The least expensive--and most common--type of jumbo TV is a rear-projection set. Some projection sets have three cathode-ray picture tubes (CRTs), smaller versions of the tubes used in conventional sets. The images from those small tubes are projected onto the back of a 42- to 70-plus-inch screen, hence the name rear-projection TV. Microdisplay sets use liquid-crystal display (LCD), digital light processing (DLP), or liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) technology in place of CRTs. These TVs are slimmer, lighter, and more expensive than comparable CRT-based sets. More of them are appearing in stores, and their prices are starting to drop.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Major brands include Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, RCA, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba.

The smallest sets, measuring about 42 inches diagonally, offer only a few more inches of screen than a conventional 36-inch set. Rear-projection sets with 50- to 60-inch screens are the best sellers. The largest of these TVs have screens measuring 70 inches or more. Keep in mind that a set with a 57-inch screen could be overwhelming in a modest-sized room. CRT-based sets are floor-standing units about 24 to 30 inches deep that take up about 8 square feet of floor space. They weigh about 200 pounds and are mounted on wheels. Microdisplay models may require a stand. Most are about 15 to 20 inches deep and weigh about 100 pounds.

Most rear-projection sets now on the market are digital (HD-capable) sets, but there may still be a few analog models. Both types can accept regular TV signals, but HD-capable sets can best display the superior images you get from DVD players and from HD sources (antenna, satellite, digital cable, or digital-video players/recorders). HD-capable sets generally cost a few hundred dollars more than comparably sized analog models. Most have a wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio that resembles a movie-theater screen.

Within the HD category, there are three types of TV sets.

HD-ready sets. Also called HDTV monitors, these sets can display standard-definition analog programs (which still account for most non-prime-time TV broadcasts) on their own. To display digital programs, they require a digital tuner to decode those broadcasts. If you’re getting your HD programming from cable or satellite, your digital cable box or satellite receiver has the appropriate digital decoder built in. All you have to do is connect your HD-ready TV to the box and you’re all set. Cable companies charge a small rental fee for digital or HD-capable boxes. To receive HD via satellite, you need an HD receiver and special dish antenna(e). Together, these cost about $300, but you may be able to get them from the satellite company at little or no charge as part of a promotion.

You can also get digital broadcasts, including HD, over the air, via an antenna. To do so, you’ll have to buy a digital tuner called an ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) tuner--the external box costs a few hundred dollars. However, there’s no charge for service as there is with cable or satellite. Some satellite receivers also offer a built-in ATSC digital tuner. To receive digital programming via antenna, you must be fairly close to a transmitter, with an unobstructed view. With digital signals, you’ll either have a clear, strong signal or none at all.

Integrated HDTV sets. Also called HDTVs, these have the ATSC digital tuner built in, which enables them to decode any digital signals, including HD, with no additional equipment when used with a roof antenna. You may be able to receive the major networks’ HD offerings transmitted over the air in your area, but not the premium channels available on satellite and cable. To get HD via cable or satellite, integrated sets require an HD-capable cable box, CableCard, or satellite receiver--the built-in digital tuner only works for off-air digital broadcasts.

Starting in July of 2005, all new TVs with 36-inch or larger screens --a category covering virtually all projection TVs--were required to have a built-in digital tuner to comply with a government ruling.

Digital-Cable-Ready (DCR) sets. Some new integrated models, called digital-cable-ready (DCR) or plug-and-play sets, can receive digital-cable programming without using a set-top box. For HD and premium cable programming--and possibly for any digital programming--you must insert a CableCard into a slot on the set. You usually have to pay a few dollars a month to rent the card from the cable company. Current DCR TVs are not interactive, so even with a CableCard in the slot they can’t provide features such as an interactive program guide, video on demand, or pay-per-view ordering via remote. Second-generation DCR TVs and CableCards should be here soon, and they’re expected to have two-way capability, allowing for interactive features. Integrated sets typically cost more than HD-ready sets, with digital-cable-ready models costing the most.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Virtually all projection TVs have the features that are now standard on regular 27-inch and larger TVs, plus some features that aren’t so common--such as dual-tuner picture-in-picture (PIP) or a variant side-by-side picture mode.

