The splintered internet
 

Anyone else noticed this?

Lately, I have tried to use the net to find product and travel reviews. But it seems that there are too many sites trying to be THE review site. Each site has maybe 5 reviews on it per item, if the item is reviewed at all. Plus, since they're spread over the last 5 years, most of the reviews aren't even useful.

How come there hasn't been a narrowing down of these sites into a handful of sites? That way, you'd have tens, if not hundreds of reviews, as everyone shows up to review stuff at the same place. As it is you have to look at 10 different sites before getting a grasp on what's good and what isn't. I think I'm spoiled by the consolidation of information on the imdb.

Do you guys have favorite review sites that you frequent?

Depending on what I'm looking for, I go to a site that appeals to my demographic. For example, for travel, I adore Lonly Planet. For boring household products, I go to Consumer Reports. For computers, I go to my friends. It just depends on what it is. There never has been one place to look for information.

I use epinions a lot. For books, CDs, and DVDs, Amazon (but I buy from B&N.) For travel, tripadvisor.com

It's not just review sites that have splitered. I remember the good ol' days of yahoo when you could type in, say, "Harry Potter," and it would bring up a big list of Harry Potter sites all properly related to the topic. Now you have to sift through and fend for yourself. And good luck at that. Most of them are those awful sites that type up eighteen gazillion combinations of words hoping that you're googling one of them. I would like to tie the earlobes belonging to the inventor of that concept to two angry yaks running in the opposite direction.

Amen Sistah nothing more annoying.

CP, I used to use epinions alot and always had pretty good luck

Hmm, I know I've used epinions in the past and had the same problems with them....let's have another looksee.

Looks like they do have hotel reviews, but none for near Disneyland Paris. Even reviews for hotels in Paris itself are lacking - one hotel has 6 reviews, two have 2, and the rest each have one.

I know they're more a product site than a travel site, so I'll look up the bike I just purchased. Epinions doesn't have their own entry for it, they just link to Amazon and Target, who have the bike. Amazon has a decent amount of reviews, actually.

I know that this kind of thing depends on the product, but it just seems that the things I want to research arent' reviewed that much.

Of course this comes from someone who never does online reviews. :blush: Maybe I should do that. Do you guys jump online to review stuff?

The problem with epinions is that they list every single freakin' product variation. The way I use epinions is to get a feel for brand-names and price ranges and such. Are Brand X products consistently given fairly high ratings? Are none of the under $50 models really satisfactory?

I just use google a lot

I just throw a lot of darts at a bunch of magazines pinned to the wall... oh, sorry kitty...

Yeah, I end up doing that as well. And I do use google a lot, but that's the point, everything is so disparate, you've got to do 10 searches...

The darts method may not be accurate but it's annoyance free ;)