The Bad and Ugly of American Cell Phones - Off-topic

Not quite a super hero, by day I am your average, 3rd tier tech support representative for a certain (pretty damn easy to figure out if you’re not a complete idiot) cell phone company. Throughout the rest of my life, I’m an angry computer geek, lashing out at just about everyone (hey, why discriminate?) that gets in my way.
So I’ve got a few things rolling around in my mind about these mobile devices and I’m looking for input at the end of this mess, as usual. Remember though, Confucius says, “There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.”
Here’s a bit of a rundown of the modern American cell phone. You’ll probably find a bit on cell phone plans/contracts in here, too. To be honest, I normally just ramble on until something makes enough sense to post, so I don’t know what all will be listed.
I personally believe the last “innovation” that should have happened for the cell phone is the clock. For about 75% of the people I talk to each day, that’s enough. See I’m all about customer service and the reason I’m not in sales is because the same people I talk to daily on the phone are the ones I would deter from buying anything other than a Jitterbug. They can’t use it. When I’m trying to explain to someone how to backup their information and they don’t know what the “Start” button is on their computer, they have no reason owning any phone that could be considered a PDA. Personally, I would like a netbook that made phone calls. I don’t want something Zoolander-ish, because I have fat fingers and expect too much from a device I can type on.
However, my “vision” will never be. There will always be idiots with too much money for their own good, but at least I’ll always have a job somewhere.
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, here’s a list of some current “features” of cell phones and the good and bad about them.
QWERTY Keyboards – These are great when people actually use them. I’ll never understand what the point is when they’re still typing in gibberish. “OMG!! U r so fun e!”
SMS Messages – A great concept ruined by greed. Why do we only have 160 characters to use in a text message? I read somewhere that it came about because it was the amount of characters as one line of text on a typewriter. That could be wrong, but real question should be, “Why do we still only have 160 characters to use in a text message?” Greed. SMS is beyond cheap for the carriers, but they will charge you 10 and 20 cents per message sent and received.
MMS Messages – Limited depending on the carrier to as little as 300kb. I tell customers each day to use email instead, because it’s not limited and it is more reliable. Ideally, they would make this invisible to the user, and just have the phones email each other. Realistically, we charge another 10 to 20 cents per message, for something that is easier to do than getting an STD from a hooker.
E911 (GPS) – Now included in every phone you can buy, because it’s required by law. I’m sure the FCC was worried about your safety when they made carriers track every cell phone within 100 meters… Riiiight. But I’m doing my best not to rant on the government so I’ll leave it at that. Fascists.
Touch Screens – “Why can’t I keep it my pocket with my keys?” Yes, I’ve heard this, and yes, they were serious. Negative for normal people? Touch Screen capabilities are great, and cheaper to make now than ever before. But the manufacturer will charge more for this just because they can. Don’t worry, you’ll get your 3D fix soon too.
USB/Other Serial Ports – These are great for people that want to physically connect their devices while syncing, but normally these ports are on the bottom of the phone, and people setting their phones in damp cup holders cause water damage to the device. Would it be harder to put this on the side? No, but how would they make money that way?
Minutes – Local, Long Distance, Roaming, International, International Roaming, Roaming on a Partner Network, Daytime, Nighttime, Weekend, Holiday, Inter-carrier, Intra-carrier, Circle… No matter what they tell you, no matter what they tell their employees, they make this confusing on purpose. How else are the carriers going to charge hundreds per month?
Internet/Data/Email/etc. – Having access to the web is a great convenience. Now I can watch that Jib Jab movie. Oh wait, that’s Flash, that doesn’t work in most of the phones… Oh, wait! I can watch Netflix! Oh, no I can’t. Well at least I can pay more for the web on my phone than I pay for it at home and get half the functionality…
Contracts – I don’t necessarily disagree with contracts, but part of why many people don’t treat their devices like they are expensive pieces of equipment is because they don’t have to pay for them. If more people had to pay $200-$500 for their flashy cell phone they may actually take care of the damn thing, which leads me to...
Insurance – There is no reason the carrier should be involved in this. Say we didn’t have insurance, and you had to get it, and any tech support, from the cell phone manufacturer. I’m not exactly a nice guy to people who call in that have bought one phone, seven years ago, but have managed to ***** to enough people to get them replaced by the carrier. The carrier should stay out of the hardware game, and there should be no such thing as “locks” on the devices. I don’t have to buy a new computer (or even a modem) when I switch ISPs. Oh ****, I hope Charter doesn’t read that…
Most of these things could be fixed if people just refused to pay for crappy service. I don’t like supporting sweatshops, so I don’t shop at Wal-Mart. It is your choice… You don’t need a cell phone. Anyways, that’s enough out of me. Like I said up there, I want your input, because I like to hear what you guys have to say.
Thanks again for being bored enough to read all of that,
Drunk

There are two types of people in this world, consumers, and well people who actually pay attention. . .
If people payed attention now adays cellphones would be way different lol.

Qwerty keyboards - I agree with your comment. Perhaps the gibberish typing still exists because of the 160 character limit for SMS? Or perhaps they're just acting like crazed 12 year olds...
MMS - I never understood why anyone would use MMS over email. The size limit means that anything you send will just not be of any high quality. You might as well not send it.
I/O ports - I don't agree with moving these ports to the side. I've had a 2 devices with side I/O ports and it was quite awkward. Besides, having it on the bottom allows 3rd parties to easily make docks. Perhaps the smarter solution would be to not put your device into a damp cup holder?
Data - It's inevitable that mobile data is going to be more expensive than your home broadband. But prices have been coming down in the past years. And if you tether your device to your laptop, you have the full web experience.

I actually see the benefit of tethering growing as we bring on new technologies, but they're going to charge more for tethering if they allow it at all, which only validates my complaint even more.

I wanted to add that technology should work for us, not the other way around. Personally, I would avoid the cupholder but it should be on the manufacturer to move this, for phones and docks alike.

People buying complex devices for basic needs, and being surprised when they don't work seamlessly, is definitely a major problem and happens accross a wide variety of sectors.
Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should have it
I agree that having the port at the bottom makes more sense, astheticall and in terms of docs & accessories. I guess I've never placed my phone in a wet cupholder.

I have notice that when i'm in a country like India, china etc, a single call is cheaper than a us dollar... Is it because of population differences ?, Canada only has a population of 34 million. In USA you have cheap ass data plan ( unlimited data) while in Canada its 30 dollars for only 500 mb...

$30 for unlimited isn't exactly cheap, although definitely better than in Canada. Overall pricing in the US is pretty bad, especially on voice and texting (seriously, texting should be free if you have a data plan).

Related

mac user thread (for the pc rebels!)

