Reevoo blog: Helping you buy better

Nice to see you here.  You’re looking at the archives of the Reevoo.com blog, where you’ll find posts from before December 7th 2010.

Find our latests posts at our shiny new blog.

In October 2010, Microsoft launched their Windows 7 Phones and jumped on the increasingly competitive smart-phone bandwagon. So now, several weeks after its launch, we can see how the Windows 7 Phone is doing compared to the iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

There doesn’t seem to be much buzz around official Microsoft sales figures, as unofficial sources are saying it doesn’t sound too good.

Despite Microsoft spending around £65m on its Windows 7 Phone ad campaign, the initial public reaction has been lukewarm. Rewind to launch day and sources show that Microsoft sold only 40,000 phones; underwhelming compared to the 600,000 iPhone 4 sales on their release day, while Google activates 200,000 Android devices every day.

After learning about the disappointing launch of the Windows 7 Phone, I turned to our own figures to see what shoppers are actually looking at. On the graph below, you can see that phones operating on the BlackBerry OS are still by far the most viewed phones on the 50 major online shops we work with. Android came in second place, putting Microsoft windows 7 Phones in third place above the iPhone.

However, as you can see from the graph below, BlackBerry have released over 21 phones, along with Android’s 20 plus. Windows 7 Phones only have 5 models available while iPhone have released 7 phones in total. Out of those models, only 5 BlackBerry phones are current releases, with Android at around 10 and iPhone on just 2. This does put the numbers into perspective, showing that BlackBerry are still miles ahead while Windows 7 Phones are languishing behind.

These figures suggest to me that shoppers are interested in the Windows 7 Phone, but for now, they’re sticking with what they know. Maybe in time, as Windows 7 improves its reputation with smart-phone users, we’ll start to see them grow.

Recently, I’ve been plugging the idea that buying a smart-phone is environmentally friendly. And why’s that? Because you can have your diary, mobile phone, internet, mp3 player and sat nav device all in one. That means less technology to eventually throw away and replace! But are there any advantages of buying a smart-phone over a plug-in sat nav?

Smart-phones as sat navs

What are the advantages?

• You’ll always have your phone on you. Hence, you’ll always have your sat nav on you.
• They’re generally small, light, and easy to carry around.
• If you already own a smart-phone, you can buy applications from the major sat nav manufacturers for your phone.

Are there any disadvantages?

• You might have to pay for a sat nav application if your phone doesn’t come with one.
• Smart-phones are usually a lot more expensive than sat navs.
• Screens are very small and can be hard to see when you’re driving – this could potentially be dangerous.
• You can be subject to charges if you don’t have a good deal on your mobile internet usage.
• Using GPS on your phone is a huge drain on the battery.
• Smart-phone sat nav doesn’t always update quickly enough, which could cause you to miss instructions.

It’s important to note that different smart-phones will have different apps available and different capabilities. For example, the HTC Desire on Android comes with the Google Maps app installed, but you have to download and install a separate app for it to give you voice instructions.

Before you buy a smart-phone, check which apps you need to download (if any) to get sat nav working on your phone. You’ll also find that paid-for applications can provide a better navigation experience, as the maps are clearer, larger and the instructions are designed specifically for navigation. The range of apps available will vary greatly in cost and quality, but there’ll almost always be a free version available.

The best smart-phone for sat nav

The favourite smart-phone of our users that has a sat-nav function is the HTC Desire. Read reviews about the HTC Desire from the people that own them.

.	HTC Desire From £342 Sim-Free From £5 a month on contract (£329.99 handset)

Check out all phones with sat nav capability

Hand-held sat navs

So why buy a separate sat nav device?

• Big screens that are designed to be easy to see for use while driving – this is much safer overall!
• Fairly cheap to buy and easy to update with new maps.
• Extra features often included, such as speed camera warnings.
• Voice navigation instructions will come as standard.

But what are the downfalls?

• Sat navs have been known to fall off their holders if they’re not secured well enough. This can be extremely dangerous while driving! (I can attest to that).
• Thieves are always on the lookout for sat navs  – never leave them on display in your car, and try to wipe off the sucker mark left in the window from the sat-nav holder if you can.

The best hand-held sat nav

The favourite sat nav of users is the Garmin Nuvi 205. Read reviews of the Garmin Nuvi 205 and see what their owners thought.

