01:00

K time.

OCZ nVIDIA SLI DDR2 PC6400 4096MB KIT,XTC, w/two 2048MB, CL5-4-4-15

€ 75.00

-12%

My €0.02
Hey the Yanks get this for $82, and $52 after a rebate! WHY? No fair, but that's life eh? Actually, 75 is not a bad price at all if you don't want to gamble on ebay.

Canon Pixma MX850 31/24ppm printer/copier/scanner/fax USB

€ 237.00

-3%

My €0.02
Yay, a printer. Defile the corpses of some dead trees, and get ink all over you hands to boot. As this printer goes, it is cheaper than the alternatives.

Western Digital Passport Elite 250GB Titan, USB 2.0

€ 93.00

-6%

My €0.02
Passport Elite... wtf? Oh it's a 2.5" external hard drive? Nonsensical nomenclature aside, what makes this better than this Toshiba? Or WD's own Passport Essential for that matter?

MSI Radeon HD 3870 x2 1GB OC GDDR3, PCI-E, 2xDVI-I/Tv-Out/HDCP/HDMI

€ 184.00

-29%

My €0.02
Again? Did Komplett buy all the stock of these in the country or what? Old, but still good and better value than Dabs.

Looks like a solid week for Komplett. In ither good news, the new local branch is ready to open any time now. Here's the address:

Komplett.ie
2. Unit 287, Block G
Blanchardstown Corporate Park 2
Ballycoolin
Dublin 15

GMap link

Technomate 6900 HD SUPER

2008-09-19T22:25:00.000+01:00

With January 2009 looming around the corner, we move ever closer to a world of Digital Terrestrial Television. But all those people who bought Freeview-ready TVs to be "ready for the future" are in for a shock: the vast majority of them won't work in Ireland. There have been a few DTT trials around the country (mainly Dublin) that worked on the old equipment but these have now ended and there are new trials in places. These use the more modern Mpeg-4 AVC standard also known as H.264, x.264 and Mpeg-4 part 10. So, if you want to receive terrestrial channels after jan '09, you have a couple of options.

Buy a TV with DTT and Mpeg-4 decoding built in. (Expensive)
Buy a seperate box for DTT and Mpeg-4. (Probably not too expensive but who knows?)
Buy a combo satellite and DTT tuner with Mpeg-4.

You may have guessed which one I'm going to recommend.

The Technomate packs a whole lot of functionality into it's shell, it can pick up channels from DTT and satellite sources, decode SD and HD channels, and download program info from the internet. It probably does more but I'm already sold! For the interested, you can view the specifications here:

2 High Definition Tuners: DVB-S/DVB-S2 Satellite & DVB-T Terrestrial Compliant (MPEG-2 / MPEG-4 / H.264)
576i & 576p, 720p & 1080i supported
1 Smart Card Reader & 2 Common Interfaces (2CI)
HDMI & Component Output (YPbPr) with Hardware Upscaler to Improve Picture Quality
Very Fast & Detailed Hardware Blind Search (power scan)
Ethernet Communication Port
eSATA Port
2x USB Ports (Front + Rear Ports)
PLL type RF-Modulator (Ch. 21- 69) and UHF tuning function
10,000 TV & Radio Channels
USB 2.0 PVR Ready via USB External Device
USB PVR Features: Rewind/Forward, Slow Motion Rewind/Forward, Timeshift (Pause Live TV) & Record Scrambled/Free-To-Air (FTA) Channels & Record current channel and playback a recording at the same time
Music player & JPEG viewer via USB 2.0
Fast Software & Channel List download via USB 2.0
2 Scart Outputs with RGB Support
Fully Featured VFD text Front Panel Display
Super Sensitive tuner for very weak signals
Dolby Digital Optical S/PDIF
Dolby Digital by HDMI
S-Video Output
Less than 1 second channel change
DiSEqC 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 & 1.3 (USALS) compatible
Auto Navigation system – select as many satellites as you want to search
On-screen display with true full color resolution
Enhanced 16 Favorite channel groups
Channel control by: Favorites, Lock, Skip, Move & Delete
Channel sort by: All, Alphabet, Transponder & CAS
Parental, Installation & Receiver Lock
Multilingual OSD Menu: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, German, Italian, Turkish, Arabic, Russian, Greek, Czech, Romanian, Persian
Fast & Easy-To-Use Menu System
Extended EPG and program reservation on EPG
Teletext & Subtitle by OSD and VBI
Last channel memory function
Factory default channel list
Various games
Software & channel list upgrade via RS-232C: PC to STB, STB to PC, STB-STB and USB
Zoom function on Pause & Live channel
Multi picture display
Support for multiple language broadcasts
SCPC & MCPC receivable from C/Ku band satellites LNBs supported: Universal, Single, Single S & C band wideband LNBs
Multi TV Standards supported: PAL G, I, K, M
4:3 & 16:9 Screen Formats
90-250V AC 50/60 Hz
LNB Short Circuit protection onboard
Software & channel list upgrade via RS-232C: PC to STB, STB to PC, STB-STB and USB
Dimension 390mm x 262mm x 67mm
Available in Silver or Glossy Black

Komplett Weekly Offers 15/09/2008

2008-09-16T22:20:00.003+01:00

Where have I been? Deutschland! The Germans say hi, by the way. Oh, and you you know those mini satellite boxes that come in the aldi/lidl travel kits here? They cost about €30-€40 in Saturn (a retail chain like dixons or currys). My brain nearly imploded. Anyway, on to the Komplett!

Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM

€ 51.00

-7%

My €0.02
Did I mention that I'm sick of the sight of 500GB drives? Yes, I think I did. Cheaper than dabs but with postage blah blah blah NEXT!

Western Digital My Book2 HomeEdition 1TB, USB 2.0, eSata, Firewire

€ 148.00

-12%

My €0.02
Huzzah! Now take out the unnecessary Firewire and make it cheaper.

PowerColor Radeon HD 3450 256MB DDR2,PCI-Express 2.0, SCS (HeatSink), DVI-I

€ 30.00

My €0.02
Thirty bucks, eh? Why can't they do this one in AGP?

Acer One A110 Aw Atom N270 1.6GHz 8.9"512MB 8GB NAND HDD Wifi Linux Blue

€ 289.00

-10%

My €0.02
Walk into any PC World and pick this up for €269.

Tchuss!

Komplett Weekly Offers 08/09/2008

2008-09-09T22:26:00.000+01:00

Acer 24" Wide AL2423WD, Silver/Black,2500:1, VGA/DVI(HDCP), 1920x1200, 5ms

€ 335.00

My €0.02
Hmm. Weren't you selling a BenQ 24" for €319 a few weeks ago, komplett? Two weeks ago if I'm not mistaken. Has there been a monitor famine in the meantime?

Nintendo Wii bundle: Wii Sports Pack with NYKO Wireless Sensor bar

€ 274.00

-8%

My €0.02
Yay! The Wii has finally come down to a sensible price! I'm lying, of course. Why exactly would I want a third party sensor bar? And pay extra for the priviledge? Pass.

LaCie Rugged 160GB, 5400RPM, USB 2.0, Firewire

€ 99.00

-17%

My €0.02
It's rugged. Want rugged? This is rugged. I don't particularly want rugged.

Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3, P45, Socket-775,ATX, 2xGbLAN, DDR2, 2xPCI-Ex(2.0)x16

€ 97.01

-8%

My €0.02
Oh thank god, something I can actually price-match. Wow, it's cheaper than dabs!

