Welcome to Consumer Product Review !!

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Home

 

Welcome to Consumer Product Review.  The aim of the site is to provide an unbiased but informative service to our visitors, for example,  we will be introducing a Price Comparison section that has been designed to help you make an informed decision before making a purchase.

You will also find alot of very useful articles, where we try to provide useful information, such as Consumer Advice which you can access by using the navigation links. 

We will also be reviewing selected new products on a regular basis when they come to market giving you an insight into the product and our opinion as to what we think of it.

Finally, please feel free to register and leave a comment about anything you find on the site if you feel it could be of benefit to others, or simply if you would like to give us some feedback of where you think we could improve our services to you.

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Choosing The Right Mobile Phone Contract

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Consumer Advice

 

Buying a mobile phone nowadays seems more difficult than what it was five, ten, or even fifteen years ago. Yes, mobile phones bring about a degree of simplicity to our lives, but it is the choosing how we want to simplify that is so difficult. You must choose both the mobile phone that will make life easier for you and the rate plan that will work best for your needs. If you do not choose correctly in the beginning, you must settle with your decision until your mobile phone contract expires or, if your mobile phone company allows for early upgrading, you can upgrade your mobile phone and start a new contract within a few months before your original contract’s expiration.

So how do you choose the mobile phone contract that will accommodate all of your needs for the entire contract period? The following steps will help you make the right decision:

• First, you need an idea of how many minutes you may use each month. If you’re not sure, it is always better to start out with a plan that has more minutes than what you need rather than not enough minutes. Usually, depending on your network, you are allowed to change your rate plan to one with fewer minutes without affecting your contract. You can do this as long as the change takes place within a certain period of time after the start of the contract.

• Do you intend on text messaging? If you do, then you will want to choose a text messaging package as a part of your contract. If you are not sure how many you will use, purchase the lowest package, but know that you can remove this feature if you find that you use it so little that pay-per-use is cheaper. If you find that you use it more than you thought, you will need to upgrade to more messages per month.

• Once you have determined what you need, you will need to compare the networks that provide service for your geographic area. Look at the minutes they offer and how the prices differ for minute plans that are comparable to one another. You will also need to evaluate coverage areas to see which has the best coverage for you.

• After you have narrowed it down the networks you are interested in, look at the other features that are available and make sure you are allowed to add and remove these features as needed. These features may include picture messaging, mobile Internet, mobile television, phone insurance, and much more.

• When choosing a phone, make sure you evaluate the features each offers and compare these features. If you need a mobile phone with Office Mobile on it, then you can narrow your search down to phones that have Office Mobile. If you need a smart phone with a 5 megapixel camera, then you can narrow your search down to smart phones with 5 megapixel cameras. From here, you can then look at the remaining choices and choose which one fits within your budget.

The main reason in which you want to ensure you choose the right contract is the fact that your mobile phone is usually sold to you at a discount price. If you sign a two year contract with your mobile phone network, you may receive a £500 phone for free. If you were to buy that same phone without the contract, you would have to pay the entire £500. Once you sign the contract, you must use the same phone throughout the entire agreement unless you are willing to pay hundreds of pounds on a new one that is comparable.

With that said, you should be able to choose the right mobile phone contract, as well as the right mobile phone to meet or exceed your needs.

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Sony Cybershot WX1 Digital Camera

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

Sony Cybershot WX1-1

Sony DSCWX1S Cyber-shot Digital Camerais a sleek, quick performing snapshot camera. It has a great design with useful features.  It works well in low light conditions and provides good overall performance.  The camera is ultra compact with a resolution of 10.2 megapixels, optical zoom, and Exmor R CMOS optical sensor. It retails for GBP 183.7-GBP 212.9.  The Sony DSCWX1S Cyber-shot Digital Camera is known for its stylish, high performance advanced image shooting features. Sweep Panorama mode is a picture shooting mode in which many images can be captured simultaneously by moving the camera from one side to another. The images produced are automatically stitched together to create a single panoramic image.  The Exmos R CMOS sensor is known to create sharp and clear pictures.  It reduces picture noise, increases image resolution and improves image quality.  The Party Shot feature allows you to shoot pictures of everyone in a room including the photographer. Landscapes, building architectures, room interiors, and also family pictures are possible to be shot with this camera.  You can shoot video at 30 frames per second similar to camcorders.

