Online streaming vs. DVDs & TV

I thought that now would be a good time to enter the debate over online streaming services, such as Netflix and Lovefilm versus a good old-fashioned TV show or DVD.

Just last week had the much anticipated premiere of the Arrested Development reboot on Netflix, granted it was a bit of a flop, but the point is that online streamers are focusing on commissioning their own exclusive content.

In March last year, The Daily Mail reported that online streaming subscriptions in the US would surpass physical videos.  Do you think that could ever happen here in the UK, or are we too set in our own ways to take the leap?

Will our rubbish broadband speeds prevent us from ever truly enjoying online movies? After all, the buffering screen has to be one of the most irritating things created by the internet.

So, with all that in mind, I’m going to take a look at the best way for you to watch films and TV shows right now.

Price

Netflix: Online streaming is £5.99 per month – one single flat fee.

Lovefilm: It’s £4.99 per month for online streaming, but Lovefilm’s packages are more complicated than that as they also offer DVD, Blu-ray and video games rental. The price increases depending on how many discs you want at once, it’s £7.99 for one up to £13.27 for three.

DVDs & TV: The first cost associated with live television broadcasting is your TV licence, which is £145.50 for the year (or £12.13 a month). If you want to watch DVDs, you’re looking at paying a few quid for each. However, you can keep costs down by taking advantage of discount vouchers for Zavvi, HMV and Play.com.

Content

Netflix: As I’ve already mentioned, Netflix has the exclusive rights to the new series of Arrested Development. There had been a lot of hype about the reboot, but it fell a little flat when it finally premiered. However, other original content commissioned by Netflix includes House of Cards, Lilyhammer and Hemlock Grove.

Lovefilm: Although it has a couple of TV shows, they’re not quite as polished as though found on Netflix. The most popular is probably Alpha House, a political satire, but others include Betas and Zombieland (not the movie, the original TV pilot).

DVDs & TV: Obviously, you can get your hands on every single movie under the sun on DVD if you look hard enough. This is a task made a little easier by Play.com shopping vouchers as they’re available from just £3.99. Live broadcasting television also means you’ll be able to watch the soaps and dramas offered by the BBC and ITV.

Devices

Lovefilm: you are able to watch Lovefilm on many devices, including the iPad, Xbox 360, PS3, Sony Home Cinema system, Onyx Digital Stream, Kindle Fire HD, Blue-ray players, Wii and internet-enabled/smart TVs.

Netflix: if you have a Wi-Fi enabled device, you will probably be able to access Netflix, as it’s available on Xbox 360, Wii, Apple TV, PS3, iPad/iPhone, Kindle Fire HD, all Android-based smartphones and tables, Blu-ray players, smart TVs and certain streaming players.

DVDs & TV: you can watch your own DVDs and live broadcasts on any TV, provided you have a DVD player. However, if you want to watch catch-up TV on BBC iPlayer, you’ll need either a video games console, such as Xbox, PS3 or Wii, computer or smartphone.

If you want to try out Netflix or Lovefilm, you can get a one month free trial for either, but don’t forget to cancel after 30 days or you’ll be charged for the next month’s subscription.

Get your DVDs for less by taking advantages of free UK coupons, such as 5% off all DVD orders at The Hive Store or up to 70% off at Amazon.

What is the Xbox One?

The Xbox One was revealed by Microsoft in true style last week. It’s a shame that it didn’t receive the respect it probably deserves, but the 140-character Twitter backlash was quite amusing. If you haven’t heard, the Xbox One is the successor to the Xbox 360. However, Microsoft has taken a step away from the focus on gaming and revealed its next-generation console as more of an entertainment hub.

Whilst this move has been expected for a long time, well ever since Sony introduced DVDs to the PlayStation 2, its Microsoft’s relentless talk about entertainment that has frustrated fans. There are all sorts of parodies flying around on the internet, but when it’s finally revealed it will be a force to be reckoned with.

The idea behind the Xbox One is that you won’t need anything else for anything. Video game consoles are being threatened by tablets and smartphones as casual gamers can now access cheap thrills in seconds, without having to spend hundreds of pounds on a separate console and £40 plus on a game.

