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Content
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| Quality : |
15.0 / 20 |
| Quantity : |
11.5 / 15 |
| Entertain : |
12.0 / 15 |
| Updates : |
6.5 / 10 |
| Exclusive : |
5.0 / 05 |
| Download : |
3.0 / 05 |
| sub-total : |
53.0 / 70 |
| Navigation |
| Easy : |
7.5 / 10 |
| Features : |
2.0 / 05 |
| Design : |
2.5 / 05 |
| sub-total : |
12.0 / 20 |
| Other |
| Temp Fill : |
7.2 / 10 |
| sub-total : |
7.2 / 10 |
Scoring Criteria
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| Editor: Maggie |
Initial Review: 12-01-05 |
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1. Good recurring price.
2. Exclusive content.
3. Lots of extras.
1. Erratic updates.
2. Needs better way to display/browse content.
"The content is fine but I really didn't care for the site's setup." |
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It's not often we come across a gay site dedicated specifically to Turkish boys but that's exactly what Istanboys.com is. Dark-haired, dark-eyed, circumcised with a Middle Eastern appearance are a few ways they're described, in case you're wondering what an Istanboy looks like. They definitely have a certain mystery to them which is very sexy. Istanboys shows it all, though the great majority of the action is solo.
Logging in to the member's area, I found the design very simple. You've got a few drop down menus that include a "Photo Index" with a list of model names and a link to Istanboys content which includes a page of the same list, both unfortunently without preview headshots. The site really lacking in the browse options. There is a search box but I'd still like to see some categories and model photos on the index are a must.
Istanboys currently has 101 galleries with a total of around 5,500 photos. Updates are a little erratic. Sometimes they'll get on a weekly kick with a new set added every seven days but then two or three weeks will pass with nothing new. That's a little disappointing, especially considering the site isn't all that big yet. At least it looks good! This exclusive content is very good quality, with the photos enlargeable up to 1450x964 (and some even up to 1600). Keep in mind that you have to click each image to see the larger version of it. The newer sets look a little more pro than the older sets but overall I liked what I saw. They're moving in the right direction, I just wish they'd move a little faster.
Heading over to the videos section, you'll find approximately 100 movies total. They've got them divided into categories by format, Real Player, Windows Media, Quicktime, and Mpeg, and not all of the videos appear in all of the categories. Most do, though. Real Player is the recommended format but they all looked ok to me. They're pretty average at 200k-400k and look homeshot for the most part. Once again, the weakness is browsing. Each movie is divided into clips and there are no preview images whatsoever. No descriptions either, so you'll basically have no idea what you're downloading until it starts to play.
There is a lot of extra content here, at least. You'll find the usual feeds, personals, and escort ads, but they do add some uniquely Turkish content, as well. There is a Gay Guide if you're ever looking for a gay bar in Turkey, Turkish gay stories, a list of Gay Friendly Hotels in Istanbul, along with some online chats in Turkish (English, too). It is good to see them stay true to the niche, although I wonder how useful this info is to most of their members.
All in all, Istanboys is an ok site. The content is exclusive and the photos look pretty good. They need to do some serious work on the navigation to make it more user-friendly and updates need to come more regularly, but at least it's cheap at $20 and $15 for each additional month. I suppose there aren't really all that many gay sites out there dedicated specifically to Turkish guys so if that's what you're in to, I see no harm in checking out Istanboys. There's room for improvement, but overall the site is worth a look for the genre.
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