One more way for cell companies to piss me off

Post #319,683 by drook 1/7/10 11:59:25 AM Reply	One more way for cell companies to piss me off When I had to renew a while back, I specifically asked them for a model with USB connectivity. And this one's got USB2.0, yay. Now that I've got the cable and I'm ready to load my address book, it turns out the phone doesn't actually allow you to interact with anything on it. So I can very quickly find out that yes, it is identified as a Nokia 6205. I just can't do anything with it. -- Drew
Post #319,684 by boxley 1/7/10 12:04:13 PM Reply	extry software http://europe.nokia....re/nokia-pc-suite
Post #319,686 by drook 1/7/10 12:12:18 PM Reply	Doesn't work on this one Seriously, I've checked their developer boards. This phone was made just for Verizon. On their list of all their phones -- what type of cable, what OS, what software, etc. -- this was the only one that listed the OS as "other". Think they tell you that when you're buying it? -- Drew
Post #319,690 by Another Scott 1/7/10 12:55:06 PM Reply	Verizon's notorious for changing their phone features. E.g. for the Motorola RAZR V3M - http://episteme.arst...31/m/599009779731 I hope you can get something figured out, but I wouldn't hold my breath. :-( Cheers, Scott.
Post #319,691 by drook 1/7/10 1:01:53 PM Reply	Are handsets (other than smartphones) generally flashable? -- Drew
Post #319,692 by Another Scott 1/7/10 1:13:36 PM Reply	Probably depends on the brand/model. I dunno. When J was getting her Verizon phone a year or two ago, I checked into the various tricks that could be done with the RAZRs (as that was what she wanted). I dunno how much of that hackery transfers to other brands or models. There must be some customization available on the hardware or Verizon couldn't do their crippling. But I don't know how much can be done by end users. Some tricks can be done with magic key-presses, apparently. http://www.techtalkz...very-usefull.html Caveat Emptor. Nothing much is turning up on my searches for the 6205. Sorry. Cheers, Scott.
Post #319,722 by pwhysall 1/7/10 5:22:54 PM Reply	Yes But in this case it's a waste of time. See my other post.
Post #319,738 by malraux 1/7/10 8:53:36 PM Reply	This is why I refuse to use Verizon. Cripple my phone? So you can turn around and resell me the features? No thanks. Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #319,721 by pwhysall 1/7/10 5:22:14 PM Reply	Oh dear lord, what a horrid phone What on earth led you to such a miserable handset from The Evil Overlord Network that's mostly famous for taking shit phones and sucking what little useful stuff remains right out of them? My recommendation? If you're within your cooling off period (14 days here in the UK), chuck that thing in a padded envelope, zoom it right the fuck back to Vz, and get a non-spasticated phone (hell, all Nokia clamshells are arse. It's a rule of the universe, or something) from a less mong-tacular network. Or just buy one off eBay, and frolic freely through the Elysian fields of SIM-only contracts.
Post #319,730 by scoenye 1/7/10 6:46:45 PM Reply	Except Vz doesn't do SIM CDMA without SIM. You're pretty much stuck to what they offer unless you really know what you're doing.
Post #319,740 by drook 1/7/10 9:51:34 PM Reply	Chain of issues When my employer decided they didn't want to pay for Blackberries any more, I took over the contract. It wasn't until after I had the contract that Verizon told me, "Oh, if you have the Blackberry you can't get a voice-only plan." Well why the flying fuck not? "Because it's a Blackberry, and we want you to have access to all that it has to offer." Or some such bullshit. So now I was stuck in a 2-year contract. They offered to let me switch to a voice-only plan, and take one of the free phones they offer with that. (Of course they waited until the FCC complaint hit their office to offer it. Thanks, Box.) So I looked at the half-dozen or so they offered, and this one looked reasonable. Had USB, which was about the only thing I cared about. I don't text, I don't take pictures, I don't shoot video, I don't use it as a music player. I just wanted to be able to sync my contacts. I'm still not clear on why there's a USB jack, and they go out of their way to advertise it, when it doesn't actually do anything. Okay, that's a lie. You can load music with it. But like I said, I don't use it for that. -- Drew
Post #319,742 by Another Scott 1/7/10 10:13:43 PM Reply	Maybe you can get out of your contract... http://cashmoneylife...hout-paying-fees/ Worth a shot? Cheers, Scott.
Post #319,749 by pwhysall 1/8/10 2:09:19 AM Reply	TBH I'd have kept and paid for the BB Yeah, it's expensive, but it's not as eye-gougingly frustrating as what you're experiencing now. Although Vz would have forced you to use Bing search. Honestly, every time I think all the UK networks are shitty bastards from bastardville, I think of you lot who, for reasons that escape me, keep giving money to Verizon, who turn off your USB ports. (Not to mention AT&T, who apparently can't maintain a decent 3G network in New York Fucking City) Note: even if that USB port worked, it's data-only; for reasons that are not altogether clear, Nokia don't enable charging through the USB port.
Post #319,753 by drook 1/8/10 8:41:56 AM Reply	No, this does charge through the USB port It's the only port available. Well, that and the headset port, but there's no other charging port available. But yes, you're right about turning things off. The BB comes with GPS, but they disable it unless you pay an extra $5/mo. -- Drew
Post #319,756 by pwhysall 1/8/10 9:56:57 AM Reply	So you've got a Nokia with a USB port that only charges it? FFS. What utter idiocy.
Post #319,761 by drook 1/8/10 10:37:24 AM Reply	And downloads media I think it does anyway. The Linux software is all focused on addresses, calendar, todo ... you know, useful things. -- Drew
Post #319,926 by pwhysall 1/12/10 1:24:59 PM Reply	Going back a bit... ...is there any reason you can't kick Verizon to the kerb, get an unlocked non-shit phone off eBay, and go to the least mentally defective of the GSM networks?
Post #319,927 by drook 1/12/10 1:35:25 PM Reply	Just the hassle factor I've got the 2-year contract now. (Probably about 21 months left.) So kicking them isn't so easy right now. Looking into ways, but nothing I've seen so far is very convenient. But I am looking at getting a new phone to use with the current plan. This one is shittier than a shitty thing. -- Drew
Post #319,931 by folkert 1/12/10 2:43:57 PM Reply	Re: Going back a bit... GSM in the US is fecked. Verizon is CDMA. T-Mobile and AT&T are really the only GSM providers... and umm yeah... no I won't be a party to that. Contract and contracts are the holy grail here.
Post #319,932 by drook 1/12/10 2:46:27 PM Reply	That's the other thing Yes Verizon sucks. But I haven't heard much in the way of goodness and light about any of the other options, either. -- Drew
Post #319,934 by boxley 1/12/10 3:02:56 PM Reply	least suckage in wireless carriers with contracts verizon and tmobile no others without contracts america movil (tracphone, net 10)

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