DISQUS

Mobilitysite: Nokia Demonstrates How to Kill Buzz

  • doog · 2 months ago
    You say it yourself in your first paragraph - "loaner review models". Aren't loaners meant to be returned?
  • Zealot · 2 months ago
    Loaners are usually yours for a couple weeks not for six months and those are a couple dozen not 300. Usually at big events devices are perks, which is why this seems strangly cheap.

    I mean, after that long what do they intend to do with the returns? Just seems silly
  • doog · 2 months ago
    Perhaps it's a way to ensure that reviews are not subject to the new FTC rules on reviews and endorsements? While Nokia would not be subject to fines, perhaps their reputation would be stained with consumers if bloggers who got freebies published positive reviews without disclosures.

    What would they do with returns? Use as refurbs for warranty exchange, donated them to charity groups, etc.
  • Pony99CA · 2 months ago
    I wondered that myself. I did a Motorla Q review and had the device for about four months (the editor wasn't happy that it took so long, but lots of people were impressed by the thoroughness). Regardless, I still had to return it (and eventually bought my own).

    Some conferences, like Mobius, give participants devices, but I think most of them are already released devices, not pre-release devices. (Is that true, Chris?)

    One solution to the return problem is not to send notices at all. If the blogger doesn't return the device, Nokia could just put them on a loaner black list and not provide them loaners in the future.

    Steve
  • Frankenbike · 2 months ago
    Don't bloggers usually pay their own freight to conferences? Which is like $1000 in airfare and accommodations at the least?

    Anyway, if I were Nokia I'd figure it this way. You guys who get the cool phones free, will have a bunch of new phones in six months and won't be using it anymore anyway. I think they want to curtail those who get them, never use them, and sell them. And a bunch of the other phones they get. By saying "You have to give it back if we ask for it" they're really saying, "No, you can't sell it."
  • Zealot · 2 months ago
    That makes more sense...and if anyone wants to pay my way to a conference, I am willing to fly steerage....or is that just on boats?