Apple's reality distortion field strikes again

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211 posts

Master Geek

#231730 6-Jul-2009 17:44

Yup Yup I would love to see you guys get it, A white one and make it overheat, supposedly it polishes out.

One coming from Aussie overnight>?

Kanz

29 posts

Geek
Inactive user

#231735 6-Jul-2009 17:55

Reviewer goes on nerdbuger forums to cry. haha

Get one from AUS or just get over it.

NZ is so insignificant, we're lucky to even get the iphone here.

CJPhoto

73 posts

Master Geek

#231867 7-Jul-2009 08:14

Why dont you just use an old 3G version. No one will know the difference.

Newguy

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Master Geek

#231885 7-Jul-2009 08:50

Way to slow

CJPhoto

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Master Geek

#231894 7-Jul-2009 09:13

Newguy: Way to slow

Just dont let them do a close up.

Newguy

211 posts

Master Geek

#231895 7-Jul-2009 09:15

Fair call but the new is all about speed

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freitasm

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#231904 7-Jul-2009 09:40

The reality of reviews is less glamorous than you guys think. Yes, sometimes we get freebies but most of the times there's pressure to return the units AS SOON AS POSSIBLE PLEASE RIGHT NOW WOULD BE GOOD.

For example I had some mobile phones here - one of them I had to sign a form promising to return it by end of August 2009. Last week (beginning of July 2009) I got an email asking for the phone back. Another one arrived on Monday and I was asked to return it on Friday.

If you plan things based on timelines - don't.

Another case was a laptop manufacturer who when asked for a review unit, replied with a PDF with the tech specs and a couple of pictures saying "you can write the review based on this". I believe lots of publications do it actually. Not us. If I am going to write how great a product us then let me use it. Many times I just didn't write anything about crap products.

Then there's all the political things. For example we don't receive anything from a certain telco anymore, simply because their marketing department doesn't like when I write something - anything - about their services. If I point out their website had a problem I am crucified internally and called names (yes, I know because I got a couple of internal emails that some sent REPLY ALL by mistake). If I point out a prize for their competition doesn't actually work on 100% of their network then I am crucified again - one employee even commented in my blog I was receiving bribes from a competitor to write bad things about his company!

For some, review units are part of life. You can't expect myself or Ben to buy all the gadgets to review on TV or here. But some companies have tight controls on their PR and marketing efforts.

There are of course plenty of good PR folks around and I quite enjoy the relationships with some of them.

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freitasm

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#231914 7-Jul-2009 09:52

Another case I forgot is of this PR person sending me emails about their product and ending with "For review units or more information contact me". I've got three emails last week, replied to two of those and never got any information back.

Not amused, and blocked... To be fair it wasn't anyone from AU/NZ.

Shall I create a thread where I update all the gear I currently have on loan, long term loan, or given?

Also note, I use a lot of things here and most of the things I get to keep end up being given away...

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magu

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#231919 7-Jul-2009 10:09

Maybe a separate PR funnies section on the main page with these odd cases.

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." - Doc Emmet Brown

patatrat

261 posts

Ultimate Geek

#231928 7-Jul-2009 10:28

Hey Ben and Freitasm, I understand and am appreciative of all the rubbish you guys go through to provide honest reviews, and wouldn't want you to stop. My point was that Apple does things differently, they seem to set a date for the product to be released (somewhat arbitrary in this case, as it has already released overseas) and they stick to it for everyone. The great unwashed don't see the rubbish you guys go through to get a unit, keep it in tip top shape and then give it back at some random time. They just see some guy playing with a cool new toy weeks or months before they get a look in that they need to wait and wait and pay for. From a PR perceptive, you can see why Apple does it (or at least I can).

Anyway, no hard feelings - I wasn't cutting down tall poppies or insinuating that gadget reviewing was all glamor and bodypaint (but it is a little bodypaint... glorious Google bodypaint) And keep up the good work. I've based a number of my recent purchases on advice and reviews from you two.

Ben

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Vend

#232146 7-Jul-2009 17:29

The really interesting thing with Apple is that some people DO get early access. The big guns like Walt Mossberg at the Wall Street Journal get iPhones a week or so early.

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freitasm

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#232147 7-Jul-2009 17:29

Ah. But Walt is no Ben or freitasm...

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#232193 7-Jul-2009 20:28

Ben: ... 95% of it is loan forms and endless to-and-fro couriers. It also takes heaps of juggling to organise to have the right devices at the right time for live TV.

Sounds like you've got it real tough...