These past two weeks in techland proved that launching a new product is not for the fainthearted.

Apple may not have counted last week as one of their favorites – not only did the iPhone 4’s antenna problems reach fever pitch, but Consumer Reports announced that they would not be recommending this newest version of the phone due to antenna problems.

Although some are asking for a recall of the iPhone 4, Apple came across confident and well equipped to weather the storm and held a press conference announcing their solution to the antenna issue: a protective case. They’ll reimburse previous purchasers and supply them to new iPhone 4 buyers in the months ahead.

However, with a dip in stock price and even a few pending lawsuits, all signs point to one thing – in this digital age, the online critic has more clout than ever.

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Kmart certainly seems to have adopted this theory. In its newest venture, brick and mortar Kmart stores are displaying printouts of online reviews alongside the video games on sale. Whether it’s a violent shoot-em-up, suitable for children or a cerebral brainteaser, the review are in – and once again, the online critic plays an important part in shaping our buying decisions.

Here at IOGEAR, we’re excited to work closely with online reviewers, critics and experts – whether they’re seasoned pros or new bloggers.

Our newest venture, Club IOGEAR, is designed to harness the tech community and to reward our online shoppers for their business by offering redeemable points for each purchase. As this online community grows, we’ll be looking to our Club IOGEAR members, as well as our Facebook and Twitter communities to let us know what they think of our current products – and what they’d like to see next!

What do YOU think of the latest Apple controversy? What online sources and opinions do YOU always check in with before clicking the purchase button?

Cheers
The IOGEAR team