[Neely2005]

I'm not sure how many of you read Consumer Reports but if you do the Email that I just sent to them at Contact Us (Consumer Reports Magazine - Letter to the Editor) may interest you.

In your December 2012 & January 2013 issues you had an in depth review of cell phones. Yet not 1 BlackBerry smart phone was reviewed and the only mention of BlackBerry was a short sentence saying that BlackBerry is still around but it is mainly for business so we're not going to cover it. Not even a mention about the revolutionary BlackBerry 10 OS that launches on January 30, 2013. As 1 of the Over 80 Million current BlackBerry users I found this review unbalanced and very disappointing! Especially since I like many BlackBerry users do Not use my BlackBerry for business.

Hopefully in future issues Consumer Reports will at least review some BlackBerry phones too.

[Saiga]

Can consumers buy a BlackBerry 10 smartphone? Did Consumer Reports mention Android 6.0 Licorice? or iOS 7? If not then why are you surprised that they didn't mention something that doesn't exist for consumers yet?

I haven't read the article you are talking about, but you imply that it was a review round up of phones. Why would Consumer Reports review or mention something that consumers can't buy? I'm not seeing the issue here.

[joeldf]

No, but they made the inaccurate blanket statement about BB being only used by "businesses". Further perpetuating the false idea that BB is not for "consumers" - their readers.

I think the OP has got a point.

[Shanerredflag]

Consumer Reports is old and dated...they invented biased reporting. Like mamma used to say...opinions are like azzholes, everyone's got one.

[bluetroll]

FYI, majority of magazines and tv are biased. It's always swayed towards advertisers and sponsors...

at the end of the day, it's all about getting advertising money for them.

OP: thanks for emailing them. I hope they realize their error.

[TRlPPlN]

no need to get some panties in a bunch. don't waste your positive energy on such little things.

[sibeans]

Reading a tech review from consumer reports is archaic like the messaging from one of the early samsung s3 commercials where the son's seemingly waiting in line for the new iPhone but turns out to be holding a spot for his parents...the future of BB10 will be in the hands of the trend-setters, the younger consumers

[Roo Zilla]

FYI, majority of magazines and tv are biased. It's always swayed towards advertisers and sponsors...

at the end of the day, it's all about getting advertising money for them.

Consumer Reports doesn't accept outside advertising, and they actually go out and buy the products they test in the retail market. That's their whole thing.

" To maintain its independence and impartiality, CR accepts no outside advertising and no free samples and employs several hundred mystery shoppers and technical experts to buy and test the products it evaluates."

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

Consumer reports is one of the most biased

[howarmat]

great so as i understand it, when consumer reports includes bb10 is its reviews this summer and ranks it number 2 then the results are bunk because CR is biased and took money from RIM.

[Roo Zilla]

great so as i understand it, when consumer reports includes bb10 is its reviews this summer and ranks it number 2 then the results are bunk because CR is biased and took money from RIM.

Of course it's bunk!!! BB10 should be number 1!!! Or better!!!!!

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

great so as i understand it, when consumer reports includes bb10 is its reviews this summer and ranks it number 2 then the results are bunk because CR is biased and took money from RIM.

OP states they should have reviewed a blackberry device as they are still sold and user base is quite large at 80 million. No mention of bribery.

I think the fact that there are so many users and they still chose not to include it shows bias.

[mikeo007]

OP states they should have reviewed a blackberry device as they are still sold and user base is quite large at 80 million. No mention of bribery.

I think the fact that there are so many users and they still chose not to include it shows bias.

CR is based in the USA. The vast majority of those 80 million are not in the USA. They're appealing to their market, it has nothing to do with bias.

[Toodeurep]

CR is based in the USA. The vast majority of those 80 million are not in the USA. They're appealing to their market, it has nothing to do with bias.

If they are only trying to appeal to their market than it is bias.

Honestly though judging a device that isn't even on the market against others that are never made sense to me either.

There is no doubt in my mind that the 9810 should be on a list of top 10 phones. The apparent omission shows bias as well.

[Neely2005]

CR is based in the USA. The vast majority of those 80 million are not in the USA. They're appealing to their market, it has nothing to do with bias.

Actually I have a subscription to Consumer Reports Canada & BlackBerry is still very popular here in Canada.

My concern is that they didn't review any BlackBerry phones in 2 concurrent issues that reviewed Cell Phones and then on top of that they made a false statement that BlackBerry is only for Business.

