Motorola, Best Buy, Cingular - Please Get Your Act Together [Archive]

Kris Kumar

11-23-2004, 05:30 PM

A month ago when the MPx220 was launched we rushed to the stores because we believed in the product and the companies behind it. We could have returned the product the next day or the day after, but most of us didn't. Because we knew that the product had potential and was having some teething troubles. We were willing to take the risk of waiting for a fix to be issued for the problems, because we believed it can be done. When we found out that Best Buy has recalled the product and is re-stocking its stores. We were happy and went through all the hoops, because we knew that the MPx220 is the best option when it comes to Smartphones. Because we believed in the product and the companies behind it.

I am sure by now many of you who had rushed out to the Best Buy stores to buy the Smartphone under the exclusive program have paid a visit or two or more, and have got their device exchanged. And I am sure like me you are wondering if it was worth all the trouble and hassle that we went through at the store's customer service counter or when we were bumped off from Best Buy's 1-800 support number to Cingular's and then on to Motorola's. And finally to be told by the Motorola folks that only Best Buy can help you or that you need to send the phone in for repairs and it will take up to two weeks. :? Every Smartphone Thoughts reader who bought the phone and got it exchanged has a story to tell. Some of them were lucky but most were not. Motorola's second generation Smartphone is creating second generation nightmares for many of its customers. :evil: <!>

I on behalf of the Smartphone community would like to request Motorola, Cingular and Best Buy to get their act together. And ensure that a solution is found and delivered to all the problems plaguing this otherwise fine product. Before I mention the bugs I would like to thank Motorola for fixing the microphone in the version .342 of the firmware. At least they nailed one bug in this update.

Following are the issues that are still open:

• Ear piece and speaker volume is still not high enough. It is low compared to the MPx200. I would like it if I had to reduce the volume on the handset by a notch to answer most of the calls. But right now I have to keep it at the maximum level for all calls and still cannot hear clearly.
• Camera needs to be improved. The picture in automatic mode are too noisy/grainy.
• Camera takes fuzzy pictures when Bluetooth is on. Or maybe when there are too many applications or background processes.
• Bluetooth module crashes when using multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously. When using Bluetooth headset and maybe another Bluetooth session like ActiveSync, the Bluetooth module crashes. The Bluetooth icon stays visible in the icon bar. But the microphone on the headset or even on the handset won't function. Reboot fixes this problem.
• Bluetooth serial profile is missing and the problem using Bluetooth GPS devices with certain navigation applications.
• There are some odd hangs and shutdown issues that users are experiencing.
• Last but not the least would like to know, if version .342 is also a beta firmware just like .325 or not?

Another thing that bugs me or annoys me is, why have these companies been so quiet? :evil: How come no one has stepped forward with an official statement? I haven't gotten any response to the recent E-Mails that I sent to the Motorola support. Its been over three days now.

The next time a fix is issued I would like to see an official statement. Something that tells us where to go and what to expect. Is that too much to ask for? I must warn Motorola, Cingular and Best Buy that if they botch up the next update, then they will not only loose the existing loyal customers but also the future ones.

Finally I would like to request our readers to stay calm. When the next fix is released, please do not run to the stores and rush out with a replacement. I am not sure how we can verify the fix, in fact this is where an official statement can bring some credibility, but the very least we can do is open the box with the replacement phone at the stores and verify the fixes.

Jerry Raia

11-23-2004, 05:50 PM

I'd like to second everything you have said and add this:

To anyone who reads this board looking for guidance on what phones to get. Don't buy the MPx220 from anywhere! Best Buy, Cingular, Motorola or anywhere else! I would stay clear of this phone until we get some clear idea from one of the above mentioned companies what is going on here.

If you look through the numerous posts from those of us who have this phone and what we have had to deal with trying to get a straight answer it is clear something is really wrong with the way the companies are handling the issue and its CUSTOMERS!

Hobbes

11-23-2004, 05:53 PM

Well said.

If BB, MOT, and Cingular look at other companies who proactively acknowledge their mistakes or support issues upfront, they will find the result is excellent PR and customer satisfaction. I will say its hard to admit one is wrong or has made a mistake BUT... Its better to tell the truth than to lie or ignore the problem.

In the future, such willing and supportive users will not be scorned again. They say: Get me once, shame on you. Get me twice, shame on me.

