rankings

mobile
December 13, 2011
by

Android ranked most ‘closed’ open source OS [infographic]

By on December 13, 2011 at 10:00 AM.

Android ranked most ‘closed’ open source OS [infographic]

A new report has ranked Google’s Android operating system the most “closed” open source platform among eight major open source projects. VisionMobile on Monday published The Open Governance Index, a deep look at the relative openness of Android, Qt, Symbian, MeeGo, Mozilla, WebKit, Linux and Eclipse. Going beyond licensing models and using governance as a core metric, the firm determined that Eclipse is the most open open source platform with an Open Governance Index of 84% while Google’s Android was the most closed open source platform analyzed in its report. Read on for more. More →

No Comments
mobile
December 6, 2011
by

AT&T ranks worst in Consumer Reports carrier satisfaction survey for second straight year

By on December 6, 2011 at 4:15 PM.

AT&T ranks worst in Consumer Reports carrier satisfaction survey for second straight year

AT&T has again received the lowest rating in Consumer Reports’ annual wireless carrier customer satisfaction survey. Verizon Wireless won the top spot and its customers were most satisfied with its data service and staff knowledge. Verizon was followed by Sprint and T-Mobile USA. “Our survey indicates that subscribers to prepaid and smaller standard-service providers are happiest overall with their cell-phone service,” Consumer Reports electronics editor Paul Reynolds said. “However, these carriers aren’t for everyone. Some are only regional, and prepaid carriers tend to offer few or no smart phones. The major carriers are still leading options for many consumers, and we found they ranged widely in how well they satisfied their customers.” Consumer Reports surveyed 66,000 of its subscribers and included standard and no-contract wireless customers across 22 metropolitan areas. The full report is in the January 2012 issue and is available to subscribers online.  More →

No Comments
Services
August 29, 2011
by

AT&T network ranked worst among major U.S. carriers by J.D. Power [updated]

By on August 29, 2011 at 4:20 PM.

AT&T network ranked worst among major U.S. carriers by J.D. Power [updated]

Wondering why AT&T is hustling to get that 4G LTE network up and running ahead of schedule? AT&T has been ranked worst among the four major wireless carriers in the U.S. according to the J.D. Power and Associates U.S. 2011 Wireless Network Quality Performance Study. The major nationwide survey looks at overall network performance for the four major U.S. cell phone service providers as well as top regional carriers from around the country. Among the big four — Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile — Verizon Wireless found itself atop the list in each of the six regions where J.D. Power performed its tests. On the other end of the spectrum, AT&T was either last or tied at the bottom in five out of the six regions. Read on for more.

Updated with AT&T’s statement below. More →

151 Comments
Computers
May 25, 2011
by

Apple’s MacBook lines now top every relevant Consumer Reports notebook category

By on May 25, 2011 at 4:00 PM.

Apple’s MacBook lines now top every relevant Consumer Reports notebook category

According to Consumer Reports, Apple’s various lines of laptop computers are the best notebooks in the world. Recent rankings published by the popular nonprofit consumer product tester place Apple computers at the top of every relevant laptop category. Apple’s low-end MacBook Air topped competitive offerings from Dell and HP in the 11-inch category, and its computers took the top five spots in the 13-inch class — the 13-inch MacBook Air was No. 1, followed by three different configurations of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and then Apple’s standard 13-inch MacBook. In the 15-inch category, various configurations of the MacBook Pro took the top three spots, and Apple’s high-end MacBook Pro beat out HP’s Pavillion and the Dell XPS for top billing in the 17-inch category. The only category Apple did not dominate was the 14-inch class, but Apple does not currently offer a 14-inch notebook. More →

111 Comments
Tablets
April 5, 2011
by

iPad 2 tops Consumer Reports tablet rankings

By on April 5, 2011 at 7:44 AM.

iPad 2 tops Consumer Reports tablet rankings

Apple’s iPad 2 has topped Consumer Reports’ tablet ratings according to a press release issued on Tuesday. Consumer Reports has taken an odd stance on Apple’s mobile products in recent history, particularly where the iPhone is concerned. Apple’s iPhone 4 for AT&T and its iPhone 4 for Verizon Wireless both received Consumer Reports’ highest ever ratings, but the independent buying guide recommended against purchasing the phones due to their infamous antenna attenuation issues known as the death grip. With the iPad 2, however, antennas don’t come into play in the same way. “So far, Apple is leading the tablet market in both quality and price, which is unusual for a company whose products are usually premium priced,” said Consumer Reports’ electronics editor Paul Reynolds in a statement. “However, it’s likely we’ll see more competitive pricing in tablets as other models begin to hit the market.” In addition to the iPad2, Consumer reports tested tablets from Archos, Dell, Motorola, Samsung and ViewSonic, and noted that Apple’s chief competition for the time being is found in the Motorola XOOM. Hit the break for the full release.

More →

79 Comments