Most TVs have several types of inputs that handle varying levels of quality. An antenna/cable, VHF/UHF or radio frequency (RF), input is the most basic connection, and it can be used with almost any video source. A composite-video input will give you slightly better picture quality and is often used with a VCR or regular cable box. An S-video input lets you take advantage of the still-better picture quality from a digital-cable box, a satellite-dish system, a DVD player, or a digital camcorder. A component-video input offers superior quality, making this a good choice for progressive-scan DVD players, high-definition satellite receivers, and HD digital-cable boxes that have the corresponding output. Most HDTVs have DVI or HDMI inputs, which provide a high-quality digital connection to devices such as DVD players, digital-cable boxes, and satellite receivers. DVI signals carry only video; HDMI signals carry audio and video on one cable. The digital-to-digital connection may ensure optimal picture quality. These connections allow the content providers to control your ability to record certain programming. Many sets have more than one of a given type of input. Having two or three S-video or component-video inputs is a plus. For a camcorder or video game, front-panel A/V inputs are helpful.

Audio outputs let you direct a TV’s audio signal to a receiver or to self-powered speakers. Integrated digital TVs also include a Dolby Digital audio output for surround sound (available from some digital broadcasts). An automatic volume leveler compensates for the jarring volume jumps that often accompany commercials or changes in channel.

Auto convergence provides a one-touch adjustment to automatically align the three CRTs’ images to form an accurate picture. It’s much more convenient than manual convergence, which can require time-consuming adjustments. Manual convergence does allow finer control, though. The best bet is a set that has both manual and automatic convergence. (Convergence is not necessary on LCD, DLP, or LCoS models.)

Stretch and zoom modes on wide-screen sets will expand or compress an image to better fill the screen shape. This helps to reduce the dark bands that can appear above, below, or on the sides of the image if you watch content that’s not formatted for 16:9 screens. (The picture may be distorted or cut off a bit in the process of stretching and zooming.) Those bars make the picture slightly smaller. On CRT sets (but not LCD, LCoS, or DLP models), the bars can leave “burn in” ghosted images on the screen over time, as can any images left on the screen for long periods--say from a stock ticker.

If you watch many movies, look for a film mode feature on HD sets. This feature is also called 3:2 pulldown compensation or brand-specific names such as CineMotion. This can make moving images that were converted from film to video look less jerky, with less jaggedness around the edges.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Here are some points to consider in choosing a rear-projection TV:

Consider space before settling on screen size. Most rear-projection TVs have screens measuring 42 to 65 inches. You might be tempted by the biggest screens, which can span as much as 70 inches or more, but take a breath--and some measurements--first. Figure out how much floor space you can spare, and plan to view the TV from about 7 to 9 feet away for optimal picture quality.

Weigh depth and price in choosing a display type. Once you know how much room you have, decide whether size or price is more important. CRT-based sets are floor-standing models with deep cabinets mounted on casters. Some take up as much space as an armchair or loveseat. Most microdisplays are tabletop units. You buy a stand separately for a few hundred dollars or more. Would you prefer to save money with a bulkier CRT set or spend more for a slimmer microdisplay?

Consider reliability. CRT technology has been used in rear-projection TVs for years and has generally been quite reliable. Note, though, that any pattern left on a CRT screen for long periods--such as a stock ticker or video game--can burn into the tubes of a CRT-based model, producing a permanent ghosted image on the screen. Most warranties don’t cover burn-in. This problem doesn’t affect other types of rear-projection TVs. Microdisplay technologies are newer and haven’t established a track record for long-term reliability, but they’re not vulnerable to screen burn-in. They may require lamp replacement, however, which can cost a few hundred dollars. Factor these considerations into your decision.

