| Everyone I talk to seems to be getting really excited | | | | Easy to hide inadequacies on computers and laptops |
| about the upcoming deals at most major retailers this | | | | Deals on computers and laptops are another |
| Friday (known as Black Friday). I am no exception to | | | | notorious rip-off. If you think you're getting a good |
| this excitement. But at the same time I can't deny | | | | computer or laptop for $200 this Friday, you're not. It |
| that I become saddened when I think about how | | | | may look nice on the outside but most techies would |
| many people are going to get a bargain basement | | | | know to look for things such as how much memory |
| price on a technology gadget this Friday that in reality | | | | it has, what the processor speed is and what kind of |
| is a piece of junk. | | | | graphics card it has inside. A $200 laptop would fail all |
| I'm not saying that everything with a bargain | | | | three of these tests. |
| basement price is a piece of junk. What I am saying | | | | I could go on and on but I think you get the idea. But |
| is that some of them are. And my fear stems from | | | | I will give you one last word of caution. Occasionally |
| the fact that noobies usually can't tell them apart. | | | | you really will find a great deal on a great technology |
| For instance, do you know that an DVD player that | | | | product. But beware of the bait and switch. Most |
| upconverts to high definition is not the same as a | | | | stores only carry one or two of these in their |
| Blu-ray high definition DVD player? Most noobies don't. | | | | inventory. And when they run out you can bet they |
| But a $60 or $70 price tag on a DVD player with the | | | | won't tell you to come back another day. No, instead |
| words "HD" on it sure looks like a deal! In this | | | | they will sell you on the "other" technology products |
| particular example an upconverting DVD player is not | | | | still available that coincidentally aren't all that good of |
| necessarily a piece of junk. In fact, they actually do a | | | | a deal. |
| nice job of making standard DVDs look nicer on high | | | | So my parting advice to you is this. Trust your gut |
| definition televisions. But they aren't Blu-ray, which is | | | | just like you would anything else. If it sounds too |
| true 1080p high definition quality and the idea that | | | | good to be true, it probably is. Either that or look for |
| most people think they just bought an high definition | | | | a good return policy. |
| DVD player upsets me. | | | | |