Electronics

Ranked #12,340 in Computers & Electronics, #253,120 overall

Shopping for Electronics?

The rate of change with almost any home electronics product has accelerated in the past 10 years. These rapid changes give us great gadgets to choose from, with features that make life simple, more efficient, or just plain fun.

But with so many products to choose from, where is the average consumer to start when they shop for electronics? Right here might be a good choice!

Use the expandable Table of Contents below to help you find things quickly.

Electronics: Not Sure What You Want? Try a Buying Guide to Help You Get Started

Buying guides for home electronics are plentiful in the online world. These roadmaps can help consumers better understand what options and features are available, the advantages and disadvantages of certain technologies, and through a process of questioning your wants and needs, help you narrow down your choices.

Some sites go beyond general recommendations and offer online tools that allow users to identify specific brands and models that will best suit their needs.

Electronics: Some Key Buying Guides

The following are just a few of the major sites offering consumers dependable home electronics buying guides.

  • Consumer Reports: CR offers buying guides for an extraordinary number of products including electronics.

  • AbtElectronics.com: A reputable online retailer with buying guides for a wide variety of products as well as Guidester to help consumers select the specific brand an model that suits their needs.

  • PC magazine. PC magazine has a comprehensive list of buying guides for home electronics.

  • e-Bay: If new and trendy isn't what you are looking for then perhaps the e-Bay Vintage Electronics buying guides are what you need.

  • Electronics: Using Product Reviews to Determine if You've Made a Good Choice

    So the buying guides tell you what home electronics product has the features that you want; however, is the device selected really as good as the manufacturer or retailer tells you it is?

    It's good to find out what professional reviewers have to say about any product before making the final choice. When you shop for electronics, you must keep in mind that some reviewers also sell products and thus the opportunity for bias exists in some cases.

  • CNET Reviews: A well established site which offers product reviews on a wide variety of products, RSS feeds are even avialalble to alert buyers of the latest feedback.

  • Consumer Reports Consumer reports offers not just product buying guides but product reviews as well. Consumer reports is noted for their unbiased reviews.

  • BusinessWeek: BusinessWeek also offers online reviews that are up-to-date.

  • PC Magazine: Yep, they also offer product reviews for a comprehensive list of electronics and other devices.
  • Electronics: What Do Current Customers Think?

    So the expert reviews indicate the home electronics product you've chosen is great. What else do you need to know?

    Well, it is often useful to find out what current customers think. They own it, use it, and their opinions are "real world". Of course, it's important to look for "trends" as any product can have a disgruntled customer or two.

  • The online retailer's site offers an impressive catalog of customer reviews.


  • Consumer Democracy
    This site is rather informal but offers consumer comments on a wide variety of products.

  • ConsumerReviews
    This site providers user reviews and ratings on a complete ranges of electronics and other products.

  • JDPower.com
    Find out what the numbers say. JD Powers won't give you the specifics on a given product or comments, but it can tell you how customers rated a given brand or company.

  • Tips on Buying Electronics

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    What Do You Say?

    Do Brand Names Guide Your Electronics Buying?

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    Yes! If I Trust The Name I Don't Have to Shop Further

    Abseaz says:

    These days there are so many different non-branded electronics out there that it's hard to find a good trust-able one unless a friend refers me to it. So for electronics, sure, brand names do effect the final decision.

    spirituality says:

    I'd like to say no - but even after research (which I usually do online) I do often end up with a brand.

    No! I Ask Friends, Check Reviews, Try it Out, and Really Research It

     

    Electronics in the News

    Want to know what is upcoming in the world of tech? Find out here.

    Do you really need media critics when you have Amazon reviews?
    A new study from Harvard finds that Amazon reviews (when you mash them all up) are as reliable as those...
    Indiewire wins 2012 Webby Award
    ... the film industry and moviegoers alike, Indiewire features comprehensive coverage of indie, documentary...
    The Verge Just Hired A Boatload Of Writers To Take On TechCrunch And All Things D
    When Vox's The Verge launched last year, it looked like it would be another rival to gadget sites...
    KakaoTalk Cross Platform Instant Messenger Comes to BlackBerry
    by Ronen Halevy on May 11th, 2012 ยท 3 Comments I still think that Brent Rose from Gizmodo said it best...
    Rapid Tech Review Welcomes New Staff Writers in New Technology Section
    As part of its coming redesign and re-launch, tech blog Rapid Tech Review is welcoming two new staff...
    ZipRealty Adds Unfiltered Consumer Reviews of Agents to Its Website
    ... and provider of proprietary technology and comprehensive online marketing tools for the residential...
    Semprius Named One of MIT Technology Review's 2012 Top 10 Most Important ...
    DURHAM, NC, May 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Semprius, Inc., an innovator in high concentration photovoltaic...
    Science & Technology Reviews, May 15, 2012
    Hoffman, John & Judith A. Salerno, MD, with Alexandra Moss. The Weight of the Nation: Surprising...

    What Do You Say?

    Is It Important To Get the Latest in Electronics?

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    Yes, I Want to Stay On Top in the Tech World

    No, I Can Wait for a Bargain or For a Product to Have the Kinks Worked Out

    spirituality says:

    It's absolutely NOT important to me to get the latest. I just want stuff that works and is easy to use.

    hearthealth says:

    Yes, it also pays off to know how to do some belt tightening.

    rms says:

    I'm not very tach savvy so I can wait. This way someone can explain to me how to use it!

     

    Cell Phones

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    Camcorders

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    Digital Cameras

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    DVD Players

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    Headphones

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    MP3 Players

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    PDA

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    Portable Media Devices

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    Televisions

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    What Other Information Would Be Helpful? Let Us Know!

    If you are shopping for home electronics be sure to visit homemedias.info.

    • AndyPo Oct 21, 2009 @ 6:43 am | delete
      Great lens
    • J-Dub Oct 8, 2009 @ 2:05 pm | delete
      Hi Mulberry,

      It's true that there are a TON of choices out there when it comes to consumer electronics. Thank you for posting this very informative lens!

      Home Surround Sound
    • Sep 29, 2008 @ 9:32 am | delete
      Hi Mulberry!
      Excellent lens! Shined your stars up! Lots of interesting content here...keep up the good work!

      Thom

      Blue-ray Players
    • hearthealth Jun 1, 2008 @ 8:37 pm | delete
      Totally complete! My vote is still for the AT&T Tilt. 5 * and faved!
    • rms May 7, 2008 @ 10:45 pm | delete
      You've done a nice job on this lens. I can't think of any other information I'd need.
    Photos are copyrighted as indicated below. No derivative work is allowed.
    Introduction Photo Credit: yummiec00kies.
    Electronics: Not Sure What You Want Photo Credit: blakespot.
    Electronics: Some Key Buying Guides Photo Credit: cpchannel.
    Electronics: Using Product Reviews Photo Credit: MattMcGee.
    Electronics: What Do Current Customers Think Photo Credit: Helga's Lobster Stew.

    by

    mulberry

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