First, what exactly is a tablet? Tablets are handheld computer devices that usually range from 5 to 10 inches in screen size. They include features similar to a full-size personal computer including an operating system like Windows or Linux and Internet capability. Tablets have intuitive touch screens that allow users to do many things like view websites, play games, watch movies, listen to music, and read e-books.

When it comes to entertainment on-the-go, tablets have a big advantage. With the increasing number of free wifi hotspots and a wireless connection at home, tablets can give you instant access to online games, movies, music, books, photos, e-mail and your favorite websites. And, unlike a smartphone, you won’t have to pay an extra fee added to your phone bill each month in order to get Internet.

Also, carrying around a tablet means having constant access to your personal schedule, to-do list, calendar of events, shopping list, and other organizational tools. It’s even the perfect size for traveling – just stash in a purse, briefcase or any piece of luggage. On a plane, the tablet is a great device to read e-mails, create business presentations, set-up meetings, and catch up on headlines before you land. Or, if you are traveling with kids, you can use a tablet to keep them busy with games, movies and music.

But, beware of a couple of things: Tablets do not come with keyboards and have limited software support compared to full-size computers. So, if you have trouble viewing a smaller screen or do not like working on a touch screen, then a tablet might not be for you.

These are only a few of the advantages and disadvantages to tablets. To find out more, visit your local ColorTyme and talk to a store associate. They will be able to help you figure out if a tablet is right for you, or if there are other computers and laptops at the store that might better fit your lifestyle.

Custom built with wider-than-standard doorways, the new home is adapted to accommodate special needs for wheelchair-bound Jim White, whose legs were amputated due to peripheral artery disease. ColorTyme furnished the home with an easily accessible washer/dryer unit and a bunk bed for Jim’s sons – a donation totaling $2,842.16. In addition, the ColorTyme truck collected and delivered other donations including mattresses, tables, chairs, frames and a couch.

Karuna McMurtry, Wasilla ColorTyme store manager, is happy to have been a part of the giving effort.

“Every family deserves a safe and secure place to live, and it was encouraging to see our community come together to provide that,” she said. “I’m glad we were able to fulfill a dream for the White family and give them the items they need for their new home. It feels like we really made a difference.”

Mark Childers, owner of the ColorTyme franchise, said the project was an opportunity to extend his store’s values and be part of a greater good.

“The Jim White House Project shows first hand that when a group of people each give a little assistance, the outcome is overwhelming. The outpouring of community support has made it a very positive and memorable experience for everyone,” he said. “At ColorTyme, helping others is essential in our business; it’s what our stores are all about. We are always willing to support people in times of need and help create a better future for them. ”

“We feel honored to be in Providence en Español as the featured Business of the Week,” said Bird, owner of three ColorTyme stores in Rhode Island. “For us, the campaign was not about gaining recognition for ColorTyme. It was about giving recognition to the Hispanic community for being a large part of our success.”

According to the article, ColorTyme stores in Rhode Island specialize in renting and selling appliances, furniture and electronics not only to the American demographic but also with a strong focus on the Hispanic community. This dual-market emphasis is extended in the new Woonsocket location through Luis Padilla, sales manager and the voice behind ColorTyme’s Hispanic Heritage Month radio spot.

“All the employees of ColorTyme extend a greeting filled with friendship and gratefulness for the opportunity to serve the Hispanic community for such a long time,” Padilla stated on-air in Spanish. “At ColorTyme, it does not matter what country you have come from to the United States. Know that when you enter into any one of our ColorTyme locations, you are family!”

Also in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, Bird held a free raffle in each of his ColorTyme locations. Announced in the radio spot, five winners won tickets to a local Shakira concert.

“We want the Hispanic community to know how much we respect them and value their business,” Bird said. “We want to serve them in the same way they have served us over the years – with gratitude and support.”

It is clear that Bird and Padilla acknowledge the importance of the Hispanic community, and they vow to continue providing an exceptional customer experience at ColorTyme.

