There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch….. Or Is There ? 

If I had been asked the question just under two years ago, I would probably have just laughed or muttered something about not being born yesterday.

In recounting what has happened since, I should make it clear from the outset that I am not attempting to influence or convert anyone, just giving an honest picture of what was achievable for me and the real “cost”. 

As often happens with these things, I discovered the free gift scene totally by accident.  Christmas 2006 was rapidly approaching and I was trying to get hold of a cheap Xbox 360 console to use as a media centre.   One of the first listings I came across on eBay was offering information on how to get the console totally free; I didn’t exactly have money burning a hole in my pocket and am always up for a challenge, so decided to find out if there was a catch, expecting to get an e-book on bankrupt stock or police auctions.

Instead, I was about to enter the world of affiliate (referral) marketing.   I am sure there are volumes on the subject, some of which are no doubt labelled pyramid schemes, but for those who want a bit of detail on the specific business model employed in this instance, you might want to take a look at a short video podcast put together by the BBC’s Newsnight program or maybe my own guide how to get free stuff online.

All I had to do to get my free console was sign-up to an affiliate site, take out a free DVD rental trial and refer a few friends.  How difficult could that be?

I am a regular online shopper and knew the DVD rental company LOVEFiLM (the equivalent of Blockbuster or Netflix in US and Canada) from a recent national TV campaign, so had no problems with that part of the process. To be fair, the service they provide is actually pretty good!

The harder part was getting referrals…..and I needed 12 of those (who would each have to take up their own offer) to get the Xbox 360 console. Luckily, after running out of family and friends who were either willing to believe what I was saying or just gave in to my constant nagging, I stumbled upon eXceem forums.  They have a buzzing community of like minded freebie hunters who gave me confidence that I would get me gifts and provided tips on how to achieve that.   I have since discovered similar sites such as Anything4Free.com

To the cynics’ amazement, my Xbox 360 arrived on 2^nd December 2006 along with a second generation iPod Nano that I had also earnt…and a freebie addict was born.  I would be embarrassed to say how many other gadgets, gifts and cash have passed through my hands since!

I mentioned the real “cost” in my preamble. That has not been a financial one, far from it, you can get out as much as you put in…..and there’s where the problem lies; getting referrals can start to take up every waking hour, your whole life spent thinking about, talking about and implementing new “methods”.  Well, that is, if you are not checking your accounts for new sign-ups, waiting for account verification or delivery of your free stuff.  Getting your affiliate links out there will also almost invariably require an element of spamming and I am not proud of some of the tactics I have employed along the way.  In fact,  I could devote another who article and more to “methods”, the choice of free sites out there and how to avoid getting your affiliate account cancelled (termed “put on hold”).

Fortunately, things changed for the better when I set up my first ever websites, Simplyfreeiphone and Gadgets4nowt - my background is certainly not web coding or design but I love a challenge (did I say that before!) and now have them both ranking extremely well.   I obviously have to update the content and keep working on links but overall, it’s a fairly easy ride these days.  With the evolution of the affiliate sites themselves, I no longer get my free stuff in the form of goods, most now offer custom orders in the shape of bank transfers at £17 ($35) per referral.   My sites bring me in an average of 3 completed referrals a day, so there’s good money to be had. 

All that’s left is to decide where do I go from here?  I guess I could push some new keywords and increase traffic to my sites through rankings but there is a limit to people looking for a free games console or iPods.  Can the sites be taken in another direction or should I sell them?

While the drums are certainly a fun instrument to play, a conventional kit takes up a lot of space and is too loud for discreet practice.

The Ion iED05, then, is a digital drum kit that plugs directly into a computer, which is used for playing the sounds. Add headphones and you have the perfect practice instrument.

Assembly can take a little while and the instructions are only supplied as a PDF on the CD.

There are pads and pedals for a basic kit of hi-hat, snare, three toms, a bass drum and a crash cymbal with choke button. Pads are no substitute for real drumskins but the ones supplied are fairly good with a decent level of touch sensitivity.

The included tuition is limited to three videos covering some of the basics. It is a rather brief introduction, and includes some things that aren’t strictly necessary; we would have thought that learning how to twirl the sticks wasn’t something a beginner needs to know. Complete novices will find that they will need to invest in some other form of teaching in addition to what is supplied.

Since the computer plays the sound, it can change depending on your preference: there are 17 presets covering plenty of kits from Latin to rock. A drumming game will be familiar to anyone who has ever played Guitar Hero and uses the coloured stickers on the drums to tell you which to hit. The mix of songs is curious, including some classical music as well as Jingle Bells and Happy Birthday. There are three difficulty levels, so it is not too challenging for beginners.