well this thread is for anyone who uses a mac and wants to use pocket pc's till the iphone comes out ok?
bdap said:
well this thread is for anyone who uses a mac and wants to use pocket pc's till the iphone comes out ok?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this thread was guaranteed to fail seeing as your promoting the iPhone, when we have so many sleepless nights trying to prove they're not as good as Pocket PCs.
but seeing as i kno i'm talkin to a Mac user, i wanna ask a couple of qus lol. i'm getting one as a leaving school present and can u flash roms on them? are they tweakable? what limitations do they have with hardware you can put in...ie hard drives, flash drives, feature phones etc.
thanks for your time
basically with the iphone you can do sweet FA. not even 3rd party apps can be used, only what comes with the phone. this + low screen resolution + poor battery + No 3G means i would NEVER consider get one.
Midget_1990 said:
basically with the iphone you can do sweet FA. not even 3rd party apps can be used, only what comes with the phone. this + low screen resolution + poor battery + No 3G means i would NEVER consider get one.
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lol - i those 'hello, I'm a mac, and I'm a pc...' ads we have (in the uk at least) i hate that everything they say is backwards, and mac claim to be perfect for everyone 'out of the box'. what i love about pcs and ppcs is being able to make them work how i want
I can't believe the excuse for making it a closed system. "Third party apps will crash phone networks", I have tried to do things I shouldn't on networks and they don't crash so easy!
No 3g, why not throw in a nickel cadmium battery and make it really prehistoric?
Pocket PC has an image problem, regular people think it crashes. From my extensive use, it is very stable and any bugs normally get fixed because it is so open. IPone will be a flash in the pan. This is no ipod, there is real competition in the mobile computing market and it will not be so easy to dominate.
well, i for one am happy thats a closed system, no f*king arround so it wont get messed up. aslong it simply works its fine for me. and the thing itself is more appealing to me then the pda's, stupid windows has flaws all over the place.
xixis said:
well, i for one am happy thats a closed system, no f*king arround so it wont get messed up. aslong it simply works its fine for me. and the thing itself is more appealing to me then the pda's, stupid windows has flaws all over the place.
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maybe xda-developers isnt really the place for you then also about windows having flaws, you saying mac doesnt? lol
how to flash on a mac?
I just moved and can not find the cords for my PC so I am having to use my wifes ibook for the next month until we move into our house.
Has anyone had any sucess flashing on a mac. I know there are tool out there to run PC programs but thought that somebody would have writen a guide but can not find it searching... Thanks for reading
xixis said:
well, i for one am happy thats a closed system, no f*king arround so it wont get messed up. aslong it simply works its fine for me. and the thing itself is more appealing to me then the pda's, stupid windows has flaws all over the place.
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Hhaha.. it is like saying, "I'm happy that I do not have admins right to my PC, because I dont want to mess it", or "I'm happy that my car bonnet is locked so that I won't mess up the car". If you think you need to pay $$$$ to child-proof yourself from your own phone, go ahead. If you are on a budget, get yourself a Motorola MOTOFONE F3, it is close system.
ps: PPC phone works fine, it causes problems when people mess it up.
Ahhhhhhhhh, here people go again - Mac this, Windows that- it like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Ford Fiesta.
AFAIK most UK networks (at the moment) will not have the iPhone due to the price apple want for them £400+, lets see what happens at the time of Euro launch in late December of even early next year.
I certainly will not be purchasing one from the first edition even being a mac fan. My PPC works just fine with my Mac and my PC.
Its not about windows v mac. Its about why people can't admit that the iphone is crippled with poor features from day one. My Dopod D810 can perform every function available in the entire spectrum of mobile computing and in a fast reliable way over a 800kbs 3g hsdpa connection. Simultaneously.
I do about 250 mb of surfing a month on the phone and another 250 mb of surfing using my phone as a modem for my tablet. I don't think an iphone would be able to transfer 500 mb in a month even if I was willing to put up with the slow speed of non 3g networks.
I challenge any one to find a feature that the d810 can't perform. It is easy to find features lacking in the iphone because it has almost none. Apple are trying to sell a new software platform, and its the software that apple-ites are going to be paying $450usd on subsidy or $950USd outright for.
The iphone would have been a state of the art phone - 5 years ago.
Midget_1990 said:
maybe xda-developers isnt really the place for you then also about windows having flaws, you saying mac doesnt? lol
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It has less
But of course, Mac users get the best of both worlds. Currently I'm using an iMac 24" for scanning, and my Ameo is hooked up to ActiveSync under XP Pro SP2; I can see the ActiveSync window, explore the device, etc, whilst I am using Mac apps, seamlessly.
Parallels in Coherence mode means I don't need to switch screens, let alone put up with a smaller window, or reboot.
IMO Mac OS X is the BEST desktop OS, and part of the stability is due to the relatively limited range of hardware that Apple has to support - they know exactly what computer it will run on, and make sure it is stable. All this "building your own PC" malarky is fine, and made a lot of sense when Apple machines were lagging seriously in the hardware stakes (1998, and I'd argue just prior to the release of Intel Macs, especially the lower end stuff like the Mac Mini) and couldn't really use the Pre-Windows '95 argument that for a newbie, the system was easier to use.
However, I also rather like Windows Mobile. The lack of integration/support drives me mad; Missing Sync only goes so far (it can't even sync the Nickname field, FFS - and that's supported in WM5 AND Apple Address Book as a default, not custom, tag). I've always found it necessary to keep a PC around for a few small tasks:
ActiveSync, and applications which need a PC to run the installer.
Running tools that do things like creating a floppy from an image for an old computer (like STs, QLs, that sort of thing)
I theoretically still can't write floppies, but that needs an older PC anyway; most of the newer ones have hardware that is utterly useless for this purpose.
Other than that, Mac does it all, and if you go by "what's in the box" for a Mac system, you get much better software - like GarageBand, iMovie HD, etc. Basically for a Mac to be useful for me, all I need to do is add Adobe Creative Suite and I'm sorted. And of course, I don't need to muck about making the colour calibration work
As developers for WM, I'm sure the Mac is utterly useless to you anyway. Though many "developers" rather like the environment and tools Apple give you with every Mac system
OdeeanRDeathshead said:
I challenge any one to find a feature that the d810 can't perform. It is easy to find features lacking in the iphone because it has almost none. Apple are trying to sell a new software platform, and its the software that apple-ites are going to be paying $450usd on subsidy or $950USd outright for.
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Where are you getting those prices? Apple has stated repeatedly that the iPhone has a retail price. No subsidies. The retail price is $499 or something along those lines.
Personally, I will get an iPhone if it works well as a phone. As a PDA, it lacks a keyboard and 3G connectivity. My Ameo is better.
I Run OSX and Server 2003 on my PC so by no means am I a die-hard windows fan, but neither am i for Mac, they both have their perks and flaws. I do think the Iphone will be crap though xD
Midget_1990 said:
I Run OSX and Server 2003 on my PC so by no means am I a die-hard windows fan, but neither am i for Mac, they both have their perks and flaws. I do think the Iphone will be crap though xD
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I agree, for some reason it does not excite me. maybe with the next update it would be better. No question though I would buy one later in a year or two after I upgraded my MBP to the new magnetized (not one of those hook models) and an easily upgradeable hard drives and a better battery design. Maybe a brighter 2nd or 3rd gen led display with quad core intel processor with a huge SSD drives
i heard it on the last edition of mac break weekly. Download the podcast at twit.tv
It's a rumour.
Apple has, repeatedly, said two things about iPhone:
It will be $499 and $599
It does NOT adhere to the standard subsidy model. It's not an overpriced $500 N73 with massive discounting to the operator/kickbacks from the operator.
Therefore, AT&Ts contract terms will more reflect the demand for the iPhone.
It will probably not be available without a contract. Cingular/AT&T will be banking on this device to gain them subscribers through sheer demand. The European model may well be different, but since the current suggestions from firms like iSuppli is that the BOM for the iPhone runs to a tad under $240, the 50% margin already applying and Apple's established market position means that the most likely outcome in the UK will not be a tie in to a single operator, but rather, the operators and resellers (like Carphone Warehouse) will compete on subsidising their contracts in much the same way as they currently do - for example, if you want a rubbish phone from one of the many cuthroat resellers getting £200-500 kickbacks for each contract they provide, they will give you a PS3, or a Nintendo Wii, or an iPod... you get the idea.
The iPhone UK price will most likely be around £329-£449 given our horrific taxation (and the fact that our prices INCLUDE tax at 17.5%), looking at the difference in iPods costs US/UK, and the UK market iPhone will probably be offered unlocked by default as a premium product, with the networks/resellers clamouring to offer it on their tariffs. If they they apply the same marketing model, then the iPhone would cost most users around £99-199, but it depends on what the operators reckon they can get away with.
Bear in mind that the Ameo costs £640 off contract. The Advantage is about £700. When you get it ON contract, it costs £119-400ish depending on the deal you get thanks to the network subsidy - and the stores often have a bit they can use to further reduce the price; they appear to be getting cheaper as you would expect. T-Mobile is doing well; as a result of my getting an Ameo at least four of my small network of friends have either bought or intend to buy one, partially because T-Mobile's data plans are insanely good compared to other UK networks.
Suggesting that the 8MB, non-3G iPhone is going to cost nearly as much as the Advantage off contract is insane, and probably what is known as FUD. Apple are far from stupid about the consumer market, as the success of the iPod, the growing market share of the MacBook/Pro and iMac, and utter dominance of the online music market shows.
You sure put a lot of thought into this. I think it will be sold outright at apple shops for $950. Prove me wrong in a few weeks.
OdeeanRDeathshead said:
You sure put a lot of thought into this. I think it will be sold outright at apple shops for $950. Prove me wrong in a few weeks.
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Click to collapse
Sure. $50 says that the iPhone will not be sold for $950 in Apple shops, or indeed, anywhere officially for that sort of money. eBay idiocy does not apply; stories of "an iPhone sold for $1500 on eBay" are not Apple's decision making or pricing.
Look at the iMac. Look at the MacBook.
How much is the MacBook? It's $1099. With dual-core CPUs, WiFi, Bluetooth, HD, 1GB RAM, 13.3" screen, DVD/CDRW drive.
An iMac? $999. For a 17", dual-core, etc...
An 80GB iPod is only $349.
So. If you REALLY believe that the iPhone will ever be sold, retail, for $950, then I'll be happy to take your money. However, I will have to decline if you ever tell me you have any plans for business, because you're clearly not thinking in terms of sound business models for Apple - and I'm thinking that the company with several billion dollars in the bank, no operating debt, stock at a record high, and increasing marketshare, is going to make the right choices - rather than a third-hand rumour from someone silly enough to believe it
And yes, if the iPhone DOES go on sale in the Apple store for $950, I'll give YOU your $50, and despair at the stupidity of Apple's marketing department after nearly six years of them actually getting it (spectaculalrly) right for once
Oh, and just to be absolutely sure, these are US$, in the US market we're talking. No popping up in 2009 saying "Hey, it's HK$950! in Asia!" *grin*.
Midget_1990 said:
I Run OSX and Server 2003 on my PC so by no means am I a die-hard windows fan, but neither am i for Mac, they both have their perks and flaws. I do think the Iphone will be crap though xD
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I don't think the iPhone will be crap, I just don't think it will be compelling to anyone aufait with HTC's products. For the N95 crowd, I'm sure it will be very exciting indeed, and with good reason, but WE know that these things can be done better.
Internet in my pocket? Pah! I was doing that with my Clié UX50 in 2004 "Blogging" on the road in Canada with the built in camera. And that was "backwards" tech, IMO, there were better solutions out there. The Ameo has proper internet browsing/full net experience in a mobile phone, and frankly, in terms of that useage it's hardly moved the game on from the Universal.
And just to balance out the Mac vs. PC thing a tad more, I'm getting a new computer in the office soon at least for a little while. Apple don't make anything like it.
Dell XPS M2010. It'll be absolutely ideal for running devices like the Hasselblad H31D "on the road" at a professional level, doing presentations, and of course, entertainment (hello, my very own 20" LCD in hotel rooms!).
Windows is a secondary concern, the hardware design is extremely compelling.

