Refurbished computer laptop cheap discount

QUIT YOUR BROWSING! HERE ARE OUR PICKS FOR 100 OF THE TOP WEB SITES FOR ENTREPRENEURS.

FACE IT: THE INTERNET IS MIND CANDY FOR SURFERS WHO LOG COUNTLESS HOURS DOING ONLINE CROSSWORD PUZZLES AND SNEAKING PEEKS AT CELEBRITY PORN. BUT SMART ENTREPRENEURS KNOW THE WEB IS ALSO PACKED WITH TIME-SAVING, MONEY-MAKING POINTERS, TIPS AND SERVICES--PLUS BREAKING BUSINESS NEWS--THAT CAN BE USED TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS AND EXPAND THE LIMITS OF YOUR BUSINESS.

Skeptical? With our help, you don't need to be. The bad news for us is that we logged countless hours eyeballing too many business sites That just don't cut it. But the good news for you is that by doing so, we've culled a list of 100 of the top Web sites for entrepreneurs.

At these sites, you won't find naughty pictures or brainless gossip, but you just may find financiers who will invest in your business, nifty ways to get the information you need fast, or know-how that will help you save money on things like wireless telephony. You'll find lots more, too, because the best thing about the Web is it's a tool that, when used properly, gives entrepreneurs a level playing field on which to compete with bigger businesses. If you use it shrewdly, the Web will help you be as savvy as the biggest businesses around. So bookmark these sites--and pay attention to them--then watch your business grow.

FIND IT

Information on the Internet multiplies like kudzu in a hot Carolina summer--and the engines that help you hack through millions of Web pages in search of what you want are essential tools. You probably have a favorite standard search engine--Excite (www.excite.com), Infoseek (www.infoseek.com) or perhaps Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com)--but sometimes specialty tools do the job better. Such as?

* Ask Jeeves! (www.askjeeves.com). A brilliant engine, Jeeves accepts plain-language questions--"Where can I compare cell phones?"--then offers up its suggestions for the best Web sites.

* Dogpile (www.dogpile.com). A metasearch tool, Dogpile quickly sifts through most of the standard search engines plus a few esoteric ones. It's a good way to get a fast reading of what's on the Web.

* Search-It-All (www.search-it-all.com). This is the place to hunt for e-mail addresses, phone numbers and street addresses.

* Northern Light (www.northernlight.com). An agile search tool, Northern Light scours more than 120 million Web pages, including some premium content that's available only on a pay-per-view basis. Most results are free, but when there's a charge, you're told in advance (and prices are nominal). If standard Web searches produce only frustration, take a look here.

* Electric Library (www.elibrary.com). The Library offers a vast collection of magazine and newspaper articles. Searching for the information you need is easy, and a free trial is available. Subscriptions cost $9.95 per month for unlimited research.

* Deja News (www.dejanews.com). Before there was the Web, there were thousands of Internet discussion groups. Those groups are still active, and many focus on business topics. Search through what's being said with Deja News. Have people been talking about your business? Deja News knows.

TRAVEL

Traditional travel agents face tough times, mainly because the Web is ideal for do-it-yourself travel planners who want to book their own trips online. So where can you buy those tickets to Texarkana...or Paris?

* Biztravel (www.biztravel.com). This is the site for business travelers who want to book plane tickets and hotel rooms, as well as get information on destination cities.

* Cheap Tickets (www.cheaptickets.com). Want a bargain flight? Cheap Tickets sells airlines' empty seats at huge discounts. And it now offers discounts on hotel rooms, too.

* Quikbook (www.quikbook.com). You'll also find hotel-room bar-gains here. This site offers rooms at good hotels usually at up to 60 percent off the rack rates walk-ins get quoted.

* Zip2 (www.zip2.com). Don't guess were you're going. Use these great tools to map your destination.

* Expedia Travel (www.expedia.com), Created by Microsoft, this online travel agency ranks among the most popular sites for booking trips.

