If your kids are already nagging you for this year’s birthday gift, you might be comparing games consoles to try to figure out whether to get them the one on their wish list. Gaming can be an expensive hobby, because you’ll probably have to fork out for the games once they’ve got their hands on the hardware.

The main players in the console market are still Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft -- that’s not changed for the last few years. However, the increasing power of tablet devices, and the lower cost of games, has given adults more options when choosing a gaming device for the kids.

iPads, Android Tablets

Overall, iPads and Android tablets cost from £100 upwards, and have fewer of the high-profile games that your kids have heard about. There is a little crossover; for example, a game like Minecraft can be played on tablet or console relatively well. But tablets tend to have lower cost, smaller games.

For young children, a tablet is a good device if they’re still learning how to use games. It has the advantage of being easy to use, and you can set up child-safe modes on certain Android tablets; Samsung has a great ‘Kids Mode’ for example.

However, if you have a decent budget, there’s no point getting an iPad just for gaming. You may as well get a dedicated console.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is the latest big hit for Nintendo after it stumbled with its previous machine, the Wii U. The Switch is a portable device that can also be plugged into a TV, so it’s quite versatile. Its controllers can be used attached to the screen, or held in the hand.

Nintendo has the monopoly on cute platform games and puzzles. Kids from around 5 years upwards will enjoy the various Mario games (including the flagship Super Mario Odyssey). Older children might enjoy the vast RPGs Nintendo makes, like the Legend of Zelda series.

Games aren’t cheap, but Nintendo has its niche among families and is hard to beat for young gamers who are looking for something colourful and easy-to-play.

Sony PlayStation 4

The PS4 has a dedicated teen and adult following thanks to its library of war and sports titles, with the FIFA series continuing to bring in revenues for Sony. Most titles can be played online, and are probably best that way; you may not be comfortable with younger kids voice chatting with some of the older players, so bear that in mind if you’re looking for a family console. In addition, there aren’t really the family or children’s titles that Nintendo excels in.

If you’re buying a console new, get a PS4 Pro, which handily doubles up as a Blu-Ray player (although sadly it doesn’t yet support 4k discs) 

Microsoft Xbox One

The Xbox One continues to have strong support among grown-up kids that are perhaps a little young for some PS4 titles. If your children are into Minecraft, and they’ve outgrown the tablet version, this is the best machine for them to move on to: Stampy Longnose can often be seen playing the Xbox One version in his videos.

If the standard console is a bit too much of a splurge, there’s an S version aimed at younger gamers which might be more suitable.

*The information in this blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. Please seek a professional for expert advice as we can not be held responsible for any damages or negative consequences upon following this information.

Poor mobile phone reception is no laughing matter. For most living in cities, having to walk around the room for a signal may seem like an issue that was resolved in the past, nevertheless it’s not the case for everyone in Great Britain. 

In fact, around one in five of us struggle with mobile phone reception and cannot use our mobile phones to make a call without having to take time to find a signal according to Culture Secretary Sajid Javid.

Coverage

In a world where 4G is becoming the norm and a 3G signal is at the very least the expected, it might be hard for some of us to understand that around 20% of people, while in their UK homes, can’t make a call or send a text from their phone without a lot of effort. 

Of course, having bad reception or coverage is one thing, but not being able to do anything about it is an altogether different matter. 

Contract Issues

One thing that tends to become apparent and is well documented in national newspapers is the sheer wrangling it takes to get out of a mobile phone contract, even if coverage is poor. If you own and use a mobile phone under a particular provider, you expect to have use of the phone. At the most basic level of commerce, you pay for a service and the service provider should adequately deliver that service, meeting a minimum standard. 

Looking at a number of papers would suggest that what’s happening is otherwise. The Daily Telegraph recently published a piece filled with horror stories about customers with no reception, companies with little interest in offering redress and in some cases bad and insulting customer service. The paper article cast a terrible light on the mobile phone providers, showcasing them as uncaring, incompetent and even in some cases showing contempt for their customers. 

Possible Solutions

Problems need solutions and one such effort at resolving issues was proposed by Culture Secretary Sajid Javid. Initially, Javid proposed that mobile phone providers would be required to allow phones under contract with them use other networks if theirs didn’t provide an adequate signal. He also put forward plans for mobile phone network providers being required to:

• Share infrastructure – companies could place transmitters on each other’s masts
• Reform virtual networks
• Be obliged to cover a certain area of the UK – the way they would do this would be up to them. 

However, there were a number of issues with the idea and experts, as well as members of the government cite security concerns and battery life amongst others as reasons why this approach may not work and it was altered.

This resulted in the idea to share networks being scrapped; however there still are some positives. These will result in 90% of the UK landmass having text and voice coverage by 2017; this will increase full coverage, which takes account of being able to download data, from 69% to 85%.  It’s certainly a move in the right direction, however for the 10% and 15% who live in areas without basic and full coverage respectively, it could still hardly be considered getting your money’s worth. 

Here at Row.co.uk, we cannot wait for network reception to improve. In the mean time, be sure to look after your mobile phone with our insurance, click here for a quote. 

*The information in this blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. Please seek a professional for expert advice as we can not be held responsible for any damages or negative consequences upon following this information.