Archive for the ‘Top 10’ Category

TEN TIPS FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY

جويلية 1, 2008

1. Use the internet to create or join a community of people who share your interests or concerns. Meetup.com is a great vehicle for doing that.

2. Take it beyond the internet: Get out there and meet face-to-face with people you’ve met on the internet. Nothing replaces human contact. The Brooklyn Blogade (see pics above) is a monthly gathering of Brooklyn-based bloggers and friends which meets in the various neighborhoods of the borough. The Blogade is a great example of using the internet to build human relationships.

3. Walk your block. Every morning, I pass by and say hello to the same neighbors, shopkeepers, and crossing guards whose names I make a point of knowing. If people have a “fixed point” – e.g. behind the store counter, in front of their house, by the crossing walk – it’s easy to greet them each day.

4. Participate in local, ongoing projects – e.g. park cleanups, a community garden, meetings with local merchants. Strong communities are based on relationships that are built over time.

5. Make friends with people across (artificial dividers of) age, race, class, strengths, and life experiences. Do you remember adults from your young life who encouraged you and paid thoughtful attention to you, even for a few minutes? Do that for a young person you know.

6. Fundraise for causes you believe in. Fundraisers are a great way to get to know other people and to bring people together. They don’t have to be fancy.

7. Address what keeps you back from being part of groups. Most people have some unpleasant memories associated with being part of groups. Some people had a rotten time in school. Some people grew up in harsh family lives. Some people were dragged to religious services every week. So, there is fear about losing individuality or having our individuality discounted or disrespected.

Know that it is possible to shape groups so that they honor both a collective life and the amazing contributions and strengths of each individual, including you.


8. Keep in touch with individual people. If you see Suzy Q at a neighborhood association meeting once a month and you’d like to get to know her better, call her to go have lunch sometime. The life of a community is as strong as the relationships that individual people have with each other.

9. Speak, read, write and paint about the things that matter most to you. The more you put yourself and your interests out there in the world, the more chances you will have of finding people who share those interests.

10. Decide what your community-building goals are and start strategizing your plan to get there. Many of us are encouraged to have goals for our career, family, financial, or love lives but we’re not really taught that community is important or how to build it for ourselves and our families. Instead, we’re encouraged to prize geographic or career/economic mobility over staying put and developing relationships and community over time.
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Top 10 Blogs for Writers – 2007/2008

جوان 5, 2008

December 11th, 2007, by Michael Stelzner

The nominations flooded in for our second annual contest. We were very pleased to see that blogs dedicated to writing have grown substantially.

The nominees have been carefully examined, with the greatest weight on the quality of their content. What follows are the top 10 blogs for writers. These blogs all provide rich content and extremely useful information for writers:

  1. Copyblogger, by Brian Clark: Holding the number-one spot for the second year running, this site excels at teaching the art of writing.
  2. Freelance Writing Jobs, by Deborah Ng: For writers seeking new work, this site is your sole destination and maintains a top spot in our contest from last year.
  3. The Renegade Writer, by Linda Formichelli and Dianna Burell: Are you a freelance journalist looking for inspiration? Look no further.
  4. Web Content Writer Tips, by James Chartrand and Harrison McLeod: With a focus on making more money as a writer, this blog is full of helpful how-to articles.
  5. Web Writing Info, by Courtney Ramirez: This excellent blog looks at social networking and emerging web-based opportunities for writers.
  6. The Golden Pencil, by Anne Wayman: Wayman, a second-year winner, examines how to go for the gold as a freelance writer.
  7. Catalystblogger, by Jennifer Williamson: Williamson writes about the pains and trials writers face.
  8. Freelance Parent, by Lorna Doone Brewer and Tamara Berry: Two moms provide excellent perspective on writing with a dash of parenting.
  9. Write from Home, by Amy Derby: Derby provides fresh commentary and advice on writing.
  10. Copywriter Underground, by Tom Chandler: This site, a second-year winner, provides regular doses of inspiration for copywriters.

Top 10 Websites – 2008

جوان 2, 2008

annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites (along with a few honorable mentions) represents some of the top online resources for those interested in planning, design, and development.

We’ve listed the websites alphabetically, with host organization listed in italics if different from the website name. This list is based on nominations by Planetizen readers and staff, and judged against a common set of criteria, including standards of web accessibility.

Please post your comment on this list below, or contact us if you have nominations for next year’s list.