This box, will allow you to play games, but also watch TV, video call, access the internet and so on. It will be a complete entertainment hub. One console for everything, hence the name. I’m pretty sure that despite the complaints from gamers, the Xbox One will go on to be one of the biggest hits of the decade. That is unless the PlayStation 4 is able to compete.

So, what will you be expected to pay for such a luxury? Well, Amazon has just listed the Xbox One for a whopping £599.99. Whether that price will be beaten elsewhere, we’ll have to wait and see.

If you don’t think you can afford to splash out on the Xbox One just yet, don’t worry, as I’ve got loads of awesome voucher codes that will mean you can continue gaming on your current console for less.

Spend over £40 on video games – not hard to do on new releases these days – and you’ll bag £4 off games or get 10% off pre-orders with Zavvi UK coupon codes.

Take a look at GAME to find selected titles with up to 85% discounts – you’ll have to utilise GAME shopping vouchers to get this huge saving.

Get £1 off when you spend £10 on full-priced items with discount vouchers for The Game Collection.

Perhaps you can’t wait until the Xbox One reduces in price, so it’s time to get your thinking cap on. You could start by raising money using your existing consoles. You could get up to £40 for your PSP with Gadgets 4 Everyone discount vouchers.

Microsoft Surface 2: Can it compete?

It has been revealed that Microsoft is planning to up it’s game in the tablet domain. The original Surface RT tablet was launched in October last year and hasn’t quite lived up to expectation. In fact, it’s been something of a flop. However, the follow up, the Surface Pro has been more promising.

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The main reason for the lack of sales doesn’t seem to be the software or the tablet itself, but the intense competition. Microsoft entered the tablet market later than its main rivals, Apple, Samsung and Google. The iPad, Nexus and Galaxy Tab have all proven to be big hitters and a favourite with consumers.

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Now, Microsoft is reportedly planning on showing who’s boss with a successor to the Surface Pro. It’s thought that the tablet, or possibly two tablets (both a 7-inch and 9-inch are rumoured), will be revealed at the Build Developer Conference early next week.

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So, it’s thought that the Surface Pro 2 and Surface Mini will both run on the latest version of Windows OS and be powered by Intel processors. This all sounds positive, but is it enough to compete with the likes of Apple, which is releasing an iPad Mini 2 in the near future.

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Top 5 Budget Tablets

Right, so Bill Gates thinks that iPad and Android tablet users are “frustrated” because they can't type. Do you often sit on your snazzy new tablet wishing you could create a Word document? I know I don't and I'm a traditional PC user.

To be honest, I like the fact that my computer and tablet are different. I associate my Windows PC with work, but my tablet and smartphone are leisure items. What about you?

Is it time for Bill Gates to admit that [Google] Android and Apple have actually done something that Windows can't? When you think that the Surface RT and Pro account for just 2 million of the  250m tablets sold in the past three years, you have to wonder whether Microsoft has had it's day.

As you probably know, I'm something of a bargain hunter, so I scoff in the face of the iPad and Galaxy Tab. I'm far more interested in the tablets I can get for less than a month's wages.

Here are my top 5 budget tablets and the deals that can help cut the cost even further.

Kindle Fire

If you're a heavy Amazon user, the Kindle Fire is a great buy as it's very content-orientated and has a custom version of the Play Store. With built-in Wi-Fi, 8GB onboard storage and 9 hours of battery life, it's the perfect tablet for any book worm.

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Dell XPS 10

Ok, so it would be wrong not to have a single Windows tablet on the list. The only one that I think cuts the mustard is this XPS 10 by Dell. It has flexible docking functionality, so it can be used more like a laptop as a well as tablet. There's a few different versions, some come complete with keyboard and dock, whereas others standalone.

Use Dell Business free discount vouchers to get this Windows RT Dell XPS 10 for less than £300.

BlackBerry PlayBook

Although not quite as popular as it's Android rivals, the BlackBerry PlayBook has proven itself to be a decent budget tablet. It sports the BlackBerry OS and an ARM Cortex A9 processor. Unfortunately, apps are limited as you'll be buying from the BlackBerry AppWorld. You can bag this one for just £129 at Currys.

