Right just let me dust off my soapbox, I don't use it often but I'm in the mood today.

I've given up on the general photographic magazine as I find that they tend to cycle through the same basics every year (good for those starting out) and the sense of deja vu is very strong after reading a few of them of late.  At times it feels like paying money for old rope especially considering the average cost.

I find equipment reviews can be useful but (call me cynical if you like) I can't help but feel that sometimes some reviewers have raved about products that while they are good are in fact no worse than products that they are negative about.  Put it down to my suspicious nature but I can't but wonder which companies advertising rep bought them dinner that afternoon.  As Chrissy says "dpreview" is a far better resource as are a number of other sites.

I've taken to reading the more arthouse photographic magazines (unfortunately available in a far more limited number of outlets) these can be expensive but they tend to concentrate on displaying a reasonable sized body of work from each contributer in high quality and the write ups are more interested in motivation than methodology.  I find them a springboard for creativity, the technical details I'll fill in for myself later and if I can't there is always plenty of help and advice available here on the forum.

I feel better now so sorry if I've stood on anyones toes and I'm off to put my soapbox back in its cupboard and have some lunch.