What? I hear you say.
I’m dead serious. If the two main sites that report on iPhone news, applications and gadgets are to be the harbinger of the coming of the iPhone in the Great White North, then we can expect the news to be mis-informed and at least 24 hours too late.
Lets start with iPhoneworld.ca: other than the debilitating ads that clog it’s loading, or the mystery meat navigation, it’s fairly good. But slow on the reporting. Hackint0sh, TUAW and Gizmodo trump this site by hours (in some cases days). Let’s face it, the only thing this site will be good for is when Rogers announces the arrival of the phone and then it will wonder what to talk about next. But what made me cancel my RSS feed to it was their utterly lame attempt to get Rogers and Apple to shake hands: The “Great” Canadian iPhone Petition (quotes mine).
Very noble! That will make Rogers stand up and say “Hey! There are some disgruntle customers out there! We should do something about it!” I’ll stop with the sarcasm from here on in, you get my drift. But here’s the thing that made me pass morning tea through my nose:
We, the undersigned, pledge our support to Rogers Communications Inc., that we would support the launch of the iPhone in Canada.
Whiskey? Tango? Foxtrot? They want us to support a company that is going to monopolize this product with high connection costs? Uh… for how long? Forever? I’ll be honest, when (if?) Rogers brings the iPhone to Canada I’ll buy into their plan only because it’s the only kid on the block. As soon as someone else comes along: Sayonara! Pledging support to a company blindly is a bit too creepy for me. Sign me out. Expected signatures: 100,000. Since inception (March 28th): 790. Good luck with that.
And then there’s iPhoneinCanada.ca. Arguably a better site with product/accessory reviews but with the same amount of slow loading ads. Again, nothing really new here that hasn’t been scooped from the other Apple/iPhone sites, other than cases you can’t get in Canada unless you order them online. Worrisome were the reviews and links to “All-you-can-eat” download sites that I am pretty sure are hosting unlicensed media. Regardless, I hung out on the forums for a couple weeks and was really starting to get a sense of community until one of the moderators started to wildly recommend Ziphone blindly to all who would ask what was the best way to jailbreak, unlock, activate your phone.
Obviously he wasn’t doing his homework.
I mean, sure it works. But what is it doing to your iPhone?
When I asked if he had researched what exactly Ziphone does, he accused me of being biased towards a particular software. His final word on the matter was that the forum was there to offer many different solutions to unlocking your phone and that readers would have to make their own decisions.
So I decided that I wanted to be a part of something more informed and based on solid opinion, and I deleted that RSS feed too.
So I’m hoping that any Canadian who has an iPhone or is going to purchase one, has a little more sense to blindly trust these sites. My advice: Google deeper.
12 thoughts on “Canada Doesn’t Deserve the iPhone”
Put the RSS feeds of TUAW and iPhoneWorld together. I did it. Trust me, one is seriously lacking. As I mentioned, the only bit of news that iPhoneWorld could trump TUAW is When and How Much. Granted TUAW doesn’t report every single new app that comes out (some seriously don’t need to be), the items that matter come through TUAW first. Again, consider where iPhoneworld gets their sources – from news feeds like everyone else.
iPhoneinCanada is admittedly, by Dave himself, a smaller, younger site. But how his moderators (paid or otherwise) behave will be something he will have to oversee as he grows. As mentioned, if he has a moderator offering crap, then he’s ultimately responsible, if not legally, certainly by reputation.
And with that, I’m closing off this discussion. If I wanted to debate these issues, I’d go back to the forums. Here, I’m done.
Ted,
I think that some of your points are valid, some are not.
You have yet again to respond to my statement of “complete” news coverage that iPhoneWorld.ca provides — they have many more iPhone related news than Gizmodo OR TUAW on a daily basis. I’ll let you do the count, then we can continue arguing this point if you’ll find it necessary.
Once again, about volunteer MODERATORS — by all legal grounds they’re not WORKING for the site in the sense that they’re not being paid a cent, and there is no work/anything contract signed, and they can be dismissed at any time. These so called “moderators” are just users given higher than other users access powers with 0 role in actual administration/direction part, in smaller sites anyway. That, by all laws, would make the site not liable for anything that a non-paid, non-contracted discussion member posts on the internet (since, once again, forums do not equate to news section, opinions are free to say).
