| Service Comparisons & Reviews |
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Best Online DVD Rental Services: Blockbuster vs. Netflix:
Most of the marketing material online shows Blockbuster as costing less per month than Netflix, but these marketing pieces may not be comparing apples to apples. The most popular plan – unlimited movie rentals with 3 DVD’s out at a time, cost the same $17.99 per month at Netflix as it does at Blockbuster. In fact, Blockbuster actually costs more than Netflix because Blockbuster charges taxes on the monthly rate while Netflix does not....
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Best Satellite Radio Services: Sirius vs. XM Satellite Radio:
Unless you’re pre-paying for years in advance, the prices of the two services aren’t just close; they’re identical up to the 2 year mark. Beyond 2 years, Sirius offers a lifetime subscription at $499.00 while XM offers a 3, 4, and 5 year prepaid subscription plan that costs substantially more at $359.64, $ 479.52, and $ 599.40 relatively.... |
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Best Internet Phone (VOIP) Services: Vonage vs. SunRocket:
A lot of the marketing hype talks up the fact that Vonage offers a lot more features than Sunrocket. Features such as caller ID, call transfer and click to call computer calling may just be valuable enough to spend the extra $8 or $9 bucks a month. Sunrocket is more of a bare-bones basic, good old fashioned value provider. They do offer add-ons, but once you start adding them to your plate and making international calls, making the price not so competitive with Vonage... |
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Best Online Music Download Services: Napster vs. Rhapsody:
There are hardcore fans on either side of Napster vs. Rhapsody debate, but there are others who have spoken out about the real issues with the two music download companies. The biggest complaint among those who have tried Rhapsody is slow download time and poor quality of music with .wma files. On the flipside, the most common gripe among those who have tried both Napster and Rhapsody is the fact that Napster tends to have a more limited selection... |
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Best Music CD Clubs: BMG vs. YourMusic.com:
The obvious allure of music clubs is the promise of a mailbox full of free CDs. But are they really free? It’s hard not to rack your brain trying to figure out how you may end up paying for these free CDs in shipping charges and potentially overpriced CD’s that you’re committed to buying later.... |
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Best Online Video Game Rental Services: GameFly vs. GottaPlay:
On the surface, GameFly and GottaPlay look pretty much the same, except for the slight variation in price. GottaPlay charges $20.95 per month for unlimited game rentals and 2 games checked out at any time while GameFly rings in a buck higher at $21.95 per month. Should you prefer to check out just one game per month, the price difference increase to 2 bucks with GameFly again being the higher priced option... |
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Best Satellite TV Services: Dish Network vs. DirecTV:
Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer all of the favorite movie channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, etc. Both offer HD programming, but Dish Network outnumbers DirecTV in number of HD channels, beating them 25 to 8. The big difference in terms of selection is the variety of packages... |
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Best High Speed Internet Service: Cable vs. DSL:
DSL used to be the big buzzword in fast internet until cable came around. Maybe that’s why people still think DSL and cable internet are equally comparable. At the time when most people were using dial up, DSL seemed to perform at light lightning speed. But now that the excitement of leaving behind dial up is over and “instantly” isn’t fast enough for us... |
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Best Ringtone Service: Jamster vs. Playphone:
You want to buy a ringtone, but where is the best place online to buy them? There are lots of companies online selling ringtones, but Jamster and Playphone have emerged as the top rivals in the industry. But which to choose when both seem... |
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Best Online Movie Downloading Service: MovieLink vs. CinemaNow:
When factoring the cost, keep in mind that the price per rental is for a 24 hour viewing period. Whether you choose MovieLink or CinemaNow, you can store movies on your harddrive for up to 30 days, but only have a 24 hour period in which to watch the movie once you open the file for viewing... |
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Best Computer Security Software: Norton vs. McAfee:
Standard Windows security tools aren’t enough for today’s internet. The two main contenders for best computer security software are Norton 360 and McAfee Total Protection 2007. Best Buys chose Norton 360 over Norton Internet Security 2007 since the latter is overkill for most users. |
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Best Cell Phone Service Providers: Verizon vs. Cingular:
The best provider in the world is useless if you can’t get a signal, so Best Buys considers network coverage the critical feature. Verizon uses a CMDA network, which provides wider coverage throughout the US particularly in rural areas, but provides limited access in other countries. Cingular opted for a GSM network. The GSM system provides extensive global coverage. However GSM within the US tends to cover only metropolitan areas so Cingular is available in fewer areas than Verizon. |
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Best Online Dating Websites: Match vs. eHarmony:
Our Best Buys reviewer immediately saw a difference in the kind of hookups they favor. Match.com is a traditional dating service. You filter members by factors like age and location then scan pictures. eHarmony is about long term relationships. Your Relationship Questionnaire generates a personality profile which is compared to others to measure compatibility. |
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Best Online Picture Priting Sites: Snapfish vs. Clark Color:
Just about everyone owns a digital camera even it’s just in a phone. Not everyone wants the expense of a photo printer but there are plenty of online services that allow you to upload your pictures and will send you the prints in a few days. Best Buys reviewed Snapfish and Clark Color to find the best online picture printing sites. |
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