Mission Statement
AroundAndroid.com is focused on bringing a unique and unbiased voice to the technology, science, automotive, gaming, and entertainment industries. Our goal is to educate and entertain, curating the latest and greatest in each segment, and helping to guide purchasing decisions with real-world insight.
Fact-checking and accuracy
We pride ourselves on factual accuracy: the more comprehensive and accurate a report, the more value it holds for our readers. As such we go to great efforts to ensure that, by the time an article is published, we have ascertained that the facts within it are correct.
Opinion pieces and editorial voice will always be made clear. Part of the strength of our team of writers and freelancers is the expertise they bring to our reporting, columns, and reviews. Wherever possible, we signpost our original sources and data.
We recognize that mistakes happen, and updates or corrections can be necessary. Whether that was down to our reporting, or the information we were provided by individuals, companies, or other organizations, we’ll make that clear in our reporting. We encourage feedback on potential factual errors through our contact page.
Sources and bias
AroundAndroid.com relies upon a variety of sources with which our writers build their articles. These can range from press releases, through to attending events either in-person or virtually, to interviews and third-party information. When we conduct interviews, we make clear the nature of our story; we may record interviews where appropriate, and we abide with the assumption that sources are on the record.
The realities of publishing means that some sources may not be willing or able to reveal their identity publicly. While we prefer to name sources or interview subjects, we will when appropriate allow for anonymous sourcing. This may be to ensure the safety of a source, whether from reprisals from an employer or other organization, or to allow them to speak more freely. We judge each request for anonymity on its particular merits.
Each writer brings an open mind to their work at AroundAndroid.com , the facts must speak for themselves; we strive to make clear when any editorial voice is present. In the case of our reviews, hands-on reports, or first impressions articles, we use our judgement as experts in the field to highlight the pros and cons. We endeavor to be fair: if there is criticism, there must also be justification for that criticism.
Feedback
We encourage readers to share their feedback, their own opinions, and their experiences with products, companies, and services. This may be done in the form of publicly-posted comments, via AroundAndroid.com’s presence on various social networks, or privately via email or through our contact form. We do not guarantee that we will reply or respond to each comment.
Similarly, AroundAndroid.com recognizes that commenting is not a right, and has rules and requirements for those leaving comments. We will not, for example, allow for personal attacks, commentary that is racist, sexist, homophobic, obscene, or felt to be generally offensive, or comments that are disruptive or intentionally off-topic. We may choose to delete such comments, or the systems used by our commenting services and the social networks may automatically flag or remove such comments without our involvement.
We value feedback and dialog that is open and respectful.
Reviews and scoring
The AroundAndroid.com team reviews hundreds of products each year, everything from smartphones through to supercars, and we’re always looking to help you make the most of your money. That’s why we also use review ratings, a numerical score that can help make comparisons in increasingly competitive segments.
Our rating scale is out of 5, and the final score is made up of several criteria to take into account elements like price, features, and innovation. While there’s no such thing as a perfect product, but for something to score a full 5 out of 5 it might change the game in its segment, or have features that no competitor could match. Products that fall short of their core functionality, or which don’t live up to expectations, will lose points.
Since products get reviewed as they’re released, it’s always important to remember when you’re comparing scores that we award ratings based on the state of the market at that time. A smartphone that scored highly three years ago isn’t necessarily going to be such a competitive device today. That’s it’s important to also read the review to understand the context.
When we rate products, we also consider the expectations buyers might have. A coupe that scores well for practicality, for example, isn’t going to haul the same amount as a pickup truck, even if they have the same rating, but it could still well deserve that score compared to other coupes.
In short, we think ratings can be helpful when making a decision on what to buy, but only as part of an overall review process. That’s why we’ll always lay out the pros and cons of any product the AroundAndroid.com team reviews, so you can make the best choice for you.