But I think you had some good ideas overall, so I’ve forwarded this conversation to the webmaster of iPhoneWorld.ca;)
Rick, it certainly is a subject that we’re passionate about, just from different views.
I don’t argue that iPhoneWorld brings *Canadian news* regarding the iPhone. I said they do it poorly. Both sites are ad-clogged and slow loading. iPhoneWorld has unlabeled navigation – how very 1997. Basic site design should not be ignored for the sake of a few Google Ad dollars, you lose readers that way.
As for the actual news reporting, I have to stick to my guns about that. Other than new product or updates, there are only *two* things that will trump these sites with regards to Canadians looking for iPhone news: When and How much is Rogers going to fuck us for it? Beyond that, Canadian iPhone sites are just giving us news off a feed, like the rest of them.
Because TAUW and Gizmodo have people on staff that know how the products work or have people who have access to insider information, that makes them able to bring news to us faster. Apple (and the hackers of Apple products) sends these sites their product to be reviewed for publcity. Hence their reviews are more complete and timely. Personally, I’d rather get my news about things going on in New York city from The New Yorker not The Toronto Sun, if you get my drift. Ask yourself where the Canadian sites you’re defending are getting their breaking news from (other than product reviews).
Try putting iPhoneWorld and iPhoneinCanada’s feed next to Giz’s, Engadget’s or TUAW’s and you’ll see what I mean. I did it for a month. Other than a couple speculative articles about Apple fighting the copyright issue with Comwave (which iPhoneWorld got wrong), the US sites brought news about apps, bug fixes and firmware updates much faster. Gary even admitted that he’s doing this from work so I doubt that he’s got the time to trump any of these sites, if the news was anything other than When and How Much.
Your first point ties into your last point: I have been comparing iPhoneWorld and iPhoneInCanada with top Apple news reporting sites (official and unofficial, for a balanced view). The sites you just mentioned I’ve never heard of. I’m sure I would have found them if I had taken my own advice and Googled further, but I stopped at the most recognizable and reliable ones. I’ll agree that you’re right about these sites not reporting anything Canadian other than when the iPhone comes to Canada, much like when it came to Ireland, Germany and France, in a congratulatory manner. But that goes back to my point of “exactly what could Canadian sites report?” When and How Much.
See, here is where iPhoneWorld and iPhoneInCanada could shine: get themselves a developer who can write and give complete reviews on apps. And/or get themselves an insider source at Rogers. And keep them even after the iPhone comes to Canada so that they become more valid news sites. Announce themselves to Griffin and Spec and other major third party accessory companies that they’re premier Canadian news and reviews sites for Canada and they could write valid reviews (not just filler bits about the latest suspect copyright infringing download sites). They have amazing potential for growth and staying power, they just have to do it right. Baby steps, I suppose.
About the Moderators: I’ve worked in the Volunteer industry and you should know that volunteers have exactly the same rights as paid employees, so they’re protected from things like wrongful dismissal and sexual harassment. Thusly a company needs to have them trained just as much as a paid employee because they’re responsible for the volunteer’s actions. If a moderator started to post that “using ZiPhone 4.0 is easy!” and people use it and find their bootloader downgraded or their WiFi destroyed, they find that they’ve ruined a $500 piece of electronics because an employee of iPhoneInCanada.ca told them to (by the way, these issues are repairable and this hasn’t happened. I use this only as an example). If they decided to take legal issue with the advice that they got, then they would have legal grounds to go after the site, because the moderator has been granted access and privileges by iPhoneInCanada’s owner. These forums are young and is probably doesn’t have any kind of guide or charter on how it administers advice, or even if they should at all, it’s something they might have to look into in the future.
Ted,
I do apologize, but you did not respond to my comments either, or rather twisted them around.
I stated that:
#1) iPhoneWorld.ca brings the most complete Canadian and international news online. In cases of Canadian news, they often have their OWN, ORIGINAL news. As such your argument about Gizmodo and TUAW are not valid in the very least, as these aforementioned sites get Canadian iPhone news as some of the last (especially Gizmodo).