That said, I am glad I waited to hear the stories of the people who DID react and, perhaps, its they who forced the issue on the trifecta here. Restraint is important but those who speak up are heard.

MikeBrown

11-23-2004, 06:09 PM

Frist off you should never 'believe' in a phone or in a company. Phones are digital 1's and 0's, that's about fact not belief. Companies are about making money, from you. They're not magical entities out there to 'help' all of humanity.

Secondly considering Motorola now has the only widely available Windows Mobile powered Smartphone on the market today, there is no way they're going to come out with a press release saying that it is all botched up, Microsoft surely had something to say about that one. Similarly with Best Buy, they have enough customer service nightmares with people returning things, in fact their CEO actually thinks that 50% of their customer base has been sent to Best Buy by Satan himself to take advantage of the company's policies. - http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20041108-4382.html - The last thing they're going to do is tell everyone to 'come on back to Best Buy' and return their phone.

Third, wireless phones and computers have been around for a long long time now and anyone who has had one for any length of time should know that everytime some type of update is released for anything (be it Windows or whatever) that there are always problems that need to be patched and instead of rushing out and upgrading right away you should WAIT until the crap sorts itself out.

It's all the people like you who are the guinea pigs of companies like Motorola and retailers like Best Buy. They get you all excited and worked up with some 'fancy' new phone and you rush out and buy it only to find all these problems with it. They could have found those problems at Motorola long before the phone came out but why bother? That woud cost them extra time and money. They not only get you testing it for them for free, they've got you PAYING THEM to do it, and paying Best Buy and Cingular along with them. That's smart business right there, and that's why 'believing' in any technology company today is a joke, there's too many of them, too much competition, and too much pressure to rush product to market while slashing development costs and increasing the bottom line profit.

Do you really even think that posting on this website or writing emails to 'customer service' at Motorola means anything? They're going to fix it when they fix it on their own time regardless of how much whining people do, because it's not like recalling a defective airbag on a Honda Accord where some 12 year old kid is going to get hurt, it's a stupid cell phone, no matter how 'smart' its marketed to be.

Do you really want get them to do it right, to fix the product, to make sure it works when it hits the store shelves? THEN DON'T BUY IT!! That's right, WAIT to buy it. Wait until the reviews come out, wait until any problems surface and then make the decision. When you said that 'we rushed out to buy it' I also hope that you don't mean yourself personally Kris. You write for Smartphone Thoughts and if you actually paid Motorola for that phone things are even worse than I thought....in fact I've got some tech products I'm developing too. If you pay me $300 plus $50/month I just might let you test them for me.

Ben

11-23-2004, 06:36 PM

The real tragedy of this situation is, as Kris said, that in general the mpx220 is an excellent phone with a few major problems. I have not yet picked up mine and have been waiting for these problems to be resolved before making the purchase. Prices always drop significantly and stability and solutions increase over time, so waiting a few months, while hard, is usually the best approach.

My fear, though, is that Moto, BB, and Cingular have made such a mess of this one that they have probably lost plenty of money (when you factor in the costs of the support they have had to render) all because of poor communication within the companies, between the companies, and to the consumers (and several people who obviously dropped the ball in their PR, marketing, and most importantly executive and quality control departments) that they will stop making these phones. They will look at this debacle and proclaim that smartphones are not particularly profitable, when in fact, if they had done it right, releasing with no major issues and Wi-Fi incorporated for good measure, they would have made tens of millions of sales and set a new standard.

The unwillingness to commit enough resources and communicate well has resulted in a poor product that was destined to result in a loss to the companies and a blow to the growth of the smartphone market. And it is such a well designed, beautiful phone! No one else makes clam-shell smartphones, and if Motorola would just get it right, they would be on top of the world!

Jerry Raia

11-23-2004, 07:01 PM

Do you really even think that posting on this website or writing emails to 'customer service' at Motorola means anything?

You make good points Mike. I do think though that these entities look at these sites. What effect it has may be small. I have no way of knowing. More important if it influences potential buyers and a lot of them, then it has accomplished something and then, the big guys may notice.