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Prestigio MultiPad 7” Pro

Thanks to the Prestigio Multi 7”, it's possible to get a great slate for less than £100. This one may not have all the mod cons you'd expect on a top of the range pad, but it has 4GB internal memory, micro USB port, mini HDMI socket and access to the full Google Play Store.

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Google Nexus 7

This tablet has got to be my favourite budget tablet by a long way. It has everything you could need, including the latest version of Android and a beautifully sharp screen. It's lightweight, has a front-facing camera for video calls, a super-fast quad-core processor and come with all the usual connectivity options. The 16GB model is just £189, but for an extra tenner you can double the storage and benefit from 32GB memory.

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Top TVs for less than £500

Have you seen the latest in televisions? It's the stunning LG 55EA9800 that we originally saw at the Consumer Electronics Show back in January.

LG has revealed that the curved TV is up for pre-order in Korea for KRW 15 million. Wait for it... that's a staggering £8,800. Will it come to the UK? Well, who knows, only time will tell, but if you do want to get your hands on this 55-inch curbed OLED TV, you'll need to raid more than the piggy bank.

If you are in the market for a new television, but you're sadly not on a footballer's wage, you'll be pleased to hear that you can still bag some top tech. By taking advantage of discount vouchers and coupons available online, you'll soon have a brand-spanking new TV (and possibly even change) for £500!

You may be pleasantly surprised at just how much tech you can buy for £500. Most will be smart TVs and integrated Freeview, but you could even bag yourself a 3D TV (if you want to go there).

Here are my top picks for TVs for less than a monkey.

5. LG 32LK450

It's LG again. This 32 inch, full HD TV is a great price, particularly as at less than £300 we wouldn't expect anything above the standard 'HD ready'. There isn't any smart TV functionality, but there are other features worth mentioning, including 3 HMDI ports and USB connectivity.

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4. Finlux 32F8030-T

Ok, so Finlux might not be one of the most recognisable brands. It's definitely not an LG or Samsung, but this model is still a good choice for the price. It's a 32 inch TV with full HD resolution, built-in Freeview, USB connectivity and online services – including BBC iPlayer.

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3. Samsung UE40D5520

This Samsung smart TV is an incredible buy for less than £500. The screen is out of this world, not only is it twice the resolution of standard HD, but the colour is amazing too.

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2. Panasonic Viera TXP50X50B

If you were hoping for a TV that makes a statement, take a look at this 50 inch screen from Panasonic. Given it's high specification it has been awarded five stars from What Hi-Fi? It's not quite as thin and glossy as many of the other TVs in this price range, but we'll let that fly considering the incredible picture quality.

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1. Samsung ES5500

For me Samsung is the top dog here. It's around the £500 mark so you'll need to shop around a little and take advantage of the codes available to make sure you don't spend more than necessary. This 40 inch TV has a super sleek designs and the Samsung Smart Hub, which is definitely the best web user interface.

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Does printer ink really cost more than champagne?

Yes. I hate to break it to you folks, but those little plastic cartridges that you are constantly replacing do cost more than champagne. In fact, they cost more money than lots of luxury items, including Smirnoff Vodka, Dom Perignon, Petrol and even Chanel No. 5.

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How often do you go to use your printer, only to be greeted by an 'ink running low' reminder and  little twinkling lights? If you're anything like me (and I don't actually print that much stuff off these days), you'll be fed up of shelling out for printer ink.

This rather awesome infographic (at the bottom of the post) proves just how expensive printer ink is. When we print reams and reams of paper in the office or at home, we don't think just how much money we could be wasting.

Would you buy an expensive bottle of fizz and pour it all down the drain? I didn't think so. So, why do we not do more to prevent using so much printer ink?

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Many of us spend hours searching on the internet for ways to save money, whether it's knocking a few quid off our annual energy bills or finding a cheaper car insurance quote. Yet, when it comes to one of the most expensive liquids we buy, we don't bat an eyelid?

The average UK household spends around £200 on printer ink cartridges. Whoa. I'll give you a minute to absorb that information and put it into perspective.

We could very well be splashing out more cash on ink than other household bills, including our road tax and TV licence!