Garmin Nuvi 205 Sat Nav From £75

Check out all sat navs

Smart-phone or hand-held?

Personally, I own both. I find my sat nav a lot easier to use than a smart-phone while I’m in the car – it’s easier to see and clearer to hear. But I love using my smart-phone’s GPS (Global Positioning System) and maps when I’m out and about. It’s stopped me from getting lost more times than I can count and I wouldn’t be without it. However, if you’re a heavy duty driver, I wouldn’t recommend a smart-phone as a long term choice – go with a separate sat nav if you’re going to be using it often.

Currys have extended their massive 10% off sale until midnight tonight.  This brilliant offer applies to home deliveries only and all codes will be automatically applied to your basket before you buy. On top of this huge saving, there’s also free delivery on all Currys orders, so you don’t have to venture out into the cold.

10% off televisions Huge savings across a whole selection of Televisions from Currys. To whet your appetite how about the Samsung LE40C750 Full HD and 3D television, normally £848, but with this one day special offer now just £763.20! That’s a massive £84 off the original price!
10% off digital cameras (excluding SLRs) Perhaps a TV isn’t high on your Christmas wish list.  No need to worry as Currys also have a 10% discount on digital cameras (excluding SLRs). A brilliant product to consideris be the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS with a 14MP camera as well as HD video. Save £21 and get it for £189!
10% off GPS systems If you’re gearing up to travel this Christmas, make sure you don’t get lost in the snow.  And we don’t mean rely on Dad’s map-reading – sat navs are much more reliable and don’t complain when you ask if you’re nearly there yet.  Currys has a huge selection of GPS systems that are all included with the 10% savings.  Here’s a link to make sure you don’t get lost (just in case): 10% off GPS Systems
10% off iPods To finish off this amazing deal Currys have also included iPods, the perfect gift for almost any loved one (and the perect way to keep the kids quiet on Christmas day). A brilliant product in itself, the iPod Touch offers so much more than music to the user, it also includes apps, videos and even games, perfect for killing time in your coffee break or on the way to work.

The big gaming story this Christmas is the head-to-head between the Xbox Kinect and Playstation Move.  Both represent a different take on the future of motion-controlled gaming, the Move improving on existing controllers, the Kinect doing away with controllers altogether. But which is best?

We’ve taken a look at reviews from the likes of TechRadar, Pocketlint, T3 and the first reviews coming in from shoppers on Reevoo.com to bring you the bottom line.

1. Introducing the competitors
2. Set up
3. Game play
4. Games
5. Wow factor
6. Drawbacks
7. Verdict and prices

1. Introducing the competitors

Move:  If you’ve played any Wii games before, the Move won’t be an entirely unfamiliar experience.  You get a slightly different console which works slightly differently.  The ping-pong ball on the top, which lights up in different bright colours during gameplay, is combined with a camera to enable the Move to track movements more accuractely in 3D space than the Wii ever managed.  The move is an add-on to the Playstation 3 and was launched in September.  The Move doesn’t fare well in direct sunlight, so close the curtains if we ever see any of that in England again.

Kinect: Microsoft’s latest offering does away with controllers altogether, instead using the player’s body to control gameplay.  The Kinect sensor tracks 48 key joints  on your body to move an on-screen avatar version of each player. The Kinect works with the Xbox 360 and has been available to buy since November.  Kinect has the same problems as the Move in strong sunlight.

2. Set-up

Move: Using a camera to follow the Move controllers does mean there are slightly more limits on how far you can stray.  In addition, you need a fairly large amount of room to play, depending on the game and the number of players.  The recommended distance from the screen is anything from 1.8 to 2.5 metres, and positioning two players where their flailing won’t knock each other out requires as much space side-to-side.  Comments about space are the most common complaints from Reevoo reviewers.

Setting up and calibrating the Move is pleasingly simple, although some games (like Sports Champions, the Move’s Wii Sports Clone) require separate calibrations for different parts of the game.

Kinect: You need approximately the same amount of space for the Kinect, so you’ll be pushing the sofa back and shifting the coffee table no matter which console you chose.  We’ve heard some reports that if you place the Kinect higher up (you can put it up to 6ft off the floor) you can be closer to it.  We haven’t heard anything about what effect this has on the accuracy of the motion detection, but it’s certain that you’re better off balancing the Kinect on top of the telly than underneath.