Sony Cybershot WX1-3

  
The quality, resolution and clarity of the images are comparable to Sony camcorders available in the market.  A large and clear 2.7” LCD screen with wide viewing angle makes all this possible.  Burst shooting of up to 10 frames per second. 720p HD movie recording enables capture of detailed HD video.  Stereo sound is possible at 30 frames per second.  The Handheld Twilight mode is capable of producing low light images and combining 6 images into 1 single image with clear imagery.  Anti Blur mode reduces blur and combines 6 images into 1 with reduced image noise.  The BIONZ processor in this camera is responsible for the fast image processing, high resolution shooting and instinctive shooting capabilities.  The processor is the engine of the camera that makes it perform these functions with speed and efficiency.  The Ultra-Fast auto focus has more responsive picture shooting.  The Smile Shutter captures images by detecting facial movements and fires the shutter automatically. The Optical SteadyShot image stabilizer is designed to reduce image blur during hand held shooting of images. ISO 3200 high sensitivity is available for better images and no flash in low light conditions.

Sony Cybershot WX1-4
Face Detection is a feature that detects facial features of image subjects and automatically adjusts the focus as well as the white balance for clear pictures.  In Auto Mode, the camera shoots pictures in a wide range of situations.  The camera is available in a wide range of colors.  The Picture Motion Browser software is designed to view images, search for images and store them on your PC.  The camera has high quality f/2.4 Sony G Lens with 5x optical zoom with 24 mm wide angle.  The Tottenham Court Road Sony Centre has this model readily available and retails for GBP 329.99.  The camera accessories include the accessory kit, Battery chargers (BC-TRG Battery Charger and NP-FG1 Rechargeable Battery), camera cases (high grade hard carrying case LCH-TW1 and soft carrying case LCS-CSF, among others), docking stations & cables, flashes & lights, GPS, Party-Shot, Sports & Marine Packs, and Tripods.

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HTC Magic Mobile Phone

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

HTC4                                    

Though T-Mobiles G1 and AT&Ts I-phone have ruled the smart phone market, the new HTC Magic Mobile phone is just the second Google android phone every created. The new HTC Magic provides everything you could possibly want from the internet right at the touch of your fingers with the built in Google search function. Complete with a 3.2 megapixel camera, built in GPS system, 3.2 inch touch screen, and built in Wi-Fi connection, the HTC Magic definitely provides some impressive features.

A very light and smooth design, the HTC Magic left out the QWERTY keyboard, making the phone only 14 millimeters thick, and a nice fit for any pocket. Many of the previous kinks in the Android software has been worked out and re-modified, improving the internet quality and touch screen responsiveness of the phone. An improved security feature keeps the phone locked at all times while in your pocket or purse. To lock or unlock the handset, a pattern must be drawn using a system of nine dots on the touch screen. The applications are easy to use, and shortcuts can be created for your favorite online apps, making them quicker to access for anyone on the go. Your email can be synced with the phone, making receiving and responding to emails a quick and easy task. Obviously improved from the last Google android phone, the HTC Magic offers many great mobile features for just about any consumer.

HTC3                                           HTC1

Though the HTC Magic is quite remarkable, there are still some questionable aspects to the device. The lack of a QWERTY keyboard miffs some consumers; however the touch screen keyboard is actually quite responsive, and the handset is made to fit comfortably in two hands, improving typing ability. The only primary set back would be the 3.2 megapixel camera, which does not have a flash function. Although some pictures come out very nicely, others are often blurred, or very dark due to no flash function. If a nice camera is important to you on a mobile phone, then there are other models that can provide better than this handset. The lack of a standard head phone jack is a little bit confusing; however not very surprising after noticing how average some of the multimedia functions were. Despite these minor downfalls, the HTC Magic is still a state of the art internet smart phone.

With only the I-Phone for a rival, the HTC Magic adds some freshness to the smart phone market. Complete with state of the art design, user friendly applications and functions, and improved security, the HTC Magic is capable fitting the needs of almost any consumer. If you are in the market for a new phone, and want to upgrade from standard to state of the art, you cannot go wrong with the updated HTC Magic, only the second Google android phone ever placed on the market.

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The Apple iPod Nano: An impressive 5th Generation

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

IPOD NANO 2

The Apple iPod nano has been the most popular mp3 player on the market for years, but until recently major changes have not been made. While some would say that you should not “mess with success”, the iPod nano has made a couple of major changes in its 5th generation which have actually made it more impressive and user friendly than ever.

8GB versus 16 GB

The 5th generation nano comes in two types; the 8 GB and the 16 GB. With the 8 GB you will have space for 2,000 standard length songs or 8 hours of video. Those who seek a massive storage capacity will appreciate the 16 GB model, which can hold 4,000 songs or 16 hours of video. Both models are identical in terms of ability and features, only differing in the amount of storage space. The 16 GB model is outselling the 8GB because the dramatic difference in capacity translates to only about £20 more in price, which makes the 16 GB a far better value for the money.