The biggest disadvantage is that the drum kit is not a Midi controller; instead, Windows recognises it as a game controller. This has no bearing on the setup process or the bundled software but it means it cannot be used with any other audio software. This is a disappointment because it removes the most useful part of using an electronic instrument, which is to edit tracks to remove mistakes. If you want to go beyond playing and start recording it would be worth spending the extra money for the next model up, the IED06, which does work as a MIDI controller.

For anyone who wants to learn the drums without waking the neighbours, though, this is a great starter kit.

Vista compatibility: Yes

Apple to announce 3G iPhone on 9 June

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs will take the wraps off the much-hyped 3G iPhone during his keynote speech at the Worldwide Developers Conference on 9 June, according to Citi analysts.

The Apple conference, scheduled to take place in San Francisco June from 9 to 13 June, will witness the “first of an impressive wave of new products”, said Citi analysts Richard Gardner and Yeechang Lee.

Meanwhile in the UK, O2 and Carphone Warehouse have sold out of 8GB iPhones following recent price cuts.

Messages on the O2 and Carphone Warehouse websites reported ‘out of stock’ and ‘no longer available’ after last week’s £100 reductions.

The price cutting move is widely seen as an attempt to unload stock ahead of an announcement surrounding the next-generation iPhone.

While the iPhone is perhaps Apple’s highest profile device, it accounts for a relatively small proportion of the company’s revenues.

Apple shipped 1.7 million iPhones in the second quarter, bringing in $378m. Total revenues reached $7.51bn.

The company claimed that it is on track to sell 10 million iPhones this year.

There are quite a few digital photo frames about now that offer extra features in addition the basic display of photographs.

The 10.4in Genius DPF-A01 from Genius falls somewhere in the middle, and is finished with a rather large faux-mahogany bezel.

A quick peek around the back reveals a multi-format memory card reader, full-sized USB port for connecting a USB memory key, a mini-USB socket for connecting to a PC, and a speaker.

Photos are transferred by dragging and dropping them in Windows (the frame appears as a disk when plugged into the PC) or can be copied to the frame directly from memory cards. The frame cleverly resizes them as it goes, to make the most of the 128MB of internal storage.

We were very impressed by the image quality despite the large display having a resolution of only 640×480 pixels, and it can be adjusted for various environments thanks to the flexible brightness control.

The frame offers three different views: full screen, a three-to-four-photo montage and a nine-photo grid for browsing. In terms of slideshow control you can adjust the timings but there’s no facility to change the type of transition between pictures.

This isn’t the only problem we encountered. First of all there’s no battery, so it needs to be connected to the mains when in use. There’s also no real interface through which to browse pictures, so everything is lumped into one display, which will be frustrating if you expected to be able to separate pictures into folders and then choose a specific collection to view.

The same goes for MP3 files, and while the frame claims to be able to play back video, we failed to get any of a number of AVI files we tested to work. Finally, in the absence of any controls on the frame itself you need to use the supplied remote control, which we found a bit unresponsive, to access everything.

The ‘extra features’ on offer with the A01 are a bit of a token effort, then, and those expecting a decent amount of control over video, audio or large collections of photos will feel let down. On the upside it looks great, has a very impressive display and is reasonably priced for its size.

If you’re in the market for a photo frame to leave in one place, use for its primary purpose and don’t expect to be fiddling with much, you’ll be very happy with the DPF-A01.

It’s clear that Samsung wants the YP-P2 to appeal to those who like the look and feel of the iPod Touch but can’t justify the expense.

Instead, the 2GB version of the P2 (it’s available in 4GB and 8GB versions as well) sells for £99, which is half the price of the entry-level Touch.

There’s no wireless network connectivity, but it is enabled for Bluetooth. The P2’s screen is half an inch smaller than the Touch’s, but it’s equally bright and sharp.

Although light at 86g, the P2 is solidly made thanks to its metal case. There are three buttons along its edges: a play/pause button on the left side and volume controls on the right which sit beneath the thumb and middle finger respectively, meaning operation is easy.

The P2’s touchscreen is responsive without being oversensitive – it’s clear that Samsung have thought about how to prevent accidental selections when using the screen. It’s difficult to accidentally press the buttons through your clothing when the hold switch isn’t activated, because you have to tap each menu item twice to confirm the selection.

One of the most exciting features of the P2 is its Bluetooth capability. We paired it with a set of wireless Bluetooth headphones (available for around £50). Within minutes we were enjoying the benefits of wireless listening, and we had no connection problems, unlike with many Bluetooth devices.

The P2’s Bluetooth facility can in theory be used to make and receive calls while your mobile phone is in a bag or pocket. However, we were unable to get this to work despite repeated attempts ending in repeated crashes.

Sound quality from the player is superb, provided you replace the supplied earphones with a better pair. High notes are crisp without sounding harsh and there is plenty of bass but it’s not overpowering.

