One of the things I look forward to most about going on holiday is the moment when I lay back on my sun lounger.
Then I turn my face to the sun and put on my headphones to listen to my favourite music. Sadly, my long-serving, trusty personal stereo is looking and sounding increasingly worse for wear.
It's time for a replacement.
Luckily, there were many web sites ready and willing to help.
Web Electricals is an internet specialist with excellent customer services and free delivery in just a couple of days. If, like me, you're lagging behind the latest technological developments, head first for Tech-Talk, which will bring you quickly up to date with simple jargon-free explanations and a glossary of terms to impress your friends with.
Next, look at the Award Winners section, which gives you its selection of the best of the best on the market. Armed with all this information, you can browse through a range of leading makes and buy with confidence.
Jungle offers a whole range of technology products, including computers, music, audio and home electronics, DVDs and mobile phones. The site, with its lurid green graphics, has a friendly feel.
There's plenty of information, chatty write-ups and customer reviews on every product, which make novices feel at home.
Look in the Portable Audio section of the Home Electrical department, which has categories for CD radio cassette, MP3 players and personal stereos, the last of which is split further into CD players, cassette players, minidiscs and personal radios.
All the big brands are there and you'll find a list of top sellers.
Standard delivery takes three to five working days and costs from £2.99 upwards, depending on how much you spend.
Comet's slick and efficient site offers the facility to compare and contrast several products on one page.
First, head for the Entertainment section and then select Small Audio and In Car followed by Personal HiFi for a choice of CD players, cassettes and minidiscs.
Click on any of the products that look promising and hit the Compare icon to see all their features and specifications displayed side by side on a grid.
If you need help with some of the terminology, there's a What to Consider section with buying guides on each product type.
When you've decided, add £3.25 for delivery, which usually takes two to five working days.
Prices vary from site to site, as do delivery costs. So before you buy, pay a quick visit to all the major players to track down the best deal.
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