If you’re considering buying a new flatscreen television, chances are you’re weighing up between an LCD TV and a plasma TV. Hopefully this guide to buying an LCD TV can help.

LCD TV technology

LCD TVs consist of liquid crystal cells spread between the two thin glass panels of the television plus a lamp behind the screen. TFTs supply electricity to the cells, which allows the crystals to twist and filter white light from the lamp. This twisting action prevents burn-in or ghosting on-screen, which is often seen with plasma TVs. LCD TVs render colour by blocking certain wavelengths from the white light.

The higher the voltage of the light used in the LCD TV, the more effectively the cells are able to filter the light. Hence higher voltages are required to produce very rich blacks and brilliant whites. This is measured by something called a contrast ratio. The higher the contrast ratio, the better blacks and whites will appear on-screen.

LCD TV screen size and space considerations

LCD TVs are generally available in smaller sizes than plasma TVs, given that it’s hard to produce a quality larger screen using liquid crystals. While this is improving, a general rule of thumb is to consider LCD TVs for screens under 50-inches and plasma TVs for those over 50-inches.

You should also consider the space in which you’re going to be installing your new TV. Bigger is not always better, especially in a smaller space. A large television can overwhelm its surroundings and can be uncomfortable to watch if you don’t have to room to sit at an appropriate distance.

LCD TVs have also been hampered by narrower viewing angles in the past, so if your living room viewing area extends out to the sides, viewers sitting closer to the side may have trouble viewing.

LCD TV response time

Another figure you will see quoted in your quest for a new LCD TV is response time, measured in milliseconds (ms). A lower response time is considered better as a higher response time will cause fast-moving images to blur slightly.

LCD TV and HDTV

Just because you see the term “HD” or “high-definition” used somewhere in connection with an LCD TV, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting full high-definition. To be sure of what you’re getting, check the native resolution of the screen, which refers to the number of pixels that can fit on the screen. True HD is defined as 1920×1080 pixels, which also appears as 1080p and Full HD. However other resolutions are also classified as being high-definition, including 1366×768 and 120×720 (also known as 720p).

To the untrained eye, these lower forms of high-definition won’t prove much different to view than Full HD screens. And don’t forget, there’s no point having a high-definition TV unless you have a high-definition source to feed it, such as a Blu-ray player or HD broadcast.

Best LCD TVs

While there are many manufacturers of LCD TVs around today, several are considered to be leaders in the field. The Sony Bravia range of LCD TVs is well regarded, as are Sharp and Samsung LCD TVs. Pictured here is one of the Sony Bravia EX600 Series LCD TVS.

Buy a cheap LCD TV on sale

By Caroline Warnes

The new Olympus E-PL1 offers good value as a sub-$1000 Micro Four Thirds digital camera.

For $999, the Olympus E-PL1 attempts to offer the handling of a compact digital camera with the image quality and lens interchangeability of an SLR. This is thanks to the 4/3 LiveMOS image sensor chip, a specification that the Micro Four Thirds system shares with the Four Thirds system. The main difference between Micro Four Thirds (used exclusively by Olympus and Panasonic) and Four Thirds is the more compact size of the former.

Micro Four Thirds cameras are generally lighter than dSLR cameras but heavier and bulkier than your standard compact digital camera, and the E-PL1 is no exception. It weighs in at just under 350g when no lenses are attached. The camera is available in a variety of lens configurations, the most basic of which is a 14-42mm lens.

The good news is that the Olympus E-PL1’s image quality is excellent - definitely on a par with what you’d expect from a more expensive dSLR camera. The bad news is that performance is on the slow side, so if you’re planning on doing a lot of continuous or burst shooting, you will encounter issues.

Other specifications are fairly standard for any digital camera around the $1000 mark - there’s a 2.7-inch 230,000-dot LCD and HD video recording at 720p. Another nice feature is the flash, which can be popped up by pressing a slider underneath.

Buy a cheap Olympus digital camera in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift but don’t have time to get to the shops, then Lovable has free shipping at its online store until the big day (May 9).

Lovable’s new winter range is now available online, plus there’s a nice selection of sale items, so you should find something that catches your fancy.

Personally I’m getting a bit old and cynical for fancy underwear, so I would be more inclined to go for something functional, such as this moulded contour t-shirt bra.

$49.95 is the same price you’ll pay in-store, but with the free shipping offer, it’s far more convenient to shop from your computer.

Use the code “focship” at the checkout to claim your free shipping.

By Caroline Warnes

We are giving you the chance to win a prize pack for the new horror film “Triangle” in this week’s free Lasoo competition.

Aussie actress Melissa George stars as Jess, who sets sail on a yacht with a group of friends, but can’t shake the feeling that there is something wrong. Her suspicions are realised when the yacht hits a storm and the group is forced to board a passing ocean liner to get to safety, a ship Jess is convinced she’s been on before. The ship appears deserted, the clock on board has stopped, but they are not alone… Someone is intent on hunting them down, one by one. And Jess unknowingly holds the key to end the terror.

To celebrate the release of the film, we are giving away a “Triangle” prize pack, which consists of an Admit 1 pass to see the film, plus an Insomnia DVD pack, containing four horror titles (”Paranormal Activity”, “The Broken”, “Severance” and “Splinter”). Four runners up will also receive an Admit 1 to see the film at either Dendy Newtown, Canberra or Portside.

To enter to win this fantastic prize, tell us in 25 words or less using the form below about the scariest movie you’ve ever seen. The best answer will win. The competition closes next Thursday.

“Triangle” opens on April 29, 2010 in select Dendy cinemas..

