Plasma, LCD, or LED – Which flat screen television is right for you?
By Drayton Pryce
When shopping for a big screen television, the number of choices can be overwhelming at first. The three main types of televisions you will find when shopping are plasma, LCD, and LED. In this article I will go over the differences between these three main types, as well as the pros and cons of each.
Plasma Pros and Cons
A popular choice for video gamers and sports fans, plasma televisions have several advantages over their LCD and LED cousins. One major benefit of plasma televisions is their very high refresh rates and fast response times. This virtually eliminates motion blur, making it the better choice if you will be using the television to enjoy content with significant amounts of rapid motion (such as the aforementioned video games and sporting events).
Another advantage of plasma televisions is more accurate color reproduction and fidelity; on most LCD screens the color black looks closer to dark gray.
The third and final main advantage of plasma televisions is price. At sizes of 42 inches and above, plasma televisions are generally cheaper than LCD and LED sets.
Now for the cons: plasma sets are typically heavier than comparable LCD and LED televisions, use more power, and rarely come in sizes under 42 inches.
LCD Pros and Cons
LCD televisions do have some definite drawbacks, yet they are still an attractive option for many shoppers. They come in many different sizes and price ranges, with the sets under 42 inches being affordable for many people. The lighter weight and less power usage compared to plasma televisions are also desirable selling points for some shoppers.
The cons of LCD televisions, as mentioned earlier, can be deal-breakers for the more discerning shopper. The lower color accuracy and low refresh rate can seriously hamper one’s enjoyment of many types of different media. If you are planning on using your television for predominantly fast moving media and are looking at purchasing an LCD set, make sure to buy one with a refresh rate higher than 60 Hz.
LED Pros and Cons
LED televisions are similar to LCD televisions except that they use an LED backlight instead of a fluorescent lamp. This eliminates most of the drawbacks of typical LCD televisions and allows the manufacturers to make the sets extremely slim. The major drawback is price – since it is a newer technology, LED televisions are very expensive.
The Bottom Line
When looking for the best combination of performance and value in a big screen television, plasma is the best choice. Once LED sets come down in price they will be a very viable alternative, but at this time plasma is king.
For more HDTV information, go to Big Screen Television Info.
Top five netbooks to consider in 2010.
by Kanika Gupta
Manufacturers may be concentrating more on Tablet PCs this year, but the consumer’s love for netbooks hasn’t diminished. Netbooks are still in high demand and with new netbooks in market; the list of best netbooks needs a revision.
Here are the best 5 netbooks to buy in 2010:
ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005HA-MU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook – 8.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)
This Asus netbook still leads as one of the best netbook to buy. Asus 1005HA comes with an Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz processor, 1GB memory, 160GB hard drive, 10.1″ LCD display, 1.3-megapixel camera, VGA output, 3 USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity. Also included is a removable 6-cell battery, allowing you to swap an empty battery for a new one, so you can work longer. This 6-cell battery can last up to 8 hours. This netbook weighs 2.8 lbs and is 1.4 inches thick.
Acer AOD250-1695 10.1-Inch Blue Netbook – Over 3 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)
This Acer netbook also stays this year in best buys. Acer D250 comes with an Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz processor, 160GB hard drive, 2GB RAM, 10.1″ LCD display, 3 USB ports, VGA output, multi-card reader and Wi-Fi connectivity. This netbook has a battery life of only 3 hours with included 3-cell battery, but more than 7.5 hours with the optional 6-cell battery. This netbook weighs 2.2 lbs and is less than 0.8 inch thick.
Lenovo IdeaPad S10e 4187 – Atom N270 / 1.6 GHz – RAM 1 GB – HDD 160 GB – GMA 950 – WLAN : 802.11b/g – Win XP Home – 10.1″ Widescreen TFT 1024 x 576 ( WSVGA ) – camera – gray – Microsoft Office Ready
This Lenovo netbook is aimed towards education market and is one of the best buy. Lenovo S10e comes with Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, 4GB SDD, 160GB hard drive, 1GB memory, 10.1″ LCD display, 1.3-megapixel camera, 2 USB ports and Wi-Fi connectivity. Also included is a 3-cell battery that can last up to 2.5 hours. This netbook weighs 2.6 lbs and is about 1 inch thick.