Diamond destruction

Hey guys,
I had my Diamond for a few months now, and with the help and hard work by the great people in this forum I now got it from "unusable" (the way it was when it came out of the box) to "almost working" after flashing many different ROMs, trying tweaks, installing and uninstalling applications and hacks.
The device still is laggish, slow, unresponsive. Many things still suck hard, and it still crashes at least once a day. The ridiculous fact that there is a "reset manager" installed which does a scheduled soft reset every now and then speaks for itself.
To cut this short, I decided to destroy what I believe is the greatest piece of sh** you could ever put a SIM card into, and I want to do it in the most spectacular way possible.
The reasons for destroying it are:
1. It sucks so hard it makes me aggressive, I feel like throwing it on the ground at least once a day when I wait for an important call only to discover that that sob crashed two hours ago or when a phone call is dropped in the middle of a conversation
2. my friends laugh at me because I have the most sophisticated, most expensive cell phone and I am the one having the greatest trouble with it.
3. It HAS to be destroyed so it doesn't fall into someone else's hands and devours someone else's time, money and energy
4. It's fun, isn't it?
I will make a video of the destruction process and post it either here or on Youtube for the amusement of the community.
What I need now are your suggestions on how to do it. Please participate in the poll attached to this thread and let me know what you think.
i wouldnt mind
hi, i wouldnt mind my time and money devoured by this evil diamond of yours =)
really, but elf broke down today, and i hope they will replace it with something awesomer, but i dont have that kind of money to buy myself a new one =P
you can destroy my touch, it has caused me even more trouble than you diamond i think =D
Give it to someone else...
There are even people finding it fantastic...
Or to a chef, that he can continue to make excellent ROMs...
I think, that Dutty broke his Diamond and is looking for another one...
Ok, I go out...
the point
c'mon you guys, this is not about getting rid of the device. We have a working public service here and they collect trash every two weeks.
No, this is about something else. It is about the question what exactly is happening here, why this forum exists and what has become normal in the world of 2008.
It is that a manufacturer has brought a device to the market that can only be used after hours and hours spent on doing what the developers were supposed to do. People like Dutty, who's ROM I am using right now, deserve not only respect for what they are doing, they also deserve to get PAID for it - not by donations, but with cold hard cash from HTC.
I can buy an electric two-speed hammer drill here at the hardware store for the equivalent of 10 US Dollars, it comes with printed instructions, a small bag with tools and replacement brushes, and a plastic carrying box. It is covered by a two year warranty.
On the other hand, I can buy a $500 piece of crap called the Touch Diamond, which is almost unuseable in the state I got it out of the box because of being FAR too slow to be used in an everyday manner. I can then spend HOURS AND DAYS on re-flashing, updating and customizing it with the results of work done by people like Dutty and all the others here who ALSO have spent their time and energy on the same goal, and I end up with a device that only crashed once a day and still is SLOW. Neither the manufacturer of the hardware nor Microsoft who have done the software GIVES A SH**.
I am currently writing a book on this and many other topics, on things that are to be considered somewhere between ripoff and burglary, and that have become widely accepted just because of the lack of alternatives.
Look at the dreaded Iphone, for example. A device that has NOTHING outstanding to offer, a mediocre PDA combined with a mediocre MP3 player, a mediocre 2MP camera, and a mediocre cell phone - all it has is USABILITY.
A technical piece of equipment, be it a cell phone or a hammer drill, has two basic reasons to justify its existence: functionality and usability. A hammer drill has to drill holes, but must also enable the user to handle it appropriately.
The Diamond lacks both of these. It is still full of bugs and flaws, as we all know, and it is hardly usable without the f***ing stylus. The Iphone has both, it is blazing fast AND it is a charm to handle, but it has no ground-breaking features AND it comes with the restrictive policies of Apple Computer that we all know.
Before anybody gets excited, the Iphone is NOT an alternative to the Diamond. My old Nokia 7373 is because it just WORKS.
I have to state an example here, and that's why the Diamond has to die. I will not give it to anyone, even though I would love to support the community, but I think I give a greater gift to society if only ONE person reads this and ends up thinking - wow, what a scam by HTC and M$.
Please participate in the poll ;-)
Why don't you just send it for repair?
What REPAIR?? What should I write as fault description: "SLOW, LAGGISH, FULL OF BUGS"?
Try to send Windows Vista in for repair, maybe you will get back the first error-free operating system in the known universe, for free...
That's the way it SHOULD be, but sadly, the way it IS is different.
I know at least 3 users who don't know this site and are using their stock diamond. They don't have the bottom-edge expectations as you seem to have.
I have them and yes, i find them here. This is another stupid, boring thread about something YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN from the start.
These are silly devices which cannot replace a PC, just phone and fun. I have seriously NO ISSUES AT ALL so please don't start spamming this **** again. I think that is stupid, we had enough of those people right at the beginning.
You buy it, YOU pay 500 dollar, YOU go into the marketing.
HTC makes money of it, makes a living of people working there. That's how market works. Stop complaining after you buy something. Then just don't buy it. You always have options to try out first.
Like the idea...
But you forgot to put in the option of putting it in acid and let it slowly dissolve into notingness...
That would get my vote!
abel7777 said:
What REPAIR?? What should I write as fault description: "SLOW, LAGGISH, FULL OF BUGS"?
Try to send Windows Vista in for repair, maybe you will get back the first error-free operating system in the known universe, for free...
That's the way it SHOULD be, but sadly, the way it IS is different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3 months ago you were saying something completely different:
"I love the phone, really the first usable device without keyboard that relies on dialling via virtual keyboard. Still have the Samsung Armani thing here waiting to go on Ebay..."
It is really the peer pressure is not it? And the destruction show is mainly for them? Hardly anybody of the xda-developers members would make a good audience.
I felt disappointed with the Diamond when I got it in June this year and yes, the feeling of rage came to me especially when the GPS was unable to get a fix.
Since then I learnt how to tweak the phone and today I can say that if it was misplaced I would get the same phone again.
Perhaps your phone really developed some hardware problem that demonstrates itself in lockups and sluggishness. I had my phone last week sitting next to iphone and all comparable applications such as the google maps were running at the same speed.
And I do not need to restart it unless I do a lot of browsing with Opera, which is still in beta and the latest version 29/10 seems to have fixed even that.
Spamming, Riel, is what you do. Nobody cares about how many people you know that are willing to live with an overpriced device that doesn't stand up to what it promises. There are millions of organisms that eat feces and are happy with it, did you know that?
I could NOT have known from the start about any of the negative experiences I had to make while trying to use the Touch Diamond. When you buy a machine, like a coffee maker, you expect that it will make coffee. That is the implication of the fact that the coffee maker exists and is being sold as one.
I have bought a very expensive cell phone, implicating that I can make and receive phone calls and send SMS, and it does not even accomplish these basic tasks without showing bugs and errors. Another implicit expectation is that a device sold in 2008 would be at least as fast and responsive as my 2001 Ericsson T39m, at least as far as telephony and SMS are concerned.
I wouldn't complain if the Diamond needed 1-2 seconds to start a complex application like Google Maps, but it needs 1-2 seconds to switch from my email inbox to an already running Opera, and 3 seconds to take a picture after pressing the shutter button, and yes, it crashes during and after phone calls quite frequently.
Yes, I used other WM phones like the Samsung Omnia or even the Xperia (had the chance to play with it for half a day) and the ALL had these problems. Unfortunately I had already bought the Diamond...
I am not whining or complaining about the loss of money. If I was, I would sell the Diamond on Ebay or somewhere else instead of destroying it.
Riel, I have many devices here that simply do not function properly, with manufacturers not caring about it and saying that I have to live with it, including even a CAR.