Focus on picture quality. It’s a little harder to find top picture quality in rear-projection TVs than in plasma TVs, so you’ll have to be choosy. The best sets can deliver very good picture quality with HD content and good picture quality for DVDs and regular TV programming. Microdisplays are likely to provide better picture quality than CRT-based models. Within the microdisplay category, we haven’t found that any one projection technology was consistently better than another.

Check the viewing angle. Some new models display a better image from off-center than older sets did--a must if a TV will be watched by several people at once. Some sets have wider viewing angles than others. Before buying one, see how the picture looks if you step off to the side or move up and down. With some, you’ll see a dimmer, somewhat washed-out image as your viewing position angles away, particularly in a vertical direction.

Expect fine sound quality. Many people connect big-screen TVs to an audio system to provide surround sound, so the quality of the TV’s speakers may not be an issue. It may reassure you to know that virtually all the sets we’ve tested recently produced excellent sound. That’s largely because projection sets have bigger speakers than direct-view TVs and bigger cabinets with superior acoustical properties.

Consider installation. Because rear-projection sets are floor-standing units, installation is easier than with front-projection systems or wall-mounted plasma TVs. Still, rear-projection sets are larger and may be somewhat harder to set up than regular TVs, so consider having a professional install your TV.

Weigh the merits of an extended warranty. While extended warranties aren’t worthwhile for most products, they may be for high-priced devices using new technologies. Because microdisplay TVs are costly items that haven’t yet established a track record for reliability, check into the cost of a service plan. Find out whether in-home service is covered and whether a replacement is provided if a set can’t be repaired.

Inkjet printers are now the standard for home-computer output. They can turn out color photos nearly indistinguishable from lab-processed photos, along with banners, stickers, transparencies, T-shirt transfers, and greeting cards. Many produce excellent black-and-white text. With some very good models going for less than $200,inkjets account for the vast majority of printers sold for home use.

Laser printers still have their place in home offices. If you print reams of black-and-white text documents, you probably need the quality, speed, and low per-copy cost of a laser printer.

Printers use a computer’s microprocessor and memory to process data. The latest inkjets and lasers are so fast partly because computers themselves have become more powerful and contain much more memory than before.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

The printer market is dominated by a handful of well-established brands. Hewlett-Packard is the market leader. Other major brands include Brother, Canon, Epson, and Lexmark.

The type of computer a printer can serve depends on its ports. A Universal Serial Bus (USB) port lets a printer connect to Windows or Macintosh computers. A few models have a parallel port, which lets the printer work with older Windows computers. All these printers lack a serial port, which means they won’t work with older Macs.

Inkjet printers. Inkjets use droplets of ink to form letters, graphics, and photos. Some printers have one cartridge that holds the cyan (greenish-blue), magenta, and yellow inks, and a second cartridge for the black ink. Others have an individual cartridge for each ink. For photos, many inkjets also have additional cartridges that contain lighter shades of cyan and magenta inks; some have added red, gray, blue, or green inks.

Most inkjets print at 2 1/2 to 11 pages per minute (ppm) for black-and-white text but are much slower for color photos, taking 1 1/2 to 21 minutes to print a single 8x10. The cost of printing a black-and-white page with an inkjet varies considerably from model to model—ranging from 3 to 7.5 cents. The cost of printing a color 8x10 photo can range from 80 cents to $1.50.

Price range: $80 to $700.

Laser printers. These work much like plain-paper copiers, forming images by transferring toner (powdered ink) to paper passing over an electrically charged drum. The process yields sharp black-and-white text and graphics. Laser printers usually outrun inkjets, cranking out black-and-white text at a rate of 12 to 18 ppm. Black-and-white laser printers generally cost about as much as midpriced inkjets, but they're cheaper to operate. Laser cartridges, about $50 to $100, can print thousands of black-and-white pages for a per-page cost of 2 to 4 cents. Color laser printers are also available. Price range: $150 to $1,000 (black-and-white); $400 and up (color).