Calibrating the Kinect’s sensor to your movements is also pretty simple, using on-screen avatars.  Again, it’s the space requirements that get the biggest thumbs-down from Reevoo reviewers.

3. Game play

Move: Early reports of the move raised serious concerns about lag but post-launch reviews are much more positive.  In fact, Reevoo reviewers have nothing but good things to say about the responsiveness, especially compared to the Wii: “unlike the Wii, it’s so so accurate”, “blow Nintendo Wii out of the water” and “far far more responsive than the Wii” is just some of the praise from reveiwers.

Some expert reviews mention that after long periods of gaming, the Move controller is harder on the wrists than the Wii.  Gesture controls to navigate through the menus are a bit clunkier than they could be.  As well as the ping-pong ball wii-mote equivalent, the Move can be played with a wireless version of the traditional Playstation controller.

Kinect: Lag problems are more of an issue here, but because your avatar appears on screen all the time, you can “tune in” to the delays.  As Techradar points out, “Kinect is less about having your exact real-world movements appearing on screen in real-time and more about using your body as a controller”.  Which is fine, but the excitement surrounding the Kinect was partly down to the expectation that your movements would be exactly replicated in the game.

Voice control is a nice touch, although the gesture controls to use the menus are occasionally a bit finicky and can leave standing with your hands straight up in the air for a couple of moments – not the most comfortable position if you’ve just been going all out in one of the fitness games.

4. Games

The launch of the Wii wasn’t accompanied by a bevy of truly stand-out games, and the same is true for the Move and the Kinect.  However, you’d have hoped that the long development process (inital patents were filed in 2005 for the Move) might have given Microsoft, Sony and games developers more time to come up with some good stuff for launch.

5. Wow factor

Move: There’s little that really stands out as entirely new and awesome in the Move.  The wow factor comes from the general improvement to the experience familiar from the Wii.  As one of our reviewers put it: “I also have a wii and have to say that ps3 move is a far superior product to Nintendo’s effort”

Kinect: The entirely new kind of motion control is a real wow factor here and not just for gameplay.  Gesture and voice control can also be used to control your Sky Anytime and Last.fm on the Xbox, in a pleasingly Minority Report way. 

And the hacks!  Maybe it’s just our geeky side coming out, but we’ve loved seeing what people have done by stripping down the technology used in the Kinect and re-using it to do cool stuff.  Such as fulfilling a life-long dream for many of us:

6. Drawbacks

Move: The amount of room needed is the worst of it, with complaints about the ugly controller coming as a runner up.  Existing Xbox users are also irked by the change of key set-up: the circle, triangle, cross and square are in a square formation on the Move, rather than a diamond.

Kinect: The space requirements are again a sticking point, as is the problems with lag and how long it takes to get used to this delay.

7. Verdict and prices

Both the Kinect and the Move seem to slot quite nicely into the casual gaming/playing with family and friends niche. While it’s still early days, there seems to be more potential in the Move for serious gamers, while the Kinect is looked on as more of a novelty. Only time (and the release of more games tailored specially for Move and Kinect) will tell.

The Kinect on its own will set you back £130, while a Kinect and Xbox bundle starts at £240.

To get started with the Move for two players, you’ll need at least two Move controllers and a Playstation Eye (the camera). Ideally you’d also have two Move navigation controllers too. Plus a Playstation, of course.

The most basic bundle has a single Move controller and the Playstation Eye and will set you back £45. Extra move controllers come in at £30, navigation controllers £18 a piece, and a Playstation/Move bundle starts at £285.

from £45 (simplest bundle) from £285 (Move and Playstation bundle)

from £130 (Kinect alone) from £240 (Kinect and Xbox bundle)

The lack of enthusiasm for 3D TVs has been thunderous so far: less than 0.5% of the TVs sold through Reevoo so far this year have been 3D-enabled.

But if you’re keen to see things leaping out of the screen in your living room, here’s an offer for you to consider.

LG are offering £300 cashback on three of their 3D televisions to existing Sky subscribers.