What Is New For The 5th Generation

The 5th generation Apple iPod nano brings with it some great new features which have never been seen on such small mp3 devices. The most talked about new feature is the video. It is now possible to take live video with your iPod nano just as easily as you can take a photo. With the built in video camera you can spontaneously shoot video in nearly any circumstances, giving a new degree of flexibility to the nano. This can virtually eliminate the need to carry a digital camera with you everywhere.

The screen size for the 5th generation iPod nano is 2.2 inches, the largest screen yet on an iPod. This much improved viewing area makes for easier viewing of photos, playlists, and videos.

IPOD NANO 1

The new anodized aluminum finish is highly polished, and comes in nine different eye-catching colors. This finish is more scratch-resistant and resists minor dings better than the previous models, while looking sharp at the same time.

Another new feature is the “Genius Playlists”. These playlists are customized just for you, but you won’t have to compile them yourself. This feature will choose songs which go well together and make custom playlists for you. If you love the custom mix you can save it, but if it’s not quite what you wanted you can have a new playlist made immediately.

The 5th generation Apple iPod nano has brought some new features into the mix, and they have resulted in a nano that is far superior to any of its predecessors. For slick new features, eye-popping colors, and previously unheard of capabilities, this new generation of nano is truly the best of its kind.

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Acer Aspire Revo Nettop PC

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

 

 Acer Revo Nettop

People have been demanding more from their notebooks for a long time, and Nividia hopes to deliver with the Acer Aspire Revo. It promises to bring better overall performance, including enhanced web performance and gaming capabilities, but how well does it fare? Here is an overview of the Acer Aspire Revo.

How it looks

I recall reading comments a few months ago about the Acer Aspire Revo  looking eerily similiar to the acclaimed Wii gaming system, and I can see how the comparison could be made. They are a similar shape, but the Revo is black and trimmed with silver, as opposed to being snow-white like the Wii. The base of the Revo is sturdy, and apparently it comes with a small power brick. All in all it is considerably smaller than traditional desktop computers, so you should have no trouble finding space for it. Personally, I think the small Revo looks very sleek.

The Revo has just about everything that you’d expect to see on a PC – there are a total of six USB 2.0 ports, one on the top and one on the front right corner, as well as four on the back. The front also has a headphone and microphone jack; a SD card reader and an eSATA port. The back also provides an Ethernet, VGA and HDMI port. It also has internal Wi-Fi. I was pretty impressed by how well everything was laid out, especially considering how much is included.

How it runs

Start up can be a bit sluggish, due, in part, to the processor. Other factors include the factory extras that come with the Revo, but you can always go into msconfig and disable these things from popping up at start up, which should help speed things up a bit.

The Revo handles lower-end games well. Games will work, but you will probably have to lower your resolution and turn down all the graphics just to get them to play, and some games that demand higher specs will crash and burn. Despite this, I think the Revo is a huge step in preparing notebooks for hardcore gamers – it’s impressive what the little box can do.

Acer Aspire Revo

 

The next step was starting up the web. It came up in a decent amount of time, and so I started browsing the web. The speed is acceptable, and I had no trouble watching streaming movies – as long as I didn’t try to maximize the video. Once maximized the video became a bit choppy, but I’m sure after a few updates everything will run more smoothly. While running a video I decided to pull up Word to see how well the Revo could handle multitasking, and while it was a little slow switching between windows I think it was sufficient.

Overall the Revo, while it has drawbacks, is very good. I wouldn’t recommend it to a hardcore gamer, but for everyday computer needs I think it is a good choice, especially since it sports a nice price tag.

For more articles relating to the Acer Aspire Revo please click the following links;

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Sony DSLR-A850 Digital Camera

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

 

 Sony DSLR A850 Digital Camera

Serious photographers looking for a camera that prices in under £1,000 but still provides the amazing picture clarity, full-frame photography, and professional quality control over their pictures will want to take a look at the Sony DSLR A850 Alpha Digital Camera .   Featuring 24.6 megapixel resolution, A850 owners will have all the options available to them from the big boys with a lower price tag to boot.

The only camera better than the A850 in Sony’s line is the A900, which preforms slightly better but has an additional £350.00 on the price tag. For what amount to extremely small differences, customers can save themselves a paycheck or more by purchasing the A850 instead. With the same damage resistant body, the two even look almost identical. Customers deliberating between the two will probably find the A850 the better purchase unless they require faster continuous photography.