Would a 28" monitor fit on your desk?

2008-09-04T20:55:00.006+01:00

Please note: the motorbike is not included.

This is in fact a rare and strange beast, a 28" monitor with full 1080p HD capabilities. No TV tuner, just HDMI and VGA to get the signal in.

So without further ado:

28" Hanns-G HG281DP Widescreen Monitor

1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) Optimum Resolution
16.7 Million Colours
800:1 Contrast Ratio
3ms Response Time
500 cd/m2 Brightness
Viewing Angle (H/V): 170°/ 170°
One HDMI Input (Comes with a HDMI to DVI lead)
One Analogue Input
2 Integrated 2.5W Speakers
3 Year Manufacturer Warranty

28" is an unusual size for a monitor. 23" and 26" are popular for televisions but 22" and 24" are normally where the action is on the PC scene. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just... odd. And it seems to be astonishingly good value.

Aria PC: £267.84 + £40.75 (!!!)

Overclockers UK: £258.49 (time-limited offer) + £22.00

PC World Business: €424 (ex VAT)

So for the price of a 24" you could have a 28", not too shabby. Reviews seem generally positive too. Will this be the first of a long line of 28's, or just another mad venture by HannsG/Hannspree? Only time will tell...

Do I iBOOD or do I Boffer...

2008-09-03T22:33:00.005+01:00

The eternal question for those in a world without woot (but with woot shirt). Do I go for the Dutch or the, let's face it, English. UK my arse, that's no Scotsman telling dodgy jokes.

Anyway, as I sit here mulling over the next twenty minutes I think to myself: "If a great bargain appeared and I missed it because I was on the other site, how annoyed would I be?". How indeed. The answer is surely somewhat or possibly even quite.

But just because both sites have the potential to create the perfect environment for producing a most lusted-after item from my list (which I assure you has no tangible form per say, beyond it's manifestations in my increasingly unpleasant personality) there are more factors to consider. The pedigree for instance. While Boffer has shown a great knack for quirkiness, they have yet to show that they can deliver performance when selling items of a greater scale. Whereas iBOOD occasionally forget to ensure that a given offer really is the internet's best offer, they have been known to come up trumps on big ticket items.

So how do I reconcile these two very different yet ultimately harmonious schools of consumerism? Casting a look at yesterdays offer sheds no clues at what will come tomorrow: iBOODS wifi enabled Archos media center (complete with loathsome optional browser) and Boffers cheapy PC repair kit typify the gulf that divides them and does nothing to make me think some serious mould-breaking is in the works.

iBOOD or Boffer...

Whoops, almost eleven. Gotta go.

The diNovo Edge, available to you right now

2008-09-02T21:06:00.007+01:00

This is not a keyboard. This is a work of art.

No, really.

I quite like Logitech's stuff in general but what I really want is one of these. As I mentioned last week, I am already the owner of a diNovo Cordless Keyboard for Notebooks. Now, it's fine. It looks well, doesn't have too many superfluous buttons, is very light and doesn't eat batteries. But it doesn't impress me as much as it should. I don't feel I'm hitting a €60 piece of equipment with my fingertips when I use it. I want something a bit more solid. And rechargeable in a cradle. With Bluetooth. And LEDs.

Well, anyway, if you're on the lookout for an ubercool keyboard in a reasonably sane price-range the diNovo Edge is tough to beat. So, who is selling it and how much?

Komplett: €163.00 + €12.50 = €175.50

Expansys: €144.99 + €23.90 = €168.89

Atom: €145.97 + €10.50 = €156.47

Dabs: €133.53 + €13.50 = €147.03

Wait a second, who are Atom? And how are they cheaper than expansys and komplett? One to watch methinks. They've earned an entry in the tag cloud.

Komplett Weekly Offers 01/09/2008

2008-09-01T08:33:00.005+01:00

Monday morning again, eh? Let's do this.

Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Player

€ 244.00

-9%

My €0.02
Personally, I would avoid Blu-Ray players. Pixmania do this one for €209 if you are keen.

Western Digital My Book StudioEdition 500GB, USB 2.0, eSata, Firewire

€ 112.00

-14%

My €0.02
500GB... YAWN!

Fujitsu Siemens ESPRIMO M9400 14.1" T7300 2.0Hz 2048MB 120GB Vista Bus

€ 759.00

-5%

My €0.02
I couldn't find this exact model. But a lower spec'ed model was selling for ~€900 on elara.

Samsung 32" LCD-TV LE32A552 --Full HD--

€ 757.00
-0%

My €0.02
Err, dunno. Seems to be popular in Belgium. Some nice features I guess but really quite expensive for a 32" TV.

Play.com £5 sale

2008-08-31T11:16:00.000+01:00

So play.com are having a sale with a lot of items for £5. Unfortunately, all they've managed to do is highlight the myriad problems that afflict them. For example:

They won't ship electronics to Ireland, so a whole category is ineligible for purchase.
The exchange rate on this sale is almost £1 = €1.49 as opposed to the more realistic £1 = €1.24 (source: xe.com)
Some of their items have increased in price for the sale! This fondue set was £3.99, now £5.00! Only, at power ci- I mean, play.com!

So, caveat emptor. They are still a reasonable bet for your purchases but not totally without problems.

N.B.
I see boards have picked up on it as well. Boardsie lindtee suggests using http://www.dvdbargainalerts.co.uk/ to compare prices for DVD's and I concur. The storewatch section is particularly good. Thanks, lindtee!

Expansys deal

2008-08-28T23:41:00.003+01:00

Expansys are doing a deal for MoDaCo users until the end of September, get €10 off when you spend over €25 or better still get £10 off when you spend £20! Great if you're thinking of grabbing a cheap slingbox. More information at the MoDaCo forums.

Thanks to eagle-eyed boardsie Random.

Midweek Madness

2008-08-27T20:25:00.002+01:00

FREE SHIPPING FROM BOFFER

Use the code FREEBOFFER for free shipping all this week.

THREADLESS SALE

All Tees are $12 at Threadless.*
* Just don't order too many or you'll be hit by customs.

THE HUT SHIPPING NOW 99P TO IRELAND

Exactly as it says.

Komplett Weekly Offers 26/08/2008

2008-08-26T00:54:00.002+01:00

Weekly offer time!

Razer Copperhead Tempest Blue, 2000dpi Laser Mouse, USB

€ 49.01

-9%

My €0.02

Seems to be a normal to good price. I prefer the logitech models myself, speaking as a proud MX Air owner. Well, not proud. Happy.

Logitech diNovo Media Desktop Laser,Ultra-thin, Bluetooth 2.0, US-Layout

€ 139.00

-5%

My €0.02

I have the Notebook version of this. I really wanted the Bluetooth version but wasn't willing to spend over €200 on a glorified keyboard and mouse. The diNovo Edge on the other hand...

Canon Pixma MP610

€ 129.00
-0%

My €0.02

Cheaper than pixmania at €145.96 and dabs at €133.49.

BenQ 24" G2400W, Black, 1920x1200,5ms, 1000:1, VGA/DVI/HDMI

€ 319.00

-5%

My €0.02

I've actually been considering 24" monitors myself lately. I think this one has been around for about 1 year already. I'd love to review it... hint, hint!

Spotlight: Pixmania

2008-08-24T17:29:00.002+01:00

No offer today, just a closer look at one of the online retailers who have changed how we buy those wonderful devices that provide our entertainment.

