I was just reading Wolfe’s Den over on Information Week where Alexander Wolfe goes on a little rant about how Consumer Reports some how managed to only rank the BlackBerry 7th when it comes to the best smartphones on the market.
I didn’t read the Consumer Report’s article myself so I won’t offer much commentary as to why the BlackBerry is rated so poorly. I will just leave you with… There is a reason I cancelled my Consumer Reports subscription long ago.
That’s a shame…I wonder what was the top six.
“Consumer Reports’ full list of smartphone ratings, a BlackBerry doesn’t appear until No. 7. That’s after the iPhone, Palm Treo 755P, Samsung BlackJack, Motorola Q, and Treo 680.”
Consumer Reports is often very wrong, and very bias. There should investigations of CR one of these days, even though they claim un-bias opinions there sure seems to be certain corporations pulling the strings.
iPhone. The ultimate holiday gift.
Ring in the new year with the gift of iPhone.
I think we all should take a good look at our glass houses before we start tossing around claims of bias. Anyone who frequents this site probably has a healthy dose of bias themselves.
I love my Curve, but rock-solid e-mail does not, in itself, make for a top-tier smartphone. The Pearl and Curve are both highly worthy entries into the consumer-level market, but they’re still “ramping up”, IMHO.
I would bet that when CR does this review next year, BBs will have jumped up the chart significantly.
LOL…hellno is the poster boy for the iPhone. How dare you insult Mr. Jobs!
As for the Treo beating out the BB, wow. I’ve used Treo’s for quite some time, both Palm and Windows based, and none of them come close to the Pearl in my opinion. Consumer Reports needs to get their act together.
I’ve been a subscriber to CR for many years and have used it as a guide for many purchases. I have, however, noticed a definite bias in many of their reviews and their ‘top picks’. For example, I once saw an article where a digital camera was the top performer in nearly every category and was also one of the cheapest and they gave their top pick to a very mediocre performer. It just didn’t sound right.
I don’t know what is going on there, but they are certainly not as unbiased as they say they are.
There is no doubt the this site is about BlackBerrys and most of the people who frequent it are a biased towards it. Consumer reports, however, is ranking some of the buggiest Windows mobile devices out right now in front of the the BlackBerry.
There is no way that the BlackJack is a better device than the BlackBerry… No Way!
Thanks Fletchi18, as a fellow reader of CR for many years it’s good to see the same opinion instead of a grandstanding post from a poster who uses RIMarkable for his toilet. If memory serves CR trashed the iMac when it first came out too, history shows time and time again how wrong and bias CR is. They are a publication in business and claim no bias, which is much different than wireless device enthusiasts pointing out the facts and truths. CR blew it year after year when awarding vehicles of the year and not one came from US auto makers, even though US auto makers many times deserved the award. CR has shown it’s a bias publication and knowing that CR’s opinions are best taken that way.
The iPhone is not only the most popular, the biggest seller, but also clearly the smartest smartphone. When it comes to spec’s the iPhone is a handheld computer, it’s in another class than the rest. The other device makers have yet to come up with anything close and they have had at least a years knowledge. RIM BB’s do one task better than the iPhone or any other phone, but that doesn’t mean the complete package is better. I completely agree with Robb when it comes to the treo and windoz mobile devices like the blackjack being ranked above RIM’s gear. Many of us have used the other crap and even with any slant on rankings there is No way! hellno!
BTW Robb can anything be done about that poster and his mess? Why must everything be turned around to become a personal attack? Why does this person USE RIMarkable for name calling and implied making fun of disadvantaged people? Whats completely sad about this poster is when the truth and facts are posted to back up opinions, instead of using RIMarkable as a resource for knowledge this poster feels the need to follow up with more ignorant, grandstanding, and derogatory comments. The poster has zero to gain since we’ve all seen his act and see right through his posts for what they are. The real shame is RIMarkable being USED as his personal toilet, when the rest of us would rather see RIMarkable respected for the great site it is. Unlike CR I come browse and post at RIMarkable to for truth, facts, and others thoughts, not a certain posters ignorant, grandstanding, and derogatory comments which are becoming more and more a detriment to RIMarkable and it’s fellow readers and posters.