Bottom line I think is this board and others are for US, the users of these devices, regardless of whether or not Moto or BB or any other company looks at them. It would be nice if they did look and take note, but it is irrelevant to me. I'm here so I can learn from everyone else, not influence Motorola or Best Buy.

sullivanpt

11-23-2004, 07:17 PM

I'm still in the customer support wasteland. Over the 30 day return period, not a Cingular customer, and every Motorola representative I speak with assures me the correct way to get the fix is to go to the store because "Motorola and Best Buy have an in store replacement agreement." :roll:

The amusing thing is, I knew better than to buy from Best Buy. Their reputation is very well known.
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller_info_pop.pl?seller_id=1823
But the original purchase was smooth, I enjoyed the store, and I actually went back to the store and made another $300 in purchases last month.

But now that I've experienced the Best Buy customer satifaction policy first hand, I think I'm not stupid enough to make this mistake again!

My opinion, even with the bugs the phone is great. Motorola customer service seems okay -- hard to know when the reps are given bad information.

Best Buy should be avoided like the plague.

Patrick

Edit: Amazingly a rep from Best Buy Consumer Policy called me shortly after I posted here. Probably coincidence but interesting nonetheless. He said the Best Buy store I purchased from had agreed to exchange my phone. Upon arrival at the store, the manager I had argued with the day before verbally reprimanded me for contacting Corporate, walked away, made me wait half an hour (not too far away, he kept an eye on me the whole time -- as far as I can tell he wanted to annoy me but wanted to make sure I didn't have a chance to call corporate again), and then finally (when I grabbed my cell phone and started dialing!) sent someone over to me to do the exchange.

So I'm not sure if all of Best Buy should be avoided or just the stores :D
Somebody in the chain did do right by me. But regardless I remain an unhappy ex-customer.

Jerry Raia

11-23-2004, 07:32 PM

Best Buy should be avoided like the plague.

I think they are the worst offender in all of this mess.

apeguero

11-23-2004, 08:37 PM

Bottom line I think is this board and others are for US, the users of these devices, regardless of whether or not Moto or BB or any other company looks at them.

It is exactly because of this website that I decided to not buy this stupid phone. I decided to go with the Audiovox SMT5600 mostly because of the reviews that were out on the same model used by Orange.

As much as I was tempted to buy this phone, I guess the immediate complaints being posted by the first buyers kept me away from it.

In the end I'm happy with my SMT5600 and saved $200.00 in the process :)

Oh, one question, how may of you are going to rush out and buy any of those other Fancy looking Motorola MPX cell phones? Like the one with the MPX or the Razor? I hope NONE.

seaflipper

11-23-2004, 09:01 PM

[quote=Jerry Raia]In the end I'm happy with my SMT5600 and saved $200.00 in the process :)

Oh, one question, how may of you are going to rush out and buy any of those other Fancy looking Motorola MPX cell phones? Like the one with the MPX or the Razor? I hope NONE.

Yes, I am VERY plesed with my SMT5600, in every way. I can't really think of one thing that is an issue really. Nothing significant in anyway. If you look over at the AT&T Wireless forums (http://forums.attwireless.com/) you will notice that most of the posts are really WM2003 Smartphone issues and not specific to the phone. Additionally, having been around the block with the MPx200 last year, I can tell you that the reaction to the SMT5600 is so different. Way too many problems with the MPx200 right off the bat, and hardware issues for sure (remember the stupid stupid voice dial jog button that never worked?) Things like that dominated the discussion about the phone - hardware issues and not software issues.

And again, I have to say, it's the same with the MPx220. Hardware issues seem to be the major hurdle AGAIN. They seem to get the "sex factor" of the phone right, but the quality control issue seems to get left behind or left until the last.

How many moto phones in the past 3 years have been recalled (oficially or unofically) because of QA issues? Remember the T720? How many versions were released until it was even usable? Remember the V600? That kept getting delayed and delayed and delayed and then STILL had problems when it finally made it out!! Cingular pulled it, and then AT&T even pulled it (although I never had serious issues with it myself)... The Razr was released and then pulled again (and the Razr stinks in my opinion, just plain stinks - look for this to be a give away phone by mid year 2005). The MPx has never materialized beyond engineering samples. Many many other Moto phones have been announced and have never seen the light of day.

You can blame Cingular/Best Buy/Microsoft all you want for their role in this, but the end result is that their role is minor compared to the significant and serious quality issues that have been around Moto phones for quite some time and have simply not been fixed. Moto just DOESN'T seem to get it.

