COMPUTERS
|
Details
Written up In
Computer Active's Excellant Webguide If you wish your website to be
added to this list call 0870 199 3871 or email : info@chardnet.co.uk
Dixons
www.dixons.co.uk |
|
| Dixons
sell a reasonable range of computers, laptops, handheld computers and
add-ons
including printers, modems and scanners online. The site lets you
compare
several products at once so you can be sure you're picking the best one
for your needs. The prices are competitive and there's next-day
delivery
on some products. You'll also find some useful online guides to topics
including handheld computers and digital TV. |
Jungle.com
www.jungle.com |
|
| Not
only is the Jungle site home to a good selection of computer products
but
it's also the place to buy audio CDs, videos and computer games. The
site
is friendly with the jungle theme running throughout its pages. Special
offers and discounts are plentiful and you even rack up loyalty points
every time you buy a product from the site. The range of computer
products
on sale is good, prices are keen and you're linked to more information
and, in many cases, independent product reviews. What's more, delivery
is free. |
Microwarehouse
www.microwarehouse.co.uk |
|
| This
good looking site is packed full of computer products stocking
everything
from printers to palmtops to PCs to software and printer supplies.
There's
free delivery to UK addresses and the prices are keen. The Notifier
option
is useful - if a product you're after is out of stock it sends you an
email
as soon as it's back in stock. |
Simply
Computers
www.simply.co.uk |
|
| Simply
Computers has built up a good reputation as a discount mail order
company
specialising in selling computers, notebooks, printers, software and
just
about every kind of add-on for your home computer. The prices are
really
competitive and the selection of goods is impressive. It's also worth
keeping
an eye on the site for its regularly updated special offers. |
21st
Store
www.21store.com |
|
| This
site is home to all things gadget-related and it's a boy's idea of
paradise.
You'll find palmtops and every kind of add-on for you personal
organiser,
useful stuff like global positioning systems and bizarre products such
as binoculars that let you see in the dark. The prices are not
especially
cheap but the range of items on sale is always interesting. |
Applestore
www.apple.com/uk |
|
| Fancy
one of those cute little Apple iMac computers or perhaps you've taken a
liking to the new multicoloured notebooks, the iBook. These candy
coloured
lovelies can all be bought direct from the Apple UK website, along with
a selection of Apple accessories and software. You can alter the
specification
of the computer to match your needs (such as the size of the hard disk
and memory). All the background information you need is there and there
are no pushy salesmen hassling you to buy. The final price you'll pay
is
listed clearly including VAT and shipping costs. |
Dabs
Direct Online
www.dabs.com |
|
| Dabs
Direct is known as one of the best-value mail order suppliers of
computers,
peripherals and software. And make no mistake, the prices are keen on
the
Web site too. The pages are nicely designed with plenty of clear photos
of the products and lots of attractive special offers. There's a huge
range
of stock and you can search by manufacturer, product type or by price.
Delivery is free in the UK. |
Dell
www.dell.co.uk |
|
| Dell
was the company that started all this selling PCs over the Internet
malarkey
and now most of its business is done from its website. You build your
computer
entirely to your own specification deciding on the amount of memory,
the
type of processor, the size of the hard disk and so on. As you add
items
to your computer the price is automatically updated. If you want to do
a bit of pre-purchase research you can read the independent product
reviews
of Dell PCs. Check out the Refurbished Outlet of the site for some
second
hand bargains. Once you've ordered your computer you can even keep
track
of its delivery progress from this site. |
|
| COMPUTERING
|
Ars
Technica
www.arstechnica.com |
|
| Despite
a rather dubious sounding name, Ars Technica is a great resource for
the
PC enthusiast. At the lower end of the spectrum are hardware reviews,
guides
to upgrading, and basic PC news. However more hardcore subjects are
covered,
such as a description of how to go about over clocking your PC. The
sites
very well designed, and layed out in such a way that information is
easy
to access. Everything is split into categories so that you can quickly
jump to the information that you are interested in. A great site for
people
of varying technical knowledge. |
Illustrated
Guide to the PC Hardware
www.karbosguide.com |
|
| Most
great ideas are simple and simplicity is what Karbo's Guide to PC
Hardware
has in abundance. The opening page lists just about everypart of your
PC
and invites you to click on the link to find out more. Behind the links
are easy to understand explanations of how your PC's components work,
together
with illustrations to help you understand. Recently the developer have
added one more, very useful section, a dictionary, or glossary, of
computing
terms, so you can find out what all the geeks are talking about. |
The
PC Guide
www.pcguide.com |
|
| If you
want to know how a part of your PC works, this is the place to look.