Competition terms and conditions

If, like me, you’ve realised it’s time to start stocking up on winter basics, then I have some good news for you.

And if, like me, you recently accidentally threw out a new pair of jeans instead of an old unwearable pair of jeans, then it will be even better news.

Starting today, Jeanswest is reducing all styles of men’s and women’s jeans to just $65, excluding the Selvedge range. This offer will be valid for at least a fortnight.

I’m thinking I’m going to have to invest in the Taylor slim bootcut style to replace my own recently dearly departed jeans.

The offer is valid both online and at your nearest Jeanswest store.

By Caroline Warnes

The new HTC HD Mini touchscreen smartphone really does prove that good things come in small packages.

Weighing in at a touch over 100g, the HTC HD Mini is compact enough for most bags - even small ones - not to mention most pockets as well. In fact, the manufacturer claims this phone is aimed at anyone who wants a smaller version of the HTC HD2 phone.

Like its big brother, the HD Mini features a capacitive touchscreen capable of multi-touch gestures, including pinch and zoom, as popularised by the Apple iPhone. It measures in at 3.2-inches with 320×480 HVGA resolution and performs well in most situations - you’ll barely notice the screen’s smaller size. Coupled with the touchscreen is HTC’s proprietary Sense user interface, which is very intuitive and a pleasure to use.

The multitude of connectivity options also weigh in on the plus side for the HD Mini, which has support for HSDPA up to 7.2Mbps, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There’s also GPS.

In terms of multimedia, the HD Mini come with a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, but unfortunately no flash. It also comes with a YouTube app pre-installed, and you can download more apps from the Windows Marketplace.

On the down side, the HTC HD Mini runs the WM6.5 operating system. Unfortunately, this Windows Mobile operating system will be outdated by the end of the year when handsets with the latest WP7 OS begin to hit the market. As you’d expect from a Windows Mobile phone, it comes with the basic Office features plus an Opera browser for surfing the web.

The HTC HD Mini has a recommended retail price of $1019.

Buy a cheap HTC phone on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

I’ve literally just walked out of our regular Monday morning Lasoo meeting where it was revealed that “Cooper St Cirque Spliced Dress” was one of the most popular searches on the site over the past week.

This is rather bizarre considering that the most popular search terms are usually far more generic, like “Wii” or “Apple iPod Touch”.

This dress must really be something for people to be specific in searching for it, I thought to myself, so naturally I had to check it out as soon as I got back to my desk.

Frankly, I’m a little disappointed. Yeah, the dress is okay, but I was expecting something far more magical. It is reduced by 30% to $110, which makes it slightly more exciting.

If this style of dress is your cup of tea, you can pick it up from Myer.

By Caroline Warnes

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is the manufacturer’s first Google Android phone, and it has finally arrived in Australia.

Yet another entry in the long list of aspiring iPhone killers, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 features one of the best touchscreens on the market, weighing in at 4-inches across with 854×480 pixel resolution. Throw in the excellent 8.1-megapixel camera, included 8GB microSD card and 3.5mm headphone jack and you have a strong multimedia offering.

Then there is Sony Ericsson’s Google Android interface. It’s divided into “Timescape” - which you use to access anything relating to communication, from SMS and email to social media applications such as Facebook; and “Mediascape” - which, as the name suggests, houses all of the media functionality and content, such as music, videos and photos. It’s a good idea in theory, but in practice, Timescape can be a little clumsy to use. Still, it looks great. Meanwhile, Mediascape is a resounding success.

Aside from some performance issues with Timescape, everything else works smoothly, including web browsing and call quality. Overall, this is a decent Google Android phone that looks great but doesn’t quite reach the performance heights of phones from other manufacturers working with the platform.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10’s Australian recommended retail price is $1099.

Buy a cheap Sony Ericsson phone on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

Once winter hits, I always wish I could pretty much live out my life from the comfort of my doona.

Well, it appears that this year could be the year that I get one step closer to achieving my dream. For I have just discovered Blu Moose feather down slippers, which are made of 100% feather and down and are billed as being “doonas for your feet”.

They are available for women, men and kids and come in two different varieties - one with an ugg boot-like sole and one with a lightweight non-slip sole for wearing around the house. Both styles retail for $49.95. Plus, use the code “mother” at the checkout to get 20% off your order.

Definitely a step up from ugg boots for staying warm this winter. I will definitely be purchasing a pair.

Blu Moose slippers can be bought online through the website, or from stockists in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

By Caroline Warnes

If you’re looking for an ultra-affordable universal remote, for the new Logitech Harmony 300 is the way to go.

At $59.95, the Harmony 300 is Logitech’s most affordable universal remote yet, and is significantly cheaper than its triple figure stablemates.

Of course, with this price tag, you can’t expect to get the comprehensive features of Logitech’s higher-end models (though Logitech markets this remote as being for “people with simpler home-entertainment needs”). What that translates to is control of only four compatible components at once. The Harmony 300 is compatible with more than 225,000 devices from 5000-plus manufacturers. Also missing from the remote is an LCD screen.

One handy feature is the “Watch TV” button. With the press of one button the Harmony 300 will turn on your TV and cable box in seconds. Also handy is the arrangement of the buttons on the remote - they’re grouped by how you use them. The buttons for watching DVD are all together, for example.

Simplicity really is the key when it comes to the Logitech Harmony 300, even when it comes to programming it. You simply connect the remote to your computer via USB, visit the My Harmony website and select the components you want to program. The website does the rest for you.

Buy a cheap Logitech Harmony remote on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes