Verizon Cripples New RAZRs
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:48 pm
http://blog.wired.com/music/#1520340
by Eliot Van Buskirk and Sean Michaels
Thursday, 13 July 2006
My brother and I each own an Apple iBook and a Motorola RAZR -- you could chalk it up to genetics, because we never discussed these purchases beforehand. That makes two genetically similar brothers, two identical laptops, two identical cellphones, and one key difference: I'm able to create my own ringtones, and my brother is not. That's because I use Cingular for my cell service, and he uses Verizon.
Earlier this week, he showed me how the RAZR he bought from Verizon last month blocks your ability to transfer files into its Audio folder, in an apparent brazen attempt to force users to buy ringtones rather than creating their own tones from CDs or from scratch. We stayed up late that night trying to figure out how to get the files onto the phone and around Verizon's blockade, which bans users from transferring MP3s and other data from their computers to their phones using either the Bluetooth or USB connections.
I find it abhorrent that Verizon disables the transfer of MP3s onto a phone that is advertised as having that feature. People are signing two-year service contracts for hardware that's been intentionally, knowingly, and deceptively crippled by their cellphone provider. I think Verizon should be forced to put a sticker on each of its new RAZRs explaining that it has disabled the MP3 ringtone function.
Apparently, Verizon's stance on MP3 ringtones wasn't always so unconscionable. In fact, our research indicates that it sold the RAZR with an earlier (v2) version of its software, with MP3 ringtones enabled. The v3 software disabled the feature, and the current version, v4, has it disabled it as well. However, if you are somehow able to upgrade your version 2 software directly to version 4, your ability to transfer MP3s onto the phone to be used as ringtones survives. If you've ever had version 3 on your Verizon RAZR, or if you purchased your RAZR from Verizon after they introduced the ban, your RAZR's MP3 ringtone feature will stay broken.
A better solution? Buy your RAZR from anyone except Verizon. I purchased mine from ATT Wireless (now Cingular), and am able to send ringtones from my iBook to my RAZR's ringtone directory in a matter of seconds over Bluetooth.
by Eliot Van Buskirk and Sean Michaels
Thursday, 13 July 2006
My brother and I each own an Apple iBook and a Motorola RAZR -- you could chalk it up to genetics, because we never discussed these purchases beforehand. That makes two genetically similar brothers, two identical laptops, two identical cellphones, and one key difference: I'm able to create my own ringtones, and my brother is not. That's because I use Cingular for my cell service, and he uses Verizon.
Earlier this week, he showed me how the RAZR he bought from Verizon last month blocks your ability to transfer files into its Audio folder, in an apparent brazen attempt to force users to buy ringtones rather than creating their own tones from CDs or from scratch. We stayed up late that night trying to figure out how to get the files onto the phone and around Verizon's blockade, which bans users from transferring MP3s and other data from their computers to their phones using either the Bluetooth or USB connections.
I find it abhorrent that Verizon disables the transfer of MP3s onto a phone that is advertised as having that feature. People are signing two-year service contracts for hardware that's been intentionally, knowingly, and deceptively crippled by their cellphone provider. I think Verizon should be forced to put a sticker on each of its new RAZRs explaining that it has disabled the MP3 ringtone function.
Apparently, Verizon's stance on MP3 ringtones wasn't always so unconscionable. In fact, our research indicates that it sold the RAZR with an earlier (v2) version of its software, with MP3 ringtones enabled. The v3 software disabled the feature, and the current version, v4, has it disabled it as well. However, if you are somehow able to upgrade your version 2 software directly to version 4, your ability to transfer MP3s onto the phone to be used as ringtones survives. If you've ever had version 3 on your Verizon RAZR, or if you purchased your RAZR from Verizon after they introduced the ban, your RAZR's MP3 ringtone feature will stay broken.
A better solution? Buy your RAZR from anyone except Verizon. I purchased mine from ATT Wireless (now Cingular), and am able to send ringtones from my iBook to my RAZR's ringtone directory in a matter of seconds over Bluetooth.