Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day #2



*1. WEBTV TIPS--PART 1 OF 8 

Are you considering a WebTV purchase? Recent price cuts have 
knocked down the current price of the WebTV Plus unit to about 
$200, making it a more viable option for most homeowners. Over 
the next few days I'll pass along some tips that should help you 
decide if WebTV will work for you. 

First, be aware that a new version of WebTV should arrive 
sometime this year. The rumor is that EchoStar Communications 
and WebTV Networks are negotiating a deal to create a new set-top 
box that will use satellite communications and add new VCR-like 
features to WebTV. At this point, no other details are known, but 
look for an announcement from both of these companies in the next 
few weeks. In the meantime, the WebTV Plus product is an 
affordable and available option. 


*2.   WEBTV TIPS--PART 2 OF 8 

How large is your television screen? If you're still watching TV 
over a 19-inch or smaller set, you may want to upgrade your TV 
before you buy WebTV. The real benefit of these set-top boxes is 
that more than one person can view the Web at the same time, and 
you won't really see this benefit on a small TV screen. If you 
can afford it, go for a 27- or 30-inch TV. You'll enjoy WebTV 
much more. 


*3.   WEBTV TIPS--PART 3 OF 8 

In some stores, you'll still find the older WebTV product on 
shelves next to the new WebTV Plus model. The original WebTV unit 
sells for about $100, while the newer version sells for about 
$200. Is the original WebTV a bargain? Not really. The 
differences between the two models are many. WebTV Plus offers a 
faster processor, more RAM, a faster modem, picture-in-picture 
(WebTV and regular TV windows) capability, a cache for faster 
performance, and much more. The introduction of WebTV Plus has 
basically rendered the older version obsolete, so don't waste 
money on it. 


*4.   WEBTV TIPS--PART 4 OF 8 

Examine your home's phone line jacks before you buy WebTV. Most 
people need to do some preparation before they can install the 
WebTV unit (which rests on top of your TV), because the TV 
doesn't reside anywhere near a phone line jack. You might want 
to reorganize your living room furniture so your TV sits near a 
jack. Or you can invest a few cents in a phone jack splitter, a 
small plastic device that lets you run two phone cables (one for 
your phone and one for WebTV) from one phone jack. The WebTV box 
includes one long phone cable, but not a phone jack splitter. 


*5.   WEBTV TIPS--PART 5 OF 8 

All versions of WebTV Plus come with a handheld remote control, 
but you'll find that some versions also offer a wireless 
keyboard. To really enjoy WebTV, you need the wireless keyboard. 
Without it, you'll be stuck hunting and pecking characters from 
an on-screen keyboard with the handheld remote--a very 
time-consuming and frustrating process. For faster e-mailing and 
quick access to specific Web sites you need to enter by hand, use 
the keyboard. The keyboard adds about $50 or $60 to your WebTV 
purchase, but it's well worth the money. 


*6.   WEBTV TIPS--PART 6 OF 8 

Do you have the Call Waiting feature on your home phone line? If 
you do, great. If not, you may want to get it before installing 
WebTV, because when you are surfing you'll tie up the phone line. 
If you have Call Waiting, WebTV alerts you when you receive an 
incoming call so you can answer the phone, then press the 
Reconnect button to continue your WebTV session when the call is 
complete. Without Call Waiting, your callers just get a busy 
signal or get routed to your Message Center phone service. 


*7.   WEBTV TIPS--PART 7 OF 8 

Perhaps the biggest drawback of WebTV's design is that you can't 
save any data except a list of your favorite Web sites. The Plus 
model does have a printer port on the back so users can print out 
browsed pages--but be warned: the printer port is not compatible 
with all printers. You may buy WebTV thinking you can plug in your 
printer, only to find out WebTV doesn't support that printer brand 
or model. Here's the list of supported printers: Hewlett-Packard 
400 and 600 DeskJet color printers and Canon 80, 200, 600, and 
4000 BubbleJet printers. 


*8.   WEBTV TIPS--PART 8 OF 8 

WebTV does not provide a local access number for its service in 
every U.S. city. This means you may be making a toll call when you 
dial in to search the Web with your set-top box. To manage this 
situation, WebTV lets you access the Web via some third-party ISPs 
that support its OpenISP compatibility specifications. If you do 
use a third-party ISP, however, you can't send and receive e-mail 
over your WebTV device. To check whether WebTV provides a local 
access number for its service in your area, call 800/469-3288. 


*9. OPTICAL STORAGE UPDATE--PART 3 OF 3 

Recordable CD drives are becoming more and more popular, and 
fortunately they are dropping in price every few months. If you 
plan to ride this wave, you should definitely consider a CD-RW 
drive rather than a CD-R drive. Why? CD-RW drives are more 
flexible and more useful in the long run. All CD-RW drives can 
record CD-R discs as well as CD-RW media, meaning that you can 
use the CD-R write-once discs or CD-RW rewritable discs in the 
drive. You can now purchase a CD-RW drive for as little as $300. 


*10.   CHEAPEST RAM EVER 

Computer memory is cheaper than ever before. You can now buy RAM 
for as little as $1.55 a megabyte when you buy a 64MB upgrade. At 
this point, there's very little excuse for running your PC with 
less than 32MB. Remember, adding RAM is the most cost-effective 
performance upgrade you can buy. Make sure you read your system's 
documentation about which RAM types are compatible with your PC. 
Even then, ask about your retailer's return policy in case the 
RAM you buy doesn't work in your system after installation. Shop 
around for the best deals--Crucial Technology 
(http://www.kingston.com) are two online stores that sell RAM. 
