Recently had a Galaxy Note 2 which uses the Android Jelly Bean OS having previously been on IOS, completely satisfied so far.

One thing I don't understand with mobiles, is the difference within the phone for pay-as-you-go & contract. I have a contract with Orange and have been supplied with a free Sony Xperia SP which I don't want, so am free to sell. But when I approach retailers and ask for a SIM free phone they will only sell me a PAYG phone and I then have to put in my contract SIM. So my understanding is that there is actually no difference except that some phones are locked to specific networks, so they could offer me a contract phone for the Orange (EE) network? But they won't!

Harry there are plenty of sites where you can buy unlocked phones.

Yes thanks, but the main question (just to satisfy my curiosity) is why do they always insist that I can only buy a PAYG phone, locked or unlocked? Different software?

I'm not sure exactly what the problem is - you can buy an unlocked phone of your choice and put your contract SIM in it.

'Cos, as far as I can see, not all models are offered on both deals and also I don't want to be stuck with a PAYG phone if it doesn't do everything a contract phone will do. I confess I have never had a PAYG phone, so don't know if it will or won't.
Oh, and I have also spotted that SIM cards are now different sizes! SIM & mini SIM!!!

Our family have all swapped over to buying smart phones outright and then putting giffgaff chips in them. My son gets genuinely unlimited data for his iPhone 4s for £12/month with 250 minutes and unlimited texts. We can all ring each other for free and any other giffgaff phone. I just pay £5 for my package a month and when I am rung, I get 1 minute added to my total of 60 mins for every minute they are on the phone.

The service runs over O2 and is run by its members

Plans

http://giffgaff.com/goodybags

Whatever you do HARRY, don't buy a PAYG phone with 3 Mobile, I had a nightmare with them!

Hi guys

I am on a golf week at Wychwood Park hotel which has wifi.

Does anyone know how I can get my XP laptop to use wifi via my chromebook?

I have a cable to connect between chromebook and laptop. (I forgot to bring dongle thingie for Laptop but chromebook works fine)

Chromebook OS does not support Java so I cant get L2 , Stockwatch etc. Which is why I need both machines.

Bob

Presumably your laptop doesn't have a Network card in it to access the Wi-Fi router at the hotel, hence the dongle?
Got to admit I haven't come across anyone wanting to piggyback one machine onto another. How about just using the Wi-Fi on your mobile phone whilst hacking around the golf course?

Or just enjoy the golf! :-)

Did you eventually buy the 32" F4500 Series 4 Smart LED TV skinny?
One of my elderly freeview digiboxes (feeding a CRT telly) is starting to give me problems, so having a look around for something suitable.

Yes - I've had it a few days - it is very good, especially the ability to use I-player, YouTube and the like.

It looks and feels very familiar.

One plus point is that I replaced my freeview box in December as the one I had refused to work.

I tried a couple of 'one remote does all' without any success, so just put it in the garage.

I thought I'd try it on the new TV and low and behold it works, so I now have both boxes connected - the newer Humax via HDMI and the older box via scart.

iPod Nano battery is now not holding charge. I know you can buy battery packs and do it yourself. Has anyone actually done it though for a Nano? It looks as though the battery connections need soldering for this model!

Good Luck! Installing iPod Nano 4th Generation Battery Replacement

Thanks skinny! That's the site I first looked at. Excellent site for the DIYer.

I have done the job. I bought the battery and the kit of tools from EBay. It worked pretty well.

What about the soldering? Not all of the Nano's need a soldering iron, I believe, but am not sure which generation I have. Also you say 'pretty well' !!! If there is potential for bu**ering it up, I would prefer to pay someone else to do it, but £60 at Apple for a gadget that cost £110 is a bit steep!

I had no problems. I have a soldering iron with a micro tip. I have done an IPod touch as well.

Come on Harry - man up! :-)