I have seen a lot of get Free SIM Cards offers lately so I have decided to find out if they are for real.

My first observation was that the free cards were offered by large companies like: Vodafone, T-Mobile, Tesco Mobiles, O2, Orange and 3 Mobile. This means there was no scam evolved.

But are they really free?

In our society there are no free launches because everything has a price (resources, money or time). The Free SIM Cards are as “free” as they can be – when you see the world “free” read it as “bonus”.

Let me give you an example: when you buy a pack of foods winch says 20% free it actually means you get a 20% bonus on your purchase. With the free SIM cards the situation is the same like in our food example: you will get the card as a bonus(for free) when you buy something from that company. 

Usually you will get a fee SIM when you purchase credits. I got a free SIM from my provider when I signed up for a monthly plan.

Using a SIM card has some great advantages:

• no long term contracts – just 30 days notice if you need to cancel. You will have maximum freedom this way.
• you usually get more minutes and texts than contract phones. For just £10 you will get 100 minutes and 500 text messages(the offer may vary of course)
• affordable prices for international calls
• you can get exactly the credit you need and if you have miscalculated your need for minutes and SMSs you can easily recharge the card
• very easy to use: just insert the SIM in you phone and you are ready to go
• you get free delivery when you buy online
• most providers offer 7-day returns policy guarantee for your peace of mind

What to choose

There are many offers to choose from and you must know what you need to choose the right one for you.

Right now the best offer is Tesco SIM Cards. They offer a free SIM card plus they will triple your credit. Tesco also offers free monthly bonus of 500 texts or 150 minutes, when you top up £15 a month and also Half-price calls and texts to your 5 favorite UK numbers.

I just found a good price for X-mini. On AdvancedMp3Players.co.uk Xmini is just £19.99.

X mini features:

• Compact size
• High quality sound, with clear bass resonance
• 11 hours of continuous playback from one charge
• Matte black finish
• Included USB charging cable, felt bag
• Integrated 3.5mm audio lead
• Volume control
• Compatible with all Mp3 players, laptops, games consoles etc

For more read the Xmini review.

I was browsing iwantoneofthose.com for Valentine gadget gifts and 3 of them attracted my attention.

So here is my top 3 Valentine’s day gadgets gifts

#1. Personalized Classic Books

I love to read so personalized books for Valentine are my no. 1 choice.

The gift box containing everything you need to personalize a classic novel.

Substitute your name with the name of the leading character and create your own cast list with up to 5 friends.  Write a personalized dedication for inside the front cover of the book.

You can choose between the following classics and customizable characters:

• Alice in Wonderland (Alice, The White Rabbit, Queen Of Hearts, King Of Hearts, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat).
• Wizard of Oz (Dorothy, Toto, The Scarecrow, The Tin Woodman, The Cowardly Lion, The Wicked Witch Of The West).
• Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Jane Bennet, Charles Bingley, George Wickham, Lydia Bennet).
• Dracula (Count Dracula, Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, Lucy Westenra, Dr. John Seward).
• Romeo and Juliet (Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, The Nurse, Tybalt, Paris).

#2. Hot Bear

This bear is simply Loveable. She will love this gift.

The hot bear features:

• Loveable, huggable bear with warm centre.
• A removable wheat bag that can be heated in the microwave and reinserted into the bear’s tummy for warm fuzziness.
• Heating time: 1 min at 650W, 45 secs at 800W, 30 secs at 1000W.
• Color: golden.

#3. Naughty Weekend Kit

Warning! This Valentine’s day gift is only for the naughty ones.

The gift set comes with a soft crimson velvet blindfold, 2 x 80g sachets of Love Soak, 20ml bottle Vetiver massage oil, Honeycake Soap, edible sweet Angelic Body Dust & Tender Kissing Glaze, a purple feather, and a scrolled parchment of instructions for a night of lurve.

If you want to buy some quality but affordable Wireless Full-size Headphones have a look at SBCHC8440 made by Philips.

With the SBCHC8440 Circumaural overhead Headphones no hassles with cables and freedom to move around and enjoy your music.

Philips SBCHC8440 features and specs:

• Wireless On Ear Full size Headphone.
• 3-way adjustment for a better fit and bass performance.
• Lightweight design improves comfort for prolonged use.
• ALC helps prevent audible distortion of input signals.
• 32 mm speaker driver delivers high-performance sound.
• FM Wireless transmission for freedom of movement.
• Choose from two channels to minimise interference.
• Reduces costs by using rechargeable batteries.
• Frequency response : 10–20,000 Hz.
• Sensitivity : 100 dB .
• Pilot tone frequency : 19 kHz.
• Effective range : 100 m.
• Operating time : +/- 15 hours.

The price for a pair of SBCHC8440/05 FM Wireless Full-size Headphones for HiFi is £34.89 and you can find it on Comet-accessories.co.uk.