HP Mini 5101 FM955UT 10.1-Inch Black Netbook – Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life
This HP netbook is aimed towards business users. HP 5101 comes with an Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, 10.1″ LCD display, 2-megapixel camera, 3 USB ports, VGA output and Wi-Fi connectivity. Also included is a 6-cell battery that can last up to 7.5 hours. This netbook weighs 2.8 pounds and is 0.9 inch thick.
Sony VAIO VPC-W215AX/L 10-Inch Blue Netbook – Up to 8 Hours of Battery Life
This is one of the new netbooks from Sony and it has already made to the list of best buy netbooks. Sony W215AX comes with an Intel Atom N450 1.66 GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 250GB Serial ATA hard drive, 10.1″ LCD display, 2 USB ports, VGA output, integrated camera and Bluetooth connectivity. Also included is a 6-cell battery that can last up to 8 hours. This netbook weighs 2.9 lbs and is 2 inch thick.
So, which of these 5 netbooks is best for you?
Living Well Requires Outstanding LCD HDTV Viewing!
Ready to take your television viewing to a whole new level? We did our research and found that this Samsung 40-inch LCD HDTV is one of the best — if not THE best — in its price range.
Samsung LN40A550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
Samsung’s 550 Series is a perfect way to step up to Full HD 1080p resolution. A fast 5 ms response rate produces smooth-motion scenes for sports and action movies, and a dynamic contrast ratio of 30,000:1 makes for deep blacks and crisp lines (15,000:1 in 32-inch and 37-inch models). Superb connectivity and networking with a USB port and 3 HDMI 1.3 ports with Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) means these HDTVs play well with all of your other electronics. Easily enjoy MPEG and JPEG files stored on external devices by connecting through the side-mounted USB 2.0, turn your LCD into a full-scale home viewing gallery, or connect your MP3 player for a dynamic audio experience.
Key Features
- New — 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio: up from 15,000:1 on 2007 models (15,000 on 32-inch and 37-inch models) (Learn more)
- New — Fast 5ms response time: down from 8ms on 2007 models thanks to a new high-speed liquid crystal
- Full 1080p HD
- 178-degree viewing angle from all four axes with Super Patterned Vertical Alignment
- 3 HDMI 1.3 ports: Simplay compliant
- USB 2.0 port: connect devices directly to your HDTV–view JPEG photos or MPEG movies or easily listen to your MP3 player through your HDTV’s audio system or your home theater system
DNIe Digital Natural Image Engine improves the picture by enhancing the contrast, detail, and white balance - Hidden speakers with SRS TruSurround XT audio
- Wide Color Enhancer technology and Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) offer a wider color range
- Picture-in-Picture (PIP) enables convenient simultaneous viewing of TV programs and video or PC sources
- V-Chip system allows blocking of rated TV and movie programs determined by the parent to contain objectionable content.
- Trilingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.
- Variable sleep timer to turn the TV off in varying time intervals.
- Auto wall mount compatible: 3-dimensional operation via TV’s remote control; no external IR receiver required.
- Swivel stand included
- 1 year parts and 1 year labor warranty (90 days parts and labor for commercial use), with in-home service, backed by Samsung toll-free support
Step Up Features
- Series 6: 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, AutoMotion Plus 120Hz image interpolation for smoother motion, 4ms response time, Transparent and Opaque Color (TOC) bezel, Clear Panel, Ethernet port with Infolink free RSS feeds, 4 HDMI 1.3 ports, Sports and Game modes, Compatible with Samsung’s Home Digital Media Adapter for playback and navigation of Internet and stored PC multimedia
- Series 7: Internal flash memory (1GB) with pre-loaded interactive content such as cooking recipes, children’s entertainment, HD artwork and more, Integrated woofer for an enhanced audio experience, DLNA Compatible: for better interoperability with electronics, computers and mobile devices from many different manufacturers