What you wrote is just an example for how many people today have stopped thinking about what they can expect for their money. I would love to sell you a hammer drill that takes 30 minutes for drilling a hole, quits unexpectedly from time to time for no obvious reason, and weighs 20 pounds. People like YOU would be quite happy with it as long as it looks fancy, has a blue display on top of it and makes sounds like a device from Star Trek.
catdog said:
3 months ago you were saying something completely different:
"I love the phone, really the first usable device without keyboard that relies on dialling via virtual keyboard. Still have the Samsung Armani thing here waiting to go on Ebay..."
It is really the peer pressure is not it? And the destruction show is mainly for them? Hardly anybody of the xda-developers members would make a good audience.
Yes, that's what I wrote, and it is still true. The Diamond is the first device I had in my hands that has no numeric keyboard AND allows dialling with one finger without major problems. True.
That was BEFORE I started using it beyond the capabilities of an ordinary cell phone, and BEFORE it started hanging or crashing in the middle of a call.
I wrote that I was impressed by the way I could dial numbers with the Diamond compared to the Armani, and that is still true as well.
No honey, it is not peer pressure. I don't mind running around with a pink Nokia everybody makes fun of, I did this for half a year, everybody was laughing, I didn't care. The fact is that I missed calls from people because of the phone not ringing and had to explain to them that my $500 high-tech phone is unable to play a ringtone when someone calls me. If somebody finds that funny, they are not making fun of me, but of HTC and Microsoft who sell crap like that for money. I can only make fun of myself because I was stupid enough to buy it, and this experience will keep me from buying any Windows Mobile device before I had the chance to play with WM7 for at least a week.
And come on, some people really need to lighten up a little. This is supposed to be a fun thread, it is about creating a funny video, if you don't want to read it press ALT-F4 and do something else.
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Chris1974 said:
Like the idea...
But you forgot to put in the option of putting it in acid and let it slowly dissolve into notingness...
That would get my vote!
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Very good idea, but I don't think there is any acid that will dissolve the plastic housing. What we would get would be a device where some internal parts would be eaten up by acid, but I don't think very much would be visible on the outside.
Apart from that, it is hard to get concentrated sulfuric acid due to the danger it imposes.
abel7777 said:
Spamming, Riel, is what you do. Nobody cares about how many people you know that are willing to live with an overpriced device that doesn't stand up to what it promises. There are millions of organisms that eat feces and are happy with it, did you know that?
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So why are you putting US up with your expectations? It's obvouis that the phone is good enough for the masses.
I could NOT have known from the start about any of the negative experiences I had to make while trying to use the Touch Diamond. When you buy a machine, like a coffee maker, you expect that it will make coffee. That is the implication of the fact that the coffee maker exists and is being sold as one.
I have bought a very expensive cell phone, implicating that I can make and receive phone calls and send SMS, and it does not even accomplish these basic tasks without showing bugs and errors. Another implicit expectation is that a device sold in 2008 would be at least as fast and responsive as my 2001 Ericsson T39m, at least as far as telephony and SMS are concerned.
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It does more then I want to. Don't know what your problem is, but I call, mail, sms, synchronise, navigate, play games etc. No it does not make coffee. And, yes, you had the option of trying it for a while.
I wouldn't complain if the Diamond needed 1-2 seconds to start a complex application like Google Maps, but it needs 1-2 seconds to switch from my email inbox to an already running Opera, and 3 seconds to take a picture after pressing the shutter button, and yes, it crashes during and after phone calls quite frequently.
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Just edit the registry. When you are not pations, you can set those delays to zero. The average user has no problems with it.
Yes, I used other WM phones like the Samsung Omnia or even the Xperia (had the chance to play with it for half a day) and the ALL had these problems. Unfortunately I had already bought the Diamond... I am not whining or complaining about the loss of money. If I was, I would sell the Diamond on Ebay or somewhere else instead of destroying it.
Riel, I have many devices here that simply do not function properly, with manufacturers not caring about it and saying that I have to live with it, including even a CAR.
What you wrote is just an example for how many people today have stopped thinking about what they can expect for their money. I would love to sell you a hammer drill that takes 30 minutes for drilling a hole, quits unexpectedly from time to time for no obvious reason, and weighs 20 pounds. People like YOU would be quite happy with it as long as it looks fancy, has a blue display on top of it and makes sounds like a device from Star Trek.
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Simple.
I think the perfect phone would cost 10.000 dollars, if you know what I mean.
Riel said:
So why are you putting US up with your expectations? It's obvouis that the phone is good enough for the masses.
It does more then I want to. Don't know what your problem is, but I call, mail, sms, synchronise, navigate, play games etc. No it does not make coffee. And, yes, you had the option of trying it for a while.
Just edit the registry. When you are not pations, you can set those delays to zero. The average user has no problems with it.
Simple.
I think the perfect phone would cost 10.000 dollars, if you know what I mean.
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Well, Riel, I did not have the option of trying it for a while as you wrote... At first, it looks - and feels - great. You play around with all the features, discover the G-sensor, try a little GPS with Google Maps - great. It's like getting a new car with new features that the old one didn't have - electric windows, electric seats, more power, everything smells new - great.
When after a couple of weeks you notice a rattle behind the glove box you start noticing things that you didn't see - or didn't want to see - when it was new.
I don't see me here putting the blame on anyone on this board. I put the blame on the manufacturer who didn't do his job, be it for the hardware or the software part. Why should I edit the registry in my unpaid time to fix a camera delay that I am not responsible for?
You buy a new car, you notice that the air conditioner doesn't work. Would you start tweaking this yourself? Just edit the registry, put in another orifice, flush the system, and maybe that helps?
You are right, the perfect phone would cost a lot of money. Maybe $10000 as you write. Maybe a little less. If it would exist, I would happily spend like $2500 on it. But I don't think it would have to be so expensive - the Iphone is a good start, but with all of its implicit (no flash, no cut-and-paste, too big, poor resolution...) and synthetic (restrictive Apple policies) limitations it's no alternative.
I did not intend to create a discussion like this, I wanted to let all of you participate in the execution of my phone, that's what the poll is for. I am SURE that very many people from this board will watch the video once it's there. I am not torturing lab mice here, it's just a phone so no need to get excited.
If you really want to destroy such a nice device id say go with boiling water and then shoot the hell out of it :>
I love my diamond with duttys ROM, I was disappointed for a while after i bought it how slow it is (1st ones that came out). but since I had tweaked my old wizard here this didnt feel so hard to do the same for this.
my first Diamond got stolen in Bulgaria and I had insurance choice to take money or new phone, I gone for new Diamond. it had new rom and was pretty fast without any tweaks
abel7777 said:
That was BEFORE I started using it beyond the capabilities of an ordinary cell phone, and BEFORE it started hanging or crashing in the middle of a call.
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Definitively a hardware issue. I had a couple of phones like that and they were both fixed in warranty by the manufacturer's service centre.
The problem is that it is hard to distinguish between software issues and hardware problems on a device like Diamond unless you had a working phone in your hand.
Switching between applications is instant, just tried now from inbox to opera running under 1 sec.
Oh and with the Camera lag- it is there on purpose, it is meant to stabilize the picture after pressing the shutter. I have the shutter delay off and it takes the photo within 1/2 sec.
you can double press the camera button to take a instant picture. It has a Auto Focus, which is why it takes a couple of seconds. Length of time does depend on light conditions. more light = quicker to take picture