 

Sony DSLR A850 Digital Camera 1                                               Sony DSLR A850 Digital Camera accessories

The Sony DSLR-A850 Digital Camera comes with the Steady Shot image stabilizer. Mounted on a movable table within the camera, this allows for auto-correction and all but eliminates blurry shots. This stabilizer out preforms all other comparably priced cameras on the market, making it one of the best tools for photographers on the move.

And if you are the type who doesn’t get back to the office to charge the camera as often as you’d like, that’s not a problem either. With a battery life that covers up to 880 shots, the A850 should provide hours and hours of photos under normal use. If you’re the type who regularly uses the continuous shooting feature, you might see your battery wearing out quite a bit faster, however.

With a magnesium-alloy based body, the A850 is large and sturdy. It can get a bit heavy, but with its large view finder and interior technology, there’s a lot to hold in this impressive camera. Don’t forget, after all, that a film-based 35mm camera would probably weigh even more. On the back of the camera is a 640×480 resolution screen. Featuring digital outputs as well as all the spec and setting information, this invaluable output makes it easy for users to quickly switch modes and settings without any confusion.

There’s plenty of room for expansion on the Sony DSLR-A850 Digital Camera as well. With two flash card ports, space for an external flash, and USB computer connections, all of the users bases are covered. Although it is primarily for photography, the A850 also has the ability to take digital video on the go as well.

Overall, the A850 is an excellent camera for the photography geek who isn’t quite prepared to be spending over £1600.00 on a camera. When purchasing the A850, make sure you also have a decent flash as it lacks a flash bulb of its own. However, the A850 compares favorably with just about any digital camera from any manufacturer on the market. If you’re looking for a new digital camera, this could be the one.

For more articles on the Sony DSLR A850 then please click one of the links below;

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Nokia Booklet 3G Notebook

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

 

 Nokia 3g Booklet

The new Nokia Booklet 3G is a stylish new notebook product that makes the versatility of the compact notebook computer even more portable and manageable. The notebook’s chic design will be turning heads in your favorite internet café or giving you and your employees that extra reliability factor on business trips and around the office.

The Nokia Booklet 3G is truly a revolution in notebook technology, as it manages to combine all the previous functionality of your typical notebook computer with a battery that actually lasts! As any notebook owner can tell you, when you do anything on your notebook computer you can literally watch the battery life draining away in the battery control panel. You are lucky to get two hours of battery life even doing tasks as simple as word processing. The Nokia Booklet 3G, however, sports a battery life of up to twelve hours, so it is entirely possible to shed your power cord for the entire day while you run around town or bring your notebook into work with you.

Nokia 3g Booklet                                           Nokia Booklets   

 

Nokia has truly struck upon a new meaning of mobility in this new notebook, as you can connect to the internet almost anywhere you will be able to take your computer. The Nokia Booklet 3G comes equipped with a built-in 3G card, allowing you to take advantage of mobile services that offer simultaneous voice and data solutions that are able to achieve megabit transfer speeds, even on mobile network services. This technology rivals even that of strictly mobile designed hardware, and has never before been seen in a notebook. The Nokia Booklet 3G also comes equipped with built in Wi-Fi for ease in setting up a home wireless network and in taking advantage of the already extensive Wi-Fi network across the United States. This notebook also has a built in GPS component that will truly connect you to the world. You can use the GPS to track friends, employees, or clients, to help with navigation on the road or on foot, or to assist in tracking down the computer if it is ever lost or stolen.

The appearance of the Nokia Booklet 3G is hip enough to match the astounding technology that is encased within. The entire system is incredibly small, which will leave your friends and coworkers astounded at how you manage to have so much computer packed into such a sleek package. The computer is extremely thin as well, allowing it to fit into binders and backpacks or other carrying cases with ease. The sturdy aluminum design will protect the system from unintentional damage, allowing this system to survive the mobile lifestyle that notebook computers were designed for, but many simply cannot live up to. Its aluminum fabrication is also designed for maximum dissipation of heat to prevent any unfortunate over heating incidents that could land your system in the repair shop.

 

Nokia 3g Booklet                                  Nokia Booklets

For more articles relating to the Nokia 3G Booklet please click the links below;

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World of Warcraft – Cataclysm

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

 

 wow-cataclysm-logo-carousel

After the stunning success of World of Warcraft , followed by the The Burning Crusade  and World of Warcraft: The Wrath of the Lich King expansions, Blizzard has announced that it will be releasing another amazing installment of the world’s premier massively multi-player online game at this year’s BlizzCon convention.

For those unfamiliar with the World of Warcraft, this revolutionary game allows players to explore a vast, seamless virtual world as any one of a multitude of customizable characters. Gameplay is not linear, and it is for the player to decide the skills the character will learn, which missions to complete and which organizations to join.