Pixmania have been operating an Irish division since 2006 but launched pixmania.com in early 2001
They made their name selling camera brands like Pentax, Nikon, Kodak and Olympus
Later they branched into other product lines, starting with televisions
They operate 16 showrooms across Europe with the nearest one being in London
To comply with WEEE, they offer free in-store take back at Dixons, Currys and PC World
They also trade as DSG International and Fotovista
The first time you order something they may randomly ask for proof of identity, a photocopy of your passport will suffice
If your equipment is faulty, they will repair it and pay your shipping fees
People often wind up here when searching for pixmanis (sic)
They are adding new lines such as jewelery, home wares, garden, toys and beauty products

Looket, I mean look at this...

2008-08-23T23:28:00.004+01:00

Looket 3.5 Inch Touchscreen Sat Nav with UK and Irish Maps

While browsing through hotukdeals listings I came across this bargain price GPS. "Hmmm" I mused. "That's from the Misco UK site. I wonder if Misco Ireland do the same model at a similar price?" I didn't have particularly high hopes as the usual formula is UK price + Currency conversion fee + Irishness tax. On this occasion however, we enter the twilight zone as the same model can be had for as low as €53.66. Shock!

The good news:
So cheap. It's a GPS for less than €60.
Seems to be upgradeable.
Accessories are included.

The bad news:
No USB. If you want connectivity, it's serial all the way.
It's not the best spec.

Introducing Boffer!

2008-08-22T20:13:00.005+01:00

If you've been less than impressed with the weighing scales, backpacks and barometers iBood has been serving up lately then you'll pleased to know there's a new kid on the block. Boffer is filling a niche that more closely resembles the one occupied by woot, with ultra-reduced prices, dirt cheap shipping and freebie giveaways. available to many European countries. Crazy descriptions of the products, low prices and the occasional gem... what more do you want? One to keep an eye on.

It's Terabyte time!

2008-08-20T21:54:00.005+01:00

Yes, it's getting to the point where the terabyte external drives are coming in at below €120. Roll on the petabyte drives, that's what I say! In the meantime, have a look at what's on offer right now.

Komplett

Western Digital Elements 1TB
€115.00

Dabs

Seagate FreeAgent Desktop 1TB
€121.94

Pixmania
Trekstor DataStation duo 1 TB
€139.00

EH? Why isn't that in Komplett's weekly bargains? At €115 they are certainly giving the impression of being the cheapest, although when you factor in shipping it is probably the same as Dabs offering. Well, that's our measure for the time being. Laters!

Komplett Weekly Offers 18/08/2008

2008-08-19T08:17:00.003+01:00

Another week, another quartet of deals. Or are they?

Samsung HT-THX25 Home Cinema HDMI 500W

€ 199.00

-20%

My €0.02
Not as good as this one, but €100 cheaper.

Archos 605 30 GB WiFi

€ 229.00

-8%

My €0.02
Ah, the Archos 605. What's the point of wifi if you have to buy the browser separately? As for prices, expansys are on a par while dabs are €15 cheaper.

Sennheiser Headset PC 350,10-26000 Hz, 3m cable, In-Line Volume

€ 129.00

-10%

My €0.02
Couldn't tell you. Try reading some reviews.

Creative I-Trigue 3000i, 2.1 Speakerset,incl. iPod dockingstation

€ 89.00
-10%

My €0.02
€71 at dabs.

Komplett Weekly Offers 11/08/2008

2008-08-13T08:52:00.002+01:00

A little late but still available. Komplett me.

Samsung 20" 2032MW, TV-tuner,Widescreen, Teletext, 1000:1, 5ms, Black

€ 254.01

-7%

My €0.02
Tough call. It doesn't seem to be cheaper anywhere else but 20" in general are a good bit cheaper than 250. PC World for business sell it ex VAT for 227.

Corsair Powersupply 650W Black, ATX/EPS,120mm Fan, 8xSATA, SLI

€ 79.00

-7%

My €0.02
Looks like a good price for the TX series. Beats Dabs'.

Cooler Master Transparent side panelfor Mystique 631/632 Black

€ 24.01
-0%

My €0.02
Er, it's a transparent panel for modders. If you know what this is, you'll know it's essentially worthless but might want it anyway.

PRESTIGIO HDD External Data Safe II 2.5" 80GB SATA USB 2.0 Brown Leather

€ 39.00

-20%

My €0.02
Well, on the good side it's only forty euro.

Slingbox classic for €97.19

2008-08-12T10:47:00.003+01:00

The original slingbox is going for a song. Well, €100 anyway. Which is not bad when you think about it. The slingbox is essentially a PVR without a drive: it takes an input from your cable/camera/satellite box and converts it into compressed video. The only difference is that instead of writing it to a disk, it writes it to your local network or the internet where you can pick up and record the channel on any modern PC. My only concern is that the remote control software supplied won't allow you to remotely (really remotely, like Kuala Lumpur) change channels on many newer devices but if you are using analogue inputs that shouldn't be a problem. And even when it all goes digital in 2012, you can still use a sky digital box with it.

Kudos to expansys for flogging their old but good stuff on the cheap.

Wii at iBOOD, can you do better?

2008-08-10T23:26:00.003+01:00

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that iBOOD had a Wii for sale this week and that it sold out in about 10 minutes. The price was €214.95 with shipping of €12.50 making a total of €227.45. Not bad, but you would have to had to be quick to grab this... very quick. Then there's the matter of the 2-5 weeks until iBOOD deliver.

So can you do better on the high street? Zavvi do reasonable deals and if you are in the UK you could pick one up for the equivalent of €230. For €240 in the republic, I believe they will throw in an extra game too (from an in-store list, not any recent or AAA game).

1080p TV for less than €600

2008-08-10T23:05:00.002+01:00

POLAROID TFU-43743B LCD Television

The good:

5,000:1 contrast ratio
VGA Input
HDMI Input
1080p resolution
€599
DVB-T

The bad:

No DVI input
No MPEG-4 decoder

Polaroid make TV's now? I'd take it as a sign that 1080p TV's are approaching a more reasonable cost level but I wouldn't be rushing out to buy it.

Acer Aspire One A150L, £234.99 ex shipping

2008-08-09T20:38:00.003+01:00

The blurb:

The Acer ASPIRE One Experience
Linpus™ Linux® Lite operating system
Intuitive and specifically optimized software interface
Intel Atom processor, specially designed for low-cost UMPC's
Built-in WiFi connection and 120GB HDD

The lowdown:

Processor: Intel Atom N270 1.6Ghz Processor (533 MHz FSB, 512 KB L2 cache)
Memory: 1GB
HD Capacity: 120GB
Display: 8.9" WSVGA (1024 x 600)
Graphics Card: Integrated
Operating System: Linpus Linux Lite
Optical Drive: None
Networking: 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, 10/100 Fast Ethernet
5-in-1 card reader (SD, MMC, MS, MS PRO, xD)
3 USB 2.0 ports
External display (VGA) port
Headphone/speaker/line-out jack
Microphone-in jack
Ethernet (RJ-45) port
DC-in jack for AC adapter

Only an 8.9" screen vs the Wind/Advents 10" but it looks great, has a comparable spec and is much cheaper.
Play do it for £249.99 including shipping but of course they won't ship electronics to Ireland.
Shipping works out at... not sure. Waiting for a response from the sales team.

