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NYT article on "Why Apple blinked"

CR has given Apple incredible reviews in the past. I can't think of a single Mac review (and Apple Customer service review) that wasn't miles ahead of the rest of the competition. Everyone seemed to be happy to accept their tests and opinions in this regard, but the first time they don't "recommend" an Apple product then suddenly they became bias hacks. Go figure.
 
Hooksta said:
CR has given Apple incredible reviews in the past. I can't think of a single Mac review (and Apple Customer service review) that wasn't miles ahead of the rest of the competition. Everyone seemed to be happy to accept their tests and opinions in this regard, but the first time they don't "recommend" an Apple product then suddenly they became bias hacks. Go figure.
Click to expand...

They are definitely not biassed hacks -- hence their influence.
 
Hooksta said:
CR has given Apple incredible reviews in the past. I can't think of a single Mac review (and Apple Customer service review) that wasn't miles ahead of the rest of the competition. Everyone seemed to be happy to accept their tests and opinions in this regard, but the first time they don't "recommend" an Apple product then suddenly they became bias hacks. Go figure.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I've seen it around here many times before. People have referenced Gizmodo, Engadget, and other tech sites for "proof from reliable sources" over and over again. As soon as something happens that sheds negative light on Apple, then the entire site is considered to be worthless, terrible, and a bunch of hacks. This is simply the way fan boys work. There's a lot of great info to be had around here but you have to wade through the BS to get to it through the people blindly following Apple in a "they can do no wrong" euphoria.

I believe CR reported accurately and responsibly. If they hadn't, there's no way there would have been a conference last Friday and Steve would have moved on with the normal "F you guys, you'll take what I give you" attitude that we usually see.
 
Phokus said:
yeah, it's hilarious how apple fanboys attacked CR as some frothing at the mouth anti-apple organization. :rolleyes:
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Or simply tried to downplay CRs influence.

I'm a definite Apple fan and I cringed when reading CRs report -- not because I disagreed, but because it's hard to see a great companyy like Apple make a blunder like this.

As SJ said, Apple isn't perfect. How disappointing!
 
The only problem I had with the CR report was the blurb about the duct tape. The way it was written, the fact that a case would work was almost an after thought. It was something like "We used duct tape, but any heavy tape would do, oh, and a case would work."

That to me sparked more of the media frenzy then anything else. I remember seeing that bit on CNN the next day, when then it got picked up on other outlets, and the frenzy was on from there.
 
Apple-NoEscape said:
Consumer reports are the most unbaised reviewers I know of.
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Since they have no advertising, they report solely what they find, hence their value as a consumer reporting entity.

They simply showed that the Emperor (Apple) had no clothes (major reception problems).
 
I'm not questioning CR's neutrality, but I will say that it seems like their main reason for not recommending was, you shouldn't have to use a case to make the phone work properly, which is of course a valid point, but, you can say similar things about any smartphone, for example, you shouldn't have to accept 3 hour battery life on an Evo, but people still buy and use Evos, just like people buy Iphone 4's, put on a case and have no more issues.

It seems no smartphone is perfect and/or has everything you want, we all have a choice as to what works for us. I'd rather have my IP4 in a case, than an Evo without one, we all have a choice and value strengths and weaknesses differently. Every smartphone has weaknesses and is a compromise in some way, when someone invents one that is literally flawless, has every feature possible, and no weaknesses, well, they'll probably make a lot of money. My money is on Apple, and I'm not really an Apple guy, but I do love the iphone, have since the beginning.

In a perfect world, everything would be perfect, but the world's not perfect, and nothing is. Particularly in a product that truly pushes the envelope of how much advanced technology you can cram into the smallest form factor.

To those who still have serious reception issues even with a case on, well, all I can say is, I feel your pain, I'd be pissed too, and would return the phone and get something else, until Apple changes the antenna design.

Mine works perfectly, and I live in an area not known to have great 3G coverage. And yes, I have it in a case, because I would never carry around a smartphone without one.
 
Hooksta said:
CR has given Apple incredible reviews in the past. I can't think of a single Mac review (and Apple Customer service review) that wasn't miles ahead of the rest of the competition. Everyone seemed to be happy to accept their tests and opinions in this regard, but the first time they don't "recommend" an Apple product then suddenly they became bias hacks. Go figure.
Click to expand...

Hypocrisy runs deep amongst the fanboys, my friend. Deep.
 
Historically, what is important to Consumer Reports is not always important to me.

For example: Since shattering my 2G, I've always used a case on my iPhone 3G.

