[Ti] OT: Phone recommendations?

[Dennis Fazio]

On May 25, 2006, at 12:50 PM, Scott Smith wrote:

> I see.  I regret that Verizon can't "see" that providing the  
> firmware would be advantageous to them.

It's a business decision on their part. They do get revenue from  
subscribers transferring pictures and data over their network. The  
intention is that you use their data network to get the images and  
data to your PowerBook. Allowing you to bypass that by allowing  
direct Bluetooth transmission is not to their advantage. Cingular and  
T-Mobile have made different business decisions on that.

Verizon justifies the Bluetooth disabling on security; prevention of  
any intrusion that would interfere with the phone's functioning and  
jeopardize its reliability as a telephone. Others have expressed  
cynicism at that, claiming Verizon is not thinking of its customers,  
just being greedy.

I've not seen a true analysis of the Bluetooth vulnerability issue;  
obviously Cingular and T-Mobile have not been concerned. It would be  
up to the market (either by sufficient pressure from subscribers or  
customers leaving for the competitors) to sort it out probably.

-- 
Dennis Fazio
dfz at mac.com