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Printers differ in the fineness of detail they can produce. Resolution, expressed in dots per inch (dpi), is often touted as the main measure of print quality. But other factors, such as the way dot patterns are formed by software instructions from the printer driver, count, too. At their default settings—where they’re usually expected to run—inkjets currently on the market typically have a resolution of 600x600 dpi. For color photos the dpi can be increased. Some printers go up to 5,760x1,440 dpi. Laser printers for home use typically offer 600 or 1,200 dpi. Printing color inkjet photos on special paper at a higher dpi setting can produce smoother shading of colors but can slow printing significantly.

Most inkjet printers have an ink monitor to warn when you’re running low. Generic ink cartridges usually costs less, but most produce far fewer prints than the brand-name inks, so per-print costs may not be any lower. And print quality and fade-resistance may not be as good.

For double-sided printing, you can print the odd-numbered pages of a document first, then flip those pages over to print the even-numbered pages on a second pass through the printer. A few printers can automatically print on both sides, but doing so slows down printing.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Be skeptical about advertised speeds. Print speed varies depending on what you’re printing and at what quality, but the speeds you see in ads are generally higher than you’re likely to achieve in normal use. You can’t reliably compare speeds for different brands because each company uses its own methods to measure speed. We run the same tests on all models, printing text pages and photos that are similar to what you might print. As a result, our scores are realistic and can be compared across brands.

Don't get hung up on resolution. A printer’s resolution, expressed in dots per inch, is another potential source of confusion. All things being equal, the more ink dots a printer puts on the paper, the more detailed the image. But dot size, shape, and placement also affect quality, so don't base a decision solely on resolution.

Consider supply costs as well as a printer's price. High ink-cartridge costs can make a bargain-priced printer a bad deal in the long run. Shop around for the best cartridge prices but be wary of off-brands; we have found brand-name cartridges to have better print quality overall, and per-page costs are often comparable.

Glossy photo paper costs about 25 to 75 cents a sheet, so use plain paper for works in progress and save the good stuff for the final results. We’ve gotten the best results using the recommended brand of paper. You may be tempted to buy a cheaper brand, but bear in mind that lower-grade paper can reduce photo quality and may not be as fade resistant.

Decide if you want to print photos without using a computer. Printing without a computer saves you an extra step and a little time. Features such as memory-card support, PictBridge support (a standard that allows a compatible camera to be connected directly to the printer), or a wireless interface are convenient. But when you print directly from camera to printer, you compromise on what may have attracted you to digital photography in the first place—the ability to tweak size, color, brightness, and other image attributes. And with a 4x6 printer, you give up the ability to print on larger media.

Weigh convenience features. Most printers make borderless prints like those from a photo developer. This matters most if you’re printing to the full size of the paper, as you might with 4x6-inch sheets. Otherwise you can trim the edges off.

If you plan to use 4x6-inch paper regularly, look for a printer with a 4x6-inch tray, which makes it easier to feed paper of this size. With these small sheets, though, the cost per photo may be higher than ganging up a few images on 81/2 x11-inch paper.

With some models, if you want to use the photo inks to get the best picture quality, you have to remove the black ink cartridge and replace it with the photo-ink cartridge. Then you have to replace the black for text or graphics. This can get tedious. Models that hold all the ink tanks simultaneously eliminate that hassle.

Consider connections. Printers with USB 2.0 ports are now fairly common. However, they don’t enable much faster print speeds than plain USB. All new computers and printers have either USB or USB 2.0 ports, both of which are compatible. Computers more than six years old may have only a parallel port.

Decide whether you need scanning and copying. A multifunction unit provides scanning and color copying while saving space. The downside is that multifunction units’ scanners may have lower resolution than the latest stand-alone scanners. Stand-alone scanners are best for handling negatives and slides. And if one part of the unit breaks, the whole unit must be repaired or replaced.

