Real-life testing
[intro] What with technology being all popular and that, a quick Google search for a new gadget brings up all sorts of 'reviews'. Many of them are no better than a news story. [/intro]
What with technology being all popular and that, a quick Google search for a new gadget brings up all sorts of 'reviews'. Many of them are no better than a news story. Most of them are just a blog entry, like this one. Except that this a review of reviewing, so that's okay.
If Stuff reviews something, it gets a star rating and a 'Stuff says'. The reason I am writing about this is because I was talking to someone (on an Alpine ski-lift, if you want to get a proper mental image of this scenario) about Stuff magazine.
He said: "All those gadgets at the front…I think…that they're not proper reviews. They're more like news stories."
Right. We had a quick discussion about the difference between the news section (Hot Stuff, at the front) and the features/reviews section (after Hot Stuff), and he went on his way. Skiing, not boarding, if you're still maintaining that mental image. But the crux of the discussion was how much you would let a news story influence a buying decision.
On Stuff.tv, and in Stuff magazine, the lines between news and review are pretty clearly drawn. (If you don't think so, let me know.) But, I worry about the slightly less technological Googling themself up a 'review' from the recesses of the internet, and spending thousands of pounds on the back of it.
Who's to blame? The buyer, for poor research? The writer of the so-called 'review', who might be doing no more than trying to spread information about joyous gadgets in the only way they know how – the free internet. Or are we to blame, for not being there for that buyer when he needed us?
Can't fix the first two. But we'll be continuing to do our damnedest to make ourselves available to you, so that when you need a review, or you need news, we'll have it. And, that our reviews are the most insightful possible.
For example, the Yamaha CRX-M170 pictured here, might look like most DAB mini systems. But, it scrolls through DAB stations faster, and is more user-friendly than several other DAB minis I have tried. Small, important things, yet I have only seen them mentioned in one review. Yes, in Stuff.
And, with that, I'm off to pour water on my PS3, just to see how it reacts. That's real-life testing.
Comments
andrewldownie
2 years ago
A couple of issues ago Stuff magazine announced the new Stuff readers panel - a fantastic way for enthusiastic gadgeteers and no doubt Stuff subscribers to get involved in review writing and surveys/questionnaires.
I was just wondering if anyone had been successful in being accepted for "membership"? I sent an email request in, but heard nothing, and have since written again to find out the progress (good or bad) of my "application", and still no response. Perhaps it has been oversubscribed, and perhaps it is impossible for everyone to get a response realistically speaking, but given that I am a long term subscriber and regular t the Stuff Show, I would have thought my proven loyalty would have at least been acknowledged by a response of some sort.
Can Stuff comment? Or has anyone else heard anything?
Andrew