Nokia's N-Gage - Savaged By Online Opinion

Thanks to CNN for their column discussing how the Internet has changed the way 'bad' products are viewed, with reference to Nokia's N-Gage 'mobile game deck'. The columnist argues: "Ten years ago you might have quietly withdrawn [an 'awkward' product] from store shelves", but times have changed: "The Internet provides an instant, widespread referendum on products... And the Net crowd, for obvious reasons, tends to eye high-tech products. But the things that do get interest, usually negative, watch out." He then gives the immensely popular, N-Gage-related Side Talkin' site as an example of this backlash, quoting a Nokia spokesman as saying of the site: "It's better to have some reaction than no reaction at all."

Comments

What older gadgets could this have affected?

[MBraynard]

Before the net, you got 90%+ of your info about a product from the manufacturer's marketing machine. Now the balance has changed.

Think back a few decades about some of the crap you may have bought. Then think about - had you been able to read instant online opinion about the gadget - you may not have purchased the product.

Virtual Boy? NeoGeo? Would VHS have lost to Betamax?

The Internet has only changed the time it takes

[Trillian_1138]

I think the Internet has only changed the time it takes for bad products to be viewed as 'bad.'

"Back in the day" people might have bought lousy products initially, but after The Word eventually got out, people didn't continue buying them. Staying with the topic of videogames, the Sega Saturn didn't need the Internet to die. Nor did Virtual Boy (dear god, it didn't need help to die...)

There have been topics in the past about how text messaging and cellphones are killing opening weekends for movies because the 'bad word' gets around faster. It's causing bad movies to be known for their badness earlier but, eventually, people will learn products aren't good.

Even in the days before the 'net.

-Trillian

Re:Opinion is just as baseless.

[DarkZero]

The N-Gage is just everyone's favourite whipping boy. Most of the people "savaging" it on the web have never even touched one.

Do they really need to, though? I mean, it even looks stupid on paper, and just about every gaming magazine that's covered it has passed that on to all of their readers. You don't really need to experience the operation of removing your phone's battery just to switch game cartridges to know that it is a ridiculous process, especially in the public areas where you would use your N-Gage. And do you really need more than two seconds at the Side Talkin' site to realize that Nokia's insulting characterization of the GBA as a kids' toy that will make adults look ridiculous and stupid in public is not only wrong, but actually an accurate description of their own product?

The N-Gage is making headlines like these because it's so easy to mock it in a way that truly reflects the reality of the product. If you have a problem with gossiping 12 year olds on internet message boards in general, then I suggest you choose a different example.

Re:Opinion is just as baseless.

[Babbster]

By that logic, people should have gone for test drives in Corvairs before deciding they were unsafe. Or perhaps I should have played Custer's Revenge before deciding the concept was offensive. I can't believe I didn't go to the theater and spend $9 on Gigli!

Product reviews exist so that people don't always have to waste time and money on something they find out later is crap. Because of reviews, I didn't have to waste money buying Daikatana when it came out, nor did I run out to buy a Yugo.

Of course, there's always the possibility that I'll disagree with a review, and if the product getting a bad review still interests me I might find a way to give it a try, or perhaps even defy the reviews and just buy it. If I do like it, that doesn't mean that the reviewer's opinion was "baseless" or that I shouldn't pay any attention to reviews in the future. What it means is that people have differing tastes.