from Argos stores : Lenovo H500S Desktop PC Tower : novice review

Lenovo H500S Desktop PC Tower from Argos (UK)
Price at time : £199

Quick verdict : 

Verdict : Good buy

Great computer for internet surfing and watching online videos. Fast start up and everything opens quick. Webpages load quick and so do videos without buffering when watching. A great value buy.

Downside :
No inbuilt WIFI ?
No inbuilt bluetooth ?  
Seems to be no HDMI slot (for those concerned, not me)  Wish there were more USB slots on the front panel but not a big issue.

Spec (on this computer I bought. August 2014, using Belarc Advisor to check spec) :

Computer Model : LENOVO 10157 Lenovo H500s
Processor chip : 2.40 gigahertz Intel Pentium J2900
RAM installed : 4GB
Operating System : Windows 8.1
500GB Hard Drive
DVD drive
Intel HD Graphics

USB inputs : 6 inputs (2 at front, 4 at back including one for power supply)

USB 3 : one slot (seems to be top one at the back)
Bluetooth enabled but you need a dongle
Front panel includes card reader
HDMI slot : doesn't seem to be
Power supply : Independent Transformer which plugs into a USB slot

Noise : Almost silent.

Comment :
This is a great computer for general home surfing (using a cable to the router) including watching streamed video. It starts up quick and seems quick off the mark to each task. Webpages open quick including the likes of the Daily Mail front page which is quite full with images and shockwave ads etc. Using it to stream videos, sites such as youtube, BBC player etc loaded quick with usually no buffering while watching videos. Even using a video editor it kept up to speed, which my previous computers of the same price range could not (last computer was 2 years old). The hard disk doesn't seem to get 'confused' like on my older computers. I would say this is the first computer that has met my expectations, me being someone who has always bought 'entry level' computers. I would prefer if there were more USB slots at the front but I use an extension cable and put in a USB multi-connector anyhow. It has a DVD drive but I doubt I will use it. I have seen it listed as having an HDMI slot but I can't see such a slot. It does have a card reader at the front. The power supply is a separate transformer which then plugs into a USB port. I guess this means you have 5 USB ports left. It does not have a WIFI router installed but it works fine with any router cable connected. It's bluetooth enabled but you need a dongle.

Verdict :
Great value buy for most general home users

Updates :
Oct 2014 : Still a great buy after 2 months use

Travel Adaptor plug : £1 in Poundworld

About : how cheap a travel adaptor plug is in pound shops

I have noticed travel adaptor plugs being anything from £2.25+ in supermarkets. But I noticed they are available in Poundworld and Poundland for £1. So in theory there seems no need to look anywhere else (unless they are cheaper online for acceptable quality).

Mine is from Poundworld. I trust their 'quality control', having seen their TV documentary and also by comparing a solar torch they sell (which is excellent) and an exact same looking version bought on Ebay from China (which didn't recharge).

I'm pretty sure you can get both types of travel adaptors from both pound shops. I'm finding that some electronics nowadays come with the 2-pin plugs, so a travel adaptor about the house is becoming a necessity.

Details
Brand : Blueskies
Official name : UK visitor travel adaptor.
Barcode : 5050577003398

JCB rechargeable batteries in Home Bargains

JCB AAA

About : AA and AAA rechargeable batteries
Bought : Home Bargains (UK)
Price : both £3.99 for a 4-pack

AA battery storage : 1200mah
AAA battery storage : 900mah

I bought these 4-packs of AA and AAA rechargeable batteries out of Home Bargains. I haven't had them long enough to make any judgement on their long-term use (many cheaper batteries quickly fade for recharge use). I will note any long-term observations when the time comes.

JCB AA 4-pack

Comment on the AA batteries : The ones I Bought only store 1200mah. That's about half of many newest AA recharge batteries. JCB do a 2400mah AA version, so I guess I got older ones. 1200mah is pretty paltry for AA batteries. I have seen the 1200mah and 2400mah 4-packs on Amazon for +£6.54, so they are cheaper in Home Bargains.

Comment on AAA batteries : These store 900mah. That's around as good as it gets for storage in AAA recharge batteries currently. Possibly even the most storage. So on paper these are a good buy but I will need to wait to test the quality. You can get these on Amazon for £3.99 4-pack so that's the same price as Home Bargains.

Other comments : It's odd they are similar colours to Duracell.

First impressions : The AAA storage sounds market-leading, but the AA storage is about 1/2 of other brands. I usually use Duracell as I have found cheaper brands to have been poor in the past. Even Energizer batteries have been disappointing for long-term reuse compared to Duracell. Obviously the JCB brand is respected in other industries, so I will give them a try and comment in later months about any problems.

Fridge Freezer review : BEKO CXF5104w

Fridge Freezer : BEKO CXF5104w
Cost : £279.99 in Curry's
In the UK, seems to be only available from Currys.