The player supports MP3 and paid-for WMA files, but we would have liked to have seen the ability to play MPEG4 video, which can only be played if first converted using the supplied software. For video and as a Bluetooth device, it’s average, but the YP-P2 is a great music player.

It’s amazing that products such as this aren’t more common, being a normal widescreen PC monitor with the ability to receive digital (Freeview) television.

It even comes with a remote control and an socket for connecting a high-definition (Blu-ray) player or games console.

But all of that is pointless gimmickry if the LG Flatron M228WD can’t hold its own as a computer monitor.

Fortunately enough, it can – in fact, it’s an excellent monitor, giving a lovely image with great clarity and vibrant colours, thanks to the high resolution of 1680 x 1050 pixels.

That’s enough to just about squeeze two pages of the same document on the screen together, just like a large book or magazine.

It even looks nice from a design point of view, although it does have the depressingly clichéd blue light to tell you it’s switched on. We’ll forgive LG for that because there’s no on/off switch – instead it uses a rather pleasing touch sensor. It’s also extremely capable when it comes to gaming, which hasn’t always been the case with flat panel monitors.

Viewing angles – the ability to see a bright image from either side of the screen - were acceptable. One disappointment is the stand, which doesn’t allow much tilting or rotating. It is easy to assemble, though, and while not oozing flair, it certainly isn’t ugly.

As a TV, the setup is very easy. Simply plug in a suitable aerial and use the remote control to scan for channels. The set picked up all the available channels and had very impressive reception on each.

There are outputs on the rear panel for plugging in external speakers (which would probably be in addition to your PC’s speakers) – we’d suggest using these if you have the space, because the monitor’s own internal speakers were quite poor, easily the weakest point of the package.

We are a little concerned at the pricing - £260 is quite a lot more than you can expect to pay for a monitor of the same and size similar quality without the TV features. However, given that you can find the M228WD for less online it makes much more sense.

The Bluestreamer 2 calls itself a Bluetooth stereo headset, but it’s not designed for your head.

Instead it clips to a shirt pocket and you can use the built-in microphone to make calls.

You’ll need to attach your own headphones to hear anything, though. It’s compatible with any mobile that uses Bluetooth version 2 (check with your phone manufacturer if you’re not sure).

After a straightforward pairing process we were able to use the controls on the device to adjust volume, change tracks and play and pause music.

In addition the user is alerted when an incoming call arrives. It automatically pauses any music that’s playing on the phone for the duration of the call (this is why it needs the latest Bluetooth version).

Using your own headphones means you can use the ones you’re comfortable with, but it may increase the cost if you have to buy a new set.

This all sounds quite standard, but there are additional features that give it an edge over the average headset. Using various combinations of button presses on the controls you can accept and reject calls, redial the last number, make a voice-dialled call and manage multiple calls at once.

There are also a range of effective sound modes that can adjust the stereo effect or create a surround-sound effect. The device is compatible with Skype, so you can use it with a computer if it has Bluetooth capabilities (as many notebooks do).

We were very impressed by the quality of the signal from our mobile phone up to the maximum 10m range, and once you get used to the controls it’s very easy to manage calls. Often these sorts of devices suffer from an echo but we found the quality to be very good.

If you’re planning on using it with a PC be aware that you’re likely to lose quite a bit of the functionality and, more importantly, the audio isn’t nearly as clear.

When used for its primary purpose we found the Bluestreamer 2 to be very impressive – and light, at only 20g – and for regular callers or those who listen to lots of music on their phones it’ll be a useful gadget.

The problem with pocket-sized internet gadgets (such as smartphones) is that the web facilities they offer tend to be patchy.

Even the all-conquering iPhone, for instance, fails to properly display some websites, and is completely stumped by online pages containing Flash animations. This is no good to serious web users, who yearn for a portable internet experience that’s the same the one you get sat at a desktop PC.

Nokia’s new N810 promises precisely this, with the company’s marketing materials boasting that it puts “the entire internet in your pocket”. Happily, the N810 gets web browsing mostly right. Having used the N810’s browser – a slimmed-down version of Firefox – for several weeks we have yet to visit a web page that it cannot display acceptably.

A quick press of a shortcut button and the browser window fills the whole screen – a wonderfully sharp, touch-sensitive display with a resolution of 800×480 pixels. Similarly, a pair of zoom buttons allow the displayed web page to be magnified or shrunk, as best fits for viewing. All this works brilliantly and the N810 undoubtedly offers one of the finest portable web experiences around.

However, enjoying that web experience depends on being close to a wireless hotspot or carrying a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone for data purposes, as the N810 has no built-in mobile phone of its own. Some may not consider this a big disadvantage but few people want to carry a second device in addition to their mobile phone (which may offer internet access in any case).

The battery life is a little limiting, with about four hours’ continuous use – not enough for a busy working day. Beyond the internet, the N810 is a powerful portable computer in its own right. It runs a mobile version of the Linux operating system, with plenty of applications available for download.

