Decide what to buy | the Reevoo.com blog, featuring news on TVs, cameras, laptops, mp3 players & other gadgets, shopping tips and deals, reviews and more

So the iPhone was released on Friday. Some people love it, some people say it’s a disappointment, what’s a person to think? Well I looked to the reviews on Reevoo to see what people were complaining about on the old iPhone and then compared it to the new version so that I could make up my mind and see if Apple listened to the people that matter most - the users.

Here’s what people who bought the original iPhone had to say about it. I’ve also looked into what Apple have done about each issue and put it in underneath. Be prepared, this is a long’un…

Speed
Original iPhone owners complained about internet browsing speed, with many citing the absence of 3G as one of the biggest opportunities to improve iPhone

The new iPhone has 3G technology so that browsing the net is much faster

Battery life
From 107 reviews, the original iPhone only scored an average of 6.8/10 for its battery life. As well as improvements in the battery life itself, iPhone owners also wanted to be able to change the battery

Apple says that it has increased battery life to 300 hours on standby, 10 hours of 2G talk, 5 hours of 3G talk and 7 hours of video playback. However you still cannot change the battery

Text messages
Original iPhone users were very frustrated with its SMS functionality. People were unable to carry out the most basic functions such as forward text messages, send messages to multiple contacts and send pictures and business cards. Users also would have liked to be able to navigate more easily through words and letters in text messages

Apple has now improved the iPhone’s messaging features so that you can now send messages to multiple contacts. However, you still cannot send multimedia messages

Camera
Consumers thought the old iPhone’s camera was another of the worst features. They wanted to see a camera with a flash, more megapixels, the ability to zoom and video functionality

Apple has kept the original specs for the camera on the iPhone 3G, which will disappoint many consumers. There is still no flash or video capability and it is still only 2 megapixels

Synchronisation
People wanted to be able to sync up their email, calendars and other Microsoft applications with their iPhones

Apple has now made sure that the new iPhone is compatible with Microsoft products

Memory
Owners would have liked to have had more memory in the original iPhone

Apple has so far kept to the same 8GB and 16GB capacity phones. There are still no memory card slots

Connectivity
Some users noted that the Bluetooth on the original iPhone didn’t work as they would have liked it to

Bluetooth on the new iPhone is still limited

GPS
Many consumers wrote that their iPhone would have been considerably better if it had GPS

Apple has now incorporated GPS into the new iPhone which will be gratefully received by users

Speaker quality
Users commented on the poor sound quality for both music and calls on speakerphone

Apple has improved the iPhone’s speakers so that music playback and calls can be heard much more clearly

Ringtones
Users wanted to be able to set their own music as ringtones

This is now possible, however it is a bit fiddly for the average user, requiring manual reformattinf of music files

Handset
Original iPhone owners found the handset slippery and difficult to hold without pressing something unintentionally

The new iPhone has a plastic back, instead of the original aluminium, which may make it a bit easier to hold and grip without activating functions

Radio
Users would have liked an FM radio incorporated in their iPhones

There is still no FM radio but you can listen to radio over the internet

Headphone jack
Original iPhone owners were frustrated at having to pay for specific Apple headphones or having to use a chunky adaptor as standard headphones wouldn’t fit in the sunken jack

Apple have now rectified this so that standard 3.5mm headphones can now be used

Third party software
With so many features missing from the iPhone, users wanted to be able to use third party software more easily

Apple has now opened up the new 3G iPhone so that third party software can be easily accessed and used through the App Store

So there we go. I think we can all agree that some great changes have been made to the new iPhone - 3G, GPS and third party apps, to name but a few.  But it does seem that Apple mainly listened to the more tech-savvy user when it came to these improvements. For the average user who just wants to share media with their mates and take some decent pictures, it might be a bit of a let-down. Saying that, I bet you all buy one anyway. For me, I’m happy with my more than capable Nokia 5310.

Last week, I was lucky enough to talk to Pat Foley, Marketing & Operations Manager at Dixons. Dixons is part of DSG international plc, which is one of Europe’s leading specialist electrical retailing groups.

We?re seeing a bit of a slowdown in the economy at the moment so I asked Pat a few questions about what?s happening in the retail industry…

What are you responsible for at Dixons?
At Dixons.co.uk I am responsible for Marketing and Operations which includes the generation and management of all customer traffic to the site, looking after the customer experience while they are shopping on the site, ensuring the site is functioning as it should, site design, 3rd party partner relationships and our customer contact centre for sales and aftersales customer contacts. All of this means that every day presents exciting new challenges and opportunities.