Our fight against Motorola & Verizon

If you haven't heard all ready Verizon is tracking down root users and limiting there data or fully suspending it so watch out. But we have to fight back against them by hiding Verizon from seeing that we are proudly rooted and some people have said the would sue Verizon. Please do whatever you can to fight against this.
Also motorola and htc are going to start doing the same.
This......can't be true........where did you learn of this?
Not surprising
Used my fascinating voodoo powers
Could you please link a source for this information? Thanks!
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App
apDroid said:
Could you please link a source for this information? Thanks!
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App
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+1: source please
P3droid announced it. When i get time ill link
Used my fascinating voodoo powers
Here is the link from MyDroidWorld: http://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/...rooting-manufacturers-carriers.html#post65013
Here is the entire post:
Some Food for Thought - Bootloaders, Rooting, Manufacturers, and Carriers
Bootloaders, Rooting, Manufacturers, and Carriers
Background
I don't believe that I need to introduce myself, but if I do my name is P3Droid. I am a phone enthusiast and have been working in the Android platform for 17 months. I have been very lucky in my short time on the Android platform. I think more than anything I have been lucky enough to be in the right places at the right times. The day I first saw and played with the Droid (OG) I thought “that is the ugliest damn phone I've ever played with”. Then I was asked back into the store by my friend (nameless) to get some time with the Android platform and he began to explain to me how open the phone was and how a “smart” person could do anything they wanted to the phone. That turned what I thought was an ugly phone into the sexiest beast ever. I guess that was approximately October of 2009, and I was excited about the possibilities and dove right in without checking the depth of the water.
I spent much of the year on an open phone and an open platform, and sometime in July I picked up a Droid X. I soon found a great bunch of friends and we formed Team Black Hat. Really wanting to break the bootloader, we spent more hours working on it than we did our 9 – 5 jobs. Eventually we came to the conclusion (with help from some unique resources), that we were not going to accomplish our objective. Every so often we still pluck away at it, but we have moved on to other things that will help people enjoy their Droid phones.
Fast forward to October 2010. I'm still in love with the concept of android, and I've done more than my share of developing, themeing, creating ROMS and even hacking. *Having been involved in so many things and having developed some unique contacts, I have been privy to information that is not disseminated to the masses. Some of this information I was asked to sit on. Some information I sat on because I felt it was best to do so for our entire community. You have probably seen me rant on occasion about what I thought the community was doing wrong and causing itself future pain. Each of those days I had received even more disheartening information. So where does this leave me? It leaves me with a difficult choice to make. What to tell, how much to tell, and do I want to give information out that could possible be slightly wrong. I've worked very hard to verify things through multiple sources, when possible, and some other information comes from sources so reliable that I take them at their word.
This brings me up to today. I've tossed and turned regarding how to say this, and how to express all of the information and my feelings in regards to this information. I guess the solution is to just let you all decide for yourselves what you think and what you want to do.
One Shoe Falls
Beginning in July, we (TBH), began hearing things about Motorola working on ways to make rooting the device more difficult. This was going to be done via Google through the kernel. No big deal we thought, the community always finds a way. When Froyo was released and there was no root for some time we became a bit concerned but soon there was a process and even 1-clicks. This was good news and bad news to me, because it simply meant that they would go back to the drawing board and improve upon what they had done.
During this time there were still little rumors here and there about security of devices, and other such things but nothing solid and concrete. Until November.
The Other Shoe Falls
Beginning in October, the information began coming in faster and it had more of a dire ring to it. It was also coming in from multiple sources. I began to rant a little at the state of our community, and that we were the cause of our own woes. So what did I hear?
1. New devices would present challenges for the community that would most likely be insurmountable, and that Motorola specifically – would be impossible to hack the bootloader. Considering we never hacked the previous 3G phones, this was less than encouraging.
2.Locked bootloaders, and phones were not a Motorola-only issue, that the major manufacturers and carriers had agreed this was the best course of action.(see new HTC devices)
3. The driving forces for device lock down was theft of service by rooted users, the return of non-defective devices due to consumer fraud, and the use of non-approved firmware on the networks.
I think I posted my first angry message and tweet about being a responsible community soon after getting this information. I knew the hand writing was on the wall, and we would not be able to stop what was coming, but maybe we could convince them we were not all thieves and cut throats.
Moving along, December marked a low point for me. The information started to firm up, and I was able to verify it through multiple channels. This information made the previous information look like a day in the park. So what was new?
1. Multiple carriers were working collaboratively on a program that would be able to identify rooted users and create a database of their meids.
2. Manufacturers who supply Verizon were baking into the roms new security features:
a. one security feature would identify any phone using a tether program to circumvent paying for tethering services. (check your gingerbread DroidX/Droid2 people and try wireless tether)
b. a second security feature would allow the phone to identify itself to the network if rooted.
c. security item number 2 would be used to track, throttle, even possibly restrict full data usage of these rooted phones.
The Rubber Meets the Road
So, I wish I had more time to have added this to the original post, but writing something like this takes a lot of time and effort to put all the information into context and provide some form of linear progression.
Lets get on with the story. March of this year was a monumental month for me. The information was unsettling and I felt as if we had a gigantic bulls-eye on our backs.
This is what I have heard:
1. The way that they were able to track rooted users is based on pushing updates to phones, and then tracking which meid's did not take the update. There is more to it than this but that is the simple version.
2. More than one major carrier besides Verizon has implemented this program and that all carriers involved had begun tracking rooted phones. All carriers involved were more than pleased with the accuracy of the program.
1. What I was not told is what the carriers intended to do with this information.
3. In new builds the tracking would be built into the firmware and that if a person removed the tracking from the firmware then the phone would not be verified on the network (i.e. your phone could not make phone calls or access data).
4. Google is working with carriers and manufacturers to secure phones, and although Google is not working to end hacking, it is working to secure the kernel so that no future applications can maliciously use exploits to steal end-user information. But in order to gain this level of security this may mean limited chances to root the device. (This item I've been told but not yet able to verify through multiple sources – so take it for what you want)
5. Verizon has successfully used its new programs to throttle data on test devices in accordance with the guidelines of the program.
6. The push is to lock down the devices as tight as can be, but also offer un-lockable devices (Think Nexus S).
The question I've asked is why? Why do all this; why go through so much trouble. The answer I get is a very logical one and one I understand even if I don't like it. It is about the money. With LTE arriving and the higher charges for data and tethering, carriers feel they must bottle up the ability of users to root their device and access this data, circumventing the expensive tethering charges.
What I would like to leave you with is that this is not an initiative unique to Verizon or Motorola, this is industry wide and encompassing many manufacturers.
So what does all this mean? You will need to make your own conjectures about what to think of all of this. But, I think that the rooting, hacking, and modding community - as we know it - is living on borrowed time.
In the final analysis of all this I guess I'll leave you with my feelings:
I will take what comes and turn it into a better brighter day, that is all I can do because I do not control the world.
Disclaimers:
I am intentionally not including any names of sources as they do not want to lose their jobs.
This information is being presented to you as I have received and verified it. *
I only deal with information pertaining to US carriers and have no specific knowledge concerning foreign carriers.
Last edited by p3droid; 04-03-2011 at 09:44 AM.