I didn’t plan to buy a smartphone, simply because I had no use for one. My work was online, so I traveled with my notebook computer at all times, and since I’m always connected, the inclination to surf the net using my phone was not too strong. But when I had to change my cellphone for various reasons, I decided to go with a HTC model that had a touch-sensitive screen because I loved the way it looked and because it seemed trendy. But because I had friends who were tech-savvy, I downloaded Google Maps and Latitude on my phone and stay connected at all times to my friends.

For those in the dark, Google offers a free GPS system – Latitude - that allows you to track your location and that of your friends, if they choose to share it with you. All you need is a Google account and a phone with a operating system that is compatible with Google Maps. It’s a great application to have if you travel frequently and need to know where you are, or if you like to stay connected to your friends at all times. In my case, it was my first journey into the world of mobile technology, and it did me a world of good.

For one, knowing where my friends were allowed me to time my calls to them without risking disturbing them when they were at work. But the most exciting part of Latitude was that I knew where I was at all times. In strange or unfamiliar cities, it was easy to pinpoint my location and find directions to anyplace I needed to go. I did not have to depend on anyone for directions or recommendations because Latitude even finds restaurants and other public facilities close to where you are. And since it was on my phone and completely free, I did not have to carry around a GPS unit or pay a service provider for allowing me to determine my location or find my way around.

Another great application of Latitude is that it helps you trace a lost phone – if you misplace your mobile and Latitude is enabled and running in the background, you could ask friends who are on your list to find the location of your phone; if you’ve dropped it somewhere, you could go back and get it, and if it’s been stolen and the thief does not realize that Latitude is on, you could trace their location and recover your phone. 

On the negative side of the spectrum however, there are privacy issues involved because you don’t want people to know where you are at all times, even if they’re your close friends. You can turn off Latitude when not needed, or if you do need it for your own use, you have the option of giving your friends only your city-level information or manually entering your location so that they don’t know where you really are. Yes, there is potential for misuse, but then, that’s the downside of any kind of technology – unless harnessed wisely and ethically, things could go horribly wrong.
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This guest post is contributed by Barbara Williams, she writes on the topic of Becoming a Computer Technician. Email her at:  barbara.williams07@gmail.com .

Toshiba has a new netbook star: the Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 (NB200 series), 10.1-Inch Black Onyx Netbook with 9 Hours of Battery Life and Windows 7 Starter.

There are 3 very important features that matters for a netbook: speed, portability (size and weight) and battery life. The Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 does a good job. It offers: good computer power (1.66GHz Processor and 1 GB of RAMM),  great portability because this netbook is compact and weights just 2.93 pounds and the battery life is good also – up to 9 hours.

Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 features:

• 1.66GHz Intel N280 Atom Processor
• 1GB DDR2 533MHz Memory
• 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, Integrated Wi-Fi
• 10.1" LED Backlit Display, 1024×600 native resolution (WSVGA)
• Microsoft Windows 7 Starter (32 bit)
• 9 Hours of Battery Life

Pricing and availability info

Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 cost $334.66 and it is available at Amazon.com.

3 days ago I got the X-mini speaker for review. I’ve got one X-mini Black and a pair of X-mini MAX II Black.

The speakers looked great so I have opened the box and start the tests. I have connected the X mini at my mp3 player and I was amazed: the quality of the sound was great! And the sound was lauder I have expected from such a small speaker.

Next I tried the X-mini MAX II and it was a really fantastic experience: The sound was loud and crystal clear.

About X mini

X mini Capsule Speaker slogan is “Sound beyond Size”. X mini is a revolutionary 52g innovation in the world of portable audio technology, is the world’s first pocketsize speaker with a built-in bass support and rechargeable battery. It is petite in size (52mm x 35mm), but strikes with uncompromising sound quality and volume.

X mini features and specs

• Dimension: (L×W×H): 52mm x 52 mm x 35 mm (closed resonator)
• Loudspeaker Output: 2.2W
• Playback Time: 4 – 8 hours
• Battery Charge Time: DC 5V – 2.5 hours?USB-4 hours
• 52mm x 52 mm x 64.5mm
• Net Weight: 52g
• Speaker: MAGNETISM PREVENT (4?) 36mm x 2W
• Rating Power: 1.8W
• Frequency Response: 100Hz-20Khz
• Signal-to-Noise: ?89db
• Distortion: ?0.5%
• Battery Voltage/Capacity: 3.7V/ 300MAH
• Battery Charging Voltage: 4.2V±0.05V
• Battery Discharge Time: MP3 volume at 31mv, about 2 hours
• MP3 volume at 20mv, up to 8 hour

About X-mini MAX II

X-Mini MAX II is expertly designed to be ultraportable and precisely engineered to deliver a superior sound. With a simple twist and lift, the avant garde capsule-shaped design unveils a pair of stereo speakers. These stylish speakers, which can also be used individually, pop open to reveal the patented accordion-like Bass Xpansion System™ (BXS™) which successfully mimics the resonance of a sub woofer.