City of Sound

www.cityofsound.com

The engrossing posts on this blog cover topics as various as singing roads and Antarctic substations – but somehow they all connect back to the shared themes of cities, architecture, design, media and culture. Penned by Dan Hill, a Swiss-born Englishman living in Sydney, Australia, City of Sound is consistently well-written, thoughtful, and surprising.

Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse

Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing, University of Florida
flhousingdata.shimberg.ufl.edu

Founded in 2000, the Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse’s website is a great example for agencies who want to provide easy access to relevant data and statistics. Visitors to the site are greeted with a map of the state, and can drill down into individual cities and counties to retrieve figures affecting the availability of affordable housing. Users can find population growth projections, new construction and sales data, and housing and wage trends with well designed data access tools that allow comparisons by jurisdiction – handy for planners looking to measure up to the town down the road.

Ourbania

www.ourbania.com

Ourbania is a fun, interactive site that lets you explore the world through its buildings. Supported by an online community of “real estate enthusiasts,” the site encourages visitors to post information about real life structures – from bridges to skyscrapers – to its online community. Users can add photos and notes, and plot a building’s location using a Google-powered map. Like the design of certain building? Visitors can find out the architect, and see what other buildings they might have designed (provided they are uploaded to the site). With a large base of international members, Ourbania lets anyone who’s interested in buildings connect and share information.

Post Carbon Cities

www.postcarboncities.net

With global warming increasingly on the minds of the people in charge of managing cities, many officials are looking to learn more about sustainable urban policies and practices. Post Carbon Cities has taken up the challenge of helping local governments understand and respond to the challenges of peak oil and global warming by bringing together a valuable set of resources on energy and climate change. The site’s weekly blog provides overviews and advice on topics such as green building and transit-oriented development. A Planetizen reader favorite.

Rethink College Park

www.rethinkcollegepark.net/blog

David Daddio and Rob Goodspeed, two planning students at the University of Maryland, wanted to put their planning and technology skills to work to help the college town of College Park, Maryland. The result is Rethink College Park, a user-friendly website that provides community members with updated information on plans in the community, as well as a way to discuss proposals. The site features an active blog and an interactive development map that plots development projects and proposed transit routes.

StreetsBlog

NYC Streets Renaissance/Open Planning Project
www.streetsblog.org

StreetsBlog provides unparalleled coverage of transportation and planning issues in New York City, making it the envy of transportation advocates in cities across the country. Part of the NYC Streets Renaissance Campaign sponsored by the Open Planning Project, the website supports the group’s efforts to reorient the city’s transportation policies away from the car and towards cyclists and pedestrians. Daily updates on issues from congestion and parking pricing to road and sidewalk design make StreetsBlog a must read for anyone who’s interested in creating sustainable transportation policies.

Survey LA

Office of Historic Resources, Department of City Planning, City of Los Angeles
preservation.lacity.org/survey

The SurveyLA website is part of the City of Los Angeles’ Historic Resources Survey – a five-year effort partially funded by the Getty Foundation to identify all the historically significant buildings and structures in the city. In addition to providing information about the project to the public, the website allows visitors to participate firsthand in the multi-year planning effort by identifying historic resources through an online survey form. In addition, visitors can search for already surveyed properties, and view images of the city’s historic and cultural landmarks. Full disclosure: Planetizen’s parent company, Urban Insight, was hired by the City of Los Angeles and the Getty Foundation to develop the SurveyLA website.

Trulia Hindsight

hindsight.trulia.com

A side project of the real estate website Trulia.com, Hindsight uses home sales data to create animated maps of development over time. Using color coded dots on the street grids of modern urban areas – visitors can watch as the population of Plano, Texas doubles in a decade and examine the effect of growth controls on towns like Bolinas, CA. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more vivid digital portrait of how cities grow.

Walk Score

www.walkscore.com

Looking to find a house where you don’t have to get in your car every time you want to get a gallon of milk? That’s where Walk Score comes in. Enter your address, and it finds the distance to the nearest grocery stores, post offices, restaurants, libraries, movie theaters and other useful destinations, and then assigns a score based on the walkability of your location. Walk Score is the perfect tool for anyone looking to find a home or office in a walkable neighborhood.

Top 10 Best Presentations Ever

جوان 1, 2008

Sarah and I were talking about great presentations we’d seen or heard about and she came up with an idea for a Top 10 list. Here’s our take on the Top 10 Best Presentations Ever (in no particular order…and if you have others to add, we’d love to hear about them):

Steve Jobs introduces the Macintosh in 1984. Back then, Steve dressed like Tucker Carlson circa 2006, but black tee shirts and jeans or double-breasted jacket and bow tie, this Macintosh unveiling rocked the house. Steve has perfected the sense of theater, and none is better than this one. Check out how he pulls the 3.5-inch floppy from his jacket pocket. Flair, baby.