Having gotten used to the pattern of "Moto releases a phone, how long until the first Flash is available" I was very surprised and pleased when my SMT5600 worked out of the box! I seriously hope Moto can get it together. We need more options out there and they get a part of it right, it's just some of the most significant parts they do get so very wrong...

ok, end of rant...

Mike Temporale

11-23-2004, 09:19 PM

Oh, one question, how may of you are going to rush out and buy any of those other Fancy looking Motorola MPX cell phones? Like the one with the MPX or the Razor? I hope NONE.

If nobody buys the phone, how will we know if there are problems with it? :wink:

The real heart of the issue here is that Moto was aware of a number of these issues during the testing phase. If you read any of the early reviews/previews of this phone, they all mentioned volume and camera issues. I don't think it's unrealistic to assume that problems that turned up during testing would be fixed in the final commercial release. However, Moto didn't fix these.

MikeBrown

11-23-2004, 10:01 PM

The phone should be given away for free to members of the media for review purposes like is often the case. Then these people spend time with the phone and honestly report their findings, perhaps in some cases if the findings are horrific - privately report them to the manufacturer and give them a chance to provide a fix or say when a fix will be available. This isn't necessary with 95% of the 'whatever' typical consumer phones that come out, but the higher end phone like the MPX220 should absolutely go through this process, and we can make them go through it by simply not buying new phones until they've been properly reveiewd and tested outside the realm of 'internal' quality control at whatever company makes it.

Also my point in saying "Do you really even think that posting on this website or writing emails to 'customer service' at Motorola means anything?" was more in response the tone of original post - sort of pleading for them to 'get it together' and telling them (Best Buy etc.) that if they got it together they'd "really have a winner on their hands". Well gee whiz, that's a great pep talk, perhaps if we were in the boardroom at Motorola that would sound good.

However to get real action on the part of the companies (especially if they do read these boards which is highly likely) is to slam their product utterly and completely. Basically the headline of this story should be "DO NOT BUY THE MPX220 AT BEST BUY - TERRIBLE FLAWS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE". Now see that's the kind of stuff that gets their attention.

The MPX220 represnts .0001% of Best Buy's products so they don't care if you talk about the phone, the key is to slam the companies by name in the headline and get the search engines to pick it up, then when enough of that starts happening they will change their ways.

Beowulf

11-23-2004, 10:03 PM

I'm stuck with my Cingular contract, and I need a world phone for when I travel to Japan and Europe. So basically the only choice for a smart phone is the mpx220. Cingular and Moto are the biggest to blame in my mind.

Moto is trying to act like there's nothing wrong and they are trying to force Best Buy into bearing the cost of exchanges. Not willing to admit a recall.

Cingular is playing the big dumb giant; ignoring the situation and pushing Moto and Best Buy to get it resolved on their own before it ends up in the Cingular stores. With all the phones I have owned the carrier (Cingular) is responsible for deploying updates to the phones. If they don't want to post the flash software on their site for download then they should bear the cost of updating or exchanging my phone.

Mike Temporale

11-24-2004, 12:35 AM

The phone should be given away for free to members of the media for review purposes like is often the case.

I agree. Media, and enthusiast sites, should get the phone for free or with a deep discount from the manufacturer for review purposes. :D :wink: In reality, that's not going to happen. Some companies and carriers are willing to do this, others are not. In the past, Motorola has not been very forth coming in this area. At least not with us. There was a large number of pre-production units out there. All the initial reports on these units highlighted the same issues we have now. so I don't see how Motorola giving them away will fix this. Since they obviously didn't listen to the reports from their pre-production review units.

Also my point in saying "Do you really even think that posting on this website or writing emails to 'customer service' at Motorola means anything?" was more in response the tone of original post - sort of pleading for them to 'get it together' and telling them (Best Buy etc.) that if they got it together they'd "really have a winner on their hands". Well gee whiz, that's a great pep talk, perhaps if we were in the boardroom at Motorola that would sound good.

Yes, I believe it will make a difference. If Moto and the others listen and change there ways that's a huge win. If they don't and all we can achieve is educating the consumer about the problems this phone faces, I would also consider that a win.

