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Can I Trust the Information in a 3G Forum?
A 3G forum is an online community devoted to informing users about 3G wireless connectivity. In a 3G forum, a user can ask and answer questions about 3G phones, 3G Internet, 3G service and other related issues. These communities encourage peer-to-peer discussion and often rely on the contributions of unpaid, independent members to keep the 3G forum active and a valuable source of information about 3G.
A 3G forum can be hosted by anyone, but the three most popular hosts are manufacturers of 3G products or services, review websites, and independent users. Each of these hosts have their advantages and disadvantages. It's important for anyone who is looking for a 3G forum to be aware of these pros and cons before deciding on a source from which to pull information.
Manufacturers of 3G products and services usually have their own built-in 3G forum on their company websites. These forums are usually offered as a means of technical support. An advantage of viewing these 3G forums is that they often have technical information and official updates readily available. Users are also likely to have their questions answered by a member of a technical support team. A disadvantage of using a forum like this is that it may be difficult to have an issue resolved, since users and forum moderators are invited to join conversations and offer advice which may lead to conflicting information.
Technological gadget review websites may also host their own 3G forum. Websites devoted to technological gadget reviews are often run and visited by people who are very well-informed about product and service issues. An advantage of visiting a review website's forum is that users may come across unofficial tips and tricks and get suggestions for better products. However, it's important to note that review websites are not above the influence of shills. It's not uncommon for popular websites to be paid by manufacturers or service providers to post favorable reviews for a product or service.
Independent, user-run forums can be a good source of information, too. User-to-user advice is often the most valuable and honest information source, since information and advice comes from actual owners of the products. Unofficial tips and tricks are also available on forums like these. However, if the forum is popular, users may have to wade through several advertisements for other products before they get to valuable information. Advertisements may be contained as part of the hosting website or may be disguised as forum posts.
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![A tablet PC using 3G technology.]()
By: m.schuckartA tablet PC using 3G technology.
Discussion Comments
Forums are way better than review blogs where the blogger is gifted a product to review. Those are always biased!
I saw a review for 3G smartphones by a blogger the other day. It was so apparent that this person was actually given a free 3G smartphone to review because the post was almost entirely copied from the manufacturer site. It went on and on about the great qualities of the phone and how happy he is about it.
I know some bloggers refuse to change their opinion or review of a product even if they are given gifts. I really respect such bloggers. But a lot of them are so happy to receive a free phone that they'll write whatever the manufacturer wants them to.
@feruze-- I do agree with some of what you said. But I also think that some 3G networks manufacturers have actually been trying to create forums and sites where users can express their opinions about the products freely without filtering them.
I'm sure they filter for things like spam or inappropriate language. But I have been seeing much more objective user reviews with both good and bad points on manufacturer sites lately.
I think some manufacturers have realized that it's also to their benefit to know what works and what doesn't work about a product. So I wouldn't make a generalization that all manufacturer forums are completely biased and fake. Several are definitely worth checking out.
Even in user-run forums, there is no guarantee that all the information you're getting about 3G technology is 100% honest. I've heard that manufacturers of various kind of products (not just 3G), hire people to visit forums, register as members and write positive reviews about their products.
What I try to pay attention to is if a user is only expressing positive information about a product or makes really generalized and over-the-top claims about it. Real users generally say both the good and the bad about a product. Very few people have only good things to say about something unless they're associated with the manufacturer somehow.
I do think that user-run forums are much more objective than manufacturer run forums though. And a majority of the users in these forums are real users who have no ties to the manufacturers whatsoever. It's always best to think about the reviews while reading them though.
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