Since I'd never use an iPhone without a case (I even have a case on my Nexus
One), CR's lack of a recommendation simply due to the antennae issue is
completely irrelevant to me.

While the typical Consumer Reports Disciple seems to be (in my experience at
least) the Anal-Retentive type who would always use a case regardless, sadly
they'll never get past the lack of a CR recommendation of the iPhone4.
 
CR was fine in there assessment of the phone. However the legs that the story got was a bit out of line. CR seemed to play the issue up to gain subsections to the site. That is not bad in itself, but skews the reliability of the report. CR also initially implied that if Apple were to provide cases, they would award the phone a 'recommends', which they later backpedaled on.

Keep in mind that the iPhone 4 is the highest rated phone on CR...

If CR is really the bench mark and consumers want to buy the highest rated phone that also has a 'recommends', they should get an iPhone 3GS.
 
wasn't only CR. NYC has some free newspapers with very high circulation numbers. the iphone 4 issues were on the front page last week. even the daily news had stories about it.
 
It hit home and that is why Apple had the Press conference, many people rely and trust consumer Reports and Apple knew this, and Steve had no choice but to have the Press Conf on Friday, otherwise people would have agreed that Apple knew and did nothing. Now that Apple knows and admits some of the issues I am sure they will work hard to repair it, they have way too much revenue riding on the iPhone for it to be a Flop.
 
Megalobyte said:
I'm not questioning CR's neutrality, but I will say that it seems like their main reason for not recommending was, you shouldn't have to use a case to make the phone work properly, which is of course a valid point, but, you can say similar things about any smartphone, for example, you shouldn't have to accept 3 hour battery life on an Evo, but people still buy and use Evos, just like people buy Iphone 4's, put on a case and have no more issues.

It seems no smartphone is perfect and/or has everything you want, we all have a choice as to what works for us. I'd rather have my IP4 in a case, than an Evo without one, we all have a choice and value strengths and weaknesses differently. Every smartphone has weaknesses and is a compromise in some way, when someone invents one that is literally flawless, has every feature possible, and no weaknesses, well, they'll probably make a lot of money. My money is on Apple, and I'm not really an Apple guy, but I do love the iphone, have since the beginning.
Click to expand...


Thats a thin line you are making there and would only bait the fanboys out of their holes. An android fanboy can easily say you should be able to change the battery on your iDevice and the arguments would go on forever.

I agree to your main point though.... that is... use what you like and or use what fits you the most. But as I have repeatedly stated... those that are complaining about the issue WANT THE iPHONE 4. They just want it to work as well as the 3GS for phone calls and wireless data.
 
I am a proclaimed fanboy and take cr serious. They are the standard, buuuut with that said the only issue is that the antenna is marked on the phone. If consumer reports covers the antenna on any phone the bars will drop.
 
err404 said:
CR was fine in there assessment of the phone. However the legs that the story got was a bit out of line. CR seemed to play the issue up to gain subsections to the site. That is not bad in itself, but skews the reliability of the report. CR also initially implied that if Apple were to provide cases, they would award the phone a 'recommends', which they later backpedaled on.

Keep in mind that the iPhone 4 is the highest rated phone on CR...

If CR is really the bench mark and consumers want to buy the highest rated phone that also has a 'recommends', they should get an iPhone 3GS.
Click to expand...

And what is wrong with that? The 3Gs is an amazing phone.
 
Man, I guess Consumer Reports has destroyed Apple... oh wait 3 million phones in 3 weeks!

The press is idiotic. They want a big story about an amazing company coming to an end. Not happening. Move along press trolls.
 
err404 said:
CR was fine in there assessment of the phone. However the legs that the story got was a bit out of line. CR seemed to play the issue up to gain subsections to the site. That is not bad in itself, but skews the reliability of the report. CR also initially implied that if Apple were to provide cases, they would award the phone a 'recommends', which they later backpedaled on.

Keep in mind that the iPhone 4 is the highest rated phone on CR...

If CR is really the bench mark and consumers want to buy the highest rated phone that also has a 'recommends', they should get an iPhone 3GS.
Click to expand...

Correct. CR uses subscribers instead of ads to generate revenue. This doesn't make them any more or less biased but definitely makes them more prone to embellish a news story. As well, it would be interesting to know which phone people such as Mike Gikas and Paul Reynolds use most. Surely, it wouldn't be a phone they don't "recommend". ;)
 
So, let me get this straight...
Consumer Reports states that the iPhone 4 has a serious design flaw that causes calls to drop, but they rate it as "the best smartphone" on the market today?

What does that say about the rest of the smartphones out there? :confused:
 
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