“We are aware of the Latino presence and of its explosive growth during the last decade. Without the Hispanic market completing the picture, we would not have grown as we have,” Padilla said. “At ColorTyme we say, ‘Tu Vecindario, Tu tienda’ meaning ‘Your neighborhood, Your store’.”

Kicking things off Oct. 30, the store hosted a Halloween party for customers with special deals on merchandise like furniture and TVs, free games and refreshments, and a costume contest for kids. On Oct. 31, ColorTyme helped families celebrate in their neighboring city by teaming up with the Rice Volunteer Fire Department for “Trunk or Treat”.

ColorTyme District Manager Shanna Cadena expects the Halloween events to turn into annual traditions.

“Showing support in our own community and the neighborhoods around us is a priority for our business. The best part is being able to give back and have fun at the same time,” she said. “For Halloween, we wanted to give families a safe and welcoming place to enjoy time together, and that’s just what they got.”

Located at 842 W. 7th Ave., ColorTyme encourages the public to become involved in upcoming seasonal activities at the store. ColorTyme will hold a canned food drive for charity during the month of November and collect donations for Toys for Tots in December.

According to ElectronicHouse.com, Panasonic will release more than 20 models, including four 3D-capable TVs that range from 50-65 inches. The 3D sets will include one pair of 3D glasses. Samsung also still makes plasma TVs, although they offer LCD TVs as well. Needless to say, there’s still a market for plasma TVs so they aren’t going anywhere! Many people prefer the colors and dark-scene detail of plasma TVs compared to the relatively washed-out look of LCD. Also, plasma technology has a better picture quality in normal to low room lighting conditions and are best during nighttime viewing. On LCD TVs, LED backlights do generate accurate colors and black levels, but high-end plasma still rules when it comes to picture quality, viewing angle and motion response.

Your hometown ColorTyme rent-to-own franchise carries various brands of plasma TVs at low prices. Or, if LCD is your preference, ask a member of the ColorTyme staff to show you what they have in stock. With the affordability and bright future of plasma and the cutting-edge technology of LCD, you can’t go wrong with either choice!

PLANO, Texas – March 5, 2010 – Thirty ColorTyme customers recently cashed in as names were drawn for the $30K Giveaway, and countless others won in-store prizes.
Held in celebration of the company’s 30th birthday, ColorTyme’s $30K Giveaway gave customers a chance to win $1,000 along with instant prizes in local stores. Rent-to-own customers registered for the grand-prize drawings Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 at their hometown ColorTyme store.
Out of 30 winners from 14 states across the U.S., four of them registered in Texas stores owned by TLH Enterprises. Vice President of South Texas Region for TLH Enterprises, Donald Salais, was very happy to see long-time customers win in Beeville, Corpus Christi, Rosenberg and Cuero.
“Many of our customers didn’t think they had a chance at winning, so it was refreshing to see the smiles on their faces when they did,” said Salais. “I think the Giveaway really encouraged our customers and showed how much we value their business.”

As part of the Giveaway event, ColorTyme also provided customers with a winning serial number that matched various prizes. Many customers automatically received big savings off a new rental or walked away with one of the store’s newest appliances, furniture, computers or electronics such as a name-brand TV.

“Our $30K Giveaway was a way for us to give back to our customers and thank them for all of their support over the years,” said ColorTyme Director of Marketing, Amy Woods. “Our customers are like family, so it was important that everyone who visited ColorTyme during the promotion came out a winner.”