I saw that on Droid Life yesterday and got sad. I am in between contracts now and am debating on getting the Thunderbolt which is wide open for root or waiting for the Bionic, which if it is like the Atrix, might not be rootable at all. Now with this info i am even more lost on which one to get
necroscopev said:
I saw that on Droid Life yesterday and got sad. I am in between contracts now and am debating on getting the Thunderbolt which is wide open for root or waiting for the Bionic, which if it is like the Atrix, might not be rootable at all. Now with this info i am even more lost on which one to get
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Dont get discouraged. Ive been on android since the og droid. These posts come out all the time. The thing they will attack is tethers. Which is understandable being that they are stealing.
Used my fascinating voodoo powers
What concerns me more is that can they or will they differentiate between a rooted phone custom ROM and rooted phone with the person tethering.
I am provided with a paid tethered phone from work with unlimited data plan. I do not use my personal phone to tether. I like the option of having custom ROMs so that I can have the most optimized phone available and not one slowed or battery life lost to bloatware or bugs in the kernal/radio.
Looks like it'll be the lg g2x for me. Or the Xperia arc if it's released in the U.S. with t-mobile's bands. After the merger, who knows
+1 same here man.
CaliTilt said:
What concerns me more is that can they or will they differentiate between a rooted phone custom ROM and rooted phone with the person tethering.
I am provided with a paid tethered phone from work with unlimited data plan. I do not use my personal phone to tether. I like the option of having custom ROMs so that I can have the most optimized phone available and not one slowed or battery life lost to bloatware or bugs in the kernal/radio.
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Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt
This is horrible.
I find it hard to believe that the industry is spending all this time and money on something that is much easier to control from functionality that already exists. Take AT&T for example. They have tiered data plans. Really it doesn't matter if you tether because the more data you use, the more they charge. And that is what this is ultimately about. Money. If a phone company wants me to stop using tether, rather than putting time and effort into the phone, just limit the data. If I owned Verizon, this would totally be the route I would take my business. Forget spending money on locking down the customer. Offer a superior network at a premium price and let the customer go wild. You want to tether 15 devices? Go right ahead, I don't care how many devices you use, but you are limited to 3GB of data for a month and you will be charged exponentially more for each GB over that allotment. Is it really that hard to figure out?
piperat said:
Dont get discouraged. Ive been on android since the og droid. These posts come out all the time. The thing they will attack is tethers. Which is understandable being that they are stealing.
Used my fascinating voodoo powers
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No its not stealing im paying,for unlimited data which I should be able to use how I want. Tethering or not. I dont download torrents and **** over cell data or anything just use it for gendral browsing and email same stuff I would do on the phone just on a larger screen.
U know how much a txt message costs to send but its 20 bucks a month for unlimited txting....its a ripoff look it up.
Just my 2cents
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
You pay for unlimited data to your phone. If you want unlimited data on anything else you should pay the fee they ask for. Its their company they can charge what they want and for whatever they want. You signed the deal. They didnt force you to. If you dont like what they charge for their services find another company that will give you a better deal.
thorpe24 said:
No its not stealing im paying,for unlimited data which I should be able to use how I want. Tethering or not. I dont download torrents and **** over cell data or anything just use it for gendral browsing and email same stuff I would do on the phone just on a larger screen.
U know how much a txt message costs to send but its 20 bucks a month for unlimited txting....its a ripoff look it up.
Just my 2cents
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
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Used my fascinating voodoo powers
Is this limited to Motorola and Verizon only or all Verizon phones and devices?
nubsors said:
I find it hard to believe that the industry is spending all this time and money on something that is much easier to control from functionality that already exists. Take AT&T for example. They have tiered data plans. Really it doesn't matter if you tether because the more data you use, the more they charge. And that is what this is ultimately about. Money. If a phone company wants me to stop using tether, rather than putting time and effort into the phone, just limit the data. If I owned Verizon, this would totally be the route I would take my business. Forget spending money on locking down the customer. Offer a superior network at a premium price and let the customer go wild. You want to tether 15 devices? Go right ahead, I don't care how many devices you use, but you are limited to 3GB of data for a month and you will be charged exponentially more for each GB over that allotment. Is it really that hard to figure out?
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From what I read a while back, Verizon is going to tiered data plans, along with a handful of other carriers... I believe it was on xda, phandroid or android central that I had read multiple news articles about this...
piperat said:
You pay for unlimited data to your phone. If you want unlimited data on anything else you should pay the fee they ask for. Its their company they can charge what they want and for whatever they want. You signed the deal. They didnt force you to. If you dont like what they charge for their services find another company that will give you a better deal.
Used my fascinating voodoo powers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically the data is still running to your phone, so it shouldn't matter. Plus I remember with 2.1 or something like that tethering was "suppose" to be free...
But this argument could go either way really... I see the view point from both sides and I think with a tiered data plan (over XX amount of gb of usage) should be enacted. Also maybe throttle the people downloading torrents or large amounts of data, and offer the tethering fee to unlock the full network speed to those people that download mass amounts of data and use tethering as their only or main source of internet (basically just a little rework of the system they have in place now). I mean I like to be able to tether when I'm on a roadtrip or don't have access to internet (mainly at work there is a dead spot for the wifi due to the radiology classes being inbetween our wifi antenna and the break room. This is caused by the lead lining in their walls). I don't download anything other than what little data I would be using on my phone normally to check some forums, facebook and the occasional email when I want to view those on a bigger screen due to eye and neck strain while eating my lunch. In all honesty, when you break it down, I use A TON less of data while I'm tethering than when I would use my phone as intended due to the tons of apps I run constantly with the constant updates. Now I know that is not the case for the majority of the people that use free tethering, but like the saying goes, why let a few bad apples ruin in for the rest (which is why I stated the throttling of large amounts of data being downloaded such as torrents...my cable internet provider already does this, so it can't be hard for them to implement).
This is not an attack on you personally if it came out that way, jsut a bunch of my scattered thoughts as I've running off of an average 1-2 hours of sleep per night for the past week and I have to be up for work in about 4 hours. And that's also my excuse if this sounds like complete gibberish. lol
racereddy20 said:
Is this limited to Motorola and Verizon only or all Verizon phones and devices?
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It says in the article...
piperat said:
You pay for unlimited data to your phone. If you want unlimited data on anything else you should pay the fee they ask for. Its their company they can charge what they want and for whatever they want. You signed the deal. They didnt force you to. If you dont like what they charge for their services find another company that will give you a better deal.
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Click to collapse
Sure, it's their company and, therefore, their say, but the problem is that there are only 4 big telcos, soon to be 3 (AT&T-Mo, Verizon, and Sprint), and they're all in on it together. They all know that they can screw the consumer by charging extra for everything. Sprint's not as bad as the other 3, but they're not innocent either.
This is the same as how ISPs can theoretically do whatever they want as long as they tell us, but in practice it works out quite badly for the end user because you have about one or two choices of ISP where you live.
I'm not necessarily saying tethering should be free. But I'm DEFINITELY saying it's not worth $30 extra. A $5-10 add-on is all I see it worth being.
I think this will end up like the Iphone jailbreak.
Supreme Court said that the Purchaser OWNS the hardware and can do whatever the hell they want to it...F-Off Apple!
I think the same would happen...