#2) While iPhoneInCanada has moderators, in no way is the administration liable for the own opinions of VOLUNTEER (non-paid, therefore unemployed) moderators, or what they are suggesting. Never ONCE did these moderators state that their opinion is the opinion of the site, or vice versa. As an example see Yahoo! Answers, or something, eh? Forums are and always meant to be a discussion place, do NOT confuse them with the frontpage.
#3) I asked you to compare these sites with any of the “top” American iPhone news sites, such as iphone-hacks.com, iphoneatlas.com, iphonebuzz.com, iphonealley.com, and tell me how are the Canadian ones worse (just keeping in mind that they do provide faster and more original Canadian iPhone information in addition to “general” news?)???
Rick
Whoa, heated discussion!
Well I don’t know if we deserve it or not, but I would like it if the iPhone finally came to Canada. But there is no fucking way I’m paying twice as much as they do in the US for it.
THANKS Normlr!
You just USE ME because I’m the NICEST person you KNOW with an IPHONE.
Hey Ted,
Don’t worry, I think that your site is THE site to go to for the BEST and most UP TO DATE news EVER for the iphone.
When I TELL people that their opinion is WRONG I like to type alot of words in capitals TOO because it hides teh fact that I’m a looser and noone pays any ATTENTION to anything I ever SAY. My mom’s dead.
Hey Ted,
No worries, I am a lover of all things sarcasm related–it’s the lowest form of wit they say. 😉
Anyways, my blog is only 5 months old and it’s slowly growing. I am happy with what I have and will continue to post about iPhone news and tips for Canadians. It’s hard to talk about the iPhone in Canada when there’s no news really, aside from the usual rumors and Rogers silence on the matter.
I’m having fun with the blog and I hope I can get the forums growing too. Cheers and talk to ya soon! 🙂
Gary
Hi Gary,
Thanks for your comment and thanks for your site.
I do like what you are doing and think that you have a potential gold mine in your site’s concept (in domain name alone!). I believe that you could compete with Gizmodo and TUAW while keeping a Canadian flair. I came to your site assuming that it was an accredited news source, more than just a hobby blog that was taking off as the iPhone grew in popularity.
I’m not going to tell you how to run your site. But I hope you can look past my sarcastic style of writing and take the points of my experience in looking for reliable Canadian iPhone news as merely a suggestion.
Thanks!
Ted
Hey Dead Robot, sorry to hear that you feel the community at my forums aren’t meeting your expectations. They are pretty new so like anything on the internet, we need to do our homework and research before believing anything stated.
Regarding your feedback on my blog, I take no offense at all as I just find it very interesting you feel so strongly about the way my website is run. Well, as I mentioned on my “About Me” page, I am in no way trying to compete with a Gizmodo/TUAW/Engadget for news etc. There’s no way a one man show like myself can even attempt this, considering I work on the site part time (with the rest of my time filled up with a full time job like everybody else!).
The blog was started to get some news and info out there for Canadian iPhone users and to document my journey as an iPhone user in Canada. Most of the info I’ve posted about was from my personal experience so I’m trying to help out newbies buying iPhones (kinda like myself when I first got mine).
I review apps/info that I find interesting personally–because if I do, then chances are others will too. Application review screenshots are all taken on my iPhone and not stolen from other sites.
As for my moderators, their primary job is to stop the spammers from overloading the forums. There is no way I can keep track of what’s going on considering I spend a lot of time at work.
Anyways, this was a very interesting post on your part. I hope you stick around the forums. Most members are new to this iPhone unlocking business so you gotta cut some slack–only a few follow the updates closely. See ya around!
Gary
Hey Rick,
Thanks for your opinion, but you haven’t addressed any of the issues I brought up in my post.
Both sites I mention provide news regarding iPhone use in Canada. My point is that they both do it poorly. Both have poor web design with way too many ads. Both sites asks it’s readers to cowtow to a corporation that already has a few billion of our dollars (and will have a lot more when the iPhone does come). How is this good reporting?