Winners
Dorothy McKown – Opp, AL
Teri Pike – Woodland, AL
Lidia Abaloyan – San Diego, CA
Neille Logan-Underwood – San Diego, CA
Judith Ann Archer – Temecula, CA
Frank Welcome – Panama City, FL
Robert Higginbotham – Middleburg, FL
Christopher Cooper – Jacksonville, FL
Sacoya Proctor – Hephzibah, GA
Micky Jimison – Fairfield, ID
Danny Shannon – Hutchinson, KS
Carlos Heredia Liudres – Garden City, KS
Lee Jones – Oxford, KS
James Kelley – Lexington, KY
Lee Lyons – Raceland, LA
Susie Moore – Baltimore, MD
Denise Fletcher – Landover Hills, MD
David Rogers – Waterville, ME
Shaun Bennett – South Paris, ME
Sheila Hobbs – La Grange, NC
Beatrice Bennett – Roanoke Rapids, NC
Paula Ramos – Beeville, TX
Abram Mendoza – Corpus Christi, TX
Jackie Hahn – Cuero, TX
Bobby King Jr. – Richmond, TX
Katrina Trimiew – Richmond, VA
Carlton Davis – Norfolk, VA
Nikkia Clayton – Fredericksburg, VA
James Howard – Richmond, VA
Dennis Francis – Aberdeen, WA

If the cash outlay or credit involved in purchasing a washer and dryer for your home has been holding you back (or holding you hostage at the Laundromat), then it is time to look at an option other than outright purchase. Rent-to-own washers and dryers make sense on many levels, both mathematically and from a lifestyle prospective.

First, let’s look at the cold hard math. If you rent-to-own a washer and dryer from ColorTyme, on average, it will run you $18.99 per week. Delivery and set up is always included in the cost. Next, there are the energy and water costs. The chart below comes from Michael Bluejay, Mr. Electricity’s Web site. According to his site, most of the energy cost in doing a load of laundry is in the heating of the water. So, as a helpful side note, if use cold for colors and warm wash with a cold rinse for your whites, you can save a ton of money (and your clothes will be just as clean).

Total cost per load (electricity + water + water heating)
Wash / Rinse setting Electric water heater Gas water heater
Hot / Warm 69¢ 52¢
Hot / Cold 50¢ 39¢
Warm / Warm 50¢ 39¢
Warm / Cold 32¢ 27¢
Cold / Cold 14¢ 14¢

If you use warm water with a cold rinse for half your loads and cold water for the other half, your average cost per load will be 23 cents. But, wait, you still need to dry the clothes. The average cost per load in an electric dryer is 30 to 45 cents per load. However, a gas clothes dryer is much less costly, averaging 10 to 16 cents per load. Let’s assume you like the math, have read this article, and will rent-to-own the gas dryer, with an average cost of $.13 per load. This brings your average water and energy cost per load to 36 cents per load.

There are varying sizes of washers and dryers at a Laundromat. However, the regular size Laundromat washer costs about $2 per load and the average dryer 75 cents per load. With the hard costs established, you can now do the math. For a family of four, averaging two loads per day, a Laundromat will cost $165 per month (60 loads per month at $2.75 per load). With a ColorTyme rent-to-own washer and dryer conveniently located in your home, the monthly cost for the machines, $87.99 ($18.99 plus $1.33 tax x 4.33 weeks per month), plus the energy and water costs, $21.60 (60 loads times 36 cents per load), would only come to about $110 per month.

We probably don’t need to go into the upgrade in lifestyle issues when comparing doing laundry in the comfort and safety of your own home versus schlepping heavy bags of laundry to and from a public Laundromat. Anyone who has done laundry in a Laundromat knows that many Laundromats are unclean and can be unsafe, not to mention boring. However, in addition to the hassle of lugging laundry back and forth, there are a few more items to consider that add to the costs and make Laundromats an even heavier load. Travel costs (gasoline or metro to and from), your time, and heaven forbid if you turn your head for minute — the cost of stolen clothes — can add up big time.

Now you have all the smart reasons to upgrade your life in 2010 from the Laundromat to spending time with your family, reading a good book on the couch or any number of wonderful tasks while you do laundry at home sweet home.

For larger ticket items like washers, dryers, flat screen TVs and home entertainment equipment, rent-to-own and layaway are both options that don’t require a large cash outlay up front. But, that is where the similarities stop. There are key differences between the two. First, with rent-to-own, you can take the item home the same day without any credit. With layaway, you may or may not need credit, but will definitely not be able to take the item home that day. With the holidays around the corner, this takes some of the fun out of putting money down on a gift.

