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Fisker Karma breaks down in CR test, risks that 'recommended' rating (video)
Consumer Reports splashed out $107,850 to buy its own Fisker Karma, but before the car had traveled 200 miles, it had broken down. Partway through calibration testing on the CR Track, the car's dashboard began issuing warnings, but when tester Tom Mutchler pulled over to identify the issue, it wouldn't get going again. Mutchler was forced to call the dealership, located 100 miles away, to collect it on a flatbed for repair. It's the first time in memory that the testing organization can recall a vehicle breaking down partway through testing, but when it comes to the Karma, you can only be sure that nothing's too calamitous.
Consumer Reports: Verizon has highest satisfaction rate among major US carriers, AT&T is lowest
It's annual satisfaction survey time for Consumer Reports, and the magazine has a few results to share in anticipation of next month's issue. It appears that regional provider Consumer Cellular topped the charts -- the survey rated scores from 66,000 online subscribers -- though Verizon was ranked the highest out of the four major players for the second year in a row, followed closely by Sprint and T-Mobile. According to the survey, the latter company was still "significantly better" than last-place AT&T. The full results will be published in the January 2012 issue. Your own personal experience with each provider may vary depending on your locale, of course, but 66,000 people have certainly made their voice heard.
Consumer Reports gives a thumbs up to the iPhone 4S
In a reversal of its panning of both the AT&T and Verizon models of the iPhone 4, Consumer Reports says it can recommend the iPhone 4S to consumers, saying that it doesn't suffer from either the reception problems that its predecessor did, nor from the reported battery woes that Apple is now addressing. Consumer Reports adds that Siri, the 8-megapixel camera and A5 processor all added to the phone's good qualities. However, the magazine is quick to point out that the iPhone 4S doesn't surpass recent Android models in its ratings, citing larger screen sizes and the ability to run on 4G networks, and in one case the ability to capture 3D video and images, as being the reason why these phones are better. Your mileage will vary on Consumer Reports' findings. None of these factors seem to have stopped anyone from snatching up the first available iPhone 4S they can get their hands on.
Consumer Reports finds iPhone 4S to have worthwhile antennas, says newer iPhone 4 is still problematic
"Consumer Reports recommends the iPhone 4S." It's only half a dozen words, but to the engineers (and marketers) at Apple, it spells "relief." After being profusely impacted by Consumer Reports' decision to recommend against buying the iPhone 4 due to those Antennagate issues, the entity has allowed all in Cupertino to breath a sigh of relief by effectively declaring the reception issue dead on the newest edition. To quote: "Apple's newest smart phone performed very well in our tests, and while it closely resembles the iPhone 4 in appearance, it doesn't suffer the reception problem we found in its predecessor in special tests in our labs. In special reception tests of the iPhone 4S that duplicated those we did on the iPhone 4, the newer phone did not display the same reception flaw, which involves a loss of signal strength when you touch a spot on the phone's lower left side while you're in an area with a weak signal. (The iPhone 4, which is still available, continues to exhibit that problem, we confirmed in tests of new samples of the phone. Because of the flaw, we continue to omit the iPhone 4 from our list of recommended models, despite its otherwise fine performance.)"In other words, even the newer samples of the iPhone 4 (perhaps even that one for Sprint?) continue to have antenna quirks, but at least the latest and greatest seems to have addressed 'em. Hit the source link for the full report.
Apple tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, grim reading for RIM and Nokia
Not only is Apple shipping the most smartphones, it's also shipping the best smartphones -- if you believe the stats in J.D. Power and Associates' latest US customer satisfaction survey. It gave the iPhone a score of 838, versus HTC's handsets in second place with 801 and an industry average of 788. Sammy got a disappointing 777, but we guess it might have fared better if the Galaxy S II had been quicker to cross the Atlantic. Hapless RIM got shunted into fifth place, having come second in 2010. You'll find plenty more factoids in the PR after the break, including evidence that people just love 4G. Well, we could have told you that.
MacBooks get highest score in all Consumer Reports categories
According to The Loop, Consumer Reports has rated Apple's MacBook line as the top computer in every laptop category. The 11-inch MacBook Air took the top score for small laptops, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro dominated its category, taking the top five of seven spots. Apple's 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros took top honors in their categories as well. If you're keeping score at home, this means that, according to Consumer Reports, not only does Apple have the top-rated notebook computers in every category, Apple also sells the top-rated tablet and the top-rated smartphone. Although Consumer Reports doesn't give the iPhone a "recommended" rating because of its widely publicized signal attenuation issues (an assessment that independent research doesn't always back up), the iPhone still has the magazine's top score among smartphones. Whether you put much stock in Consumer Reports' rating system or not, it's still quite an accomplishment to see Apple's products getting top marks across the board. Apple's products certainly don't have a 100 percent reliability rating -- I can attest to that -- but the company definitely doesn't make bargain bin junk in any product category.
