Seems like every year there’s a new, better gadget that’s smaller, faster, and has more features. Before you head to the store to shop, take a look at this quick and helpful list that’ll help you figure out the difference between useful upgrade and a store’s attempt to get more money.
High-Definition Television
When salesmen talk-up these newfangled televisions, you’ll likely hear about resolution. The top-of-the-line sets will have 1080p, but you won’t notice if the picture quality is only 720p. The other thing to look for is contrast ratio, which is the difference between the darkest dark and lightest white. You’ll still have a good picture with 1,800:1, so no need to splurge on more.
Digital Camera
Digital cameras helped launch the electronics race by cramming more and more megapixels into those little boxes. But for the average family photographer, all you need is a camera with 5 megapixels. That’s enough for e-mailing grandma and printing high-quality 11×16 photos. Fewer than 5 megapixels may not be enough, but more may be just paying for power you’ll likely not use.
TV Remote Control
At some point, the couch monster will eat your remote control. When looking for a new one, you may be floored to find some with prices $100 and up. But for only about $10 you should be able to find a universal remote that controls four devices and can store favorite channels. The drawback is that you may have to program codes to access the devices. But what’s a few minutes putting in codes compared with a hundred bucks?
Cell Phone
Phones are an easy up-sell. There are so many applications, features, and colors that bumping up to the next level is easy, but you may buy more than you need. Right now, the phone hype is for MP3 and video capabilities, but when cell phone use has been studied, only a small percentage of people use those features. The lesson: Think about the features you actually use.
MP3 Player
For a player that’ll have enough space for about 1,500 songs, look for 4 to 6 GB of storage. If your music collection is larger, look for MP3s with upward of 60 GB. And set your sight on players that last at least 8 hours on one charge.
Extras
For just about any electronic product, there are accessories—bags, cases, color-clip-on faces, and loads of other stuff with plugs. But when the salesman starts to talk about accessories, you should be thinking “not necessary.” Often, prices on these items are jacked up 50 to 70%.
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