CR's article was old-school in more than just the notion of an informed, influential class of professionals reporting and disseminating the news (that is to say, journalism). Its engineers, perhaps even staid people with white coats, took apart the iPhone 4 and put it back together in a slow, painstaking process that predates the frenetic nature of the Web.
Its verdict both trumps and reaffirms the complaints that have thus far come to light regarding Apple's latest toy: If you hold the phone just so, you obscure the antenna and lose calls due to a "design flaw."
This adjudication has hit Apple right where it counts -- in the wallet. Its stock has tumbled and industry analysts are noting that the company is "flirting with disaster" if it doesn't take action.
It remains to be seen if that action might follow Consumer Reports' dictum that "Apple - and not its customers -- should fix the iPhone 4." But, after today, it seems a lot more likely.
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