Dick Hardt’s Identity 2.0 presentation at OSCON 2005. Hardt’s preparation and energy sets the standard for presentation quality. He uses hundreds of slides in this 20-minute, high buzz work. Heck, I didn’t even care about virtual identity and still watched this one five or six times. It has a chance of becoming my presentation Dirty Dancing (which I’ve seen 100 times), where “nobody puts baby in the corner.”

Guy Kawasaki’s Art of the Start speech at TiECon 2006. In the 40-minute presentation (PDF of slides here), Kawasaki talks about innovation and business evangelism. When he talks about “Make Mantra” it’s well worth listening to. The beauty of his speech is that he uses a Top 10 approach and is unafraid to speak plainly and with great humor (which is sadly lost in public speaking).

Dr. Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech in 1963. Who can argue that Dr. King’s speech in Washington on August 28, 1963 was anything but brilliant and changed the trajectory of America? But the rheotrical beauty of this speech is also unparalleled. At a time when our language has been reduced to the common, it’s essential to look upon the preparation and thought that Dr. King used for this monumetal speech.

Lawrence Lessig’s Free Culture talk at the 2002 Open Source Conference. The master of the simple slides shows us how it’s done. And since, as he says, this is his 100th time for this talk, he has this bad boy down solid. Even though this talk is from 2002, his slide presentation style is still as fresh today as Axe Body Spray.

Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink presentation at SXSW 2005. I’ve seen Gladwell talk a couple of times in person, and he’s brilliant. He talks fast and he makes points by telling stories. He doesn’t lecture, he paints a picture. All this from one of the foremost thinkers of our age. Gladwell makes the points, “We can do more with less. And there are real dangers in giving people too much information.” Hey, that reminds me, Where are his slides? Oh, he’s presenting without slides. How about that?

Tom Peters presents A Ham Sandwich in 1990. Okay, this isn’t a Peters presentation, but the guy has so much passion that he can make a ham sandwich sound compelling. I saw him a few times in the late 80s during the height of the Thriving on Chaos days, and that was some rallying cry. In the link here, Peters outlines what makes a great presentation. No one can leave a Tom Peters presentation saying they weren’t energized and entertained.

Seth Godin talks about Marketing at Google in 2006. “Technology doesn’t win, but it sure gives you a chance at marketing.” Godin knows the story, lived it, and tells it. He also uses slides to his advantage to persuade his audience that he’s right. Check out the slide he calls “No one cares about you.” Is there anything wrong with getting people to laugh and think at the same time?

Andy Kaufman sings along to Mighty Mouse on SNL in 1975. Mies van der Rohe would have been proud, because Kaufman showed the essence of “less is more” in this Saturday Night Live skit. I’m not suggesting that your presentations should be filled renditions of superhero songs, but negative space is important, and this presentation was both ahead of its time and pointed in its simplicity.

Rupert Everett sings I Say a Little Prayer for You in MBFW in 1997. Okay, this is just one of our favorites and isn’t exactly a “presentation.” In fact, it’s from a movie – My Best Friend’s Wedding. But isn’t a lot of what we do a “presentation” designed to persuade people to believe our story? The beauty of this one is the lead-in and then the music. Oh, the power of music. And if you haven’t seen this movie, the last scene is just fantastic.

Top Ten Reasons to Quit Your Job

ماي 29, 2008

These are the top ten reasons why you might want to quit your current job. These are difficult, if not impossible, work problems to solve. You need to look out for your best interests. Your job consumes too many hours of too many days of your life for you to stay where you are if you’re miserable. No excuses, now. If these problems exist in your current job, make a plan, and quit your job.