EDIT: These 2 issues are the first time that they haven't included scores for BlackBerry Phones in their cell phone reviews so they already have the phones, why wouldn't they include them in the scores?



Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[OMGitworks]

Only on Crackbeery can a magazine that doesn't accept advertising and/or free products for testing be labelled biased. How and what are they biased for? Which BB should they have included? Since they only review products they can (and their readers) can actually buy and BB10 doesn't exist in that universe, what should they have done. BB is PRIMARILY a business device, much more so than most devices. Yes they overreached a bit on that comment, but they weren't that far off base.

[Neely2005]

Can consumers buy a BlackBerry 10 smartphone? Did Consumer Reports mention Android 6.0 Licorice? or iOS 7? If not then why are you surprised that they didn't mention something that doesn't exist for consumers yet?

I haven't read the article you are talking about, but you imply that it was a review round up of phones. Why would Consumer Reports review or mention something that consumers can't buy? I'm not seeing the issue here.

They could have mentioned BlackBerry 10 like they mentioned upcoming Windows Phones.



Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[gokulesh]

Actually I have a subscription to Consumer Reports Canada & BlackBerry is still very popular here in Canada.

My concern is that they didn't review any BlackBerry phones in 2 concurrent issues that reviewed Cell Phones and then on top of that they made a false statement that BlackBerry is only for Business.

EDIT: These 2 issues are the first time that they haven't included scores for BlackBerry Phones in their cell phone reviews so they already have the phones, why wouldn't they include them in the scores?
Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

@neeley you are wasting your time. The thread shows all the usual suspects take one side and try and justify it. Their point that it does not talk about BB10 is correct but the rest is junk and biased as usual.

G

[Neely2005]

Only on Crackbeery can a magazine that doesn't accept advertising and/or free products for testing be labelled biased. How and what are they biased for? Which BB should they have included? Since they only review products they can (and their readers) can actually buy and BB10 doesn't exist in that universe, what should they have done. BB is PRIMARILY a business device, much more so than most devices. Yes they overreached a bit on that comment, but they weren't that far off base.

They should have reviewed the current BlackBerry 7 phones.

BlackBerry is # 1 in developing countries and it's Not primarily because of business.



Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[gokulesh]

Only on Crackbeery can a magazine that doesn't accept advertising and/or free products for testing be labelled biased. How and what are they biased for? Which BB should they have included? Since they only review products they can (and their readers) can actually buy and BB10 doesn't exist in that universe, what should they have done. BB is PRIMARILY a business device, much more so than most devices. Yes they overreached a bit on that comment, but they weren't that far off base.

Darn, I should stop paying for my kids education since they and their many friends in Canada and US (over 60 friends each on their bbm) must be running businesses. Or maybe be consumer reports thinks Ohio and Ontario must be in the third world.

G.

[bk1022]

Only on Crackbeery can a magazine that doesn't accept advertising and/or free products for testing be labelled biased. How and what are they biased for? Which BB should they have included? Since they only review products they can (and their readers) can actually buy and BB10 doesn't exist in that universe, what should they have done. BB is PRIMARILY a business device, much more so than most devices. Yes they overreached a bit on that comment, but they weren't that far off base.

People here are like tea party republicans. They believe whatever they want.

Does anyone here remember "tools not toys" where RIM's own marketing campaign implied BB's were for business!?

LOL! Consumer reports writes about what they think interests their readers, since that's their sole source of funding.

[Neely2005]

People here are like tea party republicans. They believe whatever they want.

Does anyone here remember "tools not toys" where RIM's own marketing campaign implied BB's were for business!?

LOL! Consumer reports writes about what they think interests their readers, since that's their sole source of funding.

Well I'm a subscriber to Consumer Reports and I'm interested in BlackBerry.



Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[OniPod]

They should have reviewed the current BlackBerry 7 phones.

BlackBerry is # 1 in developing countries and it's Not primarily because of business.


Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

They did, back when they were current. I saw the review cr did for the 9810 awhile back.

[Neely2005]

They did, back when they were current. I saw the review cr did for the 9810 awhile back.

So why not include that Score with all of the other Scores? They've included Scores for other phones that they previously reviewed.



Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[kbz1960]

Really? When was the last phone from RIM released? I agree with the business statement is wrong but RIM hasn't put anything new out to review.