As the resident se23.com technophobe who has trouble with an Oyster card, I'd greatly and gratefully appreciate some advice on the following from those of you who are much more ahead in the technological game than I am.

Mobile phones.
I would like to upgrade my phone as my old one is not working very well but my standard free upgrade is not due yet. If I buy a pay as you go phone can I just put my own SIM card in there and just continue using my own number? I have found that the CP Warehouse charge around ?47 more for the same handset if I buy it as a stand alone ie ?127 whereas if a Pay as you go I would only pay ?80, even with the ?10 credit. Why the difference; don't you get the same phone? Is it just that they are hoping no one will catch on? I'd prefer to get the lowdown on here rather than ask in the shop.

Laptops.
I am thinking of getting one for home/personal/study use and one that I can takr out and about with me. I do not need anything flash, just something that has a reasonable amount of power and RAM, reasonably light, and can cope with Word and Excel as well as wife/ethernet use, and has a decent DVD rom as my course is distance learning by e learning. Preferably to be obselete proof for about 4 years. I spoke to Dell this morning and they tried to sell me the Vostro, but this seemed to have very bad reviews. I am wondering about the Studio 15. If anyone has recent experience or can advise , again it would be appreciated.

Anyone know why they no longer include basic software in their package/price as a matter of course, ie Microsoft Office, etc?

Ethernet etc.
How does one get hold of this. Does it enable you to log onto the net from any room in the house?

Advice in simple English please,

Ethernetally yours,