  1. Your company is experiencing a downward spiral, losing customers, losing money, and rumors of possible closure, bankruptcy and failure prevail.
  2. Your relationship with your manager is damaged beyond repair. You have sought help to mend the relationship but you know it is too damaged for recovery. (Perhaps you were untrustworthy, missed work on too many days, or the manager acts like an untrustworthy jerk.) Whatever the reason, the relationship is irrecoverably damaged.
  3. Your life situation has changed. Perhaps you have married or had a baby, and the salary and benefits no longer support your life needs. You need to move on to better opportunities to support your family.
  4. Your values are at odds with the corporate culture. Perhaps your company is egalitarian and you believe in assigned parking spots for salaried employees. Your company does annual employee satisfaction surveys and you think these are a waste of time. Your company is hierarchical and you want to influence every aspect of your job. No matter where the clash is occurring, a lack of congruence with the corporate culture will destroy your attitude at work.
  5. You’ve stopped having fun and enjoying your job. No matter what changed, when you dread going to work in the morning, it’s time to quit your job.
  6. Your company is ethically challenged. Perhaps the managers lie to customers about the quality of the products or the day on which the product will ship. You become aware that the company is stealing information from competitors. Whatever the issue, don’t stay in an organization where your ethics are out of sync.
  7. For whatever reason, you have behaved in ways that are considered improper at work. You’ve missed too many days of work, slacked off on the job, failed to maintain needed skills, and / or just generally developed the reputation of a loser. That reputation, once earned, is unlikely to change; you might as well quit your job, while you have the opportunity.
  8. You’ve burned your bridges with your coworkers. Your group is not getting along in an environment that requires people to work together well. Again, at some point, the reasons don’t matter; start fresh in a new job and resolve to not let this situation happen again.
  9. Your stress level is so high at work that it is affecting your physical or mental health and your relationships with your friends and family. Watch for the signs of burnout and if they can’t be cured, move on. Read this article, Tips for Managing Stress and Change at Work for ideas about managing work stress.
  10. And the top ten reason to quit your job? You are unchallenged, need more responsibility, and seek opportunities that just don’t exist for you in your current organization. You’ve explored the current and potential options, and they are limited. It’s time to quit your job.

From Susan M. Heathfield,

Top Ten Ways to Protect Privacy Online

ماي 27, 2008
1. Look for privacy policies on the Web
2. Get a separate email account for personal email
3. Teach your kids that giving out personal information online means giving it to strangers
4. Clear your memory cache after browsing
5. Make sure that online forms are secure
6. Reject unnecessary cookies
7. Use anonymous remailers
8. Encrypt your email
9. Use anonymizers while browsing
10. Opt-out of third party information sharing
Extra! Use common sense

The world’s top 10 airlines

ماي 27, 2008

From check-in staff wrangling over luggage limits and long hours spent doubled-up in undersized seats to children crying and running around the aisles and harried flight attendants pushing drink carts into unsuspecting elbows — flying really can be quite a harrowing experience. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, on some airlines you’ll find the flight is as much a part of the holiday experience as the destination itself.

Each year London-based consultancy firm Skytrax (www.airlinequality.com) polls millions of passengers around the world to find out which airlines are the cream of the crop.

According to their most recent survey released in 2007 the winners were:

1. Singapore Airlines
No stranger to awards, Singapore Airlines snatched the overall Airline of the Year title for the quality of both its economy and premium class services. From top-notch food to friendly flight attendants, any long-haul flight on this airline, which flies more passengers every year than the entire population of Singapore, is bound to be a pleasurable experience.

Website: www.singaporeair.com

2. Thai Airways
Jumping up from fourth position in 2006, Thai Airways came in second place overall. Famous for its in-flight service and well-dressed cabin crew, the airline also won the Best First Class Lounge award for its lounge at Bangkok Airport which includes a Royal Spa complete with sauna and yoga classes. Oh to travel first class!

Website: www.thaiair.com

3. Cathay Pacific
A former title winner, Cathay Pacific performed well overall ranking in the top four or five positions in almost every section of the survey. The flagship carrier of Hong Kong is also one of only six airlines worldwide to carry Skytrax’s prestigious five-star rating.

Website: www.cathaypacific.com

4. Qatar Airways
A relative newcomer, Doha-based Qatar Airways has drawn plenty of attention for its international service. While economy class passengers are treated to excellent in-flight service, with the airline taking out the Best First Class Airline tag, it’s the first class passengers who, as usual, remain king.

Website: www.qatarairways.com

5. Qantas
Long celebrated for its exceptional flight safety record, Qantas has dropped from second place in 2006 to fifth place. Australia’s leading airline, however, consistently performs well and its budget domestic carrier, Jetstar, was named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline.

Website: www.qantas.com.au

6. Malaysia Airlines
Moving up three places from the previous year, Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysia Airlines also regained its crown for the world’s Best Cabin Staff Award, snatched away by Thai Airways in 2006. Along with Cathy Pacific, it is one of only six airlines worldwide to hold Skytrax’s five-star rating.