REVIEW SIGNALBOOST DT from Wilson Electronics with VIDEO SLIDESHOW!!

Today we’re looking at the SIGNALBOOST DT from Wilson Electronics.
Click here for pricing, working informational links, and links to purchase.
This is the home version of the Wilson's cell phone signal booster tech, you remember that we'd taken a look at the Sleek 4G-v a while ago which is the in car solution to low bars and dropped calls. Wilson makes a version of their tech to grow and fit any need. Aside from home and auto options that you can easily install yourself, they offer large scale systems that can cover your entire business with a professional installation. As I'd mentioned in the Sleek 4G review, this isn't a gimmick. No stickers, no false promises. If you have at least a little bit of signal, Wilson's products can amplify it. Read on...
Click here to see a video slideshow of the SIGNALBOOST DT
Main advantage: No physical connection to cell phone needed, product will wirelessly boost the signal of an entire room in your home
Main concern: Install is simple, but not easy. Specific distances need to be maintained and based on the layout of your home things can get a bit tricky
Unique features: Works with all major carriers, Boosts the signals of multiple phones at the same time
I still personally maintain the theory that the cell service providers greatly limit the true capabilities of phones to always have a wild card up their sleeves. When technology has advanced beyond anything and it's hard to impress they can always announce, “guaranteed signal increase of up to two bars with our new service” Verizon is definitely capable of this and many other atrocities that would frighten school children across the world if I were to speculate here in print. I'll spare the world the horror and we'll just agree that cell service could be much improved across the board. We need a third party to step in, we need an equalizer to take the power out of the hands of the big 4 here in the US. Wilson Electronics might just be the hero that we need.
I wouldn't trust a person who wasn't at least a bit skeptical about spending a couple of hundred dollars on a cell phone signal booster. Let's get a little backstory to begin. The first thing that helped to bring my attention to Wilson is that Verizon and others were trying to rally the government to ban products like theirs. It's clear that when the bad guy says that something is bad it's most likely bad for them. The cell providers were working furiously for years through the diversions and double speak of lawyers and lobbyists to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The baby being real solutions like Wilson's and the bathwater being the congested sea of snake oil created by years of AS SEEN ON TV cell booster sticker nonsense.
Let's say that you owned an emerging healthy chain restaurant in New York City. You're highly trained and you make great healthy food and business is growing. One day, an employee at a Jack in the Box in Idaho spills floor cleaner in the special sauce and everyone gets sick. Back in New York, there is a big company that sells junky microwave dinners to supermarkets and business is being hurt by how tasty and healthy your food is. The company decides to lobby the government to have all restaurants in the country shut down including your chain in New York. All of this because of an untrained idiot in Idaho (no offense Idaho.) On the surface it might seem like the frozen dinner company is genuinely concerned about the well being of the people, but a little reasonable thought and you can see that it's all a ploy to get rid of the healthy chain that's threatening business with a great product that is a better choice than their own frozen heart attacks. That's basically the idea here, and it's obviously a ridiculous case. Verizon and others didn't win, but they successfully delayed and cast doubt over products like this unfortunately. My job as a journalist is to tell you the truth without exception. Signal boosters like Wilson's aren't perfect, but if you have at least some reception anywhere in the country, Wilson will show you at least some improvement in signal.
To dramatically sum this up, Verizon and the other major carriers are selling a disease that they don't want cured, and Wilson Electronics wants to sell you the medicine.
I mentioned briefly above that the system is simple, but not necessarily easy. It's basically only three pieces; an outdoor and indoor antenna, and a desktop receiver. All the required installation wires and hardware are included in the package. You're given the instructions for three separate scenarios to install the main outdoor antenna. The first, which is described as the best, is outside on or near your roof mounted to a pole. The outdoor antenna comes with a cradle and it is weatherized and sealed for prolonged outdoor use. Any weather damage is covered for a year after purchase to ease any doubts. This is the preferred option as I stated, and I'm sure it would be the only option if it wasn't a very difficult task for many people. I personally live in a multistory building that doesn't allow roof access. The next best option is an outdoor wall mounted installation. You're given the hardware to drill into your home's outer walls where you'll then mount the outdoor antenna facing the nearest cell phone tower. Again, in a multistory building, this isn't a very practical option. That leaves us with the last option that is the simplest but also the least effective, indoor suction cup mounting to a window.
Once you decide which install you're capable of, the only challenge left is running coaxial cable. If the name doesn't ring a bell, coaxial cable is the thicker white wire that your cable man installs. The unit comes with two lengths of RG6 cables, one 20' and one 30' for a total of 50' of possible separation. Also included is an optional adapter to attach the two lengths together if need be. You need a minimum of 20' separation between the outdoor and indoor antennas which can get tricky depending on your home's layout. The best layout that I could find meant that I mounted the antenna on my living room window and dropped the cable down to the base of the floor as the cable man might. I then followed the corners of the room, through a hallway, into my office where there was about 25' separation all together. I then connected the indoor antenna to the other side of the coaxial cable. It's designed to lay flat with 4 rubber skid proof buttons on the bottom. You then just need to connect the desktop receiver which will need to face away from the antenna for optimal functionality. The system works best in a smaller area such an office or bedroom. After connecting all of the components, plug in the included AC adapter to power the device and then you have the option to further tune the device to work just right for you.
A very welcomed addition to this system is a two light on-board notification system that helps you to get the best signal. The lights with show in three colors; red, orange, and green. Red means you aren't configured correctly and it turns the device off altogether to not interfere with any existing signal. Orange means you're getting closer and Green as you've guessed, means you're in tune. Two dials under each light allow you to adjust if you can no longer move the actual components of the system. The further down you turn the dials, the less signal improvement you'll see though. After every adjustment to the dial you'll need to wait at least 5 seconds for the signal to reset. Though the process as I've laid it out might seem involved, remember that it is only a one time setup. You'll never need to touch the pieces of the system after you install (in fact, you won't want to touch them because you might mess with the perfect signal that you worked so hard to get in the first place)
If you'd like to see the full PDF of the included installation instructions, click here.
Here is a site that can help you to find the location of local cell towers.
I tried to set the system up in a few different sections of my own home that are known to get the best reception, though the best is still normally only 2 bars at best. While I found technical success, I didn't find the dramatic increase that many happy customers have reported across the internet. I live in a notoriously difficult cell phone reception area so I don't blame the device. In the end I was able to improve from two bars to three bars. Specifically, the way a cell phone's reception is measured is through dBm. I'm not smart enough to technically understand this beyond knowing that he measurement is taken in negative numbers so a lower number is a better number. I improved from -107dbm to -96dbm which is a ten times increase in signal according to Wilson. I haven't dropped a call since and while it wasn't a frequent occurrence really, I did drop calls before. I have noticed a clear improvement in call volume actually which is very welcome. I'd spent many a phone call in the past with a finger angrily jammed into my ear trying to focus on a low call volume. Nevermore.
Thank you again to Wilson Electronics for supplying their product for review.
What's in the box: outdoor and indoor antenna, outdoor cradle, coaxial cable, ac adapter, install instructions, all mounting hardware
Is it worth buying: Many report a dramatic increase when using the product but the most important thing to remember is that this device isn't magic. It won't make something from nothing but if you have a weak signal it should give you a very usable and constant signal at the least. At best, people have reported that calls are so clear and loud that they need to actually turn the in-call volume down. While that wasn't my own experience, hundreds of accounts online plus my own give me full confidence in recommending the product. BUY WITH CONFIDENCE.
I hear what ya saying, and I'm not doubting intelligence of our forum readers, but I'm pretty sure your very passionate analogy with "jack in the box" will fly over the head of a lot of readers who click to read a review to find out if this is a product for them or not, in this case if they can justify spending $225 on a signal booster which can only provide one extra bar after an extensive setup
As you have seen, even with my reviews where I'm trying to get to the technical point quickly and have made some improvements lately to keep it shorter - people still skip to pictures Btw, the subject of review was just "REVIEW", so perhaps my reply will bring it up to someone's attention if they are interested in this product.
vectron said:
I hear what ya saying, and I'm not doubting intelligence of our forum readers, but I'm pretty sure your very passionate analogy with "jack in the box" will fly over the head of a lot of readers who click to read a review to find out if this is a product for them or not, in this case if they can justify spending $225 on a signal booster which can only provide one extra bar after an extensive setup
As you have seen, even with my reviews where I'm trying to get to the technical point quickly and have made some improvements lately to keep it shorter - people still skip to pictures Btw, the subject of review was just "REVIEW", so perhaps my reply will bring it up to someone's attention if they are interested in this product.
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I'll give the members here the credit to handle a small story. They can always click through to the video slideshow with my blessing. :good:
As far as $225 for one extra bar. As I'd mentioned in the article there are many online accounts of a full five bars. I'm in a horrible spot, really uniquely horrible area for reception. The product has nearly 500 customer reviews on Amazon with a 4 star rating maintained, not an easy task when the amount of reviews is that high. In any event, this is a company that stands by their product. Buy it and set it up and if you aren't happy contact them and I'm sure they will make everything right. If not, as I've said before, post your issue here and I'll try to intervene if necessary.
samprocat said:
I do definitely agree with you I use them on all my vehicles and motorcycle. ..and there is only one thing to say.....it will rock your network in many places that are miles and miles from network
SGH-S959G
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Glad to hear a real account samprocat.
snapz54 said:
Glad to hear a real account samprocat.
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Uh, is there a response that the rest of us can't see? Btw, Samprocat's using the mobile version that is wired to a vehicle antenna, Just sayin.
Man, you've got to learn to take constructive criticism bro.
It's obvious that you're not an independent reviewer and that your reviews also direct to your website (skating on the edge of forum rules).
With a product like this, I think a bit more research than 'hundreds of online reviews' is deserved.
Wilson makes a solid product,... for the right consumer. The consumer that understands that the best way to capitalize on this device is with high gain antennas and professional installation so that they don't have coaxial cables all over the place and an antenna in a weird location. A consumer that uses antennasearch.com and knows what to do with the search results. (I think you meant to put in a link for the antenna search in your review, but you missed it.)
Quite possibly the best thing about this product, is the company itself. They have excellent customer service. If you buy the right device. For example, you may want to mention in the review that the version you reviewed is the non-LTE version and that Wilson has a line of installation accessories that can help a person install it properly (but at some expense.) If someone's looking to take advantage of a newer phone's LTE capabilities, that may cost a bit more but hey, it's worth it.
apallohadas said:
Uh, is there a response that the rest of us can't see?
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I think the quote came from a duplicate thread that he had made, but had typo'd the heading. He has simply copied that post to here to provide substantive information from another user.
Optimistic Pessimist said:
I think the quote came from a duplicate thread that he had made, but had typo'd the heading. He has simply copied that post to here to provide substantive information from another user.
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What I think apallohadas meant is that samprocat's one short sentence statement was not a convincing testimonial, so he was asking if there is something more that we missed between the lines
vectron said:
What I think apallohadas meant is that samprocat's one short sentence statement was not a convincing testimonial, so he was asking if there is something more that we missed between the lines
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Ahh I see, Yeah just re-read his comment and got the context.
I'm happy with my review. I believe I was thorough enough to get a person enough to decide if they want to seriously think about purchasing the device. It isn't my task to replace your own thought process. The fact that someone belongs to this forum and is most likely active in phone customization and the ins and outs of that process shows that an average member is a thoughtful, intelligent, and above all else is very capable of independent thought. I'm only here to whet your appetite enough to let you know if a product is definitely not for you or if it perhaps deserves a little more investigating on your part. I would never make a decision based on one person's opinion and I don't expect that any of you would be either. At the same time, I'm always grateful to hear an honest review of a product with issues so that I can be warned of a possible mistake I might be making in even considering that product.
I try to write a review that is broad enough to bring in many different competencies without being dismissive or above anyone unfamiliar with the concepts involved. As to your point about it being obvious that I'm not only reviewing for XDA, I'm not trying to hide anything from anybody. Every article begins with a link to the source that has all correct hyperlinks and pricing. It's a very taxing process to put all of this together and I don't ask for a thing in return from anyone. I take the time to link these reviews to the source article and the youtube video as most would rather just see the slideshow and move on. I don't deny anyone that or discourage it. If I didn't link anything and just pasted a link to the source article I could see someone being upset but I am taking the time to paste the entire article and link the basics up here as well. The point is that if you're interested enough to want the links then please click on the source and it's all there for you to do as you please.
I appreciate any and all constructive criticism and the fact that people post thanks on here, on youtube, and elsewhere is enough to keep me motivated to keep reviewing product. Thank you for your support.
p.s. sorry about the confusion with the "phantom quote" optimistic understood and correctly described the situation. I made a mistake and samprocat had already commented in the thread that was being deleted because of my double post. I didn't want the member's comment thrown out so I quoted it and informed them through PM that I was doing so.