Not-so-smart consumers

2008-08-09T19:57:00.004+01:00

No Takebacks: 5 Most Screwed-Up Tech Buys

Really, they should have known better. Haven't eBay capitalised so well on their acquisition of Skype in 2005? Oh, you didn't know? Maybe that's because they've done bugger all with it.

Don’t Be Pound Wise but Penny Foolish

An article from December 07, probably written after an honest review of the Christmas blitz.

Three mobile broadband

Number one result for "awful purchase", or at least it should be. I've heard more complaints about Three Ireland than any other broadband provider and many even appear to be legitimate. There's a huge forum thread on it as well as a "company x sucks" site [actually this seems to have vanished, legal pressure?] and no shortage of cranky Irish bloggers.

Komplett Weekly Offers 04/08/2008

2008-08-05T00:58:00.004+01:00

Ah, it was salmonella. Haven't heard of that for a while, what with kids today and their e-coli's and superbug whatnots.

Samsung HT-TX250 Home Cinema HDMI 600W

€ 299.00

-14%

My €0.02
It's ok I guess. Ibood couldn't do any better.

Sony Bravia 32" LCD-TV KDL-32P3000--DVB-T--

€ 537.00

-9%

My €0.02
A few people have complained of buzzing from this model. Also, I'm pretty certain it won't work with Irish DTT because it has no MPEG-4 decoder. Cheap enough though, if only the shipping wasn't so rough...

BenQ 24" G2400W, Black, 1920x1200,5ms, 1000:1, VGA/DVI/HDMI

€ 319.00

-9%

My €0.02
Apart from some people moaning about TN panels, this looks like a decent buy. Dabs have it for 338 and Misco want 336 so if you want it, go for it!

HIS Radeon HD 4850 512MB GDDR3,PCI-Express 2.0, 2xDVI/HDMI/HDCP

€ 140.00

-10%

My €0.02
Now even cheaper than two weeks ago. Ok, that was a Sapphire card and this is a HIS, but hey it's a 4850 at the end of the day.

Komplett Weekly Offers 28/07/2008

2008-07-29T11:59:00.003+01:00

Apologies for all the delays recently, a number of factors have been conspiring to keep me from my favourite blog. I think pointing out Komplett's flaws might make me feel better!

Canon Pixma MP610

€ 129.00

-7%

My €0.02
Yup, it's a printer. Do you know how much the ink costs? The photo paper? Because that's where most of your money will go. Actually this price is pretty good as it beats dabs, peats, elara and miscellaneous.

Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB SATA232MB 7200RPM

€ 109.00

-8%

My €0.02
Ooh, a terabyte. Nice. But Aldi have them in external casings for €120.

Acer 24" LCD P241WD Widescreen,3000:1, Silver/Black, 5ms, HDCP

€ 330.00

-5%

My €0.02
Honestly? No idea. But I don't like Acer screens at all.

HTC Touch Diamond (4GB) WWE

€ 538.99

-5%

My €0.02
Not a bad price, but not a good phone. Do yourself a favour and get an N95.

Ok Komplett, I went easy on you this time. But you better bring some deals that I can assess in a fair and impartial manner next week!

Rent Games and DVDs online

2008-07-27T09:54:00.003+01:00

A rather handy way of watching your must-see list of films is to use an online DVD rental service. They all work the same way: first you sign up for a free trial (credit card required). Then you create a queue which is essentially a list of the films you want to watch in descending order of preference. When the film at the top of your queue becomes available, it is posted out to you. You watch it, and when you are finished you pop it in a freepost envelope and send it back. Depending on your plan, you may be able to take out more than one at a time. So if you have a list of films you never quite got around to seeing but don't want to buy, one of these services may be for you.

If you're into games then it works even better because they are so bloody expensive whereas DVDs are comparatively cheap.

Moviestar.ie
Free trial period: 2 weeks
Available: DVD, BluRay
Mini MOVIE : €7.99pm, 2 DVDs
MOVIE 1: €12.99pm, 1 disc at a time, unlimited rentals
MOVIE 2: €17.99pm, 2 discs at a time, unlimited rentals
MOVIE 3: €24.99pm, 3 discs at a time, unlimited rentals

Screenclick
Free trial period: 2 weeks
Available: DVD
Lite: €7.99pm, 2 DVDs
Bronze: €12.99pm, 1 DVD at a time, unlimited rentals
Silver: €17.99pm, 2 DVDs at a time, unlimited rentals
Gold: €24.99pm, 3 DVDs at a time, unlimited rentals
Platinum: €31.99pm, 4 DVDs at a time, unlimited rentals

OnlineDVDRentals
Free trial period: 2 weeks
Available: DVD, PS2, PS3, XBOX 360, Wii, PC Games
Lite: €7.99pm, 2 DVDs
Bronze: €10.99pm, 1 discs at a time, unlimited rentals
Silver: €15.99pm, 2 discs at a time, unlimited rentals
Gold: €22.99pm, 3 discs at a time, unlimited rentals
Platinum: €29.99pm, 4 discs at a time, unlimited rentals

Now, the gotchas. Not every company has the same amount of discs to go around. So, you could be waiting for the discs in your queue to become free. Ranges also differ, with some offering TV show sets and classic movies. Also, Moviestar.ie are the only ones who rent BluRay discs at the moment. My advice is try them all. Why not, it's free!

Supermarket Wars: Return of the Penny

2008-07-25T19:31:00.004+01:00

Things have been hotting up in the world of soulless, corner-shop crushing, profit-chasing and unfortunately necessary supermarkets. Tesco have announced their intentions to help beat back the recession by offering low-quality crap for less money than usual. Not too impressed with that. However, if any of you use clubcards there is a promotion giving 25% back in points on PCs, laptops, TVs, games consoles and electrical equipment this weekend. I don't believe in the loyalty card system myself so, as usual, use your own judgment. I assume Tesco are fine for returns.

M&S Dine for Two for €12.50 is back. It's cheap and very tasty.

Dunnes were selling the old Xbox 360 Pro (without HDMI) for €180 last week. Sorry, I was on holidays.

I couldn't help but smile at Lidl Treats. I'm a big fan of some of their stuff so it's nice to find an author who does good research as well as spinning a good yarn. Prices are in Euro too, unlike the now defunct the joy of lidl. Worth checking out.

[iBOOD] ION Audio iTTUSB05XL USB Turntable

2008-07-23T12:36:00.003+01:00

It sounds better - or so they say. This is essentially a turntable that you can hook up to your PC. It uses a USB connector to shuttle the audio directly from the pickup to the PC so you don't need to mess around with cables and sound cards. Of course if you are a pro then maybe you like messing around with wires and whatnot but then again this isn't for you. If you are a DJ on a budget with a Mac and a few vinyls for remixing or an aging hipster who wants to make their back catalogue accessible through the home multimedia system, then this could be right up your street.

For comparison, komplett are selling it at €99 : ION ITT USB05XL USB

Komplett Weekly Offers 21/07/2008

2008-07-21T14:18:00.004+01:00

Komplett-Oh!

D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N WirelessGigabit Router, 802.11n (draft 2.0)

€ 108.00
-10%

My €0.02
Ignoring the fact that the Americans can get this for $96, expansys of all people can beat this price. Just as shockingly, dabs are more expensive. Has the world ended?
MSI K9A2 Platinum, AMD 790FX, DDR2, ATX,Socket-AM2+, GBLAN, 4xPCI-Ex(2.0)x16

€ 112.00
-9%
My €0.02
Looks like a very good price. Beats dabs and ebay at any rate.

