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

Thanks to those who have emailed us or posted asking why the iPhone wasn’t included. We took the top ten mobile phones for this report by pageviews (that is, the number of times the product has been viewed across Reevoo’s 55-odd UK retail partners). As it happens, the iPhone was 13th.

We do have the data though, and here it is, in its full expanded glory:

Best bits

Web browsing (23%)
Listening to music (13%)
Email (10%)
Looks good (9%)
Organiser (3%)

Worst bits

Battery life (17%)
Syncing with other devices (16%)
Software (5%)
Sound quality (5%)
Navigation/keypad (1%)

I was recently asked if I could recommend a 40-50" plasma TV. Pretty easy, you might think. But this person needed their new purchase to be a ‘multisystem TV’.

A multisystem TV is a fancy way of talking about a TV that can not only display the standard ‘PAL’ signals that we get in most of Europe, but can also decode the North American ‘NTSC’ format, and French and Asian ‘SECAM’ signals.

Not something most of us need to know, but hopefully for you globe-trotting types, the following might prove useful:

Most TVs these days can display both PAL and NTSC signals, as they share a lot of similarities. Decoding SECAM signals is a different story however - worth bearing in mind if you are planning to move to France!

The best multisystem TV I’ve come across to fit my friend’s requirements is this 42" LG plasma, which
is compatible with all three formats, and has a score of 9.1 out of 10
on Reevoo.

If you’re not sure which tuner combination you might need, this handy map from Wikipedia might be helpful.

In a surprise piece of research from Reevoo, Dyson were left off of the top five vacuum cleaners.

Consumers rated Numatic’s Hetty as the number one machine:

1. Numatic Hetty
2. Bissell 3760E
3. Sebo Automatic X4 Extra
4. Numatic Henry
5. Miele S5260
6. Miele S4211
7. Miele S 5210
8. Miele TT5000
9. Miele S5280
10. Dyson DC14 Hepa

(You can look closer into the different category results below)

Who would have thought?! This must be a pretty big blow for Dyson, who have been market leaders for the past decade or so. Although, it might be a great way for them to identify the areas in which they can improve to make their machines even better.

I have to say that I’m rather proud of the fact that I own a Henry. I’ve had him for around 10 years and he’s been great. Wouldn’t change him for the world. I’ll even forgive Hetty for coming in above him.

So where do Dyson need to improve? It seems that a lot of shoppers have trouble moving them around. There are lots of reviews complaining about their weight and the height of some of the models. Other people find their hoses too short, that they are too noisy, that they have a short life-span and that they have to be emptied too often. Although the last point may be because they pick up a lot of stuff.

Going on the positives, consumers did like the designs of the Dysons and the fact that they were very powerful.

We also need to mention that Miele did really well here too. They got five products in the top ten and almost all of the reviews for both the models mentioned the fact that they had superior suction.

So it seems that Numatic and Miele are the vacuums to go for. If you don’t agree with the Dyson comments I’ve picked out, you can check out all the other Dyson reviews.

Has anyone else noticed that money’s getting a little tight? If you have a car and/or an appetite, chances are you’ve been affected by price hikes lately. If you’ve got kids, it can be even harder to keep tabs on the purse strings, especially as it’s half term. If you’re in need of some entertainment for the little ones, that won’t cost a fortune, Reevoo have come up with the top toys around at the moment for under £25.

Here’s the list:

1.    VTECH Sort and Soar Rocket - £15
2.    Dora Skittles - £13
3.    Speed Stacks - £14
4.    Duplo Large Brick Box - £20
5.    Peek-A-Blocks Press & Go Train - £20

What’s great is that most of these toys have an educational edge, as well as being fun.

The VTECH Sort and Soar Rocket has been the top toy on Reevoo for ages so they must be doing something right.  It’s aimed at children from 18-36 months. Claire from Stonehaven says "my One year old loves it …no dangerous parts which is excellent" and Julie from Derby writes, it’s "Great for teaching hand eye co-ordination, teaching colours, numbers and sounds".

Dora Skittles are only £13. There are two great things about these: they can be enjoyed by both younger and older children, so you can save a few bob by getting one thing for all of your children and you can use them inside or outside, so if the weather stays as it has been, you don’t have to start pulling your hair out…I have to say that these are quite fun for adults too - combine with a nice glass of wine and that’s your evening’s entertainment sorted too. Bargain.

In at three are the Speed Stacks. People go crazy for these and there are loads of leagues and championships set up all over the country. The good thing is that they’re addictive - without added chemicals - so they can keep older children amused for hours. Parents love the fact that these get kids away from computer screens and one reviewer also comments that they’re "excellent for eye- hand coordination and gross motor skills".

We were talking about the victory of classic board games last week so I’m glad to see that another classic is in the top five here - Duplo. Although the Duplo Large Brick Box is aimed at younger children, Lauren from Northumberland says "this is a toy that appeals to all children of all ages with an endless range of possibilities for play". Another happy shopper is Sarah from Chester who writes "plenty of different bricks, easy for little hands to connect them, bright colours and great storage". An all-round good’un then.

