It should be no secret that people who put out gadget blogs read (and collect items from) everyone else's gadget blogs. There's nothing wrong with this, although it can lead to some frustration for readers. Like yesterday, a post from a very popular gadget blog showed up in my RSS inbox describing the item shown to the right. It's the Cubite Speaker and USB hub, a product that looked interesting to me until I delved further.

I'd include the link to the original post, except the link they provided doesn't work and the item cannot be found by searching their site.

The gadget blog's post caught my attention because the idea of a USB-powered speaker is interesting, provided the audio is fed the same way. Alas, the blog helpfully pointed out that the audio isn't USB (rats!) and the USB hub is USB 1.1 rather than 2.0 (yuck!). There's a helpful $45 price listed, but no place to buy. This particular blog didn't like the front-facing USB ports, which I like for occasionally-used USB gadgets.

So, I've decided I want to write a piece questioning the sanity of someone releasing a product that seems years behind the times. To find out more, I follow the link the blog provided to its source for the item, a blog called "The Red Ferret Journal." There I find someone who seems to have bought the device and likes it, for some odd reason. There is also a link to a dealer. It turns out that both are in the UK!

A quick Google search suggests the item may not even be available in the United States! There are also a couple of sites selling the Cubite as a "promotional item," which says to me the Cubite really has been around for awhile and is being remaindered.

It would be helpful if I'd been told straightway that this was a UK item.  The blog mentioned the The Red Ferret Journal translated the price from pound Sterling into dollars, but didn't mention having done so. It would also have been nice if it didn't take two hops to get to a place where the item could be purchased. As a courtesy, when bloggers lift (and rewrite) items from other blogs they usually include a link to the source blog.

However, there also should be a way for readers to bypass the other blog(s) and go straight to a dealer or the original source material. It's really frustrating having to go from blog to blog, each saying the same thing, before finally reaching the first link in the chain, and finally the original item. Sometimes reading blogs is like being stuck on an information merry-go-round and being unable to get off.

Blogging is still new and everyone makes mistakes, including me. But, this is my public promise to Gearlog readers that I will do my best to make getting to information as easy as possible, by including links to source material and buying information if the item might not be easy to find. I'll usually include a manufacturer link, though that isn't always possible. I'll also weed out products that I'd never recommend you purchase, like the Cubite.

If you find things in Gearlog that frustrate you or leave questions in your mind, please drop me a line (david_coursey@ziffdavis.com) and I will do my best to get you answers. No blog is perfect, including this one, but if there's something I can do, don't hesitate to drop me a note.

Robyn Peterson's comment: The name of the blog has been removed, but I'm sure some of you blog-savvy readers can figure it out.  The point here is that the blog that David is referring to above is not the only blog that makes this mistake.  Others do too, including GearLog.  With that said, David makes a good point.  Whenever possible, we will include shopping links to items we blog.  And when you send us tips (gearlog@ziffdavis.com) feel free to include a link to where you can buy the item.  Update, 11/07/2005: a screenshot of the email David refers to above was removed.