Also, most layaway programs aren’t as flexible as rent-to-own. For instance, with most layaway programs there is typically a $5 non-refundable service fee on all contracts and a cancellation fee of around $10. Both the service fee and cancellation fee are usually collected up front and are not refunded if the merchandise is returned to stock due to missed payments. With most retailers, layaway merchandise will be returned to stock seven days after a missed payment.

Conversely, rent-to-own is much more flexible. Let’s take your local Hometown ColorTyme for example. If you’re looking for furniture, electronics, computers and/or appliances, ColorTyme will have it in stock and you can take it home the same day in most cases. With ColorTyme no credit is needed, and there are flexible low payment options, early purchase options and, of course, you can make an outright purchase the same day. ColorTyme also offers home delivery (same day option is available) and service repairs, if needed, at no extra cost. A full service loaner program is also included with every agreement to all customers. With layaway plans through retailers, once you finally get your product home, if it breaks you have to deal with the warranty plan, connected either to the brand name or the retailer. Many of these warranty plans must be purchased separately.

With ColorTyme, there are short and longer term rent-to-own plans available and professionals install, demonstrate and deliver everything at no additional cost. There are no penalties for returning merchandise and your investment doesn’t go away after you return the product. When you are ready, ColorTyme will set you up again with your product or a comparable product to the one you returned.

Although a layaway plan might seem like a good idea, it doesn’t compare to the flexibility or speed of delivery that ColorTyme rent-to-own plans offer. If you’re looking to bring home and enjoy a product right away, there is no comparison.

The goal of home staging is to improve your home’s appearance with the ultimate goal of selling the home faster and for the highest possible price. Why home stage? We are in a buyer’s market right now and putting that little time and effort into staging can make all the difference.

When staging your home, think of all the aspects that require some changes: the yard, entryway, living areas, kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. A room that might not be important to you may be important to a potential buyer. A general rule of thumb is to keep your house clean and free of clutter. Make sure the yard is weeded, mowed and maybe plant a few fresh flowers. If you have kids, make sure their toys are not strewn about the yard or house. Have a friend help you look over the house. Patch up any knicks in the walls, peeling paint or holes.

Once you have tidied-up, it’s time to survey your furniture options. A majority of families spend most of their time in their living or family room areas and bedrooms. Keep in mind: Potential buyers want to imagine themselves living in your home. Make it easy for them by keeping the house warm and inviting with these helpful hints:

• Remove any family portraits; the buyers need to envision living there, not you.
• Make sure each room is open and easy to walk through. Remove furniture if it’s necessary.
• If you have a mantle or bookshelves, keep it simple; a couple items is all you need displayed. Remove and store the rest some place else.
• If your furniture seems outdated or grungy, you might want to consider contacting your local Hometown ColorTyme Rent-To-Own store to rent some furniture for a few weeks or months. Spending that little extra on a nicer sofa and loveseat set could make all the difference to a potential buyer.
• If the furniture in your bedrooms takes up more space than there is walking room, it’s also wise to contact ColorTyme and rent some smaller furniture.
• Make a trip to a local thrift store or find a good sale and replace worn out curtains, bedspreads and/or linens. This will help freshen-up the room and make it feel more up-to-date – even if the house was built 10 years ago.
• Keep the closets free of clutter. Closet space is a key benefit for most women. Place excess clothing, shoes and any other items in storage boxes.

Moving on throughout the house, another major stop along the way is the kitchen. This may actually be the place some families spend most of their time and can become the messiest. Be sure to thoroughly scrub down all appliances, walls and countertops. Everything should sparkle – even the kitchen sink.