Website: www.malaysiaairlines.com

7. Air New Zealand
At last, New Zealand’s flagship carrier has finally nudged its way into Skytrax’s top 10. Long recognised locally for its quality passenger service, it’s good to see this Kiwi icon taking on the world’s best.

Website: www.airnewzealand.com

8. China Airlines
A surprising addition to this list is state-owned China Airlines, which in fact moved up two places from 2006. With its base in Taiwan not China, because of political tensions, passengers to and from mainland China must fly through a third port.

Website: www.china-airlines.com

9. Emirates
Consistently cited as one of the world’s best airlines, Emirates is the largest Middle Eastern Airline. Based in Dubai, most of its flight attendants are recruited from overseas.

Website: www.emirates.com

10. British Airways
Relying too heavily on past reputation, British Airways has slipped from its first place ranking in 2006 all the way down to 10th position. The founding member of the Oneworld travel alliance obviously needs to lift its game if it wants to regain the top spot.

Website: www.britishairways.com

By Kim Wildman
MSN NZ Travel writer

Top 10 Cars for Women

ماي 26, 2008

Women tell us they prefer a car that’s agile, has good visibility, and isn’t a chore to drive. Many like to sit higher and most rightly insist on plenty of storage space, reasonable prices and low running costs. Space for growing families is essential in many cases and safety is a major factor. Furthermore, many women tell us that a high fun-to-drive factor is important.

The ten cars listed below meet these criteria while allowing for different tastes, lifestyles, and incomes.

Ford Focus

2006 Ford Focus ZX4 front view
Photo © Aaron Gold
The Ford Focus has a markedly different character than most Ford products sold in the US and Canada. That’s because it was developed by Ford of Europe — that’s right, this is an honest-to-goodness European car. The tall cabin, upright driving position, roomy interior and trunk and smile-generating driving experience all come courtesy of the Focus’ old-world roots, but with the humble Ford badge on the boot — er, trunk — you aren’t paying for a fancy European name.

Honda Civic

2007 Honda Civic rear view
Photo © Liz Kim
Civics are everywhere, and with good reason: They’re economical, easy to drive, and they run like a Swiss watch. With their blue-chip resale values and impeccable build quality, Civics are good investments both short- and long-term. Innovations like a totally flat passenger floor (no center “tunnel”) make the Civic comfortable and practical. Hybrid and natural-gas powered versions are perfect for the cost- and environment-conscious. Without question, this is the compact-class leader.

Honda Fit

2007 Honda Fit
Image © Honda
The Honda Fit is just one of a handful of subcompacts now on the US and Canadian markets, but few others can match the Fit’s balance of front seat, back seat and trunk room. The Fit is especially handy in urban areas, where its small size allows it to nip through traffic and squeeze into tiny parking spots. Its fuel-efficient 1.5 liter engine has plenty of get-up-and-go, even with an automatic transmission, and Honda quality means it’ll last an eon.

Mazda 3

2007 Mazda 3 driving
Image © Mazda
Mazda’s new compact brings with it a combination of style, space, and driving pleasure not often found in this class. The 4-door costs less initially but we recommend the 5-door for all-round practicality, not to mention a little elbow room for a growing family.

Mazda MX-5 Miata

2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata front-left view top down
Photo © Aaron Gold
The Miata is a great set of wheels for a woman who doesn’t have a family, and an excellent second car for one who does. Few cars deliver the Miata’s combination of fun in the sun and raw driving thrills, and even fewer deliver such great fuel economy while doing it. Though trunk room is tight, the Miata offers just enough room for a romantic weekend getaway for two. And on a day-to-day basis, it’s a great way to put a little sparkle into your commute.

Mercedes-Benz E-class

2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class front view
Photo © Greg Jarrem
You’ve worked hard. Now enjoy it! The Mercedes E-class offers more prestige of the three-pointed star. The E is ideally sized, big enough for the family to ride comfortably (without a chorus of “Mom, he hit me!” “She hit me first!” from the back seat), but small enough for easy parking and urban handling. The E is the practical way to treat yourself right.

Nissan Sentra

2007 Nissan Sentra front view 2
Photo © Aaron Gold
I firmly believe that women are more practical than men — and the Sentra is one of the most practical compact sedans on the market, blending a generous back seat with a continuously-variable transmission, a type of automatic that delivers better acceleration and fuel economy than a stick-shift.