It has a built-in keyboard that slides out from under the screen, while an integrated stand can be swung out to prop the device up on a work surface. The keyboard is okay for short typing bursts, though the top row of keys is awkward to press. Alternatively handwriting-recognition software can be used, though this doesn’t work very well.

For the user’s files and folders, the N810 has 2GB of storage, which is ample for this kind of device, although music fans might find it a little small. There are other faults – the integrated webcam’s quality is awful and the built-in GPS receiver, for mapping and directions, is slow to get a lock on the positioning satellites. The supplied software is limited – it’s more fun than functional.

The LED Alarm Clock with its individual digits is as much of a talking piece as it is a time piece. Available in black or red, the clock is a series of Perspex stackable cubes that can be moved around independently each displaying one LED number and when placed in the correct order displays the current time. It looks great as a desktop or bedside table accessory and once you arrange them in your favourite way, it’ll be easy for you to tell the time, but might not be for others. Each cube is 1 inch wide x 1.5 inches high with a separate controller for the time set, dimmer and alarm functions (including snooze).

Worldwide music at your fingertips

The WM201 can pick up internet radio wirelessley, but also lets users listen to music stored on PCs.

Setting up the device is easy as long as you are connected to a broadband connection. Connecting involved entering the WEP or WPA key into the radio. If the radio is to be placed close by the router, it can be connected using the network cable supplied.

To stream music from the computer, a small application needs to be installed. It can play MP3 and WMA files, including those bought from online music stores.

Switching on the radio by pressing the scroll wheel in the middle automatically makes the radio scan for stations, and this is where it gets a little bit confusing. All the functions are controlled by the one scroll button in the centre of the radio. However, this we found it hard to tell which way to navigate and when to push the button in.

This led us to scroll through to the Uruguayan radio section instead of the one for Britain. The small screen centred beneath the wheel was little help: it may be bigger than average for such a device but the tiny text didn’t do much to ease the scrolling confusion. There is a remote control, but you still need to use the screen.

When we finally worked our way around to British stations we were able to pick up a decent 540 stations in the UK There is of course also the array of other global stations, and there are 12 presets so you don’t have to go through the process of tuning using the scroll wheel each time. Handily, it can also access recorded programming such as the BBC’s Listen Again service.

Sound quality from the radio and streamed music was amazingly clear, and the device is capable of quite high volume levels without a problem. Overall, the quality lives up to what we have come to expect from Roberts.

Although the radio keeps pace with the looks and quality of an iconic Roberts mode, the scroll wheel is very confusing. That said, the sound quality goes some way to make it more worth the £200 price tag.

Logic3’s Soundstage is a surround sound unit that has only one speaker section instead of the usual six.

While normal surround sound speaker sets rely on the user to place the various speakers in the right positions around the room, the Soundstage sits directly under the television and distributes the sound around the room from there.

It’s similar to the Evesham Soundstage (in this regard, but unlike the Yamaha YSP products (look out for a future review).

While those speakers use an in-built microphone to figure out the shape of the room and how to distribute the sound accordingly, the Logic3 Soundstage simply uses a built-in estimate of how the surround sound should sound.

It comes with an impressive number of inputs, including two optical connections and two coaxial digital connections, plus analogue sound input and even an FM radio tuner. All of these can be controlled using the supplied remote control, or the inputs can be selected using the buttons on the front of the unit.

We were able to set up the device easily, although its weight - the box weighs 17Kg - and its bulk mean that it’s worth having someone else to help put it in position. It also comes with fittings to fix it in place.

Basic sound quality was very impressive, with good response at all levels, and able to reach high volume levels without any distortion. The surround sound was less convincing - although the sound was noticeably fuller using five channels rather than the two for normal stereo, we weren’t able to tell the distinct channels apart as much as we could from a real six-speaker surround sound system.

Vista compatible: Yes

Trust’s Universal Notebook Power Adapter is a very simple product: it replaces your notebook computer’s own power supply.

That’s handy for anyone who’s lost or broken the original adapter that came with the computer.

The main power brick has a switch to select the output voltage - this can be found on the underside of the computer, or on the original power adapter.

It also has two power inputs, using either a mains cable or the supplied car charger, so it’s even possible to charge the computer’s battery as you drive.

The kit includes plenty of plugs for all sorts of notebooks - we couldn’t find a recent notebook (made in the last five years) that it couldn’t fit. The adapter can also power a USB device at the same time - that means it’s possible to plug in an iPod (using the iPod’s own charging cable), a phone, a Sony PSP or any other device that charges over USB, and power that at the same time as the computer. There’s a list on the Trust website of notebooks and other products that the adapter supports.

This versatile power adapter does its job well and is capable of more than just charging a notebook. That means it’s an excellent alternative to your notebook manufacturer’s official replacement adapter.