Consumer Reports ranks iPad top among tablets
Apple's iPad 2 is king of the tablets according to a comparative review released by Consumer Reports (CR) today. The publication's lab evaluated 10 of the "most-promising" tablet devices from Apple, Archos, Dell, Motorola, Samsung and ViewSonic. The 32 GB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi plus 3G (US$729) scored Excellent in most of the 17 testing criteria, beating the second-ranked Motorola Xoom. "So far Apple is leading the tablet market in both quality and price, which is unusual for a company whose products are usually premium priced," Paul Reynolds, Electronics Editor at Consumer Reports said in the publication's press release. "However, it's likely we'll see more competitive pricing in tablets as other models begin to hit the market." Notably, the iPad 2's strongest rival, the Motorola Xoom, tied with Apple's original iPad for second place. Critics admired the Xoom's 10-inch screen and extra conveniences, like a built-in memory card reader, support for Adobe Flash content and 4G wireless upgradability. Meanwhile, the iPad 2 trounced the competition in battery life, surviving 12.2 hours while looping a video clip. The inexpensive Archos 70 Internet Tablet landed at the bottom of the ratings. The caveat-free, top-ranking results for the iPad 2 are a welcome departure from the publication's recent (and befuddling) stance towards Apple's mobile products. The iPhone 4 from AT&T and Verizon each received CR's best ratings. Even so, the publication recommended avoiding Apple's latest iPhones, citing signal attenuation issues caused by placing a finger over the gap between the device's outer antennas. Rather than revise its testing criteria to account for the "death grip," the independent buying guide simultaneously praised and pummeled the iPhone 4 with an it's-the-best-but-don't-buy-it ranking. Fortunately, the iPad 2, which doesn't rely on antennas in the same way as its smartphone cousins, won its crown without any tarnishes. It's yet another reason to go out and buy one. [via Boy Genius Report]
AnandTech research shows Verizon iPhone 4 'death grip' reports are overblown
Consumer Reports tested the Verizon iPhone 4 using the same methodology as the original GSM version, and with the same results: signal strength drops if the iPhone 4 is gripped in a certain fashion, commonly known as the "death grip." As a result of its testing, Consumer Reports decided it couldn't recommend the Verizon iPhone 4, either. Similar testing done by AnandTech throws some cold water on Consumer Reports' findings, however. Not long after the Verizon iPhone 4's launch, AnandTech found the Verizon iPhone 4's "death grip is essentially mitigated." The Verizon iPhone 4 experienced a signal loss of 16.5 decibels (dB) when held in "death grip," compared to signal loss of 15.5 dB when held "naturally." This is far better performance than the GSM iPhone, which experienced signal loss of 24.6 dB in "death grip" and 19.8 dB in "natural grip." In other words, the Verizon iPhone 4 in "death grip" mode experiences less signal degradation than a GSM iPhone 4 held "naturally."
Consumer Reports Digital Edition for iPad not recommended
Consumer Reports has kind of a spotty reputation with Apple fans. They've liked most Mac desktops and laptops, but the magazine famously dissed the AT&T iPhone 4 and, just last week, trashed the Verizon iPhone 4 as well. Back in September of 2010, Consumer Reports put out a helpful, but buggy, free app for the iPhone. They then killed that app so you'd have to buy the $10.00 Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper app from them instead. Now, Consumer Reports has released the Consumer Reports Digital Edition for iPad. This is a free "Preview Edition," and that's what I took a look at today. First off, this is a big honking download -- 126 MB. The App Store fools you by saying that the size is only 1.1 MB, but that download is just a shell app for downloading the actual content. The content doesn't download in the background, which is another black mark. Do not do this over 3G; if you try to download this thing over a mobile connection, you'll spend a lot of time looking at a slow-moving progress bar. %Gallery-118010%
Ouch! Consumer Reports slams the Verizon iPhone 4
Not the most breathtaking revelation, but Consumer Reports won't put the Verizon iPhone 4 on its list of recommended smartphones. The Verizon iPhone joins the AT&T model in earning the ad-free publication's lack of enthusiasm. The problems cited are the same as those that led to the original criticism of the GSM iPhone 4. Put a finger on the gap between antennas and the signal drops. In at least once instance, where there was a low signal, a call couldn't be placed while the gap was covered. Other items of note involved voice quality. On the Verizon version, CR finds the voice quality superior when you make a call from it, but the testers thought the audio quality on received calls was better on the AT&T model. Consumer Reports says most iPhone cases alleviate the antenna gap problem, but they are not about to recommend either phone. Apple had offered free cases to iPhone 4 buyers after the controversy last year, but that program has been discontinued. Apple has stated it will provide cases if customers experience issues.
