Buzzillions Blogs

Watch enough TV and you’re sure to come across an infomercial or two. Pitch men promise to make our lives easier, better, and just plain happier for a bargain price. So which infomercial products got great reviews from users, and which As Seen on TV goods merit a healthy dose of skepticism?

As Seen on TV Products for the Kitchen

The Slap Chop

The claim: Chop, dice, and mince in seconds without switching blades.

The reviews: Nearly all of the customer reviews mention that the vegetables get stuck on the blade rather than actually getting chopped. With a 1.4 average rating, this product appears to be a dud. One Slap Chop review says, “my dull false teeth could do better“. Ouch.

Bottom line: You’re better off using a knife or putting your $20 towards a food processor.

Always Fresh Containers

The claim: They keep food fresh up to 50 days longer than other containers.

The reviews: The Always Fresh Containers get mixed reviews. While eleven people give it a five star rating, nearly as many give them only one star. Fans say they save money by keeping food fresh much longer. One reviewer says, “broccoli and celery rotted in record time in these containers. i had much better luck using a zip lock freezer bag.”

Bottom line: Try at your own risk.

The Magic Bullet

The claim: This all purpose tool can do most kitchen jobs in 10 seconds or less.

The reviews: Most of the Magic Bullet reviews were positive. One reviewer makes everything from smoothies to scrambled eggs and says, “It takes the place of several larger appliances and really saves lots of space on the kitchen counter. ” However, many reviewers note problems with the durability.

Bottom line: Versatile tool, but don’t get too attached.

As Seen on TV Fitness Equipment

The Perfect Pushup

The claim: Supercharge your workout…maximizing strength and definition while minimizing the risks of joint strain and injury.

The reviews: The Perfect Pushup gets almost perfect marks in the product reviews for quality & results. Users also love that they can work their upper bodies without wrist pain, and some started to see results in as little as three weeks.

The bottom line: A quality home gym product for improving upper body strength without wrist pain.

The Ab Rocket

The claim: Ab Rocket gives you the abs you’ve always wanted in 5 minutes a day.

The reviews: With an average star rating of 3.7, the Emson Ab Rocket works for some, but not all. The main complaint is that the machine doesn’t provide enough resistance to produce results.  Ab Rocket enthusiasts give it good reviews as a great alternative to sit-ups.

The bottom line: If you hate sit-ups, this might be a good alternative, but don’t expect washboard abs.

The Iron Gym Pull Up Bar

The claim: Get strong. Get ripped. Quick! Attaches & removes from door frame in seconds!

The reviews: Most reviewers are very impressed with the easy installation process for Iron Gym. They find it “sturdy” and high quality. Some who try to use the bar for sit-ups find it less than stellar, but otherwise satisfactory.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for an easy to install pull-up bar, this one will do the job.

As Seen on TV Electronics

The Clapper

The claim: Turn your lights on and off automatically with a clap of your hands!

The reviews: Users says it’s good for lights that are hard to get to, and a fun novelty item. Most note that is also finicky & takes a bit of practice to get right.

Bottom line: Not quite perfect, but it has its uses.

The MagicJack

The claim: make and receive calls to anywhere in the United States and Canada for free using your high-speed Internet connection.

The reviews: Many find hassles with the product from poor sound quality to inadequate customer service and documentation. Though the device requires your computer to be running to work, lots of people are excited about the cost savings.

Bottom line: A good backup to your home phone, but stick with a real VoIP provider if you want quality.

Sonic Earz

The claim: Amplifies sound from 60 feet away.

The reviews: The average rating for this product is just 2.2. While some users write that it improved their hearing range, others complain about the poor sound quality, interference, and short battery life.

Bottom line: Set the volume high & your expectations low.

Two videos for you today.  Video #1 is Gadget Nation’s Steve Greenberg on his Dads and Grads tour – great inspiration for you last minute Father’s Day shoppers.  Video #2 is footage of a rampaging bird in San Francisco’s Financial District.  What do they have in common?  Nothing, except that they are both videos.  All I can say is thank goodness we’re safe in SOMA.

Steve Greenberg on Philly’s NBC 10

Rampaging Bird in San Francisco’s Financial Disctrict

Tech Closeup recently caught the Buzzillions team on camera doing what we do best.  Look closely & you can see our CEO’s (in)famous swagger. You heard it here first: read reviews, don’t get screwed!

While it seems a bit archaic that there are people still using analog television (and with them the temperamental rabbit ear antenea) there are a good number of people, especially in bad economic times, having a hard time facing the switch. According to Neilsen, 6.5 million U.S. households, or 5.7 percent, still need to make the switch.  Those people are, according to an article by CNN,  “..poor, older than 55, rural residents or racial minorities.”  With the economy still spiral diving,  some in this demographic simply can’t afford (or don’t want to spend the money) on cable or satellite TV service.   While people can get a coupon for a converter box, redemption is a little trickier, with expiration dates, and confusion about where to redeem the coupon slowing the switch.  Lawmakers had originally scheduled the switch for this month; that has since been pushed back to June 12th.  After this date, analog TV signals will end, and with it the ability to get the new broadcast format.

A recent MSN article states: “Some of the problem has to do with misconceptions about digital TV itself:  “About 25 percent believe that every television, whether it’s digital or not, whether it’s hooked up to cable or not, has to have a converter box.   And 21 percent believe everyone needs to sign up for cable or satellite service in order to keep a picture on their television sets.  Consumers remain extremely confused.”

The Facts:

• TVs do not have to be digital, but they DO need to be able receive digital broadcasts.
• The switch will happen June 12th
• Government coupons are available to offset the cost
• Converter boxes are available for purchase online – and you may also use your coupon.  I could not find any listings of stores one could take the coupon to in order to make a purchase.  I did find one mention of Best Buy taking the coupons in their retails stores, but call first to verify.

Choices include:

• buying a converter box to take a TV’s signal from analog to digital, and using an antenna as well
• subscribing to a cable or satellite service
• buying a digital TV (shameless self promotion plug – we’ve got a ton of top rated TVs in all kinds of price ranges)
• going without TV entirely (a strange concept, I know – but maybe you’ll become more productive than the rest of us TV watchers)

For myself, I’m wondering what will become of all those rabbit ears?

Smoking isn't his only addiction...

During his campaign, Obama was asked what his worst habit was.  Presumably, he was still smoking back then, but his answer wasn’t “smoking.”  What was it?  “Checking my BlackBerry.”  A few days ago, it was reported by the AP, that Obama has won “an important personal victory.”  What might that victory be?  He’s managed to convince the powers that be (secret service, various lawyers and White House staff) to let him keep his BlackBerry.  As the first sitting president to use email, there are privacy concerns about what he communicates and to whom using the device.

He’s not alone.  BlackBerry users on Buzzillions are for the most part smitten and rely on the devices heavily for checking email, watching video, finding directions and using applications like Facebook.  One user writes, (likely echoing Obama’s feeling on the device): “I have no clue on how I lived life with out it.”

So now I’m curious.  Do you have a BlackBerry?   Or maybe another PDA – an iPhone perhaps.  Can you picture life without it?  While I’m not saying I would cease to function without my iPhone or (when I had one) my BlackBerry, but I’d probably fight the good fight to keep it.  Of course, I’m not fighting lawyers and secret service men over it, which makes his victory all the more impressive.