Yahoo has launched a technology website - Yahoo Tech - to help consumers research, buy and use technology products in 18 categories, reports MarketWatch. All advertising inventory on the site for the three-month launch period is sold out. Yahoo Tech will be promoted across the Yahoo network and on its search engine when users type queries for technology products. Hewlett-Packard, Verizon Wireless and Panasonic are exclusive product-category sponsors.

Using the Yahoo Shopping platform, Yahoo Tech includes user reviews and ratings. It will also have other community elements via the integration of Yahoo Answers, which lets users ask and answer each others' questions, and the Yahoo 360 social-networking service. Original content includes four blogs by "advisors" - tech journalists.

In each product category, Yahoo will highlight the top five products as rated by Consumer Reports, with which it has an exclusive ratings deal. Yahoo Tech will also offer product reviews from PC World and PC Magazine and how-to content from the "For Dummies" series and McGraw-Hill's (MHP) Professional titles.

Yahoo has also planned a Verizon Wireless-sponsored weekly video reality show, "Hook Me Up," which will give tech-challenged consumers technology makeovers. Visitors can nominate future contestants and vote on nominees. Products used in the show won't be offered as an advertising opportunity; they will be selected by experts for their relevance.