LG 22" Wide L227WT-PF, Black,1680x1050, 2ms, 10000:1, Color Gamut

€ 269.00
-7%
My €0.02
Another good price. Pixmania can't compete, and dabs only sell the cheaper W2252TQ.

Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 512MB GDDR3,PCI-Express 2.0, 2xDVI/HDMI/HDCP, Lite-R

€ 156.01
-8%
My €0.02
Usually sells for around €170. Dabs and Misco are both at about €160. So, not too bad. But any other week I would go to dabs.

Openmoko Neo FreeRunner released

2008-07-17T08:07:00.003+01:00

With more than a few people making hefty financial commitments to get their hands on an iPhone 3G, I thought I'd mention a phone that's been long awaited in the Open Source world. The Neo FreeRunner is the sequel to the Neo1973. Although lacking 3G, it boasts some impressive features such as a 2.8" full VGA (640 x 480) touchscreen, 3D accelerated graphics, wifi, bluetooth, motion sensors, GPS and expandable sd memory. Most importantly, all the software is Open Source so developers are free to create any software they can think of and give it away to users all over the world from day one. Take that iTunes App Store!

Free upgrades for broadband users

2008-07-15T23:54:00.002+01:00

If you have UPC broadband at home you may have noticed the blisteringly fast new speeds you can reach. 20Mb on the top package puts it on a par with Dungarvans famous offering. If you haven't been moved to a faster package automatically you will need to fill in this form. You can upgrade from from 1Mb to 3Mb, 3Mb to 10Mb or 6Mb to 20Mb for free, but will need to sign up to a new 12-month contract.

It's not all doom and gloom for the 99% of DSL users on Eircoms resold Bitstream product (which powers almost every other ISP) as there are free upgrades coming to you "in the next four weeks". They won't be quite as dramatic though, with the top residential package moving to a mere 7.6Mbps. How awful.

No word of reactions from Smart, Digiweb or Irish Broadband at this time.

Don't expect any movement from the 3G crowd, they're fighting their own battles.

PS. What the hell happened to Wimax? Too expensive? Not enough available spectrum? Name not catchy enough?

Komplett Weekly Offers 14/07/2008

2008-07-15T08:38:00.004+01:00

I'm back! See, I haven't vanished off the face of the earth

It's Monday, show me what you've got Mr. Komplett!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 Black, 8.1MP18x opt.zoom

€ 275.00

-14%

My €0.02
Nice camera, reasonable price. You can find it for slightly cheaper elsewhere but not by enough to warrent the extra effort in my opinion. There is also a silver version which is almost €70 more expensive for some reason.

Sony Bravia 40" LCD-TV KDL-40D3500--Full HD, DVB-T, DVB-C--

€ 957.00

-5%

My €0.02
Not a bad price but I suspect the shipping might be almost €200! Strange one actually... DVB-C is the digital cable standard. Does this show the digital channels if you have chorus/ntl/upc?

ASUS EEE 7" WVGA White CM353 900MHz 4GB512MB Webcam Linux Incl. Carry bag

€ 299.00

-14%

My €0.02
Really trying to move the Eee's, Mr Komplett? It's a shame that Dabs sell many colours for less than €262.

Seagate Maxtor OneTouch 4 500GB USB

€ 79.00
-9%

My €0.02
You can get a 1TB drive for €120 these days. Twice the storage for 1.5 times the price.

Nice camera, sort out the Eee pricing and no more 500GB drives please, unless they are under €60!

Cheap and cheerful projector

2008-07-08T16:08:00.003+01:00

Taking a break from the high end 1080p beamers this time, what we have here is the InFocus IN1 gaming projector. Ideally suited for PS2 gaming in the kids room (ahem) this is a basic projector that will display medium quality graphics from medium quality sources. In other words, don't expect to have this at the centre of your home cinema. But for a wall full of gaming goodness, you won't get better value than this!

General
Device Type	DLP Projector
Built-in Devices	Stereo speakers
Width	33.9 cm
Depth	26.4 cm
Height	21.6 cm
Weight	4.5 kg
Projector / Panel
Image Brightness	500 ANSI lumens
Image Contrast Ratio	1500:1
Image Size	1.01 m - 5.33 m
Projection Distance	1.5 m - 8 m
Throw Ratio	1.8:1
Resolution	640 x 480
Native Aspect Ratio	4:3
Max Sync Rate (V x H)	130 Hz x 69 kHz
Bulb type	UHP 132 Watt
Bulb life cycle	1000 hour(s)
Controls / Adjustments	Volume, brightness, input select, focus
Video Input
Analogue Video Format	NTSC, SECAM, PAL
Analogue video Signal	S-Video, composite video, component video
Digital Television Video Formats	480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 480i, 576i, 576p
Audio Output
Type	Speaker(s) - integrated
Sound Output Mode	Stereo
Output Power / Channel	7 Watt
Speaker(s)	2 x right / left channel
Expansion / Connectivity
Interfaces	1 x component video input - RCA x 3 1 x S-video input - 7 PIN mini-DIN 1 x composite video input - RCA 1 x headphones - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
Miscellaneous
Compliant Standards	FCC Class B certified, CE, UL, TUV GS, C-Tick, GOST, cUL, NOM, EN55022 Class B, ICES-003 Class B, CCC, MIC, EK, IRAM, RoHS, IEC 60950-1, EN 60950-1, WEEE
Power
Power Device	Power supply - internal
Voltage Required	AC 120/230 V ( 50/60 Hz )
Power Consumption Operational	260 Watt
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & Support	90 days warranty
Service & Support Details	Limited warranty - parts and labour - 90 days Limited warranty - lamp - 90 days
Environmental Parameters
Min Operating Temperature	10 °C
Max Operating Temperature	40 °C

Blurb shamelessly lifted from elara.ie

Komplett Weekly Offers 07/07/2008

2008-07-08T11:18:00.003+01:00

More monday offers from Komplett.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA216MB 7200RPM

€ 53.00

-16%

My €0.02
320GB isn't much these days. I guess the price is about right but why bother? They could have priced these lower to clear.

Creative Zen 8GB, SD/SDHC slot, MP3/AAC,2,5" LCD screen, DivX/XviD/WMV

€ 102.00

-9%

My €0.02
Again, €100 + shipping seems normal.
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?quicklinx=4PBN
http://www.gspot.ie/store/product_info.php?products_id=340&gclid=CNOl3bGKsJQCFQyD1Qodr3fbtA
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Zen-8GB-Player-Playback/dp/B000LXXGZW (won't ship to Ireland)
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/3471519/Creative-Zen-8GB-MP3-Video-Player/Product.html (won't ship to Ireland)

Western Digital My Book StudioEdition 500GB, USB 2.0, eSata, Firewire

€ 113.99

-12%

My €0.02
I think I've been pretty clear on my opinion of 500GB external drives.

Canon PowerShot A590 IS, 8.0MP 4x opt.zoom

€ 144.00

-6%

My €0.02
I'm seeing a lot of 8/10's in reviews online. 4x optical zoom is nice. Expansys want €190. I want to know who buys from them at that price. A.J. Purdy are doing a deal on Canon's, the A590 is £104 with a 2GB memory card and football thrown in. You'll have to ring them to find out the shipping charges though, so I think Komplett win this time.