The
site is devoted to explaining just how each component and peripheral
works
in the most minute detail. However most users will find the extensive
optimisation
and troubleshooting guides far more useful. So if you want to soup up
your
PC, or it simply is not doing what you want it to do, you may well find
the answer here. |
Sharky
Extreme
www.sharkyextreme.com |
|
| Sharky
Extreme has a killer instinct when sniffing out the latest hardware
news
and product reviews. It database of hardware reviews is hard to beat
and
it is constantly added to with products that few other sites manage to
get hold of. Add to this a great set of guides on things like
overclocking
your processor or what kind of memory to choose and you have everything
to help you put together an excellent machine. |
BX
Boards
www.bxboards.com |
|
| Referred
to as 'mobos' by computer nerds, BX Boards is all about motherboards.
If
that still leaves you in the dark, this site is probably not for you.
The
newest motherboards are reviewed and also other hardware such as sound
cards and graphics cards. One other big section is the over clocking
tips,
which shows enthusiasts how too eek out the maximum performance from
their
hardware. Group tests are another highlight of BX Boards, which gives
you
the chance to find out the best product to suit your needs. Also, the
daily
news section keeps you right up to date. |
Tom's
Hardware
www.tomshardware.com |
|
| Tom
Pabst has a reputation for getting hold of hardware long before anyone
else does and then reviews it meticulously, giving you the benefit of
his
well thought out and well researched opinion. The information on the
site
always gives you lots of background on the kit reviewed and there are
plenty
of easy explanations of how and why things work well or do not work so
well. You can always pick up plenty of hints of how to make your PC
work
to its optimum by following Tom's advice. |
Cprogramming.com
www.cprogramming.com |
|
| C++
programming is serious stuff, only for those who are well and truly
dedicated.
Cprogramming.com is a resource site purely for the aforementioned
dedicated
people. As you'd expect this site is not much to look at, in fact the
homepage
logo is the only graphic you'll find in the entire site. To the
dedicated
programmer this is nigh on perfection, no frills; just straight
information.
That's what Cprogramming.com excels in, C++ help and information for
every
level of programmer, from beginner to big boss. |
Webopedia
www.pcwebopedia.com |
|
| Webopedia
is basically a glossary of computing terms. So if you are unsure what
SCSI
stands for or exactly what the difference is between burst and
sustained
transfer rates you will find it here. Perhaps more useful is the list
of
links to other useful sites which will either give you more detailed
explanations
or will give you hints and tip on how to get the most out of your PC's
performance. |
Ars
Technica
www.arstechnica.com |
|
| Despite
a rather dubious sounding name, Ars Technica is a great resource for
the
PC enthusiast. At the lower end of the spectrum are hardware reviews,
guides
to upgrading, and basic PC news. However more hardcore subjects are
covered,
such as a description of how to go about over clocking your PC. The
sites
very well designed, and layed out in such a way that information is
easy
to access. Everything is split into categories so that you can quickly
jump to the information that you are interested in. A great site for
people
of varying technical knowledge. |
Illustrated
Guide to the PC Hardware
www.karbosguide.com |
|
| Most
great ideas are simple and simplicity is what Karbo's Guide to PC
Hardware
has in abundance. The opening page lists just about everypart of your
PC
and invites you to click on the link to find out more. Behind the links
are easy to understand explanations of how your PC's components work,
together
with illustrations to help you understand. Recently the developer have
added one more, very useful section, a dictionary, or glossary, of
computing
terms, so you can find out what all the geeks are talking about. |
The
PC Guide
www.pcguide.com |
|
| If you
want to know how a part of your PC works, this is the place to look.