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So, now we know just how much we might be spending on printer ink, is there a reason why it's so expensive? Well, yes there is. This type of ink and the cartridge costs a small fortune to manufacture, so it's very difficult to pass it on to the consumer at a cheap price.

However, the prices we regularly see in the shops and on the web are most definitely inflated. If you're already outraged, you might want to stop read now.

The cost of ink cartridges has also soared over the past ten years, partly because the amount of ink inside the cartridges has reduced. HP's most popular ink cartridge in 2004 was the HP45, which contained 42mls and cost around twenty quid. These days, we're paying £13 for just 5ml of ink from the current best seller.

How does that 650% price increase sound? Painful, I'm sure.

Next time your computer starts reminding you that you're printer is out of ink, see if you could cut the cost with discount vouchers for Cartridge People and other retailers.

Is Kindle still king of the e-readers?

As a bit of tech queen, I’m all up for embracing developments in technology. However, one thing I refuse to do is start reading on my smartphone. I’ll probably have to eat my words in a couple of years, but I just don’t want to.

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When I’m reading I like to go into my own world, some place far away from the constant buzz of Facebook updates and calls. So, why on earth would I want to read a book on my phone? Yes, I know I can turn it on silent, but the temptation of checking emails is still staring me right in the face.

So, with that in mind, I’m putting up a fight for the eReader. As such, I was quite interested in knowing more about Kobo’s latest attack on the Kindle.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

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The Kindle Paperwhite was unveiled last year, the first device to offer readers an illuminated paper-like display. That was a fair few months ago now and actually around the same time as the launch of the Kobo Glo, which didn’t put up much of a fight.

Having had to argue with my other half over leaving a reading light on, I personally thought the introduction of a back light was a little too late. However, the idea excited me. No more hiding under bed covers with a torch!

Kindle has managed to dominate the e-reader market for many years and has fought off challenges from the likes of Kobo. However, even I’m not convinced that it can compete with the new Kobo Aura HD, the self-proclaimed ‘Porsche of eReaders’.

Kobo Aura HD

If you’re in the market for a new eReader and are thinking about giving Kobo a chance, take a look at this comparison between the Aura HD and the Kindle Paperwhite.

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Design

The Aura HD weighs in at 240g and measures 11.7mm thick, so it’s nowhere near as light and slimline as the Paperwhite (213g, 9.1mm), but does that matter? Well, both use the touchscreen as the main means of navigation, but Kindle pinches it for me.

Screen & Light

Seeing as both of these eReaders have illuminated backlights, this is an important part of the review. Kobo has given the Aura HD a 6.8 inch Pearl E-ink touchscreen, with 1440x1080 resolution, 265 dpi and ClarityScreen+. Whereas, despite Kindle improving over previous versions, it just can’t compete with the Aura HD this time.

Other Features

Of course, with tech advancing, these eReaders aren’t just about reading books. There are several other features available on both.

The Aura HD includes the ability to track reading statistics and highlight passages with Reading Life (all of which can be shared on Facebook). There’s also a couple of games, Chess and Sudoku, if you fancy a break. The Kindle has a few more gizmos to keep me busy; WhisperSync on Voice, which allows me to listen to an audiobook as well, Time to Read and X-Ray.

So, while they both have different features, they’re equally as good as one another.

Battery & Storage 

When the Paperwhite was released, Amazon claimed that it could stay charged for up to two months, so Kobo matched it. In terms of storage, the Kindle has 2GB internal storage, but offers free storage over Amazon Cloud. The Kobo Aura HD has boosted on board memory at 4GB and expandable memory of up to 32GB.

Again, this is too close to call so a draw it is.

Books

I’m sorry Kobo lovers, but Amazon wipes the floor of Kobo in this area. The Kindle Store has 1.5 million books, with 300,000 of them exclusive to Kindle. There is also the ability to borrow books for absolutely nothing if you sign up to Amazon Prime. The Kobo does have access to around 3 million books, but they’re just not as good.

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Price

It’s a bargain basement £109 for the Wi-Fi model of the Kindle Paperwhite and £169 for 3G, whereas the Kobo Aura HD retails at £139.99 (don’t forget there’s no 3G option).