Shirt.Woot now shipping to Ireland

2008-07-07T20:14:00.002+01:00

As the title says, Shirt.Woot are now willing to send their stuff to Ireland for the more than reasonable price of $5. If you are wondering who the hell Shirt.Woot are, or what relevance this has to, allow me to enlighten you. Woot use the same sales model for selling that iBood use: 1 day, 1 deal. They are notable for having a great sense of humour, awesome goody bags, great low prices and not shipping outside America. It's the last one disappoints me. But hopefully this is a step in the right direction. Shirt.Woot is a sub-site that sells shirts using the sales model.

And just to compare Woot and iBood, today deals are:

Woot
Navigon 2100 Portable 3.5” GPS with Text to Speech
$89.99
+$5 shipping

iBood
Navigon PNA 2110 White West Europe preinstalled with TMC
€149.95
+€12.50 shipping

C'mon Woot, ship to Ireland already!

New look

2008-07-06T18:01:00.004+01:00

Hope you prefer the new style, the old one was getting on my nerves a bit. There's a new subscription link at the side so you can get the latest news directly into your RSS application or online reader if you're not doing so already. Now, onto business!

If you can manage a trip up North, and there are many reasons for doing so, you can grab a 40" Samsung TV for ~€700 in Currys. Beats the hell out of their recent Irish pricing.

Argos are doing a DVD recorder for ~€55, which is as cheap as I have seen.

Note: Currys.ie is down at the moment (Sun 16th Jul, 6pm).

02 3G broadband price drop

2008-07-04T22:24:00.004+01:00

And it's a significant one: it is now arguably the best value package at €19.99 per month. The basic E220 modem is now €29, and the E270 (with 2Mbps max upload) is €49. 3 have matched the fair usage policy, but now O2 are ahead in my opinion because they offer GPRS and EDGE in areas without 3G signal. It is more useful because more Irish people can't get broadband at home than need it in a select number of locations abroad.

As always, try before you buy.

Reusing old SATA drives

2008-07-03T22:27:00.003+01:00

So I was thinking about yesterdays media case and how you can upgrade the internal drive with a larger model. I was wondering what you do with the old hard drive when you upgrade when it occurred to me that I saw a very cool solution about a year ago. Working out at about €50 shipped, the Geekstuff4U HDD Stage Rack allows you to turn your old bare drives into high speed removable media.

As a bonus, it has a slot for 2.5" notebook drives too. Great for all you PS3 owners out there!

[iBood] 500 GB Argosy mobile video HDD HV356TB

2008-07-02T23:39:00.004+01:00

Right. This is the LAST 500GB drive I will ever blog about. From here on out, it's a minimum of 750GB. But it's a good one, truly. The drive itself is nothing special but the multimedia case is superb. It supports a ton of different video types so you spend less time mucking around converting them, has component connectors for HD viewing, a handy remote that can be clipped underneath the drive when not in use, supports subtitles files, it's quiet, it's compact and it's €119.

Oh, and it's a standard SATA drive, so when 500GB just isn't enough just take it out and pop in a bigger drive. It even supports NTFS.

Good news! Well, less terrible news anyway

2008-07-01T20:12:00.002+01:00

El Reg are reporting that the previously mentioned second coming of Christ (in phone form) will be retailing, Pay As You Go, for the still outrageous but not completely unattainable $599 (8GB) and $699 (16GB). So, a glimmer of hope there. Though I sometimes find myself more in agreement with this guy on the features front.

Komplett Weekly Offers 30/06/2008

2008-06-30T22:49:00.002+01:00

Ah, my favourite day of the week. Well, not really. But I do like looking through Komplett's deals!

Sony HDR-SR10E, 40 GB HDD recorder

€ 706.00
-4%

My €0.02
Don't know much about this except that it costs £500 on amazon and €584 on purelygadgets.co.uk which are both, by my calculations, less than €700.

Garmin Nuvi 255T Europe GPS

€ 199.00
-10%

My €0.02
€178 from pixmania so much of a muchness. Not an impulse buy by any means.

Nintendo DS Lite, Turquoise Edition

€ 154.00
-9%

My €0.02
Didn't I see a new range of colours released for about €135 recently? I think I did.

Philips Aurea 42" LCD-TV 42PFL9900D-- Now with free Acer notebook!! --

€ 3,511.01
-11%

My €0.02
...what?? Oh, it's an Ambilight model. Now that ludicrous price makes sense.

[iBood] Samsung 32Inch HD Ready LCD TV

2008-06-29T23:42:00.003+01:00

Damn you again, iBood! If you're on the lookout for a 32" tv, here is one for €499, a good name brand and €12.50 shipping. Can't say fairer than that really. Hell, buy two!

If you're already looking at Samsung's range and are mystified by the names take a look here. The LE32A450 is a Series 4 so it's a good performer, just not packed with the high-end features like 1080p or the new glossy screens.

HD-DVD, picking the corpse clean

2008-06-26T18:05:00.002+01:00

HD-DVD gets a bad rap. It was unable to beat blu-ray, blu-ray's much maligned copy protection, the PS3, the Xbox didn't want it, Microsoft were closely associated with it... the list goes on. And now it's on the way out, a fate it richly deserves. But hold on, as evidenced by the budget price of the Xbox HD-DVD add-on, there are a few bargains to be had. It is still a HD format with all the fancy bells and whistles that go with it, and now the prices are on a par with regular DVD! So for a modest investment in a player you can pick up HD titles at rock bottom prices from the following:

Asda Entertainment from GBP £4.93 (free shipping)
Play.com from GBP £4.99 (free shipping)
Ezydvd from GBP £4.39
DVD Crave from GBP £4.39

XE.com Universal Currency Converter

Memory, fast

2008-06-25T21:55:00.002+01:00

I'm well aware that I already have a few entries about places to buy memory. Still, no harm in knowing your options right? So check out MemoryC some time. They have a bad habit of showing the VAT-free prices more prominently but they do have some good deals from time to time. Their shipping starts at €5 (including VAT, thankfully) and is incredibly fast - 2 days for small items usually.

A life in Oz

2008-06-24T21:47:00.003+01:00

Not a practical update but I was more than amused by this guys effort to sell his life. Whatever about his reasons for doing it, he has some pretty neat stuff in there. The Jetski is a bit over the top but, hey, why not? The Spa looks great but just wouldn't work here. The home entertainment system being visible from the back garden is a nice touch. And at the current price of AU$315,100 it's a complete steal. Shipping might be a problem though...

Komplett Weekly Offers 23/06/2008

2008-06-23T21:45:00.002+01:00

It's Komplett day again!

Corsair TWIN2X 6400 DDR2, 4096MB CL5,Kit w/two matched CM2X2048-6400 Dimm's

€ 70.00

-10%

My €0.02
Not bad. They were trounced by dabs on prices last week, now the favour has been returned.

Western Digital Elements500GB USB2.0

€ 66.01

-10%

My €0.02
Yet another 500GB drive... you know the drill. It's cheap, next week it will be cheaper blah blah blah. I see 1TB drives are coming in at €130 now too.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W170 Black, 10MP5x opt.zoom

€ 230.00

-4%

My €0.02
Hmm, don't know this model. Dabs have it at €245, Pixmanis at €235 and Expansys, as usual, can't count and think it's worth €269.

Intel Core™ 2 Duo E7200 2,53GHz,Socket, LGA775, 3MB, 1066MHz, Boxed w/fa

€ 105.00

-12%

My €0.02
Ok, it's cheap but so what? All processors are stupidly fast these days. Get a graphics card instead if you want a boost.