Basic details :

Frost Free freezer (i.e., freezer has a fan)
54.5cm wide
Freezer storage capacity (1 shelf, 2 full-size drawers, 1 half drawer) : 87 litres (138 litres gross)
Freezer star rating : ****
Fridge storage capacity (4 shelfs and salad drawer) : 244 litres (298 gross)
A+ rating
Annual energy consumption estimate (Currys) : 251kwh (e.g. £42.67 at 17p per kwh) 
Suitable for outbuildings
Noise : 43db
One thermostat
Fridge auto-defrost
Reversible doors (if you are capable)

My priorities for choosing a fridge-freezer :
Must be Frost Free Freezer
As much freezer space as possible
Under £300

My verdict on the BEKO CXF5104w

Cheap printer USB cable

Cheap Printer USB cable

I bought a new printer recently, the Epson Expression XP202. Its wireless but doesn't come with a printer to USB cable. For the record, the cheapest printer USB cable I found online (searching Amazon and Ebay) was for 80p on Amazon from GE Direct. It's yet to arrive so I will update a bit more later. I am sure this cable would fit most/all printers with a cable connection input.

Amazon UK : Cheap USB To Printer Cable

Review : Optimum amplified TV aerial from B&M Stores

Optimum TV aerial front view

Optimum TV aerial side-view

Review : Optimum amplified indoor TV/DAB Aerial
Bought : B&M Stores
Price : Around £13 ?
Score : 8/10
Score per cost : 9/10
Verdict : Seems ok to me. Seemed better picture than with technika amplified aerial from Tesco (dearer). Some channels not so receptive but I think I can get reasonable quality on all channels with some manouvering. My TV is in a 'reception-shy' corner of the room. Good value for tricky indoor reception ?

I bought Energizer AA Accu Recharge Extreme 2300mih 4 pack rechargeable Ni-mh batteries

AA Energizer ACCU Recharge extreme 4 pack

Bought : 4-pack AA size rechargeable batteries
Brand : Energizer Accu Recharge Extreme
Storage Capacity : 2300mah
Type : NiMh
For use : Digital camera

Price : £6.88 in Amazon UK(slightly cheaper on Ebay ?)

Summary : Good reliable rechargeable battery. Duracell batteries now seem slightly cheaper (same company ?).

Score : 8/10
Score per cost : 8/10

My knowledge of batteries : very basic

I needed decent AA batteries for my camera. I always go for rechargeable. After a look around I plumped for Energizer Accu recharge extreme Ni-Mh batteries. Mine hold 2300 mah charge, which is decent. On the Energizer website the newest AA recharge battery seems to hold 2450 mah (which is not much more storage) but I have seen a photo of a 2500 mah battery, so 2450 mah may not be their longest storage. I guess that makes 2300 mah the 'mid range' and therefore can be found relatively cheaper. Mine were £6.88. The 2450mah seem a lot more expensive (more than double ?), so the 2300 mih storage seem relatively a lot cheaper. I have just started using the batteries and will update with any new information later.

Duracell batteries : I have also noticed that Duracell seem to be the main rival to the Energizer brand and their generally equivalent batteries seem a bit cheaper. I have seen a 4-pack of Duracell 2450mah rechargeable batteries for around £5.50 on Amazon UK (see link below). I would have probably bought them instead if I had noticed. I already own some Duracell rechargeable AA batteries and they seem fine.

BTY rechargeable AA battery : poor quality

BTY rechargeable batteries : I have bought the cheap BTY brand of rechargeable batteries sold on Ebay and they were abysmal. One was dud, and the others are quickly drained, don't hold storage well, and don't seem to fully charge.

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links :

UK Amazon : Energizer Extreme Rechargeable AA 2300mAh Batteries - 4 pack
UK Amazon : Duracell Rechargeable Accu Supreme 2450 mAh AA Batteries - 4-Pack
Energizer website
Duracell UK website

bendy mini tripod

cheap generic bendy mini tripod
score for price : 9/10
score overall : 6/10

I bought a bendy mini tripod for my camera. There are more expensive more 'solid' looking ones (such as the gorillapod)  but for my needs (taking photos on a flat surface) this cheap generic tripod seems ideal at the price. For under £2 I got 2 of them !! They are quite flimsy but for my need and to complement a bigger tripod (if you need one), this was ideal for me. I'm hoping they don't break easily or something. Probably every household should have one of these at the price. Fits standard screw-in for cameras (1/4 inch I think), so it should fit almost all cameras.

What is the difference between a LED TV and a LCD TV ?

Apparently a LED TV is really just a LCD TV with LED backlighting, but it supposedly makes the picture superior. So a LCD TV does not have LED backlighting. Both are LCD TVs but LEDs have LED backlighting.

wikipedia : LED backlit TV
Amazon UK search led tv