However to get real action on the part of the companies (especially if they do read these boards which is highly likely) is to slam their product utterly and completely. Basically the headline of this story should be "DO NOT BUY THE MPX220 AT BEST BUY - TERRIBLE FLAWS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE". Now see that's the kind of stuff that gets their attention.

If that's the style of reporting you're looking for, then you're at the wrong site. :wink: The majority of us here are not interested in the "over the top", yelling, screaming, and calling names approach to being heard. I'm more interested in calmly talking and debating the issues. :)

mboone

11-24-2004, 12:37 AM

You know, I don't know why but I feel compelled to post this - I like the MPx220. I really do. I can hear just fine, and the camera is a non-issue (if I want quality pictures I'll use a real camera). ActiveSync with my SBS/Exchange is fantastic. If they came out tomorrow and said they'd replace it for free with a better one, then sure, I'd let them, but until then I have no intentions of letting it go. I think I am the only one who likes this phone.........

Mike B.

Mike Temporale

11-24-2004, 12:44 AM

Kris Kumar

11-24-2004, 01:16 AM

They say: Get me once, shame on you. Get me twice, shame on me.

Good quote! I will be very cautious when it comes to buying a Motorola phone, or for that matter a phone from Best Buy or Cingular.

When you said that 'we rushed out to buy it' I also hope that you don't mean yourself personally Kris. You write for Smartphone Thoughts and if you actually paid Motorola for that phone things are even worse than I thought...

I am part of the "we". :oops:

My fear, though, is that Moto, BB, and Cingular have made such a mess of this one that they have probably lost plenty of money (when you factor in the costs of the support they have had to render) all because of poor communication within the companies, between the companies, and to the consumers (and several people who obviously dropped the ball in their PR, marketing, and most importantly executive and quality control departments) that they will stop making these phones. They will look at this debacle and proclaim that smartphones are not particularly profitable,..

Ben, knowing how big companies operate, I agree with what you have said. The Product Managers in order to same their jobs will blame the market and the Windows platform for all the problems. :evil:

You can blame Cingular/Best Buy/Microsoft all you want for their role in this, but the end result is that their role is minor compared to the significant and serious quality issues that have been around Moto phones for quite some time and have simply not been fixed. Moto just DOESN'T seem to get it.

Moto will learn a lesson when the sales figures come in. Its not easy to survive in this business. Especially when no-name brands are putting a lot of pressure and eating up the sales.

mboone

11-24-2004, 01:18 AM

I've had it over 30 days. I haven't checked the firmware version. I will say, I've had a few times where I had to reposition the phone to hear properly - it seems like if you don't have it pointed in your ear right it makes a difference. But had I not read the posts here I would have never thought a thing about it.

Mike B.

aristoBrat

11-24-2004, 01:44 AM

Moto has a less than stellar reputation with the "not-so-Smart" phone crowd over at HowardForums. As Seaflipper mentioned, this is FAR from their first "ooops".

I wonder if the SMT 5600 hadn't of come out when it did if Moto would have held off release the MPx220 a little longer.

To me it seems like they released it "not quite right" simple to get it on the market.

mboone, there is a lot to like about the phone, which I think is pretty evident by people hanging on them, hoping Moto will pull thru in the end.

Jerry Raia

11-24-2004, 01:51 AM

there is a lot to like about the phone, which I think is pretty evident by people hanging on them, hoping Moto will pull thru in the end.

I agree, I really like this phone. I just want it to work right! It's close but for my $500 it needs a tweak or two.

Kris Kumar

11-24-2004, 03:30 AM

To me it seems like they released it "not quite right" simple to get it on the market.

I think you have a good point.

Jerry Raia

11-24-2004, 04:07 AM

I think so too.

spokrie

11-24-2004, 05:55 AM

Call me naive, but I have to agree with mboone. I'm new to SmartPhones, and had only one other Moto phone, but I purchased the 220 on October 17th, did not notice any show-stopper issues. I did think the earpiece volume was a little low, but my wife always tells me I'm deaf anyway. Forums like this are great, but sometimes I think they can put a bad spin on things. Its not to say people aren't having customer service issues, but we the consumers are partly to blame. Some where in this forum some one stated "Buy a phone with the new ROM, and take back the old one." And we wonder why retailers treat us like criminals when we try to return merchandise. I agree products should be 100% functional when purchased, but sorry to say, nothings perfect.