Replacing your internet connection with 3G

2008-06-22T23:00:00.005+01:00

Many of the mobile network operators in Ireland provide high-speed internet over 3G. It's popularity stems from the fact that not everyone can get broadband through phoneline, cable or fixed wireless. With the offerings from Vodafone, O2 and 3 you can get reasonably fast internet at a flat rate price in a form that is as mobile your, well, mobile. As well as being more widely available, it has the added benefit of not requiring line rental. In fact, 3's offering is less than eircom's line rental alone. They all use the same HSDPA technology and the only differentiating factor is the network. Here's a quick guide:

3
Price: €19.99 pm
Setup: €49.99
Cap: 10GB
Contract: 12 month

O2
Price: €30 pm (€15 for first 3 months)
Setup: €39
Cap: 10GB
Contract: 12 month

Vodafone
Price: €29.99 pm (€14.99 for first 3 months)
Setup: €39
Cap: 10GB
Contract: 12 month

All contracts are for monthly bill pay. There are Pay As You Go variants available, but they are more expensive.

These bundles will get you the most basic USB modem available from each network. This is fine if you are only using a single PC. But what if you want to share the connection? Like with a game console, other PC's or internet radio? The hackers among us could build their own wireless linux router from an old PC and free software. But for sheer convenience, a 3G wireless router cannot be beaten.

O2 sell a router as part of a business product. For what it is, the price is insane.

Linksys make a router that works with the apparently defunct Vodafone PCMICIA card. Pricey and limited.

There are more on the market, but my favourite is the Dovado UMR.

At €85 excluding VAT plus €25 in flat rate shipping, this is a great little router that works with lots of different USB modems for less than €135. It comes with the correct settings for each network, so setup is a breeze.

So even if you are stuck in a broadband black hole, don't despair. A cost effective solution is within reach, and while it may not be as smooth an experience as it's pricier cousin DSL, it is certainly nothing to be sniffed at.

[Special Offer] USB speakerphone, iBood

2008-06-21T23:31:00.003+01:00

A Logitech QuickCall USB Skype Speakerphone to be precise. Don't be fooled by the name, this will work with more than just skype. You can use it for almost any VOIP application, as well as a cheap desk speaker for iTunes, streaming TV or a whole range of other applications. Would suit a small or home office but not the boardroom. Very useful little thing and a steal at €9.99

[Special Offer]M2 from elara, 8GB for €45 collected

2008-06-20T23:39:00.000+01:00

Got a new Sony Ericsson phone or camera or camera-phone or phone-camera? Does it take M2 memory sticks? Sandisk Memory Stick M2 8GB's are going for €44.77 including VAT at elara. A Pro duo adapter is thrown in for good measure. Not bad, if you happen to live near the M50 and need it in a hurry. And if you live near the M50, you are most likely always in a hurry. Usually to get away from the M50. BOOYAH!

Ahem.

Enjoy!

Ikea hacker

2008-06-19T19:20:00.004+01:00

Hacking is a fun, inexpensive and infinitely flexible activity. It has a bad reputation due to people using it to describe bank robbers in the 80's and poor fact-checking by traditional media types. The principle behind hacking is that you take something and modify it or simply use it in such a way as to create something new and better. That's why I love to see things like the Ikea Hacker blog. Clever ways of getting the most out of your reasonably priced furniture. Go, and be inspired! I'm slightly embarrassed that I never thought of the solution in how to line your DVD's up perfectly on a deep shelf.

Just a message to the readers

2008-06-18T21:36:00.004+01:00

No juicy deals or sage advice today, as usual, but just a few reminders for all you computer jockeys out there.

Feel free to leave a comment if you want to ask a question or just air your views. Registration is optional but does allow you to publicise your own blog or site and I will visit any site (within reason, no sick stuff!) at least once. I won't have access to your email directly.

A big hello to our recent influx of visitors from the continent. Sorry about voting "No" recently or... maybe it was a good thing? The two Eastern Europeans I've spoken with are annoyed that they did not get a vote and wanted to oppose it. Said it reminded them of the old Soviet way, and they don't care to go back to that.

We recently shot past 100 confirmed abso-positiv-alutely unique visitors. Woo-hoo! If you think you were visitor number 100, leave a message with some proof and I'll send you a present ;)

Oh, and what the heck: Xbox360 HD-DVD add-on in Peats for €9.99. HD-DVD is obsolete so it's not really a bargain. But the HD-DVD movies for €5 at ASDA are... so no link for them!

37. What a number!

2008-06-17T22:38:00.004+01:00

Err... it just is right? Three and seven, that's as lucky as they get.

Actually I'm referring to the minimum recommended size in ye olde inches for a Full-HD TV. Yes, you just won't see the difference in a smaller telly, mostly because they are rare but also because you would need to sit about a foot away to notice the extra detail. Anyway! Let's have a look at what we can get:

Komplett.ie
Estimated shipping: €120
Samsung LE37M86BD €811.00
Samsung LE37A552 €911.01
Toshiba REGZA 37" LCD-TV 37XV505D €911.01
Philips 37PFL5603D/10 €991.00

Powercity.ie
Estimated shipping: ???
LG 37LF65 €735.95

Pixmania.ie
Estimated shipping: €43
LG 37LF65 €807.00
Toshiba37XV503DG €864.00
Samsung LE37A556 €879.00
Toshiba REGZA 2XV505DG €948.00
Samsung LE37A558 €954.00

Nothing special on luzerntech.com or technikdirekt.de at the moment. Just remember, prices are always coming down.

Komplett Weekly Offers 16/06/2008

2008-06-16T23:02:00.004+01:00

It's Monday and that means it's komplett's weekly offer day! It's also an excuse for an easy update for me. But rather than just repost verbatim I'll throw in my own, hopefully insightful, take on the offer.

Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750GBUSB2.0/Firewire/eSATA

My €0.02
Didn't I see a 500GB drive for €80 recently? You might want to hold off until it hits a better MegaByte to Money ratio.

Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Player

My €0.02
Not much call for low end Blu-Ray players, especially at >€150. Buy a PS3 instead or wait for the price to fall. Give it 2 years and you'll be getting them free with your morning cereal (disclaimer: may not be free with cereal).

ASUS EEE 7" WVGA Green CM353 900MHz 4GB512MB Webcam Linux Incl. Carry Bag

My €0.02
Unless you really want green, Dabs do these in white, black and pink for less than €300 each.

Sony DCR-DVD310E, DVD recorder

My €0.02
Again, Dabs are slightly cheaper.

So, helpful? Crap? Let me know in the comments section. That means you too, safari users, the number of whom seems to be growing every day...

Quick on the draw

2008-06-15T22:50:00.003+01:00

Being a smart consumer requires more than the ability to hold on to your wallet quite tightly. Obviously you want stuff, and have no qualms paying for good stuff, but don't want to ripped off by some obnoxious salesman who is fawning and sweating right in your face.

So let's take a look at iBood again. iBood do some great deals (and some no-so-great ones) but quite often the good deals are gone by the time you check the page, no matter how early you wake up. If you check the website you will see the time new items are posted at is midnight. What they don't tell you is that it is midnight in the Netherlands, i.e. eleven o'clock here. So as it is almost eleven now, let's see what they have:

Princess Crystal Line Hair Care Set with Swarovski-crystals

More Information »

Discuss this product »

€ 59,95

€ 19,95

Hmm. I'll pass on that. It's now 10:56pm so let's wait a few minutes.

