Based on the fact that I'm very unlikely to get samples of "yet to be released" kit or "just out" kit unless my numbers roll in tonight how's this for an idea:

Proper user reviews of kit over a period of time.

(Stay with me now)

We all love reading about the latest kit, but I generally find if I'm researching something I'm about to buy that most reviews are from people who've had a sample sent to them for a few days at most to play with.
This is all well and good but what happens if there's a bug or irritation that's only clear after a week or so, y'know those things like when a reviewer says the screen's a bit shiny, you think "I can live with a slightly shiny screen", then after a week or two you actually realise that it's far too shiny and you haven't been able to use it outside or with the curtains open and what shouldn't have been a big deal (well wasn't to the journalist that had it for 2 hours to review it, at home, in a dimly lit room) actually turns it in to a nightmare and has you reaching for the computer to eBay it.

Good idea?

Everyone here owns tech, a lot of us buy a lot of new gadgets & stuff and as people tweet about how their new toy is the greatest thing since sliced bread on the first day then tweet about how something isn't quite right a few days later it's probably a subject we can get a lot of articles from.

Great idea.
When you're buying gear online, I often like to read reviews left by the users, folk that bought the item.
What they rarely mention is how long they've had the item.
As you say, there can be things that only become apparent some point down the road after you've lost the receipt.

I ticked Yes because I think it's a good idea.

However I can't contribute because I'm a skinflint.

I do have a tendancy to buy new shiny stuff. Keep most of it and continue to use.
5 pcs, 2 laptops, a netbook and a 360(and kinect) within 15 feet. And a DSLR, an android phone. Wii upstairs.

Two laser printers. Video camera.

Bought a logitech harmony 1100, but it's going back-crap. Wife playing on ipod touch-but got that free.

A hoard of kitchen stuff. Don't get me started on the stuff in the loft (packrat)

Voted yes but my churn of Tech toys is pretty low, so I wouldn't expect to have much input.

My Desire HD will be a month old on the 20th Jan. I could do something with that.

Also the WheelstandPro will be here any day so the G27/GT5 combo will be getting a thorough workout over the coming weeks and months.

I think it's a good idea. See how our toys perform once the wow factor of a new gadget has worn off.

Certainly a good idea although, as with a few other folks on here I won't be able to contribute very often due to a low rate of new stuff acquisition.

When I read the title of the thread, I thought you meant of cars and got all excited

Long term road test -
Fujitsu hard drives are rubbish and WILL fail you.

Same applies to Lacie. The drives themselves seem to work okay but the drive controllers are rubbish and I have had numerous drives fail because of them.

And I sit here surrounded by six LaCie drives and never had a problem with one of them. YMMV.

I have had four fail because of drive controllers, all within three years of purchase.

I used to swear by lacie, mow I just swear at them. Well I don't now as I never buy them anymore.

Maybe I've just been lucky then. Whenever I've bought other makes, they've been as flakey as hell. I've an Iomega 500GB that unmounts itself without warning, for example. Meanwhile, I've got two LaCie quadras that are my Time Machine backups, and a Rugged acting as my Aperture main library disk.

As I said, YMMV. I've never had problems with LaCie stuff.

I thought Lacie made high-end monitors. I'd never even consider a HDD from them. WD or Samsung all the way. Not sure that a long term test of a HDD would be terribly interesting to read though...