I can remember in the not too distant past, all I expected my phone to do was place and answer calls... the more complex you make the machine, the more chances for failure, but I digress.

I guess all i'm trying to say is good luck to the folks needing a replacement, and technology has growing pains.

Scott

Jerry Raia

11-24-2004, 06:03 AM

I can remember in the not too distant past, all I expected my phone to do was place and answer calls...

You obviously expect more now or you wouldn't have a 220 :)

While we can get a bit fanatical here, this is also the place where you can find solutions to smartphone puzzles you haven't thought of yet. :wink:

spokrie

11-24-2004, 05:44 PM

Jerry, you're absolutely correct... I do expect more, but... and I know this will sound stupid, but, can knowing too much be danerous? I just read a post that the phone will be $50. Up goes the blood pressure!! I left Verizon after 8 years, since they didn't have the technology I wanted. My month with Cingular has been a nightmare, and now I can get a one year contact and a good phone for $50 :really mad: I also know prices drop on technology, but ignorance can be bliss. I will continue to research products to death, and use this forum, but man technology can really $uck.

SMARTPHONE THOUGHTS keep up the good work!!!!!

Scott

james840a

11-24-2004, 05:59 PM

Id like to know if others here and writing letters to the Corp offices, of all three? Its one thing to write here, because they dont care. And its another when there corp. upper management gets the letter. In my letter i am stating my proplem, and proplems of others here. And that they must inform those who have the phone of any fixes and to replace it free of chager. At lest for the ones that are getting screwed by them. If they dont want to handle it then ill let the BBB and consumer affairs handle. Im sure theyd love to get a letter from them.

Jerry Raia

11-24-2004, 06:24 PM

Jerry, you're absolutely correct... I do expect more, but... and I know this will sound stupid, but, can knowing too much be danerous? I just read a post that the phone will be $50. Up goes the blood pressure!!

Oh do I know that pain :bad-words:

Id like to know if others here and writing letters to the Corp offices, of all three? Its one thing to write here, because they dont care. And its another when there corp. upper management gets the letter. In my letter i am stating my proplem, and proplems of others here. And that they must inform those who have the phone of any fixes and to replace it free of chager. At lest for the ones that are getting screwed by them. If they dont want to handle it then ill let the BBB and consumer affairs handle. Im sure theyd love to get a letter from them.

I advocated that here (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6762).

:)

sullivanpt

11-24-2004, 09:05 PM

• Ear piece and speaker volume is still not high enough. It is low compared to the MPx200. I would like it if I had to reduce the volume on the handset by a notch to answer most of the calls. But right now I have to keep it at the maximum level for all calls and still cannot hear clearly.

I've had the upgraded phone for a day now and I'm afraid this is absolutely true. In point of fact, I can't tell a difference between my old phone and the "improved" volume. I wouldn't have even bothered upgrading if I hadn't read posts that stated the volume was substantially better. It would be interesting to have someone put a decibel meter on the old and new phones, volume level set equivalently. Maybe this whole upgrade fiasco was really part of a university funded psychology study? 8O

Mike Temporale

11-24-2004, 09:23 PM

Maybe this whole upgrade fiasco was really part of a university funded psychology study? 8O

:rotfl: I don't mean to laugh at all the hardship, but that's funny. :)

Jerry Raia

11-24-2004, 10:35 PM

What hardship??
:drinking:

sclui56

11-25-2004, 12:35 AM

sullivanpt, I don't think the firmware change (.325 to .342) has made the handset substantially better, although I had hoped for a greater improvement. There's definitely a marginal improvement but substantially? NO. I know these things are very subjective and dependent on other variables, but there may just be enough variances in the manufacturing that one handset has better audio over the other, regardless of F/W.

On my sample, I can tell the difference, it is better with the updated F/W, but by how much? I couldn't even quantify in terms of db had someone asked me. However, I can tell from personal experience that it's still not loud enuf in certain situation, but then I am comparing apples to oranges as I know my 5600 or my wife's V600 are both capable in kicking it up several notches more than the 220.

I hope these 3 companies do get their act together and get this right, though I am not too hopeful in that as no amount of programming can overcome unmatched or substandard components.