...

So, who do you fancy? My money's on Spain.

Ok, it's 11:00pm. Let's see what's in:

New in Europe - iriver 8GB MP4 Player U15-L

More Information »

Discuss this product »

€ 169,95

€ 99,95

Ah! Much better. Not an iTouch for €150, but not bad either.

Useful links

2008-06-13T22:52:00.002+01:00

I know what you're thinking. Friday night, quick and easy list, just wants to get to the pub. Well, they're still good!

Citizens Information: Government advice about your rights
Askaboutmoney.com: Advice forum
IMRG: Online shopping accredation

And now, I have to see a man about a blackberry.

[Special Offer] 500GB MyBook Essential Edition, €80.01

2008-06-12T19:36:00.001+01:00

The fancy looking, but extremely practical, Western Digital MyBook took a tumble in price this week. I picked up a Seagate FreeAgent myself a couple of months ago for €10 more and thought it was a great deal. If you need to add lots of space to your system and then carry it away, then this is for you. The downside? You need an extra power socket to use it. Shipping is €12.50, so a total of €92.51

This is a Komplett weekly offer so if you want to avail, do it by Sunday the 15th. Otherwise you can wait a few months for the price to drop. But hey, this is the best deal right now if you need to buy right now.

Come on, time to confess

2008-06-11T22:47:00.002+01:00

Browser		% visits
Firefox		85.60%
Internet Explorer		11.20%
Safari		2.40%
Mozilla		0.80%

Mozilla I can chalk up to reporting error, but who is using Safari?

Surely you don't need any money saving tips, you rich ******!

eBay 103: Making your first bid

2008-06-10T21:49:00.006+01:00

Part three already? How time flies... Let's see what you've learned.

You have:

An ebay account
A paypal account
Money (hopefully)

You know how to:

Find items you want
Avoid scammers

You're all set to start bidding! The first step is to find the item you want to buy. Take your time. Read the description. Check out the seller. Is their score near or at 100%? How do they treat other customers? Look at their shipping rates. Check out what policies they have regarding insurance, returns and payments. Got any questions? Send them a friendly, polite message. Make sure you agree to all their terms.

And then you can click on one of the following, as available:

Place Bid
Buy it Now
Make Offer

Which should be fairly self-explanatory. Just don't forget to factor in the shipping if you are making a bid!

Early adopters burned again: Jesus Phone MK2

2008-06-09T23:20:00.008+01:00

Ow... sore head. But what a great weekend! Hope you guys had as much fun as I did!

Had to have an iPhone on launch day? Or thought you were getting a bargain when the price tumbled before Christmas? Well, somewhat surprisingly, Apple are going to sell the new iPhone 3G for pretty much what it costs to make. $199 for the 8GB model or the slightly more extravagant $299 for the 16GB model ($100 for 8GB of memory? Please. We know better). Considering that it has wifi, gps and hsdpa built in, that makes this a steal. And because this is a blog for smart consumers, I'm sure you won't have any trouble figuring out how to unlock it when the time comes.

Chances are you will need to import. Even though they say it will be available worldwide at the same price, they neglect to say whether it can be bought outside the US sans contract. Still this is your chance to visit that stupid Apple cube in New York. Yay.

And that is probably the last time you will see an Apple product mentioned in this blog. But who knows? Maybe they've turned over a new leaf, as it were.

Release date is July 11.
Make a note.

eBay 102: The good, the bad and the damn fugly

2008-06-06T22:24:00.003+01:00

Following on from eBay 101, we're going to look at some of the things you might see on your travels to find that widget/gizmo/electric thingymajig of your dreams. Beautiful things. Things that can trip you up. Things that make you go "hmmm". Use the following lists to know what to look for and what to look out for.

The good

Low price
Well written product description
Clearly stated shipping to Ireland policy
Clearly stated returns policy
Clearly stated insurance cost
High feedback score
High percentage of positive feedback (99%+)
Selling in Euro
Offer Credit Card sales (safer than PayPal but about to be blocked by eBay)
Offer PayPal

The bad

Description copy/pasted from manufacturers website
Omits important details
Poor English
Does not respond to "Ask seller a question"
Uses name like "honest123" or "safetrader89" (not real names... I think)
Located in Hong Kong

The OMG STAY AWAY!!!

Suspiciously low price for new item
Low price but high shipping
Says will ship to anywhere but no quote given
Located in any African nation, Russia or China (unless reputable, but not many)
Wants to use escrow service
Wants to use bank transfer/Western Union/unfamiliar service

So when you find the right product, at the right price, from the right seller, you're set! If you are not sure, DO NOT BID. Always ask first, and even if you think a bargain is going to get away, let it. Better safe than sorry and there'll always be another one.

Google AdSense Account Status

2008-06-05T09:02:00.005+01:00

This message was sent from a notification-only email address that does not
accept incoming email. Please do not reply to this message.
------------------------------

Hello Eoghan,

Thank you for your interest in Google AdSense. Unfortunately, after
reviewing your application, we're unable to accept you into Google AdSense
at this time.

We did not approve your application for the reasons listed below.

Issues:

- Page type

---------------------

Further detail:

Page type: We're unable to approve your AdSense application at this time
because we feel that your site does not comply with the Google webmaster
quality guidelines. More specifically, we believe that your site does not
add value or provide unique content. For a complete list of the webmaster
guidelines, please visit
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769 .

---------------------

Ouch.

I like the way they scream "DON'T REPLY TO US!!!!1!!!" and then insult me.

I visited their guidelines and guess what? It basically says don't copy content, dupe visitors or try to game the search engines. Well, all the content is original, my referral LINK (not plural) is well signposted and I don't think joining technorati counts as gaming the search engines. So really Google, what gives? I thought you were smarter than that. I don't appreciate being lumped in with the idiot spammers.

So, if you want to make money on your website, I won't be recommending Google adsense.

eBay 101: Getting started

2008-06-04T21:34:00.005+01:00

This is a guide for the absolute eBay beginner. You have heard of eBay, maybe you even know someone who uses it but you have never dared to use it yourself or have the first idea about how to go about doing it. Well, read on and all that will change.

What is eBay?

eBay could be described as the worlds largest flea market, a global auction house, a bargain hunters paradise or a refuge for scammers. It is the largest online marketplace in terms of users and therefore it has the widest selection of goods on offer. Sellers offer everything from the brand new to the old and worn. If it's for sale, it's probably here.

What does it have on offer for me?

Ok, let's say you wanted to buy a shiny new HTC Diamond smartphone. First, open http://www.ebay.ie/ in a new tab or window. Next locate this bar:

...and type htc diamond as shown. Hit enter. I got 50 matches, how about you?

Notice the .ie at the end of the address. This means that it is eBay Ireland. What that means is that the site is optimised (in eBays opinion, not mine) for Irish sellers. Prices appear in euro, shipping defaults to "to Ireland", Irish eBay Shops are given priority and so on. This is useful but actually there is a problem: it cuts out a lot of people who are quite happy to sell to you at low prices! Try the other varients such as ebay.com and ebay.co.uk to find more deals. For example, ebay UK was showing 62 hits for me on the same search as above.

I see something I want. How do I buy things?

You need to sign up for an eBay account, have an email address, have a credit card and 99% of the time, a PayPal account.

That should keep you busy for now. If you want me to cover something in particular in the next installment, leave a comment and I'll do my best.