OFFICE STUFF

Who wants to buy paper and toner in person? Skip the trip and buy everything you need for running your office online--usually with free delivery. These three chain superstores offer similar merchandise (and prices) at their Web sites:

* Office Max

(www.officemax.com).

* Office Depot

(www.officedepot.com).

* Staples

(www.staples.com).

COMPUTER RX

Computers can be cranky beasts, but help is only a few mouse clicks away. More high-tech companies are getting out of offering free telephone help; instead, 900 numbers are proliferating. But those same companies have typically set up Web sites that offer ample free help. So if your hardware or software is acting up, first pay a visit to the manufacturer's Web site. If you can't find the solution you need there, check out these all-purpose fix-it sites:

* BugNet (www.bugnet.com). When software is angrily crashing, dash to www.bugnet.com for info on workarounds and fixes. Although it's a subscription site, there are plenty of freebies available, too.

* AntiVirus Research Center (www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html). Maybe the most comprehensive information storehouse about computer viruses, AntiVirus is sponsored by Symantec, the maker of the Norton AntiVirus programs.

* ZDNet (www.zdnet.com). From MacWorld to PC Computing, all the magazines from the biggest publisher of tech periodicals are online, with troubleshooting tips and more.

* The List (www.thelist.com). Search for a new ISP here--almost all the possible choices are listed, and searches can be made specific to your locality.

* Steve kropla's Help For World Travelers (www.kropla.com). This site is a required stop for travelers wrestling with difficulties getting online. Best advice: Check it before you head out of town with your laptop to get the scoop on staying connected in hotels around the globe.

* Microsoft (www.microsoft.com). The world's dominant software company serves up bug fixes (patches), templates and plenty more free stuff. Anybody running Windows needs to stop by here at least a few times a year.

TRANSMIT IT

Whether you're shipping a package, sending a letter or signing up for a cell phone, you'll find guidance--and tips on how to save money--on the Web. And don't forget that the Net can be the smartest way to send and get faxes, too.

* Wireless Dimension (www.wirelessdimension.com). This site offers tools that provide instant comparisons of cell phone deals.

* SmartShip (www.smartship.com). This site lets you compare the costs of shipping a package via FedEx, UPS, Airborne Express and the U.S. Postal Service. And, once the package is shipped, SmartShip lets you track it. A handy ZIP code finder is also featured.

* TeleWorth (www.teleworth.com). Here you'll find a swift way to compare long-distance telephone providers. Are you getting the best deal? Check this site, and you'll know. Inputting the required data can be cumbersome (have a recent phone bill handy), but the money-saving comparisons ought to justify your efforts.

* JFAX (www.jfax.net). You can get a second phone number--for faxes, voice messages or both--for $12.50 per month plus a one-time $15 setup fee. JFAX also provides discount Internet faxing services.

* MySoftware's Mail Tips (www.mysoftware.com/mailtips/indexl.htm). Its goal is to save you money and time when you send "snail mail," especially bulk mailings.

SHOPPING

The Internet is emerging as the shopping mall of the future. There are already great computer shops online, and other vendors--of products ranging from books to cars--are beginning to make their presence felt. Some of the best places to shop include:

* CompareNet (www.comparenet.com). Here's the place to compare cell phones, computer gear and personal electronics gadgets to scope out which ones will serve you best. This isn't so much a shopping site as an electronic Consumer Reports, with a format that makes product comparisons easy.

* Bottom Dollar (www.bottomdollar.com). This site sets the pace for "shopping bots," Web robots that, at your command, scour the Net and report back on the prices charged by e-commerce sites for specified products. It doesn't get any easier to find the best buys.

* Jem Computers (www.Jemcomputers.com). This is the place to find deeply discounted prices on refurbished and discontinued computer gear. Name brands abound, and savings can be jaw-dropping.

* CDW Computers Center (www.cdw.com).A broad selection of well-priced products-everything from desktop computers to printers and scanners--can be found here.