The Downside Of Being Honest

1.1k · June 17, 2004

Having busted my arm and being very bored at home, I thought the time had come for me to properly read the instructions for my iPAQ 3950 - just to see what it could do other than play games...............

I bought it in April 2003 and so it has Pocket PC 2002 on it. I thought I'd upgrade it to PPC 2003. You can probably imagine my surprise when I found that to Americans the upgrade costs $29.95, Europeans (although not the UK apparently) 49 Euros and to me £49.35!!!! :unsure:

Have I failed the idiot test again or are we being taken for mugs?

If anyone has PPC 2003 - is it worth me upgrading?

3.3k · June 17, 2004

I have 2003 on my new iPAQ which is charging at this moment. My old one had 2002. Initial thoughts when comparing it to the demo in the shop are that there is little difference. I'll let you know in a week or so though.

June 17, 2004

No, you've not failed the idiot test and yes we are being taken for a ride - as we are with just about everything here in the UK. For another hobby a friend of mine used to market his software at almost twice the price here in the UK that he charged in the US. When I asked why he said "Because people here are prepared to pay that much; in the US they won't". What it means is that WE are the dopes for paying the money! It happens with just about any consumer item......

1k · June 17, 2004

It's the same with those "official" music download sites that have set different rates for the US, EU & UK :unsure: . They will have zero uptake in the UK because internet users aren't as dumb as your average pie muncher in the street! :blink:

Just downloading the latest top 10 now .... I'll let you guess where from! :lol:

Cheers!

Seasider

24.7k · June 17, 2004

2003 is more stable however it has a couple of bugs. 2003 second edition fixes those bugs but the word from HP is that 2003 SE won't be made availble for your "fossil" of a PDA. I'm in the same boat.

As a bonus much of your PDA software will also need upgrading to run correctly. It's amazing how much incompatibility I ran accross when making the change.

My advice is stick with 2002 until your software forces you to upgrade. Then consider a new PDA.

1.8k · June 17, 2004

Having busted my arm and being very bored at home.

Is there some sort of broken arm plague?

Me, you, a PBEM opponent - whatch out - who is next?

1.2k · June 17, 2004

In the UK its almost a sport to see how much you can gouge for products. I think its all part of maintaining the class structure there. :unsure:

June 17, 2004

the itunes bloke was on radio 2 yesterday and said that the reason it was more expensive was because they need to have hardware, people, resources in the uk etc....They also said theyd have to pay higher royalties.

Don't see why because whats the difference between a server in the uk and one in the usa to most downloaders?

Anyway - can't use itunes in the states cos they won't accept uk address/ccards - and they wonder why people use illegal sites....

And dont get me started on the price of tomtom

June 17, 2004

Hi.

I bought a Garmin iQue 3600 recently and was amazed at the price difference between here and the US. I'd have to pay about £550-580 here, but I got a friend to buy me one in the US (as she was coming over to the UK soon after) and it cost me £244!! The only downside is that I had to buy the European City Select software for it (it comes with the iQue if bought in Europe), but that only cost me another £80! It's $300 but each copy can be registered twice so I went Dutch with a friend and we paid 50/50.

If Bush manages to stay in power, there is ONE benefit at least - the US$ will remain weak, and possibly get weaker, so buying things from the US will be even cheaper for us foreigners!! But we'll have to watch our backs.....who knows who he'll be attacking next! :unsure:

June 17, 2004

The 2003 version has better games! I am addicted to the megashifter game, Unfortunantly I have 2002 on my axim, So I only get to play on someone elses for the game. I certainly would not buy the new version at that price just for the game.

June 17, 2004

It didn't cost anything when I upgraded the OS on my Palm - and that was the honest way! :unsure: :blink:

Lisa

2.3k · June 18, 2004

It didn't cost anything when I upgraded the OS on my Palm - and that was the honest way!

Lisa

Ah! but Palm is not owned by Bill Gates....yet!!! :blink:

The Hokesters

4k · June 18, 2004

Having busted my arm and being very bored at home, I thought the time had come for me to properly read the instructions for my iPAQ 3950 - just to see what it could do other than play games...............

I bought it in April 2003 and so it has Pocket PC 2002 on it. I thought I'd upgrade it to PPC 2003. You can probably imagine my surprise when I found that to Americans the upgrade costs $29.95, Europeans (although not the UK apparently) 49 Euros and to me £49.35!!!!