If you plan to take your appliances and you have avoided buying new ones, now might be the right time to shop for something new. This is also a good time to contact your local Hometown ColorTyme Rent-To-Own store to see about replacing that old refrigerator. Your kitchen can look new and alive by just adding a refrigerator. If you later decide you don’t like that refrigerator model for your new home, you can return it hassle-free or exchange it for something else.

If you’ve already moved into your new home but haven’t sold your previous home, don’t fret – ColorTyme can help. Most people can’t leave their own furniture in the old house while it’s sitting vacant. Stop by your local Hometown ColorTyme Rent-To-Own store to temporarily rent (with low weekly or monthly payments) some small inexpensive pieces of furniture to adorn your house with while it’s up for sale. Think about including a loveseat and chair set for the living room with an end-table and lamp. In addition, think about including a kitchen table with four chairs. Potential buyers don’t want to try too hard to visualize what their potential future home may look like.

A crucial part of the selling experience is to have your home ready for every home seeker that stops by. Your home can stand out from the rest by adding a few minor touches here and there. Also, you’re more likely to sell it for your asking price if it’s properly staged. Try following these easy steps and make your home the next “Wow!” home for someone else.

Here are some brief research points that could shed some light on what’s to come:

*Because of the digital TV transition on June 12, many consumers made new TV purchases. According to research firm Retrevo Pulse, more and more households are adding high-def TVs to multiple rooms. In addition, HDTV purchases are soaring because of the availability of HD programming: terrestrial broadcasts, cable, satellite and Internet TV.

*The research company In-Stat says that digital media adaptors, pay TV set-top boxes, Blu-ray players/recorders, HDTVs, and media-center PCs are delivering Web video into households. However, all this will be overshadowed by the popularity of video game consoles. In-Stat says that consoles are currently “the most utilized devices for bringing Web video to the TV and will remain so through 2013. By 2013, over 10.7 million consoles will be used as Web-to-TV mediation devices in the U.S.”

*In-Stat also said that more than 66 million people are “using the Internet while camped out on their sofas watching TV.” Nowadays, TV has become more interactive for exactly this reason: Broadcasters know that households’ PCs aren’t too far away from their TVs. Many TV shows are asking viewers to vote online, register for contests, visit a program’s Web site for more information, and more. These networks know that they can access viewers on TVs and PCs, simultaneously. As time goes on, this becomes more the norm rather than the trend.

*Starting November 1, the new Energy Star TV specification for TVs takes effect. TVs with the compliant Energy Star specifications will be available for the holiday shopping season. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the new specifications account for both active and standby power consumption across all types of TVs.

*According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if all TVs purchased by consumers in 2009 met the new Energy Star standards, the savings in greenhouse gas emissions would be equal to removing 1 million cars from the road. Also according to the EPA, TVs that earn the Energy Star label under the new requirements will be up to 30 percent more efficient than non-qualified models, making it easier for consumers to select an efficient model based upon the government-backed criteria. The EPA projects that approximately one quarter of the TVs currently entering the market will meet the stricter specification for efficiency. A list of models qualified under the new Energy Star TV specification can be found online at www.energystar.gov.

*According to research firm The NPD Group, Blu-ray Disc video technology is moving further into the mainstream. First quarter sales of stand-alone Blu-ray players in the U.S. grew to more than 400,000 units, an increase of 72 percent over the same period last year.

*A recent PC World article said that Panasonic recently unveiled a prototype 50-inch TV and companion glasses that together give the viewer the illusion of three dimensions. Expect more 3D products from Panasonic – and other manufacturers – this year and in 2010.

*Want to know what HD programming (by service provider) is available in your zip code? Visit www.whereisHD.com and enter your zip code to find out.

Beyond conventional retail, flat panel TVs, game consoles and computers have been favorites in the rent to own industry – especially among ColorTyme customers. Multi-tasking and multi-use hasn’t been overlooked either in this market. In some cases, TVs can double as educational devices and represent the central entertainment resource for many families.

Sources: Media Business Corp., Retrevo Pulse, PC World, In-Stat, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The NPD Group, and the Consumer Electronics Association