Defying the conventional notion that size does matter, the X-mini MAX II, is a moveable feast of sounds. Its new 40 mm driver, expanded BXS™, extended playback time and modular “Buddy-Jack” design, enables it to effectively generate high-quality and extensive aural ranges, be it the rich timbres of a soprano or the pulsating electronic beats of the latest dance track.

X-mini MAX II features and specs

• Dimension (L×W×H): 65.8mm×53.4 mm (closed resonator)
• Loudspeaker Output: 2.5W×2
• Playback Time: Up to 12 hours
• Battery Charge Time: 5V input – 2.5 hours
• Net Weight: 178g
• Speaker: MAGNETISM PREVENT D40*H20mm (4?)/2W
• Frequency Response: 200Hz~18K Hz
• Signal-to-Noise: ?80dB
• Distortion: ?1.0%
• Battery Voltage/Capacity: 400mAh
• Battery Charging Voltage: 5V/+0.5V

Which one to get

I like booths X mini and X mini Max2 speakers. Choosing one will not be hard it depends what you need:

• booth offer super portability, but of course X mini is twice as small as MAX II
• obliviously the sound is lauder on MAX II

My images with X-mini and X-mini MAX II

My wife adores magnets . We have 40 fridge magnets so far and her collection is growing every year, so I’m thinking it will be a good idea to get her the Fridge Magnet Photo Frame.

The idea behind Fridge Magnet Photo Frame is simple: photos and magnets are very popular and almost everyone use them, so it it was the bright idea to combine the two.

Your fridge will not be restricted to just a few photos as this mini digi-frame can store up to 66 of them and scroll through them at whatever speed you desire between 5 and 80 seconds.

The Fridge Magnet Photo Frame has 32MB of internal memory, supports JPG, GIF and BMP images, has both automatic and manual image change modes, and will scroll away happily through your photos for up to 11 hours from a single charge.

Fridge Magnet Photo Frame features:

• A digi-photo frame for your fridge.
• The frame has a magnetic back to affix to your fridge or other metal surface.
• The frame has a 32MB internal memory (can store 66 photos).
• Photos are displayed in 320×240 resolution.
• Software is included for uploading your own pics onto the frame.
• Choose to view your photos manually or in an auto slideshow.
• Slideshow timings between photos are adjustable from 5 secs up to 1 minute 20 seconds.
• It supports JPG, BMP and GIF file formats.
• It charges via USB (cable included) and has an 11 hour display time from a full charge.
• The frame has a pop out stand should you choose to have it free standing.
• The software provided with the frame requires Windows XP.

The Fridge Magnet Photo Frame cost just £19.99 and you can find it at iWantoOneofThose.com.

Google just launched it’s phone called Nexus One.

Nexus One was made by HTC and it was presented like a super-phone.

Nexus One main features:

• 3.7-inch (diagonal) widescreen WVGA AMOLED touchscreen Display, 800 x 480 pixels, 100,000:1 typical contrast ratio
• 5 megapixels Camera & Flash, Autofocus from 6cm to infinity, 2X digital zoom, User can include location of photos from phone’s AGPS receiver
• Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz Processor
• Android Mobile Technology Platform 2.1 (Eclair) Operating system
• Talk time: Up to 10 hours on 2G, Up to 7 hours on 3G
• Standby time : Up to 290 hours on 2G, Up to 250 hours on 3G
• Internet use: Up to 5 hours on 3G, Up to 6.5 hours on Wi-Fi
• Video playback: Up to 7 hours
• Audio playback: Up to 20 hours
• Weight 130 grams with battery

I din’t had the chance to play with Nexus One but the features list is impressive. 10 hour talk time and  up to 290 hours on 2G is great. I’ve allays wanted a phone with a huge battery life and the problem with the smartphones was the battery was going down fast if you were using the phone for music, video and other applications.

Do you like Nexus One the Google Phone?

RoboRover can become your new adventurous robot buddy.

Roborover is an easy-to-use, adventurous robot buddy, who is always ready to explore with you! A little shy at first, give him commands using the remote controller to help him become more bold.

Play with him in the day — or at night when his headlight brightens the way.

Roborover — the perfect robotic companion for young and adventurous explorers.

Roborover features:

• Roborover loves to explore.
• Roborover is an easy to use, adventurous robot buddy who is always ready to explore with you.
• He can go over rough terrain and avoids obstacles.
• His remote controller features follow me function and he can play games including Tomb and Swamp.
• He has real working headlight and poseable arms, hands and waist.
• Requires 4 x C and 3 x AAA batteries.

RoboRover cost £54.95 and it is available at Gobaz.com.