Have I failed the idiot test again or are we being taken for mugs?

If anyone has PPC 2003 - is it worth me upgrading?

I've heard others from across the pond speak about the price gouging on various electronic goodies......I don't know how people can afford to live in the UK and other European countries! :blink: No, that's not an insult, just a statement of dismay. BTW, what does that price convert to in US dollars? I've never been very good with currency conversions (I once made the mistake of asking for change of a $10US for Peso's and other Mexican coinage for souvenirs for my neices and nephews.....couldn't carry all the change in my pockets!!)

1.1k · June 18, 2004

Having busted my arm and being very bored at home, I thought the time had come for me to properly read the instructions for my iPAQ 3950 - just to see what it could do other than play games...............

I bought it in April 2003 and so it has Pocket PC 2002 on it. I thought I'd upgrade it to PPC 2003. You can probably imagine my surprise when I found that to Americans the upgrade costs $29.95, Europeans (although not the UK apparently) 49 Euros and to me £49.35!!!!

Have I failed the idiot test again or are we being taken for mugs?

If anyone has PPC 2003 - is it worth me upgrading?

I've heard others from across the pond speak about the price gouging on various electronic goodies......I don't know how people can afford to live in the UK and other European countries! No, that's not an insult, just a statement of dismay. BTW, what does that price convert to in US dollars? I've never been very good with currency conversions (I once made the mistake of asking for change of a $10US for Peso's and other Mexican coinage for souvenirs for my neices and nephews.....couldn't carry all the change in my pockets!!)

£49 is about $90. So we are basically paying three times the amount you are!

4k · June 18, 2004

Having busted my arm and being very bored at home, I thought the time had come for me to properly read the instructions for my iPAQ 3950 - just to see what it could do other than play games...............

I bought it in April 2003 and so it has Pocket PC 2002 on it. I thought I'd upgrade it to PPC 2003. You can probably imagine my surprise when I found that to Americans the upgrade costs $29.95, Europeans (although not the UK apparently) 49 Euros and to me £49.35!!!!

Have I failed the idiot test again or are we being taken for mugs?

If anyone has PPC 2003 - is it worth me upgrading?

I've heard others from across the pond speak about the price gouging on various electronic goodies......I don't know how people can afford to live in the UK and other European countries! No, that's not an insult, just a statement of dismay. BTW, what does that price convert to in US dollars? I've never been very good with currency conversions (I once made the mistake of asking for change of a $10US for Peso's and other Mexican coinage for souvenirs for my neices and nephews.....couldn't carry all the change in my pockets!!)

£49 is about $90. So we are basically paying three times the amount you are!

HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

June 19, 2004

I get to visit the States and Canada fairly often courtesy of the UK tax-payer (that include me too before you start...) with the Royal Air Force.

You will not be surprised to hear that we always have a shopping frenzy while we are there - cameras, MP3 dodads, CDs, DVDs and all manner of electronics are the order of the day! ... and coffee for Sue and me. Wal-Mart were selling huge tins of the stuff for a couple of quid.

A few years back, my main function in life, along with everyone else on the Sqn, was to equip our extended families with the old gray Gameboys - for a quarter of the price in the UK.

... and of course, filling the monster gas-guzzlers for pennies (but they do have really lousey performance and excellent sound systems).

1.7k · June 19, 2004

Anyway - can't use itunes in the states cos they won't accept uk address/ccards -

What you need is someone with a US address & credit card to send you a Gift Certificate in dollars that can be used on the US site.

That can be arranged really easily. I have both of the required things. :unsure: :lol:

If anyone sends me a cheque for the dollar equivalent I can do that for them.

June 19, 2004

check these out - they come from USA

I got a toshiba for about half uk price - delivered in a couple of days - no problems

http://computers.listings.ebay.co.uk/PDA-U...ListingItemList

:lol:

June 19, 2004

hehe - i also have an american chequeing account - no credit card yet though.

June 30, 2004

I just upgraded my old 3870 to PPC 2003. So now I have Jawbreaker.

4 minute process, totally painless. If anyone else on here has an Ipaq 38** series I can point them in the direction of a cheap upgrade.

4k · June 30, 2004

Anyway - can't use itunes in the states cos they won't accept uk address/ccards -

What you need is someone with a US address & credit card to send you a Gift Certificate in dollars that can be used on the US site.

