Anyone read ICT Reviews?

[VeryPC]

Hi folks,

 

I would like to ask you all if you receive and/or read the free Education IT publication ICT Reviews? If so, do you find it interesting, are the reviews helpful, or is it just another glossy bit of junkmail that clogs up your pigeonhole 3 times a year?

 

If you don't know what it is, it's a sister publication to PC Pro that is sent out free to education IT managers, headmasters and the like in the UK. You can download an old copy of it here to see what I'm talking about: Download issue 4 of ICT Reviews for schools now! | Education | News | PC Pro

 

VeryPC have advertised in it and had reviews in it before, but not for a little while now. I'm just trying to get an idea of how relevant a publication it is to you all currently and decide if we should invest in any more advertising or push for any new reviews in it.

 

Come to think of it, what are your main sources of IT journalism (print or web)? Do many of you bother with IT print publications any more, or are you online info all the way these days?

 

I would really appreciate your feedback on this if you can spare 2 minutes to post - it will help us target our advertising more and remove that level of uncertainty you always have when shelling out for this kind of thing.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Al

[TechMonkey]

I think I received one once here with a very ex member of staff's name on it. I tried to get the name changed and PC Pro and the advertising company that I was passed to didn't have a clue so I told them to take my name off the list.

 

I think beyond the finding the wrong name I had a quick flick and then it went to be recycled.

 

I'm more inclined to ask here or look at online reviews. The only problem I'm finding with online reviews is often the category is well out of date (so a printer test was last done 10 months ago) and the number of models that get released means then reviews are soon out of date. That leaves me back with asking if anyone on here has used it.

 

Maybe EduGeeks next market? EduReviews.

[sonofsanta]

That's the one bit of fluff that lands in my pigeon hole that I do find useful, actually. Had some good info on classroom management packages once, just as I was looking at a new classroom management package, and in general it's well produced and written by people who know what they're on about.

 

If the question you're really asking is "is it worth us sending a review unit in?", well, I read it all when it turns up, and it's all presented professionally enough to convince people, IMHO. Yes that is the question you're asking (should really read all the post instead of skimming past in my excitement to post), and yes I find it useful. It's the only print publication I read on IT, as it happens (the fact it is sent to me free is directly relevant). Other than that, I just read here and across a handful of other tech sites - mostly American ones like AnandTech and Ars Technica.

Edited February 11, 2014 by sonofsanta

[VeryPC]

Maybe EduGeeks next market? EduReviews.

That's a cracking idea, but it might clash with @Dos_Box's very honourable code of impartiality. I wonder if there'd be away for the guys to do that with member reviews or something, maybe on a separate domain? Just spitballing here of course.

 

Al

[featured_spectre]

Why not register edureview.net or .org or whatever and then all reviews can go on there?

 

Doesn't conflict with the edugeek code of conduct and the advertisers can do reviews, as could select personnel from the edugeek website.

[rich_tech]

I think my line manager might get that sent to him here, seems decent enough as a magazine, the only thing I noticed with that magazine in which I just looked at the PDF for, none of the reviews seemed to have anyones name associated with them

[hardtailstar]

I tend to just search online for reviews of products.

 

I also have somehow got a subscription to Custom pc which I read through on my tablet.

[VeryPC]

Thanks for the feeback folks.

 

Al

[vikpaw]

Had a few copies and it is good but prefer online now as most won't send to me.

 

I find reviews useful to find out what's wrong with a product so you need a good cross section to get the whole picture. So online is really useful.

[CAM]

That's a cracking idea, but it might clash with @Dos_Box's very honourable code of impartiality. I wonder if there'd be away for the guys to do that with member reviews or something, maybe on a separate domain? Just spitballing here of course.

 

Al

 

They'd need to pick unbiased posters too which may be a bit tricky when it comes to certain vendors.

[VeryPC]

They'd need to pick unbiased posters too which may be a bit tricky when it comes to certain vendors.

I volunteer @VeryPC_Colin_M to review all VeryPC products - no chance of bias there.

 

Al

[featured_spectre]

I am happy to do reviews, did that wireless one which seemed to go down well I am happy to pull apart products as well as praise them where they deserve it.

 

Just ask Meru about the damage I caused which had Mark coming to see me personally to go over with me the improvements they since made to their technology!

[hallb15]

I've never read it. I tend to empty my pigeon hole once a month and 99% of it goes straight in the bin (apart from my payslip!) so I may have seen it before but I wouldn't remember.

Online all the way for me. I try and read a cross section of the tech review sites, and don't rely on just one as I don't believe any are 100% impartial.

[Jamoire]

I'm a bit biased as I have written for it a few times - but I have always found it useful and have picked up a couple of useful tips / ideas from the features and looked at a couple of products we probably we wouldn't have on the back of the reviews.

 

Writing for it was how I actually come across VeryPC initially a few years back.

 

I have thought a few times about setting up an Educational focused news and reviews type site if it would be of interest to anyone to read or contribute too - likewise would be interested in contributing if anyone else went ahead with it.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Jamoire