Subaru Forester

2006 Subaru Forester XT front view
Photo © Subaru of America
The Forester toes the line between car and SUV, but unlike most crossovers, the Forester does everything well. On the road it offers invigorating handling and performance; off road it’ll keep up with many bigger, brawnier SUVs. And when the weather turns foul, the Forester is one of the best vehicles of any size for safely negotiating slick roads. All this plus lots of cargo space and good fuel economy. The downside? Awkward looks and a tight back seat. Overall its an outstanding package.

Toyota Camry

2007 Toyota Camry XLE V6 front 3-4
Photo © Philip Powell
There’s a reason the Camry is the best selling car in the US, and has been for years: It does just about everything well. It’s roomy, quiet, comfortable, and built like the proverbial brick outhouse. With the new-for-2007 redesign, the Camry offers more choice than ever. Most buyers will opt for the well-priced and well-equipped Camry LE, but don’t overlook the fuel-efficient Camry Hybrid, luxury-oriented Camry XLE and sporty Camry SE.

Volkswagen Jetta

2007 VW Jetta 2.0T front view
Photo © Philip Powell
Volkswagen’s compact sedan offers up enough individuality for an independant woman, enough cachet for the up-and-coming executive, and enough room for a growing family. We’re especially enamoured of the hot-rod turbo version, which has the same engine as VW’s boy-racer GTI. (We like the other versions too, especially the super-frugal diesel-powered Jetta TDI.)

top ten tips for safer on-line shopping

ماي 19, 2008
  1. Be careful when you give your credit or debit card details on the Internet. Always find out whether the company has a secure site by looking for the closed padlock sign at the bottom of the screen, and look for information about the protection the company has put in place.
  2. The trader must give their name and a geographical address, not just a PO Box number, and not just their e-mail address. They must also fully describe the goods for sale and orders must be confirmed in writing.
  3. As with any other type of purchase, shop around for the best deals and prices. In most cases, you are entitled to a seven working day cancellation period where you can change your mind, but this usually does not apply to ‘auction’ sites. You should always read the terms and conditions carefully before buying.
  4. Watch out for high postage rates and for other hidden costs, such as VAT and other duty payable, particularly if goods are being sent from abroad.
  5. Try to get personal recommendations for companies you have not done business with before. Alternatively, you can get help and advice from specialist organisations, such as Trust UK. Trust UK is an organisation endorsed by the UK government which enables consumers to buy online with confidence. You can visit their website at – http://www.trustuk.org.uk
  6. Remember, goods being sent from abroad may take some time to be delivered. Check with the trader how long this will take, and set a delivery date that you must have them by, if that is important. Where no delivery date has been agreed, delivery must be within thirty days. Goods and services ordered from UK and European Countries will be covered by the ‘Distance Selling’ Regulations. For more information on your rights under this important law, see our leaflet ‘Shopping at home – your guide to the distance selling regulations’.
  7. Check what the company’s policy is on returning goods that you don’t like or have changed your mind about, and find out who pays for the return postage. If they have come from abroad, you may be faced with a hefty postage bill to return them. Refunds must be made within thirty days.
  8. On the subject of buying from abroad, remember that if you have problems such as faulty goods or non-delivery, it might be very difficult to get your complaint dealt with. Although your contract will probably be covered by UK law – allowing you to sue in your local court – getting money out of a company based abroad may be impractical. If possible, pay by credit card as this may give you additional protection in some circumstances. See ‘Your rights when buying on credit’ leaflet.
  9. For that reason, be wary of buying very expensive items from companies outside the UK or Europe unless you know them well – that way, if things do go wrong, you limit the risk.
  10. Most importantly, print out the order, and keep any terms and conditions that appear on the web site, just in case of any disputes or problems later on.

Copyright 2008 itsa Ltd on behalf of the Trading Standards Institute

Top ten Laptops

ماي 15, 2008

Laptops

Toshiba Qosmio G35 Most tricked-out multimedia laptop

Toshiba Qosmio G35
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Sony VAIO SZ Best balance between portability and usability

Sony VAIO SZ
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Lenovo ThinkPad X60s Best ultraportable notebook for business

Lenovo ThinkPad X60s
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Gateway NX100X Best budget ultraportable design

Gateway NX100X
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HP Compaq Presario V5000Z Most affordable laptop

HP Compaq Presario V5000Z
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Dell XPS M1710 Best gaming laptop

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Panasonic ToughBook 74 Best laptop for the extremely accident-prone

Panasonic ToughBook 74
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Sony VAIO UX Best microtablet

Sony VAIO UX
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MacBook Pro Best laptop design

MacBook Pro
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Dell XPS M2010 Best laptop that’s not a laptop

Dell XPS M2010
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