A plasma screen is made up of thousands of pixels containing gas that’s converted into “plasma” by an electrical charge. The plasma causes phosphors to glow red, green, or blue, as dictated by a video signal. The result: a colorful display with high brightness and a wider viewing angle than most rear-projection sets and LCD (liquid-crystal display) TVs. Thanks to steady improvements in plasma technology, the best of these sets have excellent or very good picture quality. Some picture-tube TVs still do slightly better with fine detail, color accuracy, and subtle gradations of black and gray, but plasma TVs are coming closer.

However, the picture isn’t all rosy. Like projection TVs using CRT (cathode-ray tube) technology, plasma sets are vulnerable to screen burn-in. Also, plasma sets run hotter and consume more power than any other type of TV. Because plasma sets are relatively new, their long-term reliability is still a question.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

When buying a plasma TV, you’ll face a choice between HD (high definition) and ED (enhanced definition) sets, which cost less. The two types differ in native resolution, meaning the fixed number of pixels on the screen. In a spec like 852x480, note the second number. If it’s 480, the set is ED; 720 or higher, it’s HD. Both types of sets should be capable of up- or down-converting signals to match their native resolution. ED sets can display the full detail of 480p signals such as those output by a progressive-scan DVD player. When connected to an HD tuner, many can down-convert HD signals (which are 720p or 1080i) to suit their lower-resolution screens. While you won’t see true HD, the picture quality can be very good. If you sit too close to an ED set, though, images may appear coarser than on an HDTV, as if you were looking through a screen door.

There’s another major choice. Within the HD category, there are three types of TV sets: HD-ready sets. Also called HDTV monitors, these sets can display standard-definition analog programs (which still account for most non-prime-time TV broadcasts) on their own. To display digital programs, they require a digital tuner to decode those broadcasts. If you’re getting your HD programming from cable or satellite, your digital cable box or satellite receiver has the appropriate digital decoder built in. All you have to do is connect your HD-ready TV to the box and you’re all set. Cable companies charge a small rental fee for digital or HD-capable boxes. To receive HD via satellite, you need an HD receiver and special dish antenna(e). Together, these cost about $300, but you may be able to get them from the satellite company at little or no charge as part of a promotion.

You can also get digital broadcasts, including HD, over the air, via an antenna. To do so, you’ll have to buy a digital tuner called an ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) tuner—the external box costs a few hundred dollars. However, there’s no charge for service as there is with cable or satellite. Some satellite receivers also offer a built-in ATSC digital tuner. To receive digital programming via antenna, you must be fairly close to a transmitter, with an unobstructed view. With digital signals, you’ll either have a clear, strong signal or none at all.

Integrated HDTV sets. These have the ATSC digital tuner built in, which enables them to decode any digital signals, including HD with no additional equipment when used with a roof antenna. You may be able to receive the major networks’ HD offerings transmitted over the air in your area, but not the premium channels available on satellite and cable. To get HD via cable or satellite, integrated sets require an HD-capable cable box, CableCard, or satellite receiver—the built-in digital tuner only works for off-air digital broadcasts. As of July 2005, all new TVs 36 inches and larger--a category covering most plasma TVs—were required to have a built-in digital tuner to comply with a government ruling. Although integrated HDTVs have a digital tuner for off-air programs, most of these sets still require an HD-capable cable box or satellite receiver to get cable or satellite.

Digital-Cable-Ready (DCR) sets. Some new integrated models, called digital-cable-ready (DCR) or plug-and-play sets, can receive digital-cable programming without using a set-top box. For HD and premium cable programming--and possibly for any digital programming--you must insert a CableCard into a slot on the set. You usually have to pay a few dollars a month to rent the card from the cable company. Current DCR TVs are not interactive, so even with a CableCard in the slot they can’t provide features such as an interactive program guide, video on demand, or pay-per-view ordering via remote. Second-generation DCR TVs and CableCards should be here soon, and they’re expected to have two-way capability, allowing for interactive features. Integrated sets typically cost more than HD-ready sets, with digital-cable-ready models costing the most.