What are the biggest challenges facing on-line retail?
The biggest challenges are ensuring that we continue to manage our costs effectively to allow us to continue to give our customers excellent value for money.

Are you ready for Christmas?
Yes we have already started to formulate our plans for Christmas and expect this Christmas to be another bumper season for on-line.

What?s been your proudest moment at Dixons?
One of my proudest moments was working with the team at Reevoo to develop the customer-generated product content on the Dixons.co.uk site. I really do believe that the impartial customer content adds value to the customer experience and helps our customers make the right decisions. (we didn’t even ask Pat to say this - honest!)

Has the credit crunch changed buying habits?
If anything our experience is that the credit crunch has benefited on-line as more and more customers are turning to Dixons.co.uk for the best value, service and prices.

Will off-line retail still be around in 20 years?
There will always be a place for retail stores- they will sit alongside on-line etailers for many years to come. DSGI operates a multichannel strategy with a mix of on-line and retail businesses offering customers a choice of options from pure on-line, to retail stores, to reserve and collect. Many customers use all three options at different times and for different purchases.

What websites do you admire and why?
I am very proud of what we have achieved with the Dixons.co.uk website over the last two years. It was brave and exciting move taking one of the best known brands off the high street and turning it into a successful pure play on-line e-tailer. I also admire the BBC i player because of its ease of use and interactivity.

What?s the last thing you bought on-line?
I shop on-line almost every week and the last thing I bought was an sd memory card, purchased from www.dixons-entertainment.co.uk which was exceptional value!

Casio has decided that we all need a bit of big screen love in our cameras so their new EXILIM EX-Z150 comes with a whopping three inch LCD display. Pretty out of the ordinary for a low-end model. But if you thought the huge screen would create a clumpy camera, you’d be wrong - it’s only 20.1-mm, tapering down to 18.9-mm and it’s slim and stylish exterior comes in silver, black, red, pink and bright green.

To add to the goodies, they’ve also packed in:
- 8.1 megapixels
- 4x optical zoom
- CCD-shift image stabilisation
- 28-mm wide angle lens
- 17.9MB built in memory
- face detection function

If that wasn’t enough, you can use SDHCs, SDs, MultiMediacards and MultiMediaCardplus memory cards. There’s also ‘YouTube mode’ which is a setting that will give you 640 x 480 quality at 30fps (frames per second) for up to 10 minutes at a time.

We’re not sure when the EXILIM EX-Z150 will be available, or how much it will be but we’ll let you know when we do.

If you want to look through other Casio reviews, you can read them all here.

[Far East Gizmos]

Hi Everyone,

We’ve entered a gadget competition this week to discover the best gadget. This week we’ve entered the bendy tripods we featured last week.

We’d be extra grateful if you could vote for us. Bendy tripods reallly are the best!

The competition is being held over on Coolest Gadgets. All you need to do is click on the circle next to ‘Bendy tripods’ in the voting section, under all of the gadgets in the running.

Thanks!

DWTB team

More reviews from shoppers to make you giggle…

"Humane and easy to use, you can safely deposit them out of the window…where the drop will kill them" Spider Catcher

"I aimed the gun down the garden but ended up splatting my wifes washing. Very popular" Paintball Shotgun

"Little disappointed at the range of accompanying singalongs - just felt they could have tried harder to sing their square plastic hearts out" Cubees

"it is so wonderful it has changed my life and I have now decided to abandon my family take up scientology, move to canada and live as a woman in the future" Belkin iPod audio cable

"lots of fun for everyone (well maybe not the neighbours!)" Karaoke Duets DVD Video

Following on from our fun iPod docks post, we’ve got a cracking set of iPod skins and cases for you today.

I had to start with the iFrogz Tadpole iPod Case, which is meant to be for children but I was semi-tempted. It’s bright and extra shock absorbent so that you don’t have to worry about little ones (or slightly larger ones), dropping them. It also means that you’ll never lose it in your handbag…It’s 100% coated silicon so that it repels dust and lint.  This is compatible with 30, 60 or 80GB iPod Classics and will set you back £24.99.