@ hellno…
Truth hurts ya, huh? You don’t post anything except for the same crap each time with your same dumb ass links. iPhone makes a great holiday gift? Please…when they make one that works with a network that is halfway decent, then we can talk. Besides, many prefer the BB over the iPhone, myself included. An actualy keyboard is nice, and nobody touches the BB when it comes to email, which many use it for along with the phone. If I want a media player that can accept and make eh phone calls on an eh network, then we’ll look at an iPhone.
What are you doing here anyway if you’re an iPhone person? Get lost? By the way…here’s a link for you: http://www.mentalhealth.com/
Have fun reading.
@ Rob
I agree, there is no way the Blackjack is better than a BB device. I’ve gone through a few Windows based ‘smartphones’ only to find out their really ‘dumb’. Slow, resource hogs, and worst of all…the crashes make any Windows based phone a liability. I can’t even recall the last time I’ve crashed my BB, and I’m a heavy user for email and data connections.
I believe part of the problem is CR doesn’t give enough time in it’s testing, or simply don’t conduct the proper tests to determine the reliability and use of the phone.
I’m not saying the BlackJack or Q is a better smartphone. But as someone who used the old Q for a year with absolutely no problems, I can understand (even if I don’t agree with) how other reasonable minds might find it to be a better consumer-level phone than a BB.
Again, I love my Curve, but if I didn’t need the corporate e-mail, there are definitely other viable smartphone alternatives out there.
REV,
You don’t see any other positives from your Curve or any other RIM BB devices other than corporate e-mail? CR’s self given task was to rate the devices in some order without bias or agenda. Of course there are other devices out there which are not made by RIM or Apple which have some merit, but like Robb says those of us with experience with RIM devices and the others need to question any ranking system which puts RIM BB devices 7th on the list, with devices with known, shall we say rough edges which the RIM devices don’t have. Unless CR finds RIM BB devices sole reliance on RIM servers is a crutch?
The fact that the Palm 755 was #2 tells me the writer hasn’t a clue about smart phones and the whole article should be treated as inaccurate.
I think CR just tests these devices for a limited period of time, and thus doesn’t really explore well issues like stability and lack of bugginess. They also probably just kind of read a laundry list of features, and tend to go for those devices that list the most features on paper, without regard to usability, stability, etc.
However, with the iPhone there is no doubt it is a revolutionary device. It can’t touch the BB for email, at least not yet, but I do agree with hellno in that is really is a breakthrough handheld computer rather than phone.
hellno,
There are lots of positives about my Curve, but that doesn’t mean that those features aren’t done as well, or better, on other phones.
Take away business-oriented aspects like e-mail and GPS, and I don’t find the BB media player, IM or camera (no video capability!) to be vastly superior to offerings from Motorola, Samsung, HTC, etc.
That doesn’t mean the BBs aren’t competitive, or haven’t made great strides over the last few years. I’m just not outraged that CR ranked other consumer-level phones higher.
Of course, if they were ranking phones for the business user, I would be shocked if the Curve, Pearl and 8800 weren’t the Top Three.
Note that the carrier ratings were based largely on th eresponses of users. That is why Andrew’s “word on the street” experiences comment makes no sense. Alltel is terrific where they offer service. And their customer service is th ebest in the business.
As far as their BB ratings, I like the earlier comment that they just work. True. My BB is bulletproof from a user perspective. I can see where an iPhone is highly rated, for a consumer device. However, it’s limitations vis a vis a BB for corporate use are well known. Anecdotally, I have several friends using BB and Windows Mobile devices for work and an iPhone for personal use.
“With its picture gracing the cover of Time’s Nov. 12 ‘Best Inventions of 2007’ issue, the iPhone is undisputed as a technology product that matters to consumers. These days in IT that can mean only one thing — the enterprise is its destiny,” Robert Mullins reports for Network World.
“Just as instant messaging and Wi-Fi access migrated from the consumer to the enterprise environment, so too will the iPhone. User enthusiasm for the device, which made its grand debut on June 29, remains high. In a survey of 110 corporate messaging decision-makers, Osterman Research recently found the iPhone is by far the most-requested mobile device by employees. Seventy-two percent of the respondents say employees are asking for iPhone support,” Mullins reports. “The next most-requested device is the Palm Treo platform at 29%.”