I work in tech support for a major US carrier...Wow some people...

Does anyone else here work in the technical support or any cellular related fields whether it's retail or customer service? Some people are really freaking ignorant of the technology or absolutely stubborn when it comes to how phones and service works. I am tired of people demanding a new phone when every little thing happens. Does a car dealership replace your current car with a new one when it's under warranty? No they fix the problem with the car. It's not my fault you moved and you don't have coverage at your new house. When you got your phone we gave you a grace period to try it out and determine if coverage is good enough where you live. Moving doesn't give you a new grace period. You're not under contact anymore so if you want to leave us...pay off your device and go. I'll even help you unlock it once you've paid it off. Backups, backups...holy sh*t freaking backup your data people. When an application wreaks havoc or you got ad bots or whether something software related fails you might as well be prepared to hard reset your phone. No, you're not getting a warranty replacement without doing that step first. You're gonna have to transfer your data either way so back your sh*t up. It's not my responsibility to ensure your pictures and contacts don't get lost. Take some responsibility for your data and educate yourself on how to save it. Warranty is not an upgrade path either. Don't ask for a different color or model. That one year by the manufacturer is for the exact model. We (the carrier) are nice enough to take care of the warranty on behalf of the manufacturer. You think Samsung or Asus will send you an upgraded or different device? Take it up with them. Don't whine and cry because you can't scam warranty and insurance for an upgrade. You want a new phone then pay off the one you have or buy it at full price.
Anyways just had to vent. Working in technical support is actually a lot of fun and I really enjoy educating and teaching customers how to use their devices and explore the world a smartphone has to offer. However the amount of rampant stupidity and unreal requests are absolutely absurd.
Tell me about it. Every. Single. Bloody. Day.
I truly, truly believe there should be a driving license for using a smartphone. The amount of people who have no idea how the device, the one that they entrust their entire lives to, actually works is damn near astronomical.
"My WiFi doesn't work. What did you do to it?!?! *insert expletives filled capslock rant about fraud and scammers*" To a provider that doesn't supply landlines, only mobile. About 80% of the people apparently don't know the difference between WiFi and Mobile Data.
Had this gem last week: Someone opened the charger flap on the S5, and the thing broke off. He bend down to pick it off the floor, and dropped the phone instead. Screen cracked, phone dead. Now that customer is demanding that the provider covers the repair costs of the dropped phone. He claims it wasn't his fault that the phone dropped, it was the fault of that broken off flap, and so it should fall under warranty.
"How do I view the photo I just took?" Why are you even using a smartphone?
This also happens about three times a day:
"My phone doesn't work." No other information, just that.
"Sir, which brand and model is your phone?"
"It's an iPhone."
"Which one?"
"An S4."
"Uh, sir, an iPhone 4S or a Samsung Galaxy S4?"
"Aren't they all the same?"
And then there's these people:
"I have a bill here for 300 quid of additional, out-of-package costs. I was calling a friend and forgot to end the call. You should've ended it for me. I'm not paying that."
Oh, and the amount of people referring to 4G as G4.... -.-
On the other side of that coin, I hate talking to the CS reps of ANY technology company.
"I need you to reprovision my data because your system thinks I have an iPhone and it's messing with my data"
"Sir, may I ask have you restarted your phone?"
and I have to go thru like 12 different times telling him to please do what I asked in the first place.
Or I walk into a T-Mobile store and the rep is telling me I can't use a verizon phone on the network, because it's verizon.
"But the phone comes unlocked, just give me a SIM card"
"Verizon is CDMA blah blah"
And I get to argue with the guy for an hour about how things actually work.
Or even worse when I try to get a warranty replacement device. No I don't want to restart my phone or factory reset it, or put in my Google Account login information again, or try a new SIM card, or anything like that.
The device is broken, I know about phones, just replace it and let's get on with it!
So trust me it's very frustrating for us consumers too...
Yep, definitely frustrating for consumers.
I have a phone that runs on unknown network bands, can I test a sim (i would pay the $2 if required)?
Nope, you are already on the best network.
But yours has different frequency bands
*Blank stare* Umm your already on the best network for reception
*Walk out knowing I could do the job better*
Sent from my fake galaxy note 4, now revived from the dead, again!
You do realize that the shop assistants are hired for their sales skills, not their knowledge of the product, I hope? All they receive is Sales training, not product information nor technical training.
Most of them couldn't tell an iPhone apart from a Samsung if their lives depended on it. Going to those monkeys with a tech question is like asking a 5 year old about String Theory. It's pointless.
You might as well walk into IKEA's storage section with a question about network frequencies. You're statistically more likely to find people with tech knowledge there than behind the counter in a provider shop. :laugh:
ShadowLea said:
You do realize that the shop assistants are hired for their service skills, not their knowledge of the product, I hope? All they receive is Sales training, not product information nor technical training.
Most of them couldn't tell an iPhone apart from a Samsung if their lives depended on it. Going to those monkeys with a tech question is like asking a 5 year old about String Theory. It's pointless.
You might as well walk into IKEA's storage section with a question about network frequencies. You're statistically more likely to find people with tech knowledge there than behind the counter in a provider shop. :laugh:
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This is the B&M guys, the "service technicians" on the phone, the "specialists" on the phone, the guys in chats etc.
I have never had someone who knew enough about networks, bands, actual device specs etc, talk to me from any portion of any phone company.
And I've been on every phone network...
orangekid said:
This is the B&M guys, the "service technicians" on the phone, the "specialists" on the phone, the guys in chats etc.
I have never had someone who knew enough about networks, bands, actual device specs etc, talk to me from any portion of any phone company.
And I've been on every phone network...
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From what I know in the EU, you never actually get to speak to the Tech guys when you call in. It's still only a Customer Contact employee. They contact the Tech department on an internal line, but the tech lads never speak to customers. Don't know if the US system is different (probably not).
Oh I've met my fair share of the technologically handicapped in the shops, too. One shining example is the idiot who told me, in 2013, that I shouldn't use Android because it was still a Beta version, and thus I would be at risk of viruses. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
ShadowLea said:
Oh I've met my fair share of the technologically handicapped in the shops, too. One shining example is the idiot who told me, in 2013, that I shouldn't use Android because it was still a Beta version, and thus I would be at risk of viruses. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
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Unfortuneately they hate Windows Phone to, which is a shame because aside from apps, it is the second best operating system (beats IOS by a mile)

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