Among the brands in the plasma TV category are Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba. Prices have dropped sharply over the past year or two. At publication time, HD-ready models with 40- to 44-inch screens, the best-selling size, were going for $3,000 to $5,000 or more. TVs with 50-inch or larger screens were selling for $4,500 and up. Look for prices to fall further, now that companies such as Dell and ViewSonic have expanded from the computer arena into TVs with aggressive pricing.

Welcome to part 2 of can I get a free iPod? If I have not read the first part I recommend you do so. I explained how companies can make a lot of money by giving away free iPods. To see how lucrative this can be, the following example may a bit eye opening.

Now this won't be a perfect example and we will have to make a few assumptions to make it a bit simpler but it should give you an idea as to why there are so many companies that want to give away free iPods.

For this example, let's assume that we go to a company claiming to be giving away a $150 iPod nano if we ourselves sign-up for two promotional offers and get five friends to do the same. Also, that there are one hundred people interested in this offer, they each sign-up for their two offers and that everybody is as good as everyone else at getting other people to sign-up under them. Finally, that the promotion companies pay the iPod giveaway company $15 per completed offer, for a total $30 ($15 each offer) X (Two offers completed per person interested in a free iPod).

Let's look at the numbers, person #1 signs-up for the offer so there are now 99 people left who are interested in the offer. Person #1 then gets five more people to sign-up under him so there are 94 (99-5) people left interested in the offer and person #1 gets the first iPod. Persons #2-6 have now completed the offers and have each signed-up five friends, so there are now 69 (94-5(5)) people left interested in the offer and iPods #2-6 have been sent out. These 25 people now try to sign-up five friends each, but find they can't because they need a total of 125 (5(25)) interested people, but there are now only 69 people left who are interested.

Assuming the remaining 69 people sign-up, the company giving away the iPods will be very happy along with persons #1-6, who each got their iPod at a discount. However, persons #7-100 got nothing and instead they had to pay money out of their own pockets to participate. So, overall the company received $3,000 ($30(1,000)) from completed offers but only gave away $900 (6($150)) worth of iPod nanos. This results in a nice profit of $2,100. No bad for giving away a free iPod and this does not even include the extra revenue that the company will earn from selling your e-mail and other personal information.

Although, this is just a simple example and real world offers will vary in their requirements, numbers, gift amounts, etc. they are clearly a bad deal unless you are the company itself or one of the people at the top of the pyramid. Now, I know some people will read this and still think that they can get in at the top or somehow get enough people to sign-up under them. I say good luck, but if you are determined to sign-up for these offers here is some advice.

Tip 1 – Sign-up early for a new offer, as we saw the only way to get your free iPod or other gift is to be one of the few people at the top of the pyramid.

Tip 2 – Do not use your real e-mail address, since you will get tons and tons of spam and other e-mail advertisements.

Tip 3 – Give out as little personal information as possible, because the company will most likely sell this information to other marketers.

I hope this clears up any questions you had about whether or not you should sign-up for one of these offers. If you haven't done so, I would recommend not doing it. If you have, I am sorry but you are most likely going to see many, many marketing offers in your future. Either way good luck and remember you don't get something for nothing.

Are you looking for table tennis clips? The internet is a great source of online stores where you could buy International Table Tennis Federation approved table tennis products and accessories. You can find in the internet a variety of clips like the Stiga Clipper Net and Post Set which packages quality table tennis nets and posts.

Another great set is the Dunlop Easyclip Table Tennis Net and Post Set. This set is an easy assembly set and can be quickly set up on the table. There are a lot of clippers, net and post sets that have easy to assemble features which makes them quite perfect for venues like in schools, sports centers, and table tennis clubs.