The Peek-A-Blocks Press & Go Train from Fisher Price was also a big hit with shoppers. The only half-negative comment was that it’s a little noisy. Probably something to think about if you were hoping for a bit of peace and quiet this half term. Although, this product is aimed at children aged 12 to 18 months so if you’ve got a little one around that age, I think peace and quiet may be out of the question anyway…

So there we go, some top toys to pick from. If none of those take your fancy, there are plenty more toy reviews to look though.

With over 25,000 products on Reevoo, we do uncover some weird and wonderful things from time to time. So it is with great pleasure that I can share with you the Borat Mankini Swimsuit that has been reviewed by no fewer than 52 shoppers.

An astounding 97% of reviewers would recommend the Mankini to a friend. Comments centre around how much fun the product has generated, with it being given variously as a secret santa, wind-up gift and something to take on holiday to scare the kids with. My favourite review was from Richard in Scotland who got right into the Borat moment with the comment “Niiice, very niiice”

If like me (and most of the Reevoo office) you were not designed for mornings, this gadget could well be life-changing. The Flying Alarm Clock is almost certainly a revolution in bedroom wake-up calls - and reviewers seem to like it too.

At the prescribed hour, the top of the alarm clock takes off into the air, and you have a limited time to return it to the clock’s base - before it emits an almighty submarine-worthy wake up call!

The alarm clock has been variously described in genuine customer reviews as “Louder than loud”, “Really good at waking me UP” and the sounds it emits as “wooo wooo wooo wooo” (thanks to Barbara from Bromley for that one).

A couple of reviewers commented that it isn’t entirely the most practical alarm clock in the world. But then surely that’s not really the point!

If you think this gadget might be a bit more trouble than it’s worth then there’s plenty more fun gadgets to see on Reevoo’s website.

Nokia, in collaboration with Cambridge University, has recently unveiled something not far removed from sci-fi films such as the Matrix or Ultraviolet.Known as Morph and currently only a theoretical concept, not much is known about the device’s technical capabilities but the designs do show how the handset is able to “morph” its shape and size according to function: ranging from a wrist watch, a tablet and a traditional mobile phone.

This is made possible with the use of nanotechnology, which also enables the device to be self-cleaning, transparent and even able to monitor its surrounding environment whilst retaining its flexible shape. The handset also has a detachable earpiece that can be used as a Bluetooth headset and both parts use solar
power to charge up.

Can’t get your head round it? Check out this video:

This is really exciting stuff. iPhone anyone?

Unfortunately, Nokia has stated that they won’t be releasing this any time soon as it is still in early development but the technology behind the Morph may be readily available in their high-end mobile devices in about seven years time.

Check out Wired’s “7 Jobs That Nokia’s Phone of the Future Will be Good For” for a lighthearted list of things you can do with Nokia’s Morph.

For more information, visit Nokia.

If you can’t wait that long, check out the latest mobile phones and what shoppers have said about them here.

We tend to think that when we buy life’s less exciting products, like vacuum cleaners, we want a trusted brand, quality build and aren’t terribly worried what it looks like. That being true, it is hard to explain how the Numatic Hetty with its vibrant pink colour and smily face is currently the most highly rated of 340 vacuum cleaners on Reevoo.

As Horst pointed out on his delightfully eccentric ‘The Aardvark Speaks’ blog back in January, the designers at Numatic have clearly put a great deal of thought into the aesthetic appeal of the ‘female’ version of Numatic’s Henry, a vacuum cleaner available in the UK for many years.

The pink colour and unusual design certainly seem to appeal to many, but the Numatic Hetty also scores well for ease of use and performance. Reviewers comments about their Hetty include: ‘Had 3 Dysons and this beats them all’, ’simple, back to basics, powerful and reliable’ and my favourite comment from Jayne in Truro, proving that we don’t all buy products by brand and reliability ‘Prettier than Henry!!’

Simple ideas are so often the best, and nothing could be simpler than USBCELL’s rechargable battery that you plug into your computer’s USB port.

Green campaigners have been praising rechargable batteries for years because they don’t waste precious metal resources needed to make new batteries - now they are available without having to carry around a charger or any cables.

There’s a couple of impartial reviews for the USBCELL here. Initial reaction seems to be that they’re a bit pricey and the charge doesn’t last as long as regular rechargables - but we’ll report back when we have some more customer reviews to share.

Getting lost. We don’t have time for it anymore. Satellite navigation has solved the problem when driving but in the age of healthy living and global warming, what about the humble walker?

Nokia have come to the rescue. Their new Maps 2.0 series will still guide your car around but no longer will you be bound to it as the new ‘walk’ feature enables you to navigate even the most complex of cities on foot.

Just think of the possibilities for tourism. No more struggling with the map that refuses to be re-folded and no more arguments about directions.

This stroke of genius will be available for Series 60 handsets immediately with Series 40 support to follow.

According to Nokia president and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo “it will become as desired on the mobile phone as voice capability”.

With Nokia expecting to sell 35 million mobile phones equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System) in 2008, we suggest you use your paper maps for the last time to locate your nearest supplier before they all run out!

For more info about the software and downloads, take a look at the Symbian Freaks’ guide.