18-Jul-2007, From Ellery Davies -- Ellery (at) StarBus (dot) com
Please copy
feedback to my email address

This question really goes to the heart of Verizon's recent decision to allow
phone users access to the manufacturer's oringinal firmware-user-interface.*
It is a SEPARATE issue from Verizon's decision to limit or cripple specific
features and capabilities.

For example, the early Motorola E815 and Razr had the Motorola user menu
system. But during the middle of their marketing, Verizon changed the user
interface to their own GUI (widely considered crappy). Occasional comments
from Verizon representatives made it clear that the company did this to
reduce support costs. The problem really wasn't the user (they were not
calling in greater numbers - in fact, the Motorola and Samsung interface
generates FEWER calls). Rather they wished to reduce the cost of training
support techs by restricting them to one global GUI.

This results in a great many unnecessary keystrokes (because of the very
poor Verizon interface) and even some missing features (For example,
Motorola's GUI offered "vibrate and then ring - which is great if the phone
is sitting a distance away from you"). But last month, several reports
indicated that Verizon would begin shipping phones with their originally
intended GUI intact. That raises an interesting questions. Is there any way
to update (or flash) a recent phone. Form example, my family has the Razr,
KRZR K1m and Samsung SCH-a990. All of these were purchased after Verizon
decided to force their kludgy interface on an otherwise great device.

After looking around the web, I gather that there are advanced methods to do
what I wish. They require a PC, use special software tools, and involve SEEM
edits or otherwise risk permanent damage to the phone. I will be very
disappionted if Verizon does not reward their existing users by offerring us
the capability to quickly revert the phone to the manufacturer's menu
system - since they have apparently capiculated on this issue. But, alas,
the behavior that I wish for is not typically in Verizon's manner of dealing
with their customer base.

I have no access to this news group. Please copy your reply directly to me:
Ellery (at) StarBus (dot) com
_____________

"TC" <golemdanube@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1184168161.573792.70870@z28g2000prd.googlegro ups.com...
>I just got a new Verizon phone, and I'm disappointed with the user
> interface. They've programmed the buttons to give me quick access to
> all the features I don't use -- like messaging, voice commands, and
> online shopping.
>
> Is there any way to reprogram the phone so that it works the way I
> want?
>
> -TC