Other well known brands include the Donic clips, Tibhar, Joola, DHS, TMS and Andro. Most of these brand names offer other table tennis equipment aside from the nets, clips and posts. Joola for example have Anti-Topspin, Antispin Long Pips, Antispin Soft paddles.

Like what have been mentioned earlier, you can practically find everything online. Online sports stores offer great discounts and will give you a great choice of reputable brand names. Just browse the product catalogues of various online stores and chances are you'll get what you need.

Aside from table tennis clips and nets one needs tables that are regulation size. The ITTF sets that standard of a table to dimensions of 274 cm × 152.5 cm × 76 cm high. The playing area also set to an area 14m long by 7m wide and 5m high.

The ITTF finds it restrictive to allow players to play in an area less than that. The area would be too small and players will not be able to move freely. Tables are either painted green or dark blue, some tables are painted black.

The standard table tennis balls weigh only a mere 2.7 gram. The 40 mm diameter ball is basically hollow. Originally the size of the ball was 38 mm in diameter. The standard ball size was changed at the 2003 World Table Tennis Championship.

The regulation size table tennis ball is made of a high-bouncing hollow celluloid ball. The color of the balls is either white or orange depending on the color of the table.

Paddles or rackets are about 10 inches long. Paddles have a thin layer of rubber and a sort of sponge in between which allows players to give the ball ample speed and spin. Both sides of the paddle have the layer or rubber and sponge. Table tennis manufacturers have been creating various types of rubber material which will help maximize the athletes' playing capabilities.

The right combination of materials enhances playing performance. Aside from rubber, manufacturers are now using materials like kevlar, arylate, titanium, aluminum and aramid.

Another equally important aspect of the table tennis equipment and accessory is the grip of the shoe. Grip is important, if you slide too much the player is in danger of sliding all the way if the grip is too much the player's movement will be heavily restricted.

Sometimes, however, the floor is too slippery or too rough. That is why some athletes, the serious ones it seem, have several pairs of shoes to help them compensate varying floor conditions.

It would be best to get specific information on product reviews to ensure that what you will be buying is the thing that you really need.

I am sure if you are reading this first part of the two part article that you have seen tons of offers for free iPods or more recently iPhones or many other related electronic devices. If you have not signed up for any of these offers you may be wondering if they are legitimate or not. If you have you signed up for one you may be wondering how you can stop the flood of e-mails that arrive in your inbox everyday.

Before I can answer either question we should first look at why companies would want to give you a free iPod in the first place. The simple answer is that they want to give you a "free" iPod because they can make money doing it. This may seem counterintuitive, so let me explain.

The way most of these offers work is that they first ask you for your e-mail address or zip code to see if you qualify. Not surprisingly everyone who lives in the United States qualifies and sometimes people living in Canada, Australia or the UK may qualify as well. The catch is that to get your iPod you have to complete a few promotional offers from their sponsors, as well as, get five of your friends to do the same.

Now this still may seem like a good deal, who cares if you have to spend $20 or $30 to complete the offers, it is still way less than the $150 for a brand new iPod nano. However, the problem lies in the fact that five of your friends also have to complete the offers. The obvious result of this is, is a classic pyramid scheme, where only a few people at the top will ever see their iPod. At some point it will be impossible to find five friends who are also interested in a free iPod who have not already signed up for this kind of offer.

The companies giving away free iPods make money from these offers in three ways. First, and most obviously these companies will go and sell the e-mail and other information you provided to other marketing firms that will send you more advertisements through e-mail, direct mail or telemarketing. Second, the iPod offering company gets money from the promotions you must complete. They usually make between $10 and $30 per completed promotional offer from the advertiser, who in turn hopes to make money by having you continue using their product or service after the promotional period has ended.

Finally, the company makes money from all the promotions your friends complete as well. This becomes especially lucrative once the pyramid has become sufficiently large enough. To see an example why as well as tips to make the most of this bad situation please read part 2 of this article.