The
site is devoted to explaining just how each component and peripheral
works
in the most minute detail. However most users will find the extensive
optimisation
and troubleshooting guides far more useful. So if you want to soup up
your
PC, or it simply is not doing what you want it to do, you may well find
the answer here. |
Sharky
Extreme
www.sharkyextreme.com |
|
| Sharky
Extreme has a killer instinct when sniffing out the latest hardware
news
and product reviews. It database of hardware reviews is hard to beat
and
it is constantly added to with products that few other sites manage to
get hold of. Add to this a great set of guides on things like
overclocking
your processor or what kind of memory to choose and you have everything
to help you put together an excellent machine. |
BX
Boards
www.bxboards.com |
|
| Referred
to as 'mobos' by computer nerds, BX Boards is all about motherboards.
If
that still leaves you in the dark, this site is probably not for you.
The
newest motherboards are reviewed and also other hardware such as sound
cards and graphics cards. One other big section is the over clocking
tips,
which shows enthusiasts how too eek out the maximum performance from
their
hardware. Group tests are another highlight of BX Boards, which gives
you
the chance to find out the best product to suit your needs. Also, the
daily
news section keeps you right up to date. |
Tom's
Hardware
www.tomshardware.com |
|
| Tom
Pabst has a reputation for getting hold of hardware long before anyone
else does and then reviews it meticulously, giving you the benefit of
his
well thought out and well researched opinion. The information on the
site
always gives you lots of background on the kit reviewed and there are
plenty
of easy explanations of how and why things work well or do not work so
well. You can always pick up plenty of hints of how to make your PC
work
to its optimum by following Tom's advice. |
Cprogramming.com
www.cprogramming.com |
|
| C++
programming is serious stuff, only for those who are well and truly
dedicated.
Cprogramming.com is a resource site purely for the aforementioned
dedicated
people. As you'd expect this site is not much to look at, in fact the
homepage
logo is the only graphic you'll find in the entire site. To the
dedicated
programmer this is nigh on perfection, no frills; just straight
information.
That's what Cprogramming.com excels in, C++ help and information for
every
level of programmer, from beginner to big boss. |
Webopedia
www.pcwebopedia.com |
|
| Webopedia
is basically a glossary of computing terms. So if you are unsure what
SCSI
stands for or exactly what the difference is between burst and
sustained
transfer rates you will find it here. Perhaps more useful is the list
of
links to other useful sites which will either give you more detailed
explanations
or will give you hints and tip on how to get the most out of your PC's
performance. |
|
COMPUTING
HELP
|
ASP
Help
www.asp-help.com |
|
| When
fully functional computers are without a doubt the most important
labour
saving device created by mankind to-date. But when things go wrong the
owner or user is dragged in to a whole world of frustration and
despair.
That's where ASP Help comes in, providing a searchable, categorised
online
resource for all active server pages problems. ASP Help features
reviews
and articles written by those in the know with regards to ASP
technology
and programming. |
HelpMe.com
www.helpme.com |
|
HelpMe.com
is an online support centre with a difference. The site wide search
facility
enables you to conduct a search by company or product then select a
more
specific title from a hyperlink list. This makes it really quick and
simple
to find the help you need.
HelpMe.com
is no designer's
dream but having said that it's not as boring as the average functional
site and the content is very comprehensive, covering almost every
product
on the face of the Earth and then some! |
No
Wonder! Technical Support
www.nowonder.com |
|
| It's
annoying to be faced with a problem that you can't fix, and then be
faced
with the expense and hassle of resorting to a technical support line.
No
longer do you have to suffer this with the help of No Wonder. The site
offers you free technical support. Choose the platform that you are
running
on, type in your problem, and you'll have a response sent to you within
24 hours. Not enough for you? Then why not try the online message
boards
as well? It's a great site, and easy to get into, as befits a problem
solving
page. |
Computer
Don't Bite
www.bbc.co.uk/education/cdb |
|
| As seen
on TV! Computers don't bite is the BBC educational guide to computers
with
Carol Vorderman. The site is split into five sections including details
of the BBC's campaign itself and information for teachers. The main
section
'Webwise' caters for Internet users at all levels offering an
opportunity
to get an introduction to the Internet or to perfect your surfing
skills.
As you'd expect from the BBC, the quality of this site, in both content
and design is very high. It is also quick and easy to use, an obvious
necessity
considering the target audience. |
PC-Help
Online
www.pchelponline.com |
|
| PC-Help
Online does not strictly belong on the help and advice category, as it
does not provide direct help or advice itself. The site is basically a
huge searchable database of names, addresses (including Web addresses)
and contact details for every computer-related company imaginable. The
philosophy is that it will save the consumer a great deal of time and
effort
searching the Web for the details they're after if they can go to one
central
resource for the information. |
PC
Mechanic
www.pcmech.com |
|
| The
PC Mechanic is a reference site for PC users. It includes a rather
nifty
guide to building yourself a PC, and free technical support via email.
