How Consumer Reports got Apple's attention when no one else could | Hacker News Reader

How Consumer Reports got Apple's attention when no one else could

37signals.com

51 pointsjonpaul12 comments

I respect Consumer Reports (though, significantly less than I respect Cooks Illustrated, which has not only a mission but also a singular perspective). And I see why Apple reacted to them and not, say, to Engadget. But if you look closely at CR's coverage of the antenna, it isn't faultless. It starts out levelheaded, becomes breathless, and changes as part and parcel of the online news cycle --- exactly what this 37s post says CR doesn't make a habit of doing.

I respect (and pay for) Consumer Reports, but their scoring system is unnecessarily confusing. CR only 'Recommends' products they consider to be exceptionally good. It's like receiving an A+, not a C-. Unfortunately, no one who isn't a subscriber is going to understand the distinction. The mainstream media reported the story as if by not 'Recommending' the iPhone 4 CR had told people not to buy one. It's still their highest-rated smartphone.

You have pointed out a problem with mainstream regurgitation of Consumer Reports recommendation, not with Consumer Reports.

CR are doing the right thing by only recommending exceptional products. That should be what a recommendation is. "It's not total crap" and "it's better than the other total crap that's out there" are not recommendations and shouldn't be.

(For the rhetorically impaired: I realize there are several levels of quality between total crap and exceptional.)

The term itself is inherently confusing. If only the best products are 'recommended', are the rest 'not recommended'? That's how it was interpreted, by the mainstream media and blogs alike.

They could just as easily label them as 'Outstanding' or 'CR Choice' products and avoid the confusion.

How is recommend a difficult term to understand?

They don't recommend it. Simple.

I find the idea refreshing that someone can still speak plain english as well as hold up high standards.

> How is recommend a difficult term to understand?

Because Consumer Reports is using the term with the correct denotation, while being oblivious to the media and population at large using this term connotatively. Most people think the word “recommendation” is a binary term, similar to “good” versus “bad,” when it really is meant to be relative term referring to a continuum. If you tell somebody that something “is best of breed, but still not recommended,” they would either look on you with suspicion or even accuse you of being contradictory, even though you technically aren’t.

http://itsfiveoclocksomewhere.blogspot.com/2006/09/grammar-m...

A connotation mutates a word’s original denotation over time, as anybody who has heard of the “euphemism treadmill” can attest.

(FWIW, I have no intention of buying an iPhone, just not for this reason...)

CR has published it share of canards. Most famously, it helped fan the flames of the false Audi 5000 "unintended acceleration" story in the 1980s — and there was nothing wrong with the cars, as a subsequent NHTSA report demonstrated.

There seems to be CR fans everywhere now they are taking it to Apple. But I'm a long time car guy and CR isn't well regarded in those circles. For autos, they have been well behind the curve in recommending models just because of the maker. Toyota is the most glaring example they only recently with the bad press have stopped rubber stamping recommendations for them. With all of the data they have, they had to know about the engine sludge problems or minivan doors but kept recommending all of their models. Likewise, they placed cars such as the latest Chevy Malibu in the same iPhone recommendation purgatory - due to name only. They overweight recommendations based on past performance.

I admit to looking at CR if I need a dishwasher. However, if 37signals would make that same post in a car site it would be laughed at.

This is dead on. My parents (and other family members outside of tech) read and heed CR religiously.

But do they buy iphones and many other tech gadgets? I can't imagine there is much overlap between CR readership and bleeding edge gadget consumers.

It's pretty clear that the engineering work behind the press conference was well underway before the Consumer Reports video hit.

Google for "apple responds to consumer reports" and the top hits are from Consumer Reports' web sites, then some other stuff, but nothing that really says it happened.

Was there something in the press conference?

The underlying theme that trend bucking businesses with deep commitments to a service of rich value is well taken. And the Apple/CR example is indeed an intriguing and worthy example to examine.

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