I am fed up with the situation and have written to Motorola's CAO as well as Mr. Dunn at Best Buy - we bought these devices partly because we wanted them, and at the same time, we hope to be more productive with them than w/o, yet, we are so consumed in this fiasco in trying to set things right, except we don't hold the key. Readlly a sad state of affair. In the end, not one of these companies has fessed up and even acknowledged the issues at hand, meanwhile all these swapping out is costing them more $ than budgeted (I guess), not to mention the little bit of goodwill remaining, if any.

I don't believe in users of bleeding-edge technology should accept the consequences and play dead. In this particular product, any of the 3 companies could have contained the situation early on and still come out ahead, but all the denials have made it into a nightmare, mostly for the consumers.

sullivanpt

11-25-2004, 12:57 AM

but there may just be enough variances in the manufacturing that one handset has better audio over the other, regardless of F/W.

Yes, that is the more likely explanation. Which is why I'm sad I gave up my reasonably loud phone for an "upgraded" phone that is truly no louder.

I also took the time to call BB's store policy department and complain about the "you bought it, now get lost" treatment I received during the upgrade process. I suppose a letter would be more effective. The sellers and manufacturers can't begin to address the issues until we buyers and prospective buyers inform them they have a problem.

Jerry Raia

11-25-2004, 01:05 AM

dollardr

11-25-2004, 01:13 AM

I have never been a fan of Best Buy as I believe they are big on the bait and switch advertising and they never seem to have anything in stock from their Sunday circulars.

Unfortunately, dealing with these large chains don't offer the same level of customer service (or product knowledge) that used to be available in the smaller, speciality shops like stores that only sold stereos or specialized in TV's etc...

Jerry Raia

11-25-2004, 01:46 AM

Best Buy totally lost my business. I drive further to go elsewhere now.

PPCMD

11-25-2004, 04:33 PM

Lucky for me Circuit City just opened right below them in my area. Not a BIG store which sucks but hopefully they will move it to a bigger store in the future.

Kris Kumar

11-25-2004, 04:47 PM

Circuit City has been going through a face lift in the last year or so. Its service and stores have improved. Love the order online and pick up at store concept. Not to mention I made some money off its stock when it went from $10 to $16. :-) Too bad I spent a part of it buying MPx220 from Best Buy. :-(

sclui56

11-25-2004, 10:25 PM

Kris & all, do you suppose the latest flyer special of the MPx220 @ BB is a concession to BB for doing all the leg work, or most of it?

Jerry Raia

11-29-2004, 12:57 AM

I happened upon a Corporate Cingular store in a mall today. Just for fun I walked in and asked about the 220. They had 2 with orange stickers. They knew nothing about black stickers and one of the sales people told me he wouldn't sell that phone to anyone.

I did get to see a Razr up close though. Very Nice :D

PPCMD

11-29-2004, 01:43 PM

Interesting how some stores have them and some don't. I wonder if Cingular is going to ship the FW 1.30 out with the orange stickers on them since they were all supposed to be returned prior to their launch. Besides I take real world user experience over the reps in the store who may be looking at the $$$ side before anything else.

CDEdwards

11-29-2004, 08:42 PM

Oh well, I gave in and did it... I stood in line for 4.5 hours the day after Thanksgiving to get my new MPX220. My local BestBuy just got them back in stock before Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving sale was insane. $49 after a $300 rebate. :) The new box had an orange sticker on it (I still have not seen any definite details on a black sticker), I'm not going to use the camera much, if at all, so that's no biggie for me. The volume is louder for both ear piece and speaker phone, and the problem I turned in my first phone for was fixed. That is, the MiniSD card now latches in place like it is supposed to. :) The firmware displays .342. All in all, I'm happy now. I just think that who's going to get hurt in the long run from this fiasco is Microsoft... The launch of the MPX220 has been a very rough start to the wide availability of Windows Mobile 2003 2nd Edition phones. The way Motorola, Cingular, and BestBuy have handled the situation has been a major embarrassment for all 3 companies, as well as Microsoft.

dsleeper

11-30-2004, 03:33 AM

You know, I don't know why but I feel compelled to post this - I like the MPx220.

Hey! That's great news. I knew that we would find someone eventually. :wink: :lol:

On a serious note, that's good. How long have you had it? What firmware is it running?

I'll have to split the middle here:
I LOVE my MPX220 and it is, exactly as operating today far and away the finest personal productivity device I've ever owned.