Beyond this you can visit the discussion forums which are split into
sections
depending on the equipment that you are having trouble with, and
download
some useful utilities and helpful text files. It's a great site, and
stands
a good chance of either helping you out, or at least teaching you
something
new. Particularly impressive are the discussion forums, which have a
huge
amount of postings in them, and if you can't find something of use in
there,
then heaven help you. |
Help-Site.com
help-site.com |
|
| Help-Site.com
contains categorised computer manuals, hints and tips. There are
numerous
sections ranging from DOS through to Windows NT, each includes sub
sections
detailing more specific aspects of the main category. Design wise it's
nothing to write home about but it's quick, very simple to use and more
than likely has a titbit of new information for even the most savvy PC
users. External links to other sites of interest and a few chat forums
means that a visit to Help-Site.com will almost definitely be worth
your
while. |
PC
Show and Tell
www.pcshowandtell.com |
|
| PC Show
and Tell is beginner level help on a wide range applications and
subjects.
On your first visit to the site you'll have to download a site-specific
player to run the tutorials available. You can then search the site by
the name of the product you're having problems with and then watch a
simple,
easy to understand tutorial, hosted by a frog by the way! |
|
E-COMMERCE
|
ebizplan.com
eBizplan.com |
|
| Though
e-commerce is in its infancy, consultancies are already springing up to
help companies get online and get a competitive advantage over their
rivals.
EBizplan will work with you to develop e-commerce business strategies
and
e-business plans - plans that could make the difference between
surviving
and thriving on the Internet. Everything is covered, from research, to
website design and management, dealing with orders and maintaining a
customer
database. |
Consumer
Protection - E-commerce and the Net
www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-internet.htm |
|
| A US
Government site, but then if you wait for the good old UK to come up
with
a list of tactics and strategies for making the most of e-commerce
while
avoiding the pitfalls and security snags, you'll be waiting a long
time.
Nothing flashy, just a solid list of reports on '12 scams most likely
to
arrive via the Internet', online auctions, secure transactions via the
net and so on. |
The
E-commerce Advisor
www.ecommerceadvisor.com |
|
| With
an eye on the little guys who could be the next Internet start-up
millionaires,
E-commerce Advisor is aimed at website owners who are new to Internet
marketing.
Containing articles, tips, and resources, its line is that 'the
Internet
is a great place to make a living - if you know what to do!' The first
thing the site does is disabuse you of the notion that it's easy to
build
a successful business on the Internet. |
E-commerce
Times
www.ecommercetimes.com |
|
| Where
the Network payment and digital cash site is informative but dry as
dust,
E-commerce Times takes a much punchier, news-driven approach.
'Everything
you need to do business on the web' is the site's catchline and you
certainly
won't be sold short on what's happening in the business, which big
players
are going online, and legislation by governments worldwide, all aimed
at
smoothing the path for companies to get on the web. |
Electronic
Commerce Guide
ecommerce.internet.com |
|
| This
site has the muscle of IBM behind it, and there are few global
corporations
with more to gain from the burgeoning of e-commerce. This is an
excellent
starter point for businesses wishing to push their trade onto the net,
start-up firms, or just the interested observer. |
Network
payment and digital cash
ganges.cs.tcd.ie/mepeirce/project.html |
|
| No-one
knows exactly how e-commerce will develop, the one sure thing is that
with
each year that passes in our new millennium, there will be an
exponential
surge in the amount of business transacted online. But how will we pay
for our goods? And when we pay, how can we be sure that our credit card
numbers are safe, that our purchases are confidential and that the
stuff
will actually arrive? |
Sell
it on the web
www.sellitontheweb.com |
|
| Much
more of a novice's guide than E-commerce Times, Sell it on the web won
Netscape's "rave of the day" award back in March 1999. You can see why.
Colourful, cleanly laid out and easy to navigate, it makes the business
of selling online seem an exciting opportunity rather than a scary
venture.
