hi, I want to know ho can I get review units for reviewing purpose?
Hello guys,
I am Soumyajit Ghosh and i am blogging for more than 3 Months (I know that's too short time 
). My blog is Http://www.newmicrosoft.com . i generally write articles about new news on Microsoft and other Microsoft related things, app updates, OS updates etc but i wan tto review some Microsoft Lumia devices in near future. But as you know i am beginner Microsoft won't give me review units. And the other problem is i am not that much rich so that i can buy new phone and review them. Other than this, some told me to write a reivew of a device i want and get pictures from search engines, but i don't want to destroy any other bloggers hard work and copy thier images (Think how it would feel if someone does this with you). So, dear bloggers i would really appreciate it if you guys can help me to find out a way :-) .
Thanks Guys, in advance 
You can also contact me through Facebook : - http://www.facebook.com/soumyajit.ghosh.99
Reason: Mistype
Remove your blog link and facebook link from the thread description.
It is against the forum rules.
It is better to remove "Microsoft " or "Windows" name to avoid receiving legal notice and so on struggles. Microsoft is very particular on this. Don't say Police didn't catch others except few and me 
.
Thanks for your reply i will try to change the domain name ASAP. But can you help me about the Review Units?
.
There are tons of websites containing "android" in their names. Phandroid.com, some pretty famous ones. I don't think so koi problem nahi hogi.
May be but its Microsoft :-P Anyways can you help me about the review units matter?
You'll never know. There are no issues "yet". Still, I believe having a neutral name is better. At one point, symbian dominated. Then maybe BB (I am not familiar with phones) and now Android. If Android falls in the future and someone else rises, its pointless. You lose that rep and following. Also, have a unique name that's not associated with an existing site. I remember in a Mumbai meet sponsored by some Indian hosting guys with this fone arena guy.....with an F. Not the P. It looks cheap. Besides, I don't think I would want to say "Hey, my name is Roshan from "fone arena....with an F". I mean... be original. It's your brand name, not some KFC center in khargar which is short for Kharghar food court.
I think the word Microsoft will create problem. I've been associated with a blog which was doing really good and had the word- Windows associated with it. Microsoft served us a notice and we had to eventually transfer our domain name. Hence, do yourself a favor and go for a different domain name.
Regarding your question on getting review units, like you said, it would be difficult for you to get it as you do not have much to your credentials. If you are serious about this thing, then, you must first start by getting units from your friends and reviewing it. Also try making friends with local mobile sellers and make a video while you are in the shop. There are many product reviews on Youtube done in the shop or exhibition events etc.
Meanwhile you must contact the PR team of Microsoft- You never contact the company to ask for review units, it is their PR team you must approach. You can find them in any product launch ceremony and exhibitions. So make it a habit to attend these events. Don't forget to get yourself a business card so that you can easily exchange contacts.
Also make sure that you are getting huge amount of traffic- Do PR like hell and make sure that your blog is visited by as much people as possible. This is an almost impossible task for a solo flier, so try to build up a team of like minded bloggers.
The rest depends on your marketing and sales skill.
Good luck anyways. 
Thank You for your precious reply 
. As you told i will look into the matter related Domain name. Another problem occured, which i can't manage. Normally Microsoft helds thier product launchs in Delhi or bangalore and i'm from Kolkata so it's too difficult to join those launch ceremonies. So it would be really hard to contact the PR team. Do you have any idea how to resolve this? 
I never did all of this. I used to post regularly in tech forums (I started posting when I was 13 years old but started contributing when I was 17) and then brands started contacting me. Eventually. I started getting multiple review samples and I started Hardware BBQ- Your Source for PC H/W Reviews, Previews and Recommendations. Most of the brands contacted me. Fewer brands contacted me after meeting them somewhere- launches, expos, etc. 1-2 I contacted them directly. There were times where companies indirectly hinted not sending samples sooner, or having an attitude flaunting moment. Only after a period of 4 years since Hardware BBQ, I started making business cards, but only because I've grown tired of filling up contact forms. I just say I don't have a card and they don't care. I never did PR or promoting content by paying in FB. I never did marketing. Heck, I only started hardware bbq only to archive my reviews at first, but things changed after 2 months. Still, even though I stopped posting in forums brands kept on sending samples, knowing that hardware bbq was completely brand new and hosted in blogspot at first. I even have an ethics policy eventually that some people didn't really like. I blacklisted 1 major brand and 1 PR agency Asus and Change Agents who handles antec, corsair, etc. Hardware BBQ stays stronger year after year. The approach differs from person to person, situation to sitution. I am sure if I did this now, it wouldn't have been easy as it was in 2008 to 2010. In fact, most of the successful bloggers are from 2005 era. it may have been fantastic if i started back then... who knows. In the end, you have to ask yourself the question for whom are you doing this. for people? for getting samples and freebies? for making money out of it? I don't mind people making money out of it as long as ethics are followed, which most of them in India don't, even mainstream. those who want samples and freebies will eventually burn out, shut down their site. doing it for people has its pros and cons, but you will have to work according to the situation. Your attitude, your personal code of ethics, your approach, your natural way of writing and presenting facts becomes a brand, and eventually the site' name represents you and people like you once you have people with you. some people will give you samples for easy report filing. some people will give you because you influence a particular niche because of the way you write and put facts. it depends on you how would you like to be looked at.
Your location does matter unless you travel for a press conferences. its no different from running a publication. it's easier to do food blogging because a lot of local outlets invite bloggers in a bunch. it might be difficult for tech initially. I guess in this day of age, try getting press releases first in your email. there are many PR/journo/blogger FB group out there that have a contact list for PRs to refer and contact. its like this: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jremP8I9OKdBbePA5kPANf4cwKlLFC1MGFwTvixdg3E/
Just so that you know, I've been told that youtubers like geekyranjit charges for reviews. Technically it's wrong, but you're supposed to be earning via ads that's displayed and affiliate codes from amazon and all when people purchase it. Taking money or freebies for each review implies that you're a promoter. brands do give certain samples because of getting exposure. But that's it. You're never going to gain respect from brands which will eventually help you to gain content, even if they hate you for posting cons. bloggers also do the same, and I was being confronted by a blogger anonymously that I am destroying the blogging community by not charging. You can ask for freebies, but you'll need to justify it and it's not really freebies. in my case, I need resources to test other hardware and they need exposure. I ask and say for what. They see if its worth and they give it. I mention it in reviews that I got this and that from this and that brand for testing. they get product and brand exposure, I can generate content and people can get better quality analysis. its a win win scenario. i did get a bribe once, and i was not told i would get it. no letter, no email, no phone calls. asus was blacklisted for a stunt they pulled involving another former reviewer, and when their PR manager changed, they sent me a motherboard without talking to me and settling the past issue, that too which was sent through a data center companies. i made a big issue because it was a bribe. the new pr manager was a reviewer in tech2 where i've read many times misleading his readers. returned the motherboard, posted about him. other reviewers silently accepted it, but nobody said what they have received! :P. Personal ethics matter. don't get into it if you cannot do it right. be it in tech knowledge, presentation or ethics. page views and reader base eventually starts.
Thank you @The Sorcerer learnt something important today :-)
Firstly remove the Microsoft from your URL. As your site will gain traction, Microsoft will definitely sue you.
If he puts a disclaimer that the website is not woned by microsoft nor affiliated with it and Microsoft is a registered tardemark of so and so, it should be fine. People run fan websites, there is nothing wrong in it, as long as it clearly states that it's not an official one.
Thanks for your reply i will try to change the domain name ASAP
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