Top critical review
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3.0 out of 5 starsIt's just OK on the 7" Fire
ByMary V. Crosbyon December 7, 2012
I bought one copy to see how I liked magazines on my 7" Fire (1st generation). Viewing the whole page, it's nice and colorful with easy to read article titles. Lots of tables (CR's standard for comparing features, prices, reliability, etc. between brands) often can not be viewed completely on the screen when zoomed in. I'm hoping my 9" Fire HD will remedy that. Other than the zooming issue, print is clear and crisp and photos are even better than the paper version. Until I get my 9" (it's on my Christmas list), I will read from the 7" but for viewing the tables, nothing beats a full size monitor or computer screen. I can't confirm that buying a yearly subscription allows access to the magazine on my Fire AND the online site but I can't imagine why it wouldn't at $29-$30. Consumer Reports has lots of competition for reviews, even here on Amazon. The one thing CR has going for it, though, is the lack of bias. Most other review sites are impacted by ads or just random comments from consumers. CR tries to apply the scientific method when testing products. However, that by the very nature of time, is why CR's reviews are frequently for products that are no longer available. Products are revised and changed when the company knows of a problem that is going to be published as soon as it is financially viable so maybe CR works before we even know of it. Lastly, CR is entertaining. It's just not the last word on products and can still be influenced by opinions. It remains today an industry standard. Just look to view the classic tables on a larger screen that 7" or buy a paper copy.
