If you're reading this on dial-up web access it may well be a slow, frustrating process. But even if you do have broadband, the promised bandwidth may be a mirage. And how can you get the best deal amongst all the myriad options? Here Chris Marling of Broadband Genie provides a basic guide to the types of broadband, what you really need and what the jargon means. He also goes on to explain how to bag the best broadband deals...

A mobile phone is something that most of us can no longer live without – whether you just want one for emergencies, or you’re a heavy user talking, texting and browsing constantly. However, choosing the right phone for you can be very daunting, so here’s a few tips for the next time you buy a phone.

Nearly 20,000 people living in sheltered housing will be switched on to the internet under £2.9m plans being developed by the Government to boost the number of silver surfers, Communities Minister Lord McKenzie and Minister for Pensions and the Ageing Society Angela Eagle announced today (13 January).

A major survey by the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) has revealed how – and why - millions of older people are finding themselves excluded from the social, educational and financial advantages of having Internet access.

"All the world's a stage," wrote the Bard. "And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts."

And those words - written 400 years ago - have been proven remarkably appropriate for a fascinating new venture by Mature Times' own theatre critic, Robert Tanitch, who has been making a series of short, amusing films and posting them on Youtube, for a worldwide audience to appreciate.

Do you know a community or charitable organisation that is looking for IT equipment and wants to get online?  If so, they can apply for a BT Community Connections award.

Last month (June), the Government’s Digital Britain report outlined stricter penalties for people accessing ‘pirated’ music online but online music jukebox 'We7' has found that two in three (64%) consumers do not know how to access music legally.

We7 wants to help the retired community enjoy music across the web without fear of penalties and fines and to help teach them about legal streaming and sharing online.

How to stream

1.       Go to www.we7.com (linked below)
2.       Register - you’ll need: username, password, e-mail, gender, DOB & postcode
3.       Activate - an email will be sent immediately to the e-mail provided in registration, open it and click ‘activate’. This will open We7 logged in to your account
4.       Search using to search bar: any song by name, artist or album
5.       Select the version you want
6.       Play! And/or add song to playlist of your choice, or queue it up to play next.
7.       Enjoy!