Consumer Reports optimistic about Verizon iPhone
Remember those warm summer days last year when the iPhone 4 was fresh from the Apple tree, and Consumer Reports said it couldn't recommend the smartphone because of the "grip of death" reception issues? Well, now that the Verizon iPhone is hitting the streets, the famous consumer advocacy and product testing group is weighing in on the newest variety of iPhone. Although Consumer Reports hasn't yet had an opportunity to actually test the Verizon iPhone, The Street is reporting that Senior Editor Mike Gikas says "key technical differences" separate the phone from the AT&T model. Does this mean that Consumer Reports may give the Verizon iPhone a thumbs-up? We'll have to wait to see the results of their detailed testing. You can watch The Street's interview of Gikas on the next page.
AT&T rated worst cell phone provider by Consumer Reports
Remember when Consumer Reports couldn't recommend the iPhone 4? Well, now Consumer Reports has released the results of a satisfaction survey which shows that according to over 50,000 of their readers, AT&T is the lowest-scoring cell phone carrier in the United States. In fact, AT&T scored a "Worse" rating (a full-black dot for those in the know) in every single category of the survey save for texting. In that category they received a half-black dot ranking, or one lowly step above "Worse." AT&T was the only telecom provider on the survey to see a significant drop in overall customer satisfaction, while both Verizon and Sprint saw "Average" to "Better" rankings. While Apple itself has topped Consumer Reports' tech support survey in the past, AT&T has a long way to go, as half of those who responded to the survey as being unhappy with AT&T owned some version of the iPhone. Electronics Editor for Consumer Reports Paul Reynolds said that "Our survey suggests that an iPhone from Verizon Wireless, which is rumored, could indeed be good news for iPhone fans." Got that right. [via MacRumors]
Consumer Reports loves MacBook Air
Consumer Reports (CR) is in love with all models of the MacBook Air. In the publication's most recent ranking of notebooks and netbooks, the MacBook Air received top rankings and the coveted "recommended" status. The 11.6-inch MacBook Air topped the list of 11-inch laptops (don't get excited, there were only two entrants) with a score of 67 out of 100. Its performance was rated as "good," while ergonomics and the display were rated "very good." Meanwhile, the two 13-inch Air models ranked up 73 and 72 points, with the 2.4GHz model earning the "recommended" rating. As for Apple's other laptops, the 2.53GHz Core i5 15-inch MacBook Pro sat atop CR's 15- to 16-inch model chart, while the 17-inch MacBook Pro ruled the list of 17- to 18-inch machines. All in all, it's a welcome change to the publisher's reaction to the iPhone 4. [Via Macworld]
Consumer Reports: Kinect ID problems related to light level, not skin color
Respected outlet Consumer Reports has concluded that the Kinect ID functionality in Microsoft's new peripheral has equal difficulty recognizing users of any skin tone in low light. The organization did a series of tests after GameSpot reported that some of their darker-skinned staffers weren't being recognized by the Kinect. Consumer Reports states, "We did not experience any instance where one player was recognized and the other wasn't under the same lighting conditions." To be clear, only the Kinect ID functionality is affected by lighting in the room, as gameplay uses an infrared system. CR noted that the claims against Kinect reminded the group of the "racist HP laptop" situation from last year, which also came down to an issue of lighting in the room. Head on over to Consumer Reports to see a video of their Kinect tests.
Consumer Reports' Mobile Shopper a mixed bag
This is the second foray into iPhone territory by Consumer Reports. The first app pretty much duplicated the currently-available online content, and was free. This second app, called Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper is US $9.99, and puts the impeccable brand and product reviews in a more iOS-specific form. The app allows you to browse through CR ratings of thousands of products, and allows searches by brand name or model. You can also scan the UPC bar-code using the iPhone's camera. The app also gives you best prices both online and locally using PriceGrabber for online price comparisons and Milo for local purchases. It all sounds great in theory, but there are some rough edges. I thought the scanning worked well enough, and it's a fast way to get to the product you're interested in. Typing product names is easy enough too. Of course you won't find details on everything, since you're always limited to what they've reviewed. In some cases there are big holes -- if you go to the car category, all you get are tires, batteries, and GPS units. Huh? Aren't cars one area where CR has a tremendous amount of information? %Gallery-105414%
Nation rejoices as Consumer Reports fixes crashing iPhone app
It took about a month but now you can fearlessly click on some of the news headings in the free Consumer Reports app and not have it crash. A couple of weeks ago we reported that the app was unstable after an iOS 4 update. As weeks went by, the app was not updated and had more crashes and explosions than an old Bruce Willis movie. We gave the app a 'not recommended' and felt CR could do better than offer a highly defective piece of software. Now they've finally done it. The app no longer collapses when you select 'electronics', although CR says it has eliminated, for now, its Gas Prices info. Hey, I like Consumer Reports, and am even a subscriber. I find the reviews helpful, although I often differ with CR opinions on things I've owned and have experience with, like, oh, the iPhone maybe. Anyway, the app now works, and I'm glad to put it back on my 'recommended' list. Now how about an iPad version? The iPhone version looks pretty fuzzy, and when you up-scale it, it's an eye-burner.
