Shop Junction Blog

In recent years, broadband or ADSL connections have become the standard for Internet connectivity. It is true that broadband has speeded up everyone’s web browsing and, in most cases, connection reliability has also improved. However, connections are not foolproof and there are times when ADSL struggles, perhaps if you are a long way from the local BT exchange or for other reasons [it is an inherently old wired telephone network that we are using after all!)

I have been having problems with my ADSL line for some time and it looks like it might be related to noise on the line causing my router to go walkabout approximately once a day. After a useful discussion with the helpful chaps at Zen Internet (hugely more helpful than my previous broadband provider), it appears that I need to make several improvements to my home office set-up. This is what I bought:

1. BT I-Plate for improved filtering on my BT master telephone socket.
2. NTE5 Master Telephone Socket because my house, although quite modern, only has the old sockets.
3. Netgear DG834G Wireless Modem Router because it copes better with noise on the line apparently… and it is a newer router/modem than my old Zyxel Prestige 600

Hopefully, this little lot will improve my broadband connection. Fingers crossed!

I was visiting my local supermarket the other day and I bought a new laptop;  it was rather an impulse buy I have to say. To be truthful, I have been ‘deciding what laptop to buy’ for a few weeks now so it was not as much of an impulse buy as it might have been. The price was right and the specification was above my minimum requirements. Credit card ready!

However, my purchase left me thinking that only a few years ago, buying a laptop from the local supermarket would have been unheard of. In those days, the weekly food shop was the main thing, but now …. it seems that anything goes. My local supermarket has recently been converted into a much larger version by the creation of an upstairs floor even though, from the outside of the building, there does not appear to be enough space for an additional level! The new space has all those ‘extra’ items that we have to buy…..

I believe this is what is called ‘progress’ in some quarters but is called ‘foul’ by other retailers who complain that supermarkets are muscling in on their territory. I don’t know who wins the argument but the situation is unlikely to stop here. Things have certainly changed from a few years ago.

PS: The laptop was a Sony Vaio NS10 which you can buy from several computer outlets including Comet [and your local supermarket in some cases!]

We replaced our old washing machine with a Bosch washing machine recently. We chose the Bosch WAE24363GB from Sainsburys Kitchen Appliances because we had read that Bosch were good machines and we already had a Bosch fridge that has worked well.

The reviews of the Bosch WAE24363GB were pretty good and in our experience it has been impressively efficient and very reliable so far. It’s difficult to get too excited about something as domestic as a washing machine but the Bosch is quiet and seems to just get on with the job. It’s easy to programme and clothes come out quite dry even on the lower spin speeds.

One thing that is a good idea with the Bosch is that spin speeds can be changed during the wash cycle if you need a higher speed. Another good feature is that the machine tells you how much time is left during each wash.

It’s a big improvement over the old machine!