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Welcome to UKHelpdesk. We thoroughly test and review UK-focused websites, ordering goods, and checking charges, testing information. Please see our latest additions and most popular sites below, then click the categories to the left to view more.

For more on why UKHelpdesk is different from the average web directory please see the About Us page. And vote your favourite sites up or relegate the ones you don't like using our voting buttons alongside each description.

The UKHelpdesk Weblog: an occasional report on our recent online experiences (more...)
Wireless networks - liberation
We used to have network cables trailing all over our house. If you wanted to use the laptop in the main room you would have to unravel the cable from the study, across the hall, and bring it down the side of the sofa. And since the cable was about three feet too short, it meant sitting right in the corner of the room to use it.

Things have all changed now. We've bought a combined Wireless Network kit. This sits beside our main PC, and we can wander from room to room downloading email and browsing the internet without any need for cables.

We've gone for full on encryption, which was no problem to set up, and apparently will stop all but the US military hacking into our PCs. The same cannot be said for some of the other users in our apartment block - their networks flash away, begging to be connected to...

We went for a Netgear, which combines the wireless router with an ADSL modem and firewall (so no one's coming in that way either). Was expecting a good few hours set up time, but it was almost disappointingly easy - thirty minutes tops - and in no time we were linked to the Netgear PC cards in our laptops.


Newest Website Reviews:
Donate A PC   www.donateapc.org.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Donate A PC review: Got old PC equipment which you no longer want? Most of the 'big' recycling companies will only listen if you have at least 20 PC's to get rid of. You probably just have that old monitor which is now cluttering the corner of your study. DonateAPC seeks to bring together donors and groups such as youth clubs who are after this sort of thing. PC equipment is full of manky stuff like lead, and to make from new costs energy and resources, so if you've got serviceable equipment please don't just throw it out. Advertise it here and someone will take it off your hands.  
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OandA   www.oanda.com  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
OandA review: Simple and accurate currency conversion. Offers lots of other features as well, but the quick currency converter is right there on the front page. Been going (and used by us) for many years.  
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Most Popular Sites:
BBC News   news.bbc.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
BBC News review: Regularly updated headlines from the BBC. Includes an In Depth section, giving access to the history behind stories, and access to the BBC archives.  
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Sky News   www.sky.com/news  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Sky News review: Sky News website, including newspaper front pages, daily opinion poll, and plenty of tabloid-style news.  
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Pricerunner   www.pricerunner.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
Pricerunner review: This seems to be the best of the 'compare prices online' sites. It found us a fantastic TV at a huge discount on the recommended price. Links directly to the appropriate page on the retailers site. Also includes links to appropriate external reviews.  
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PC Pitstop   www.pcpitstop.com  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
PC Pitstop review: Online PC configuration checking. Includes tools to analyse your PC remotely, fix problems, and make recommendations for improvements.  
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Expedia   www.expedia.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
Expedia review: In our view, Expedia provides the greatest range of flights, hotels, car hire, and other holidays of all the online travel centres. Even our obscure flight across the middle of Russia was accurately planned and booked. Very smart.   Thanks for your vote

Helpful Holidays   www.helpfulholidays.com  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Helpful Holidays review: For cottages and houses throughout England's Westcountry. Helpful Holidays are friendly, reliable and will give you completely honest opinions of their accommodation. Browse online, or speak directly to one of their staff for a personal recommendation.  
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Amazon   www.amazon.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
Amazon review: For books Amazon are the undisputed leaders in online commerce, and now they're offering many other products as well. Their site is easy to navigate, books are quick to find, and delivery is prompt and absolutely reliable. Reviews are posted online by customers, and Amazon will even produce personal recommendations based on your previous purchases.  
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Scoot Cinema Finder   www.scoot.co.uk/cinemafinder/  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Scoot Cinema Finder review: Simple, speedy cinema and film finder. Provides film times, booking numbers and maps.  
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Amazon - Music & Video   www.amazon.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
Amazon - Music & Video review: Amazon, leaders in online commerce, bring their reliability, prices and speed of service to the music industry. Includes reviews, track listings and samples.  
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Streetmap   www.streetmap.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Streetmap review: View maps by postcode, placename or grid reference throughout the UK. And all completely free. Great stuff. There are a few of these around now, but we find Streetmap the simplest to use.  
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Boomtown   www.boomtown.net  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
Boomtown review: Good-looking games review site with few of the annoying pop-up adverts which seem so prevalent on other sites. Free registration required for downloads.  
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123-Reg   www.123-reg.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
123-Reg review: For a long time Easily has been the best place to register domain names, but now we find ourselves using 123-Reg more frequently. They have an excellent registration and domain management process, and the domain prices are very low. They are also closely linked with the excellent Webfusion hosting company.  
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Donate A PC   www.donateapc.org.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Donate A PC review: Got old PC equipment which you no longer want? Most of the 'big' recycling companies will only listen if you have at least 20 PC's to get rid of. You probably just have that old monitor which is now cluttering the corner of your study. DonateAPC seeks to bring together donors and groups such as youth clubs who are after this sort of thing. PC equipment is full of manky stuff like lead, and to make from new costs energy and resources, so if you've got serviceable equipment please don't just throw it out. Advertise it here and someone will take it off your hands.  
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JobTrack   www.jobtrack.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
JobTrack review: Run by the same company as JobMagic, with the same jobs and the same search mechanism. Good, effective searching, which narrows down jobs to a reasonable degree. Critically, the search results also list the key information such as location and salary. Details pages offer substantial information about the jobs and links to the recruitment company, and to apply online.  
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BBC News: On This Day   http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthi...  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
BBC News: On This Day review: In typically slick BBC style, this site offers a different view of the BBC news archives, offering events that occurred on a particular day of the year. Includes video and 'contextual' information - e.g. how has the story developed since.  
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JobMagic   www.jobmagic.net  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 5 Stars
JobMagic review: Run by the same company as JobTrack, with the same jobs and the same search mechanism. Still, at least its good, effective searching, which narrows down jobs to a reasonable degree. Critically, the search results also list the key information such as location and salary. Details pages offer substantial information about the jobs and links to the recruitment company, and to apply online.  
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Electrotank Minigolf   www.electrotank.com  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Electrotank Minigolf review: Absorbing minigolf flash game. Requires Flash, downloadable from the site.  
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Virgin Restaurant Finder   www.virgin.net/foodanddrink...  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Virgin Restaurant Finder review: Reviews provided by the Good Food Guide, and a special emphasis on pub food. Good country coverage. Site also include pub finder.  
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Art Republic   www.artrepublic.com  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Art Republic review: Not only does this site provide a great variety of posters and prints for sale, but also lists current and forthcoming exhibitions in the UK and abroad. Includes options to search by subject, style, artist and even the dominant colours. Much used and appreciated by us.  
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Late Rooms   www.laterooms.co.uk  Open Site in New Window
Rating: 4 Stars
Late Rooms review: Having given up with Lastminute.com, where we have spent many hours without ever successfully finding a holiday, we took a look at LateRooms. A revelation! A guide to discounted hotel rooms in the UK and abroad, from the very highest class, to more run-of-the-mill. You generally can't book online, but the prices are just a phonecall away.  
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