Yes, you are correct that Hackint0sh is not a news site, but it was the official home of the Dev Team (until they moved their knowledge base to their Wiki), however, many of the developers still respond to questions and problems quickly and responsibly. And where else should you get your unlocking, jailbreaking and activation news other than the source?
Meanwhile TUAW has sources who work at 1 Infinite Loop. TUAW has one of the first jailbreak developer on their staff (Erica Sundin) who provides in depth coding reporting regarding iPhone applications. Developers come to her for help when creating apps for the iPhone. You can’t get much closer with any Apple/iPhone news site.
So when I mention these two sites I mean news sites reporting about real world experience with the iPhone. As far as I can see, these two Canadian news site regurgitates RSS feed stories and offer nothing but rumor and conjecture (through their forums and their readers) about when the iPhone is coming and how to scam Rogers out of unlimited data plans. And remember, the internet is instant: A site that reports something I’ve read a few hours/days before isn’t all that viable to me anymore.
So let’s address the issue of a “volunteer who wastes his time” (your words – nice way to defend your argument – is volunteerism at this forum futile?) His last comment to me was that the site was to provide an unbiased reporting of all software and readers could make their own decisions regarding it. As a forum moderator, this person is held as an employee of the site and therefore is subject to the site’s charter. In effect, a volunteer is as responsible to the company (site) as a paid employee. If that site has staff that suggests an application that is defective and shoddily made, then that site is just as responsible for the damages done. I’m anti-ZiPhone because I did the research (hence the links in my post… did you click them?). I get the hunch that the moderator didn’t do any research regarding the greater risks of using ZiPhone. Then he told me to drop the issue. Way to stifle open opinions.
By the way, I spoke to the support staff at iClarified (did you notice that most of the iPhone images used in their tutorials are from a Rogers iPhone? See? I do go to many other sites – since July 2007, in fact) who I asked about not updating their blog’s tutorials since Ziphone 2.5, I got this response:
So when a major player in online iPhone assistance stops making assistance available, then you have to start asking yourself “why”.
About the forums: while I agree that a Canadian iPhone community would be great, like any online community, it has to be moderated with informed people who know their stuff. Who will allow debate to grow and evolve if it’s mandate is to be unbiased or to uphold the opinions and beliefs of that site. iPhoneinCanada doesn’t, in my opinion.
Also, the iPhone is not “illegal in Canada” (emphasis your words). Most people paid duty on it when they brought them into Canada. I would expect that if it were “illegal” they would be confiscated. Check your facts, please.
Lastly, to attack my mom just shows how useless your whiny attack is. Grow up.
To quote Steve Jobs: One other thing… Do you see “News” displayed anywhere on this blog? You’re reading a vanity blog. Know the difference.
I’m an avid reader of both of these sites and what you’re doing is nitpicking (by the way, your attempt at being funny failed miserably).
iPhoneWorld.ca provides THE most complete Canadian and global iPhone news coverage, even compared to TUAW. If you were to make a comparison you’d see it, but I doubt you can handle reading more than two iPhone-specific news a day (and that’s all TUAW provides most of the days — and last I checked hackint0sh was a forum, not a news site???). As for whether “complete coverage” is more important than “fast coverage”, that’s up to individual readers to decide.
iPhoneInCanada.ca has THE most vibrant Canadian iPhone community online, even compared to such sites as EhMac.ca. And if god forbid a moderator (=non-paid volunteer that wastes his time helping people for free) tells users to use ZiPhone because he personally thinks it would help, the choice and his reasons for suggesting it are up to him — not you…. Like, suggest a different program instead, no one’s stopping you, eh?
Anyway, your mom should be ashamed of you (or proud if she wanted to raise you the wrong way), picking and attacking two sites that do a great job providing news on a daily basis about a gadget that isn’t even out here in Canada legally. Did you maybe try comparing Canadian sites with American ones? Most of them don’t even reach the level of either of the two sites you just ripped on, despite having the iPhone in open circulation.
Rick
P.S. I really don’t see even ONE useful thing your blog does in comparison to these sites after going through a few weeks of your archives?