Dubai: If you think your monthly phone bills, daily gaming or nightly movies are eating away your hard-earned money, it is time to change your gadget habits. Experts suggest some ways how you can get your regular dose of technology without breaking the bank.
Phone calls
Save money on long-distance calls by using messenger applications such as MSN or Yahoo. Social networking sites such as Facebook are also a fast and cost-saving way to stay in touch with friends and loved ones far away. If you have an iPhone, the application called Viber will allow you to make free or cheap international phone calls, according to some digital-savvy expats. Also, services such as BlackBerry Messenger and WhatsApp allows the exchange of messages without having to pay for an SMS service.
Data storage
External hard drives are expensive and it can be annoying to carry around flash drives. Consider saving your files virtually using Dropbox (www.dropbox.com). It allows you to access your files whether you're using a personal computer or a mobile device. In addition, you can share files with people via a link even if they don't have a Dropbox account. So now you can throw your USB stick in the bin.
Movies
Some services that let you watch unlimited films online for a monthly fee don't work in this part of the world. However, IMBD.com is said to be the best movie resource which allows you to search films and view trailers. It also has a huge database of reviews and ratings on films, so before you waste precious dirhams on a bad movie or on iTunes, check out viewers' comments. Some movie buffs refuse to go for anything with a rating below six.
Video games
If you're a hardcore video gamer, you might not appreciate Angry Birds and Farmville, but for children, these titles should cut it. There are also various titles available on tablet devices that cost a lot less compared to games for major consoles. A new video game for an Xbox or Playstation can cost more than Dh200 at retail stores. If you play on your PC, you can enjoy good quality games for less. At store.steampowered.com, games are sold at discounted prices, so you can enjoy nine games for under $30 (Dh110)
Music
Try 8tracks.com, where you can listen to music for free. The site lets you share your songs from your iTunes library or similar, and listen to other people's collection wherever you are, on your PC or smartphone. There are currently about a quarter of a million mixes you can explore. For professionals, soundcloud.com is a great, user-friendly resource. For Indian/Bollywood music lovers, check out free sites like musicindiaonline.com or mp3hungama.com. There are also music recognition applications for smartphone users, such as Shazam. If you're out in a club or coffee shop and there's a song that sparks your interest but can't quite place the tune, just press a button on your phone and the recognition service will find it.
Gadgets, PC, accessories, components
Buy them cheap in Bur Dubai. Just learn how to haggle and make sure you know what you need. Also, gadgets cost much less if they're purchased in the US, but the problem is you have to pay a fortune on shipping costs.
Mobile phone internet
If you're looking to access the web on your mobile or chat with friends while on the go, BlackBerry has probably got the most economical plans. Check out etisalat's social package. Costing only Dh49 per month, you can chat with your pals without limit. Etisalat and du also offer various other data packages for local and international usage that are reasonably priced without any data caps. For smartphone users on a limited data plan, use a free Wifi network where possible. Also, change your settings to ensure you only download mails or push notifications as you require them, and not keep them on all the time.
Tips courtesy of Alex Hutley; Rijosh Joseph; Ashish Panjabi of Jacky's Electronics and other IT experts.
It pays to recycle that old mobile phone
When you buy a new gadget or device, don't throw the old ones away. You can actually make a few notes if you recycle that old mobile phone or game gadget you've grown tired of.
"Recycling your products when you are buying a replacement can mean not only doing the right thing for the environment, but money in your pockets as well," advises Ashish Panjabi, chief operating officer of Jacky's Electronics.
Panjabi says there are many retailers willing to pay you for recycling your old mobile phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, gaming consoles or laptop computers.
And while you're out shopping for a new device, don't forget to take into account your electricity bill. It makes sense to choose only energy-efficient devices, if possible.