The Cataclysm expansion will feature a number of additional aspects that will be integrated into existing gameplay. Firstly, two new races of characters will be available. Players may opt to be a Worgen, which is an immense werewolf-like creature, or a Goblin. Experienced players will recognize these races as common elements of the World of Warcraft that previously only acted as non-player characters. In terms of faction allegiance, the Worgen is to be placed with the Alliance, while the Goblins will be fighting for the Horde.

Goblin                                Worgen

 

As another change of pace, players will be allowed expanded options in terms of choosing classes for particular races. New possibilities include the Undead Hunter, the Orc Mage, and the Tauren Paladin, among others. Players will also be allowed to bring characters beyond the current level 80 maximum to level 85. The new trade, Archaeology, will be made available to players, allowing them to dig up valuable items from certain areas of the map.

Blizzard has also announced that World of Warcraft Cataclysm will include several improvements upon the social dynamic of the game. For instance, as players work collaboratively to overcome some of the game’s more challenging aspects, their characters gain experience. In the Cataclysm expansion, not only will individual characters earn experience and skills, but whole guilds can do the same as they complete progressively harder quests and dungeons. Players will also be delighted to know that Blizzard will be releasing a number of player versus player battlegrounds and tournaments, as well as forty person raids as part of the expansion.

With the release of the Cataclysm expansion, plays will find greatly improved maps as well. Previously unavailable regions in the various realms of Azeroth, Kalimdor, the Outlands and Northrend will now be available for high-level players. Such areas include Uldum, Grim Batol and the Sunken City of Vashj’ir. A holdover from previous Warcraft games, the island of Tol Barad will also be made available as a location in which high-level characters can complete daily quests for money, experience and items. In addition to this, several changes have been made to existing zones so as to add a few surprises for seasoned players, as well as allowing high-level gamers to use their flying mounts in Azeroth and Kalimdor.

World of WarCraft Cataclysm has been tentatively slated for release sometime in 2010, and Blizzard is sure to add more features to the expansion as that date draws nearer.

For more articles on the new WoW wxpansion please click on one of the following links below;

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Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System

Author: Paul Young  |  Category: Product Review

 

Windows 7 

The Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System differs in several key ways from the Vista operating system, as this Product Review will detail. Windows 7 fixed many of the problems with Vista, while retaining its best features. My consumer review of these products details several areas you’ll want to consider when choosing your product, such as speed, security, ease of use, hardware support, and robustness.

* Speed: Microsoft has noticeably improved the speed over Vista, especially in the boot process. Network speed searches have also been sped up through BranchCache. This feature uses intermediate servers to store the cache on several different servers. Windows 7 might not be as fast as some previous Windows versions, but it is definitely an improvement over Vista. The operating codes have been enhanced, allowing the same computer to run programs faster than on Vista.

* Security: Microsoft has improved its security features through BitLocker, its full-volume encryption software. It automatically creates the necessary hidden partitions, rather than requiring manual interventions, and it now handles external USB drives and flash drives. AppLocker is an improved version of Microsoft’s Software Restriction Policies, letting administrators create their own list of prohibited applications. User Access Control messages are less frequent, which had been a consumer annoyance with Vista.

* Ease of Use: Microsoft Windows 7  has both advantages and disadvantages over Vista. Windows 7 offers a new taskbar, which has eliminated the popular quick launch feature. However, other new features, such as the Most Recently Used list, are a definite enhancement, allowing you to quickly access your most common functions. Direct Access is a new feature that allows users to connect remotely to corporate networks without having to use a VPN connection.

* Hardware support requires very similar requirements to Vista, which is still much higher than Windows XP.

* Robustness: Disaster Recovery capabilities are similar to Vista, using the Windows Recovery Environment. You can either boot from the product CD or build your own boot disk, and you still have the option of recovery points. In early tests, Windows 7 has shown to be more reliable than Vista, and offers more product compatibility for programs such as Firefox, iTunes, and Photoshop.

Other improvements include better applets that are more functional, including an enhanced Paint system. Microsoft has also improved PowerShell by including a graphical user interface. If you are upgrading from XP, one big enhancement of Windows 7 is the increased control over driver installation and device usage, and you now have network-wide power management.

Overall, this consumer product review shows that while Windows 7 has improved many of the problems with Vista. My advice is that, although its still early, you will be much happier with Windows 7 than with Vista. Windows 7 offers improved performance, increased stability and security, and much improved hardware and software compatibility.

For more articles on the new Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System please click one of the following links;

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