Computer Shopper Magazine
Dec 29 '08
The Bottom Line OK, if not wonderful, consumer computer magazine. Not even as cool as it used to be. If I were handing out stars here this would be 3 1/2.
(Poor Old Computer Shopper...not listed on Epinions...had to put the review here.)
Used to Be Cool, Now Just OK.
The Computer Shopper used to be really cool. Do you have something called "The Pennysaver" where you live? If it's not called that you've probably seen the same sort of thing, a freebie deal, printed on newsprint. Shows up in your mailbox once a week. "Kittens: free to good home", "Handyman, no job to small", "Drum kit, used twice", "Bridal gown, never worn", that sort of thing. The Computer Shopper used to be like that, for computer stuff, except it wasn't free.
Your Pennysaver might have the odd little article in it, "Local Events of Interest", "Local Pastor Spearheads Food Drive", stuff like that. The CS did too, I remember one called "The Sharper Edge" (I think) which covered the consumer computer industry better in 12 column-inches than many entire magazines and there was a "help me" column that was very worthwhile as well.
Then they mucked it all up. They took it glossy, dropped the classified ads and made the focus consumer product reviews. It was some kind of business decision, I suppose but it made CS a lot less useful to me.
I've always had a problem with consumer electronics magazines when they review products. Most of them use some sort of rating system, 4-star, 5-star, scale of one to ten, etc. Many times one will read a review of a product that is clearly lackluster or worse. Yet, the rating will be 3 or 3 1/2 stars (out of 5, say). I often wonder how bad a product must to rate poorly, does it have to be physically dangerous? Does it have to cause cancer or sterility? Sometimes I think the people who assign the star rating talk to the people who test the product. CS has this problem but no worse than other magazines in this class.
CS also prints columns on security issues and has an "in your corner" type consumer advocate column. The results are often something like "those crooks don't answer their phone and their web site's down. Call your state Attourney General." Ain't modern internet commerce grand?
CS isn't without merit, the most recent issue had a decent article on free-ware alternatives to popular shrink-wrap software like M$ Office, Photoshop and TurboTax. Another recent issue had a run-down on new solid-state flash hard drives (pricey, slow and poor capacity -- not ready for prime-time). Also readers are spared, for the most part, gushy reviews and articles on big screen TVs and such. For some reason I don't consider this sort of gear relevant in a computer magazine and I feel jipped when this sort of content soaks up a lot of ink in something I'm investing time into looking at.
I supose if you're constantly in the market for new computers, perephrials and gadgets you might want to include CS in your magazine repitore. Don't pay too much for it. The list price for subscriptions is $24.97/year...too much in my book.)
PROS: Decent reviews. A few worthwhile articles and columns.
CONS: Nothing terribly spectacular. Listed subscription price is more than I'd pay.
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Epinions.com ID:
basesurge
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Location: Pittsburgh PA USA
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