LG 47LX9900: 47″ Full HD LED TV Normal price: £1600 After cashback: £1300	LG 55LX9900: 55″Full HD LED TV Normal price: £2360 After cashback: £2120	LG 47LD950: 47″ Full HD LCD TV Normal price: £1460 After cashback: £1160

This offer only applies to certain retailers: Amazon, Comet, Currys, Dixons, PC World, Richer Sounds, Tesco and John Lewis.  The discounted prices above take this into account and show you the cashback offer combined with the lowest price from these retailers.  You need to buy your TV before Christmas Eve, then download a claim form from the Sky Rewards website.

If you’re already a Sky subscriber, or already considering signing up, this works out as a pretty good deal.

But if you would only subscribe to Sky to get the discount, it’s not really worth your while. The cheapest Sky subscription is just under £20 a month, which you’d be paying for 12 months, plus the one-off cost of the box (£79). So your £300 discount would end up costing you £320.

2010 saw the rise of the tablet computer, with iPad-style “slates” dominating, but a few manufacturers are experimenting with other shapes and sizes; have any of them come up with something that’ll be the success story of 2011? Or are these destined to be Amstrad E-m@iler-style footnotes in computing history?

Acer have followed in the footsteps of Toshiba’s dual-screen Libretto laptop/tablet with the Iconia; the 14-inch machine runs Windows 7, and they’ve also announced a range of more typical Android-based single-screen tablets.

The Dell Inspiron Duo has a different take on the tablet/laptop hybrid, with a swivelling screen- it can be used as a touchscreen laptop, or you can flip it away from the keyboard, close the lid, and you’ve got yourself a tablet. UK pricing starts at a competitive £449, the machine is currently only available direct from Dell.

Meanwhile, rumours of new features for the next generation of iPad are already springing up- it’s strongly tipped to feature a camera (if not two) and a higher resolution screen. Other rumoured features include an integrated SIM card to allow Apple to offer “free” data access similar to that offer by 3G Kindle models, and a mini-USB connector rather than the current proprietary Apple cable connection.

The updated iPad is expected to be released in the Spring, although some sources claim an integrated SIM version of the current iPad could be available within weeks. If you just can’t wait the existing version starts at £400 for the 16GB WiFi version, and thanks to a software update now features multi-tasking.

If you’re looking for something slightly more pocket-sized, Samsung’s 7-inch Galaxy Tab is also proving popular with tablet shoppers. It runs Android and prices start from £449 for the 16GB version.

Cooking is a messy business. In fact, sometimes we’ll avoid making particular dishes just to avoid the washing up it generates (by we, I mean me). But it doesn’t have to be so difficult. Here are my top 5 tips for those hard-to-clean kitchen bits.

How to clean a microwave

Wipe out all the loose dirt and crumbs and remove the glass plate to clean separately. Put a glass bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice in the centre of the microwave and place on full power for about 1 minute. Lift out the bowl and clean the microwave with a damp cloth and some washing up liquid – the dirt should have loosened off and come out easily. Smells nice too!

How to clean a plastic chopping board

Plastic chopping boards can be a pain to keep clean, especially as knives make fine cuts in the surface that harbour nasty germs and bacteria. Avoid cross-contamination by using different boards to prepare different food types. For a thorough clean, use bicarbonate of soda – 2 tablespoons mixed with 4 teaspoons of cold water. Scrub the board with the help of a brush and it should clean it up nicely.

How to clean a grater

So often I’ve picked up a ‘clean’ cheese grater to find left-overs from the last time I used it. Very unpleasant! To clean, use a brush to wipe away the excess bits of cheese/carrot etc. Use very hot water and washing up liquid (as cheese is fatty and requires a bit of elbow grease to clean off), and then use a washing up brush to get all the bits out from the inside. Rinse, and check for missed bits.

How to clean a garlic press

As soon as you’ve finished crushing the garlic, place the separate parts of the crusher in a washing up bowl and leave to soak. In a few minutes, most of the mess should lift off, but if not, poke out the rest with a small washing up brush. But be warned – use different water to wash up your other mess to prevent clingy garlic bits attaching themselves.

How to clean a baking tray

My personal worst enemy is the baking tray. Many a tray has been ruined by over-zealous scrubbing, so he’s how you do it. Simply soak the tray in hot water and washing up liquid (one half at a time if you can’t fit it all in the sink!) and wipe away the dirt with a washing up brush. To prevent the mess next time, line the baking tray with tin foil.