That can be arranged really easily. I have both of the required things.

If anyone sends me a cheque for the dollar equivalent I can do that for them.

I'd be willing to do that....for a small fee, of course. Let's see, $25 US for each $100 transferred.....yeah, that sounds reasonable!

2.6k · June 30, 2004

I go to the UK several times a year, and I've often thought if I were clever I could work out a way to finance my trips by smuggling goods. Unfortunately, I'm not clever.

I flew back once with a lady who was smuggling Heinz beans into the States. Her daughter pined for them, and you can't get that exact bean in the US.

1.7k · June 30, 2004

I flew back once with a lady who was smuggling Heinz beans into the States. Her daughter pined for them, and you can't get that exact bean in the US.

In Florida we found a shop selling a packet of chocolate hob nobs for $5. Whoever took that lot over must be coining it in.

Tigger

1.8k · June 30, 2004

I find the prices at 7dayshop (based in The Channel Islands) are well below usual UK prices. I recently bought a £449 camera for £309 there, and the memory cards were half the price of elswhere, and postage was free.

June 30, 2004

I find the prices at 7dayshop (based in The Channel Islands) are well below usual UK prices. I recently bought a £449 camera for £309 there, and the memory cards were half the price of elswhere, and postage was free.

My mate ordered a camera from them and got a £65 bill from the customs!! He refused delivery of it an bought one elsewhere. When he contacted 7day shop they said it is only the occaisional parcel that gets picked up by customs and they would not pay anything towards the bill so he went to the post office and refused delivery. I think he then went to pixmania.com which is french based

2k · June 30, 2004

I flew back once with a lady who was smuggling Heinz beans into the States. Her daughter pined for them, and you can't get that exact bean in the US.

In Florida we found a shop selling a packet of chocolate hob nobs for $5. Whoever took that lot over must be coining it in.

Tigger

Umm hob nobs.

1.8k · July 1, 2004

Thanks for the warning. I was concerned about customs, but as there was no warnign on the site (and I looked hard) and I have made several purchases without a problem I thought they were unfounded. There is also no customs declaration required from Gurnsey, I have checked. But I guess I will have to go elsewhere for major purchases in future.

July 1, 2004

When he phoned them to complain about they say they have only had a couple of dozen parcels intercepted out of thousands of orders so it is maybe worth a try after all they wont deliver your parcel if you dont pay the customs and he had no problems getting his credit card refunded for the camera

July 1, 2004

During my recent visit to London, several of us noted that most things cost the same in the UK as they do in the US. Unfortunately, you guys use pounds instead of dollars. Just kidding, actually a great many things that I saw cost the same numerical amount there as they do here, but with the pound at 1.87 dollars, it got painful quickly. To make sure I am being clear, I lost my sunglasses on my way over the pond. I ran down to Sunglass Hut, High Street Kensington and picked up a new pair. US cost for these glasses 120 dollars, UK cost for these glasses 120 pounds. Being freshly off a much too long flight and in dire need of sleep that I was not going to get, and tired of being blinded by the noonday sun I popped my card down. It was the next day when I realized that I had paid 224.00 dollars for the same pair of glasses that cost 120.00 in the states. On top of that they are made in Italy, so you would think they would be cheaper so much closer to the source. Oh well, it still makes me smile when I think about my "super cool" sunglasses from London.

1.7k · July 1, 2004

We always come back from the US with twice as much luggage as we arrived with. Last time we had all our cases searched (they left a note in them). I wonder what Customs thought about a suitcase full of brand new trainers :laughing:

Tigger

1.8k · July 1, 2004

High Street Kensington is hardly the place to look for bargains! :-)

July 12, 2004

Actually, for a change, I can relate a story the other way.

A couple of years ago, when my cat got fleas, I was introduced to the wonderful stuff called "Frontline" which gets rid of the bugs by application to the back of the cat's neck. Don't ask me *how* but it does.

Anyway, I decided to see if I could buy it over the internet from abroad at a cheaper price than my vet was charging me (you can only buy it from vets, pet shops can't sell it).

I was surprised to find that in both the EU and in the US, the price for this stuff was substantially higher even before postage and packing and customs, so I meekly went back to my dear vet and bought a shedload more over the counter.

I couldn't understand how my vet could sell it to me five minutes walk from my house cheaper than anyone anywhere else. But I ain't complainin'!

The Downside Of Being Honest

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