That said:

I do have the upgraded firmware and the volume is still lame. It is entirely usable, but someday Motorola will fix this or the sales will fizzle.

I did have to go through extraordinary hoops to return my original phone, set up a new account, fwd my old phone until the number portability kicks in...but I paid $50 for the phone vs. $500 the first time.

I am apalled that there isn't a strong, clear statement from Motorola about what is true, what they are working on and most of all how specifically we should all be coping with the situation.

Frankly, without this website...I'd have probably simply returned it wholesale in complete disgust. IMHO Smartphone Thoughts saved the bacon of each Moto, BB, Cingular.

I bought the FW .325 Nov 1, manually re-connected it to my AT&T account...Nov 27 I swapped it out with new Cingular account, saved $450 and was re-synched to my servers before I left the parking lot. I am plenty twisted about the gyrations...but frankly I think the hard whiners really have to take a breath and realize what a dramatic little device they're into. It has dramatically changed my daily life. Big words...but I'm a many years, virtually every cool wireless device veteran..and this is the stuff. Best functionality I've ever carried around. I used the 200 for 1 yr plus previously...many specific things were better on that phone...but in total there is NO comparison. The pre-emptiveness of the phone functions while not perfect is a world of difference over the 200.

Moto, BB & Cingular...you really need a single, clear statement out in the public view YESTERDAY! Smartphone has won all the points in my mind...and you 3 have yet to prove whether you deserve our future business.

Just tell us what's up. As edge-adopters...we'll suffer a lot. But ignore us at your peril. By the way Moto...you had me sign up to be one of the "first" to hear about availability of the phone...actually conned me into giving you my private information in a classic opt-in scenario of exchanged value...and you STILL haven't notified me that the phone is even available. Of all the players...you currently have the most pungent aroma surrounding you.

Kris Kumar

11-30-2004, 03:58 AM

Moto, BB & Cingular...you really need a single, clear statement out in the public view YESTERDAY! Smartphone has won all the points in my mind...and you 3 have yet to prove whether you deserve our future business.

Just tell us what's up. As edge-adopters...we'll suffer a lot. But ignore us at your peril. By the way Moto...you had me sign up to be one of the "first" to hear about availability of the phone...actually conned me into giving you my private information in a classic opt-in scenario of exchanged value...and you STILL haven't notified me that the phone is even available. Of all the players...you currently have the most pungent aroma surrounding you.

Good post. :D

I too wonder, what happened to the E-Mail notification. :? And the headset offer? :? Any lucky winners out there? :?

Jerry Raia

11-30-2004, 04:11 AM

Any lucky winners out there? :?

I'd say the only lucky winners are those who are waiting this out before buying it.

james840a

11-30-2004, 05:39 PM

NEWS UPDATE

I just got my MPx220 replacement lastnight via UPS from Cingular. And lo and behold it has the ROM update 1.30.0.0 on it. YEPPY

Lastnight i took sometime to compair my old phone with the new one. Plus i had two other none mpx220/moto people to listen and compair. 1.) there is a great difference on the ring volumn of the old phone and new phone. On my old phone i could bearly hear it ring when it was in my belt clip. The New phone WOW what a difference, the volumn is really loud and i can hear it lot clearer on my belt clip. Now i wont miss any calls, like before. 2.) the volumn on the speaker phone of the new phone is improved, and is a little louder then on the old phone. 3.) The volumn on the ear peace speaker is improved also and is a little louder then on the old phone. 4.) i also took one picture from my old phone and one from the new phone. I dont know how to attach pictures here in this site. So ill discribe the difference. On both phones the setting were set to the same, Night mode with flash on. The picture from the old phone came out dark and just didnt look very good, even tho the flash was on. The picture from the new phone, same setting and same lighting, the picture came out alot better and there is a difference between the two pictures. Grated they still arent the best picture but it is only a 1.2mpixel camera compared to my canon eos 10d 6.3

All and all the update fixed the proplems that i had with the phone. Each person may have there own oppions now. But as far as im concered i am now happy with cingular since they are the ones that helped me with my proplem. Thankfully im glad that best buy screwed me, because if not i would have gottin the .342 update and not the 1.30.0.0 update. And still i will write a letter to best buy to have my 2yr 39.99 refunded back and to let them know about the hasle i went thru.

James
P.S. Thank you Cingular