Okay – don’t shout at me because I know it’s technically not December yet – but Christmas IS coming. Personally I can’t wait to get stuck in to a delicious Christmas dinner, but it’s funny how we suddenly feel ‘a bit unwell’ when it’s time to do the dishes.

If you’re generating more washing up than you’d like, consider investing in a sturdy dishwasher to take some of the workload off your shoulders. It saves time, and it’s actually better for the environment to run a dishwasher a few times a week than it is to constantly fill up a washing-up bowl.

Which dishwasher’s for you?

There are hundreds of dishwashers out there to choose from, so the choice can be a little overwhelming. To help narrow the choices down, I’ve picked out the 3 top dishwashers according to our reviewers.

Busy Mums or Dads

Our busy Mums and Dads loved the Beko DE541, giving it an excellent average rating of 9.2 out of 10. One of our self proclaimed busy Mums said:

“Good energy rating, useful that you can lower the plate racks so you can place pans on the lower level. The top rack can be raised or lowered depending on your load sizes – very good adaptability.”

Beko DE541 From £220

Frequent users

Our frequent users (I think I might come under this heading) are raving over the Beko DFN1000X, scoring it an impressive average rating of 9 out of 10. One of our reviewers said:

“I find the Beko DFN1000X Dishwasher superb, because this product has a censor which sorts its own programme out, therefore you just switch it on and away you go. I would recommend this product to anyone.”

Beko DFN1000X From £350

Retired users

The favourite dishwasher for our retired users is the Indesit IDF125, with an average score from our retired reviewers of 9 out of 10. One reviewer said:

“A lot of performance for the money. Trays allow flexibility for larger and odd shaped items. It is quiet, once you leave the room you don’t know its running.”

Indensit IDF125 From £237

With Christmas fast approaching, manufacturers have come up with some great cashback offers to tempt shoppers.

Sony are offering your V.A.T back on selected products, which works out as just under 15% of the original price, whereas Canon have a few lump sum offers on various cameras and printers. Here are some of the best ways you can, quite literally, cash in this Christmas on your favourite electronics.

Sony

Some of you may have come across the advertising campaign on TV starring Sir Derek Jacobi as a modern-day Ebeneezer Scrooge; uncharacteristically cheerful, of course, at the sight of Sony Christmas offers. Here’s a brief selection of products available from Sony. Bah! Humbug!

	15% cashback on TVs including the Sony KDL-40HX803, an ultra-thin LED screen TV with 3D capabilities and built-in Freeview HD. Prices from £1174, with £174 cashback available.
	15% cashback on digital cameras including Sony NEX-5K, a 14.2 megapixels DSLR-style camera with panorama and HD video capabilities. Prices from £464 (£69 cashback available)
	15% cashback on camcorders including Sony Handycam HDR-CX115, a full HD camcorder with 25x optical zoom and SteadyShot Active Mode. Prices from £322 (£47 cashback available)
	15% cashback on Blu ray home cinema systems including Sony BDV-E370, a 3D ready Blu ray/DVD home cinema with easy iPod playback. Prices from £322 (£47 cashback available)

The VAT back offer is available on over 80 products from a wide range of categories, as long as you buy before Christmas Eve.  It’s not too hard to get the money either: just remember to hold on to your receipt and fill in a form online. Sony are running this offer and it’s them you need to contact to get the cashback – not the shop you bought from.

For the full Terms and Conditions and the range of products available visit the Sony website.

Canon

Canon also have a variety of cashback promotions over the festive period. Here’s a selection:

	PowerShot SX30 IS, a premium digital compact camera with ultra-wide 35x optical zoom. Prices from £325. £40 cashback
	PowerShot SX210 IS, a compact digital camera with HD movie shooting and 14x optical zoom. Prices from £188.  £30 cashback
	EOS 500D with Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS lens, a Digital SLR Camera with 15.1 megapixel resolution. Prices from £469. £30 cashback

Again, it’s not very hard to get the money back from these products: just hold onto your receipt and fill out a form. And again, you claim the cashback from Canon themselves, not the shop where you bought the camera.

For more cashback products and Term and Conditions visit the Canon website.