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.
Basically, I'd describe the app as a PDF. It doesn't really use any of the iPad tech to make the content any more compelling. Think of it basically as an issue of Consumer Reports, although it's not clear if digital subscribers will get the full content of the printed magazine or a subset of content. There is nothing interactive about the preview edition, other than a couple of videos.
Navigation is a bit confusing, and the app uses some non-standard icons for moving around. When you go back to the home page -- if you can figure out how to do it -- the app reports that it is "updating library," but it doesn't seem to actually change anything. Future issues will be in-app purchases. In terms of content, if you're familiar with Consumer Reports, you know what you'll get. The information is comprehensive, and it's arranged just like the printed version.
Sadly, Consumer Reports gives us no idea how much subscriptions will cost. Will they be the same as a print subscription? Will people who subscribe to the print edition get the Digital Edition for free? How much content will be in each issue -- the same as the printed issue, or will the content be enhanced? These are the kinds of things Consumer Reports criticizes in other products, so I think it's fair to point out these failings in their own app. The Digital Edition for iPad might get better, of course, but as a preview of what Consumer Reports can do, I'd say this app is not yet recommended.
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Consumer Reports has kind of a spotty reputation with Apple fans. They've liked most Mac desktops and laptops, but the magazine famously...
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While the author may not have a case of sour grapes, as he has
defended here, it does appear that this review was given a particular
slant so that a joke could be worked into the headline.
This product uses the same platform as Wired, Martha Stewart Living,
The New Yorker, and a handful of others. As a publisher that uses the
same platform, I can honestly say that this app shows that CR is just
getting their feet wet with the platform. There's much more that is
possible, but their use of content that is able to be manipulated
shows that they did a bit more than just paste in a PDF. For the record, interactivity that the author sees as lacking would also cause the filesize to balloon. Can't have it both ways.
However, I'm not sure it is fair to provide a review of the product in
this state. Did Martha Stewart Living receive a review when it was in
preview, or at all for that matter.
Seems to me that this review cropped up to provide an excuse for some
CR jabbing and a joke.
Yes most ironic. 126MB, yes I would not generally download anything that large unless it had some fun features.
March 01 2011 at 11:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI cannot comprehend this "not recommended" rating. Does that mean it's good or bad? Why not rate it with some sort of circular symbol? Is the app a red circle with a white dot in the middle, or a solid black circle? Or maybe a circle with red on top, white on the bottom. Now THOSE are ratings we can all understand!
March 01 2011 at 10:58 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply1. I really like Consumer Reports for reviews of:
a. dishwasher detergents
b. clothes washing detergents
c. washers and dryers
d. vacuum cleaners
etc.
2. I really think that CR is retarded when it comes to reviews of:
a. electronics
b. computers (a subset of a.)
c. "cloud" services
3. I don't like that fact that they ignore the high-end of the market.
For example, the April issue reviews cars and ignores: Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc.
I am somewhat joking about the car brands, but they do the same thing with other items. Appliances, in particular.
4. I am a subscriber to CR online.
Wow. You guys went WAY out of your way to give a negative review to an app because it's from a publication that hasn't fawned over Apple products at all times. TUAW takes fanboy-ism to a lame, predictable place. I really couldn't see you bothering to nit-pick at this random app if you didn't have a vendetta.
March 01 2011 at 10:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyActually, I subscribe to CR and find it useful. I don't think this app is very good for the reasons stated. I know it's fashionable to see conspiracies everywhere, but the simple truth is that the CR preview is not very good. It shows no creativity, and offers nothing new. In general, CR is very positive about Apple. Their views of Apple, pro or con, have nothing to do with the worth of the app.
Nice try though.
Mel
TUAW
@mel martin (TUAW)
"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."
Your last comment not withstanding, it does appear to be pretty fashionable to awkwardly beat-up on Consumer Reports here on TUAW. Just my opinion but your post does sort of come off as bringing up some negative aspects (as accurate as they may be) to the Consumer Reports App, mostly because they don't play well with Apple. For what it's worth, I think you are accurately telling us what you think of the CR App, but it does come off that way (at least to me).
So, the author has apparently never read Wired or the New Yorker on the iPad, and is confused about the delivery model and UI, apparently.
March 01 2011 at 9:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis reads like sour grapes. At the very least Consumer Reports reviews final products, not previews or betas.
March 01 2011 at 8:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyConsumer Reports is for losers.
March 01 2011 at 7:42 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI discovered it lost reception when held a certain way.
March 01 2011 at 7:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIf the app is 1.1 MB, the online store is not "fooling" anyone by reporting its size as 1.1 MB. What you download separately from the app is your responsibility.
This probably comes off as pedantic, but accuracy in reporting is important. If you see a 1.1 MB download that is actually 1.1 MB as "fooling" you, one has to wonder what else you might find puzzling, or whether other parts of your review are accurate observations.
Is the app useful at all without the extra downloads?
March 01 2011 at 6:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply@puhsitch: Is the Daily useful at all if you don't download new content? And yes, I did just download it to see what it was about. It's pretty much the same situation. The app itself is the storefront for content from Consumer Reports. Anyhow, I wasn't aware we could download more than 20MB if it's an In-App purchase (owns a WiFi-only iPad).
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