If you’re a more stylish individual, may I suggest this leather case for your Classic? Toro’s Treo leather case has a clear plastic screen protector so that you never lose sight of your music and a rotating belt clip that (I didn’t write this bit) “lets you experiment the best fit to look as snazzy as possible”.  They’re £12.99 and come in pink and brown leather.

If you like a patterned case, there’s bunch of cool cases called Gelaskins. They come in different sizes for different types of iPod. This one is the Red Robot design but you can be as bold or as understated as you like because there are loads of different designs. This 2nd Generation Nano case is £9.99 and available over at iPod World.

For flashy types, the Griffin Technology disko is the case for you. As well as the protective, tough polycarbonate shell, the LEDs flash and swirl away in motion-activated light sequences. Forget disco balls, this can control a party all on its own. They’re £16.95 from MacHeaven.

For the cautious amongst you, why not keep your iPod from thieves by disguising it as a…hymn book? The case is designed for 30, 60 and 80GB Classics but if you have any other make that’s about the same size, it should work for them too.  For £15,’cherishing’ your music has never been so easy. (sorry).

If you’re debating over whether or not to get an iPod or another brand of player, you can read the MP3 player reviews to help you decide. If you’re set on getting an iPod, check out all of the iPod reviews so that you can find the best one for you.

This Green Piece is made up of three totally different products to help you on your way to green living.

A couple of weeks ago, we gave you the stapleless stapler and today we’ve got something else for the office - recycled paper biros. They’re 59p from Ecotopia and made from de-inked consumer waste paper.

Next up is a product that will save you money on detergent and machine repairs. The Anti-Lime Scale Ball is a multi-field magnetic ball that prevents the deposition and precipitation of calcium carbonate (lime scale) in your washing machine or dishwasher. According to The Green Store, lime scale “leaves clothes tacky and dishes less than shiny” and we all know that it “clogs up the heating coils in your machines”, so you could save some serious money by investing £4.99 in one of these balls. By using less detergents, you’re also cutting down on the amount of chemicals you use and the amount of plastic packaging.

Finally, we’ve got something to green-up your bike. Green Oil Chain Lube is great for your bike and much better for the environment as it doesn’t contain any solids like wax, graphite, plastic or Teflon. That means it’s non-irritant and non-hazardous. Bikegoo says that it’s “Super green, super effective. Really good stuff”. It’s £5.20 from the Green Oil Shop.

Boys, we’ve found you the ultimate tool for summer. Now that barbeques are in full swing, chances are you’re getting frustrated at having too many tools to carry and nowhere to keep them? Do you wish someone would just get on with it and create a barbeque tool belt? Well, all your wishes have come true.

The Grillslinger Barbeque Tool System has come to aid men across the land with its fire retardant coating, its stainless steel tools and its fully adjustable waist band. Women will marvel at men equipped with its Grill Knife, Speed Tongs and Pro Flipper as they effortlessly create mouth-watering dishes in front of crowds from far and wide.

Well…if it all goes wrong, at least you’ll look hunky in the belt. All girls love a man with a good set of tools.

The waistband adjusts from 30 to 60 inches so if you’re pushing more than 60, you might have to lay off the bangers for a while.

So how much is this piece of barbequing heaven? A mere £49.99 from the Gadget Shop. Worth it just for the compliments.

If you’re looking for a barbeque, take a look at the barbeque reviews to help you decide what to buy.

News just in that those clever chaps over at Pioneer have managed to produce the first 16-layer optical disk with a whopping 400GB capacity. Each layer adds 25GB to this spectacular plastic sandwich. Unfortunately they’re are read-only at the moment but they’ve all got their heads down to develop recordable versions.

If you’re wondering whether these disks will be compatible with existing Blu-ray gear, Pioneer insist they will. These prototypes will be on show on 13th July at the International Symposium on Optical Memory and Optical Data Storage 2008 in Hawaii, so we’ll hopefully know more then. We’ll keep you posted.

[CrunchGear]

"the big button dropped off after a couple of days, glue technology obviously not having reached the point in Taiwan where it can be successfully used to stick things together" HTC Touch Dual

"Reversing the doors turned out to be an absolute lesson in self control and anger management" Hotpoint FF187E

"Doesn’t come with a free Nigela Lawson clone : /" LG MS1944JL

"Not overly keen on the ‘jolly’ little jingle it plays when it has finished" SAMSUNG WF7604NAW