Free books! Free reports! Free business opportunities! Free everything
in fact, and excellent free advice on design and marketing. |
Web
Commerce Today
www.wilsonweb.com/wct |
|
| A free
twice-monthly electronic newsletter about Internet marketing and doing
business on the Web. Circulation passed 80,000 subscribers worldwide in
December 1999. As well as reading the current issue you can search
through
the 68 back issues for particular features - email newsletters, how to
get a top-line listing on search engines, building site traffic or
dealing
with reader feedback, for example. You can even brainstorm ideas with
other
Web entrepreneurs. |
|
INTERNET
PROVIDERS
|
Alta
vista
www.altavista.co.uk |
|
| Alta
vista is yet another search engine, reinvented as a Web portal. By
incorporating
regular news services, email and shopping they have increased their
functionality
and stickiness ten fold. |
AOL.com
www.aol.com |
|
| As we
wrote this, AOL had just merged with TimeWarner to make one of the
largest
companies in the world. As you might expect, AOL knows its business
well
and has a long track record for providing excellent online content. |
Free-online
www.free-online.net |
|
| One
of the first free services on-line. A very efficient service with few
problems. |
Freeserve
www.freeserve.co.uk |
|
| Freeserve
was the third Internet service provider to offer free, unlimited access
in the UK. Distributed through Dixons, this is now one of the largest
Web
portals for every day home users. |
The
Globe.com
www.theglobe.com |
|
| The
Globe can offer all the features and added extras of other Web portals
but with one simple but highly effective difference: the text is larger
and the pages aren't over crowded. This, in itself, makes Globe.com one
of my favourites, as it is comparatively so much easier to use. |
Ic24.net
www.ic24.net |
|
| Free
internet service provided by the Mirror Group of Newspapers with no
connection
charges on weekends. Has good news and sports content. |
Lineone
www.lineone.net |
|
| Lineone
is free to join and offers free Internet access and up to 1000 minutes
of Internet phone calls free to every member. The Lineone website also
contains regularly update news headlines, online shopping, an Internet
search facility. |
Netscapeonline.co.uk
www.netscapeonline.co.uk |
|
| The
free service which is part of the AOL stable.Mainly distributed through
Woolworths |
Snap
www.snap.com |
|
| Offering
free email, online shopping and a the opportunity to tailor the content
of Snap to suit your needs, as well as a very comprehensive and easy to
use, categorised Web search facility, makes Snap well worth a visit. |
Compuserve.com
www.compuserve.com |
|
| Compuserve
was one of the first free Internet service providers on the market,
giving
it a firm foot hold in homes of users world-wide. With free services
like
email, personalisation of the homepage and up to date news headlines
under
a multitude of topics, it's no wonder they're still near the top of the
pile. |
Tesconet
www.tesco.net |
|
| What
do Tesco know about being an ISP, we hear you say! Apparently, quite a
lot. Tesconet's main focus is online shopping, but the comprehensive
list
of sections, each containing a website of the week and related sites
makes
Tesconet one of the most user friendly ISP's around. |
Virgin
Net
www.virgin.net |
|
| Richard
Branson played a lot of Monopoly as a child, consequently he has a
finger
in every pie. In the case of Virgin Net this is definitely a good
thing:
Jobs, music, travel, news, it's all here. |
X-Stream
www.x-stream.co.uk |
|
| This
was the first company to offer both free internet and also a service
through
a free 0800 numbe. However one has to put up with adverts at the top of
the screen which makes it awkward to click onto screens on the bottom
of
the page. |
Yahoo
UK
www.yahoo.co.uk |
|
| Practically
everyone with access to the www has used Yahoo for some reason or
another.
Initially a search engine, Yahoo is a now a gateway for online
shopping,
news, email and a whole load more. Only problem in my opinion is that
the
pages are cluttered with excess information. |
Zoom
www.zoom.co.uk |
|
| Zoom
is distributed through high street clothes stores such as Burtons and
Principles.
Zoom is not a bad little package, including free copy of IE5 and
Outlook
Express 5 on the set-up disc. As a portal they provide a wide range of
functions and features. |
WHSmith
Online
www.whsmith.co.uk |
|
| We associate
the high street WHSmith stores with a good service and a comprehensive
range of products and their online presence certainly upholds this
conception
with competitions, online shopping and all the features of the best
ISPs
available. |
|
|