Consumer Reports app 'not recommended'
You'd think that Consumer Reports, judges of all things good and bad in autos, electronics, frozen food, etc. (not to mention smartphones) could get its own app right. After a late August update, the free app has more crashes than a bad day at the Indy 500. Want to see the problem? Just tap on "Electronics," which is one of the categories at the bottom of the screen. Kaboom! I thought it was just me, but everyone I know with an iPhone 4 has had the same problem, and the iTunes store reader feedback is overflowing with bad reviews and complaints about this bad behavior. Your mileage my vary, but the bug is pretty widespread. After almost a month, Consumer Reports should have gotten a problem like this one sorted out, but there it sits. The issues with the app have given it a measly one star rating. It might be a good idea for the company to issue a recall, or at the very least, just fix the app. For now, this stinker is "not recommended."
Consumer Reports still a 'thumbs down' on iPhone 4
Not a big surprise really, but Consumer Reports still says that even with a free case, the iPhone 4 is a no-go to get a recommendation from the giant consumer testing firm. Last week CR created a furor when it said the iPhone was the best smart phone it had tested, but didn't meet its standards for reception. "Consumer Reports believes Apple's offer of free cases is a good first step. However, Apple has indicated that this is not a long-term solution, it has guaranteed the offer only through September 30th, and has not extended it unequivocally to customers who bought cases from third-party vendors. We look forward to a long-term fix from Apple. As things currently stand, the iPhone 4 is still not one of our Recommended models." Fair enough, I suppose, but isn't it kind of important to test some of their recommended phones to see if they survive the 'death grip' test? It is easy to check up on the demo that Steve did with other phones, or is this just a rule that applies only to Apple? Consumer Reports said it had tested a Palm Pre and an iPhone 3GS, but that is a pretty small universe of cell phones. Just wondering.
Chuck Schumer writes open letter to Steve Jobs
Just in case you missed it yesterday, US Senator Chuck Schumer wrote an open letter to Steve Jobs asking him to deal with the ongoing iPhone 4 reception issues. "To address this concern," Schumer wrote, "I ask that Apple provide iPhone 4 customers with a clearly written explanation of the cause of the reception problem and make a public commitment to remedy it free-of-charge." Schumer cites the Consumer Reports posts about reception issues, and suggests that Apple both provide free software updates to make sure bars correctly reflect signal reception (which it did yesterday), and provide the actual formula it uses for bar strength (which it probably won't do). Politics aside (and please don't argue politics on our Apple blog, thank you -- if the comments get out of hand on this one, we'll just close them), I can't see how this is much more than Schumer jumping in on a cause that's already rolling along fine without him. Even before his letter went out, today's press conference had been scheduled, and the issues were well documented. I guess we appreciate the sentiment and all (we do want these issues fixed), but Jobs was probably going to do today whatever he was going to do without hearing from a New York Senator. Thanks anyway, Chuck. Probably time to leave the iPhone 4 issues to Apple and its customers, and get on back to, you know, governing the country.
Consumer Reports: Apple's Bumper fixes iPhone 4 antenna issue
The organization's report stated that "With the Bumper fitted, we repeated the test procedure, placing a finger on the Bumper at the point at which it covers the gap below. The result was a negligible drop in signal strength - so slight that it would not have any effect, in our judgment." Consumer Reports went on to say that duct tape would also do the trick, and that in their opinion, any fix should be done at Apple's cost and should not come out of the consumer's wallet. While this doesn't provide an answer for other reported problems such as the "proximity sensor issue" or the "Bluetooth headset issue," it does lend some strength to speculation that Apple could announce a giveaway of Bumpers to all iPhone 4 owners at tomorrow's press conference. An offer of a free Bumper to every iPhone 4 owner would be a much less expensive solution to the antenna issue than a full-scale recall of the devices. [via MacObserver]
