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Crazy CNET bias

S

swheeler

macrumors member
Original poster
May 30, 2005
42
0
I haven't visited CNET in a while, but last time I checked things weren't this bad. This was from the review of the G5 Quad:
picture64vf.png

Windows XP Media Center is "much more powerful" than 10.4? I thought the debate was whether Vista would come close to 10.4, much less 10.5. And better features? They themselves rate the Dell worse, and don't have a rating for the Sony. I know this comes from a "sponsored" feature, but it's basically listing as fact things that CNET reluctantly contradicts when you actually look them up.

Also, the review constantly talks about the things that are left out at a "near $6000 price tag", like an AirPort card. At 6 grand its clearly a custom configuration, and leaving out wireless can only be blamed on whoever configured it (ie CNET).

Other parts of the site, like the desktop buying guide with separate sections for a variety of different user types, leaves out the Mac option entirely. When you actually read Mac related articles, their not bad, but its a different story on the rest of the site.

I guess this is all pretty standard from a Windows PC dominated world, but it pissed me off a little and I felt like ranting. I would send them a complaint but I can't find any means of doing it on the site.
 
Feedback form

I agree CNET is total crap, but this might even be taking it to new heights. Here's the feedback form for their site, if you feel like ranting to them: link

If you want more ammunition for your argument, you might like to check our their Editorial Policy, where they describe their 'ethics' of reviews.

If you want to post your rant to them, I'm sure we'd like to read it. ;)
 
it's really bad grammar too. It reads like I'd expect a google ad for someone 2 bit company to read, not a piece of respectable journalism.

I agree that CNET is not a great website. Its reviews of all products are crap when compared the kind of in depth and personal reviews you can find in amazon.com's feedback section.

As far as apple/cnet bias is concerned, I believe CNET has given very positive reviews to some apple products.
for example -
all the iPods are at least an 8/10
imac core duo is 7.8/10 G5 is 8.3/10

I mean they are stingy with their ratings, so anytyhing above a 7 usually means a pretty good review.

edit: reread your post and saw you acknowledge that they review well, but that macs are omitted in certain areas. CNET isn't interested in changing the status quo. Like you say, it's a windows dominated world. People don't want to read that they use an OS that sucks (windows users). CNET tries to appeal to a pretty mainstream audience, so yeah, macs are gonna sit onthe backburner in some situations until they are bigger fish.
 
C|Net remains a site built-by and propagated by computer newbs. It's actually kind of horrifying b/c alot of older folks (your aunt/uncle) could consider this the truth.

Ah well. I just tell them to ask me...but bleh, that's more work for me then.
 
Agreed. Cnet is crap. I always go there to check out reviews (mostly because it looks so official), but after reading I always realize that the reviews are garbage.
 
They shoul dmake it more obvious that those comments are sponsored and therefore not objective. Less savvy people than us could clearly be led astray by cr*p like that.
 
I want to complain.

Can the OP give the link of where he found that ad?

I don't know how they managed to misspell "PowerMac" and they "somehow" confused $1999 ($1799 with discounts) with $3275...

Edit: I see how they could add a display and speakers into the cost, but how could they find a display and speaker set for $1276?
 
If it says "Sponsered by" doesn't that mean Sony and Dell pays them to put their products there? And if they do pay them then they must also give them the approved text that goes there as well? So it's more like a paid advertisement?

Either way it is rubbish. I used to depend on CNet a long time ago but after a while I started realizing how bad they are. Though nothing is worse than NewEgg for user reviews.

Amazon is one of my top choices too for quick opinions on a product.
 
Foxglove9 said:
If it says "Sponsered by" doesn't that mean Sony and Dell pays them to put their products there? And if they do pay them then they must also give them the approved text that goes there as well? So it's more like a paid advertisement?

Either way it is rubbish. I used to depend on CNet a long time ago but after a while I started realizing how bad they are. Though nothing is worse than NewEgg for user reviews.

Amazon is one of my top choices too for quick opinions on a product.
Click to expand...
Still, they shouldn't blatantly lie about the price of computers.
 
Foxglove9 said:
If it says "Sponsered by" doesn't that mean Sony and Dell pays them to put their products there? And if they do pay them then they must also give them the approved text that goes there as well? So it's more like a paid advertisement?

Either way it is rubbish. I used to depend on CNet a long time ago but after a while I started realizing how bad they are. Though nothing is worse than NewEgg for user reviews.

Amazon is one of my top choices too for quick opinions on a product.
Click to expand...
He's right you know, this is not CNET talking, it's Dell, so go complain to them. I understand why they would want to steal apple's customers, they both compete for the same groups of people (namely professionals with plenty of money to spare!)
 
Its clearly a statement that CNET wrote, why else would it say exactly the same thing about a Dell and a Sony.

Nail 'em to te f'ing wall I saw.
 
I find it funny how you guys have taken it out of context. I think the snapshot you took is a tag-on advertisement to the actual review. It should be further down the page and because of the page layout, should be easy to spot as an advertisement. I say this because I've gone to cNet.com and summarily ignored the text in "sponsored" boxes, as they are usually ads. I'm not sure how many people really pay attention to that.

For all intents and purposes, however, cNet is a decent place to get an idea of what is on the market. I usually use it to scope out what's out there and then google the model numbers elsewhere. It's not comprehensive, but there's not a site out there, short of going to amazon.com, that lists a lot of items in a particular class.
 
C|Net in general has been very pro-Apple as of late. To me, that screenshot just looks like an ad. They always seem to have sponsored products from Sony, Dell, and Lenovo/Thinkpad.
 
They're a good tech resource but not THE resource for tech stuff. I check lots of sites when researching a product, and they are a good place to start.

Didn't they have a Tech Cable channel before G4 and TechTV?

After G said:
Who still goes to CNET? :D
Click to expand...
 
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