Posts Tagged ‘review’
ad:tech 08 - the first step in a wider format change for trade shows?
September 26th, 2008
The annual pilgrimage to ad:tech has come and gone for another year, and it seems there was a definite change in the air this year. Not so much to the exhibitors, most of the usual suspects were there, in fact what was more noticeable were the ones that weren’t.
The main change though, was in the opportunities for education and networking. The speaker slots were packed, the specific networking points full (the main one sponsored by Orange) and the omnipresent Google University well attended. This is a key point that the organisers have picked up on.
Some might say that all of these have been available at previous events, and you would be right, but at this year’s event education and networking was certainly more of a focal point. Anyone attending ad:tech, and the many other digitally-focuses shows, will have seen a dramatic fall off in attendees willing or looking to purchase. The simple reality is; many people go to shows to meet up with contacts, snoop on competitors and generally try to get a feel for what’s happening in the market. Not as many attend to buy, or research a purchase.
Although most exhibitors that i spoke to said it had been a successful show in terms of leads, I think we’ve seen a change to the format of trade shows that will only continue to evolve. The focus of ad:tech 08, as Paul Sinclair, event director said in his opening notes: ‘has developed inline with visitor’s thirst for knowledge’, and it must be said a thirst for networking.
So what’s next for ad:tech? Well considering much of the business and many of the best stories, and probably leads, come out in the bars surrounding Olympia following the close of the show, perhaps a day of drinking is in order, and as anyone who attended will know, some of the stands are not far away from that already.
Google Chrome review: good and bad
September 9th, 2008
Google chrome was released on the 1st of September, with a leaked comic book PR stunt. If you liked the comic book idea used by Google, that was an effective way of demonstrating its new browser, check out social animation made easy or a great paid-for version called Comic Life.
But getting down to the nitty gritty…
The good Google Chrome:)
1, Google Chrome is free.
2, Google Chrome imports your bookmarks, passwords, and settings from Firefox or Internet Explorer on start-up (only on the Windows XP)
3, Chrome’s layout is very simple like all Google products.
4, You can set your own Google Chrome homepage, or you can use the ‘most visited’ sites page as your starting point, which gives you a nice visual touch.
5, Google Chrome searches your browser’s history page titles as well page content. The history results show the title of the page, as well as a thumbnail representation of the page.
6, The default Google Chrome search engine is Google. However, you can choose from a list of nine other search engines, or add your own search engine.
7, Google Chrome includes a number of features that appear in other browsers, such as tools for web developers to use in viewing and troubleshooting source code, and the ability to restore all tabs from a previous session.
8, Did I also mention it’s fast!
9, It’s OPEN SOURCE!
10, A feature called incognito. “Pages you view in this window won’t appear in your browser history or search history, and they won’t leave other traces, like cookies, on your computer after you close the incognito window.”
11, A nice usability feature called text zoom, which with the click of a button makes the text larger on the current page.
12, You can already have a Portable Chrome: Carry the Google Browser on a USB Stick
13, If you want to change the no frills Google start up page you can re-skin it - check out this post to find out more: How to Change Google Chrome Theme With Custom Chrome Theme
If you you still are not sure about Google Chrome and are a die hard FireFox fan, why not check out the Open Websites in Google Chrome from Firefox application.
The Google Chrome bad:(
1, Yet more strings to the Google bow.
2, The lack of URL information can make it difficult to identify the specific web page you’re going to, especially if the site’s title bar description is not specific (because, say, different sections of the same site have identical title bar descriptors).
3, Windows-only for the moment.
4, Still in beta so you might find some small bug-related issues.
5, As with all Google applications, it looks a little drab.
To read more about Google Chrome the BBC has a good post: Google launches internet browser, and it’s also worth checking out the Google official blog - A fresh take on the browser
Top List of Consumer Review Sites
June 3rd, 2008
As part of our daily routine here at Liberate Media, we like to keep on top of consumer disgruntlement and consumer satisfaction in the retail environment. Why? Because brands should be aware of their online reputation and act accordingly.
The List:
Sazze - “Better reviews, smarter choices”. You can search for reviews of products, chat to other users and even create your own polls.
ReviewGist -”We read the reviews so that you don’t have to.” Simply type in your product in the search bar and click search. Or select one of search catogories above the search bar.
Measuredup - “How do they rate?” This site has been featured on:
Customers write reviews and put a happy face or a sad face next to it depending on the review. They also have a section for featured organisations that care about customer service!
Blagge.com - “This is the place to leave comments and ratings about companies and services that you have used. If you have received good or bad service, let other people know about it!” - Write your review and give the brand the thumbs up or down on a scale of 1-5.
TeastFreaks - This has a massive database of reviews and tests - “TestFreaks collects product information and reviews from over 60 countries and several thousand sources to give you the best possible advice.”
The Consumerist - “Shoppers bite back” More of a selection of articles from disgruntled customers (This is a great time waster read!).
Complaints Centre - It does what it says on the tin, consumer reviews including compliments, complaints & questions.
Click2complaints - “empowering You the UK consumer!” - More of a forum based site with many subcategories for UK reviews.
Sutori - Write a review and build a consensus around it. You can also agree or disagree with the review.
Vendor Rate - Vendor Rate is the quick, confidential way to rate any technology industry vendor. This one is used by Liberate Media as we often focus on the Technology industry.
That’s all I have at the moment, if you know of anymore please let me know and I will add them to my list.