Well, my next phone won't be from Verizon, it seems.

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Papa Deuce

DJ Extraordinaire
Aug 8, 2006
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This is the kind of thing that pisses me off to no end. It's one thing if they pre-load Bing as the browser of choice, but Verizon is BLOCKING Google on the Blackberrry Storm 2:

Verizon has unilaterally updated user Storm 2 BlackBerries and other smartphones so that their browser search boxes can only be used with Microsoft Bing.

The move is part of the five-year search and advertising deal Verizon signed with Microsoft in January for a rumored $500m.

Verizon pushed the search change over its network two days ago, the company has confirmed with The Reg. "We're a proud supporter of Microsoft's Bing search engine," a company spokesman tells us. "On a couple of select smartphones (Storm 2 the most prominent), we've changed the [Verizon Wireless]-supplied web menu to make Bing the default search engine."

Previously, the search box - baked into the top of Verizon's browser, above the url address bar - could be set to search Google, Wikipedia, and other sites.

Naturally, such sites can still be queried via the browser proper. But countless users are up-in-arms over the switch. A discussion thread dedicated to the change at CrackBerry, a popular BlackBerry user site, is now 36 pages long.

"This frustrates the heck out of me. On the phone with VZW right now. The rep is telling me that she can choose search options from her non-Storm phone, so she's off to get a Storm to find out what the deal is. Will post results. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr," writes one user.

A sea of similar comments has also appeared on Verizon's web forums. "Yesterday, all of the search providers that used to be available through the browser disappeared and bing is the only option. I hate bing. I no longer am able to search using Google, Dictionary.com, or Wikipedia from the 'Go to...' page on my browser. This is a very poor decision...to take choice away from their users," the first post says.
 
I dropped Verizon several months ago... we don't use our cells that often and after 15 years with them they could not offer us a plan we could live with so I dropped them, went to a Tracfone and have saved around $300 over the last three months...
 
As a Storm 2 owner, I don't see the big deal? This is only on the Verizon MW link. It's not that great of a page anyway. I have used that 2 times in the last 2 months I've had my phone. I normally go to Google Mobile for any searches.
 
Shirl said:
I dropped Verizon several months ago... we don't use our cells that often and after 15 years with them they could not offer us a plan we could live with so I dropped them, went to a Tracfone and have saved around $300 over the last three months...
Click to expand...

I dropped Alltel for Sprint and then moved to Boost. No, I don't get great data rates, but hey, I have push to talk, unlimited minutes, unlimited text and I can even tether (slowly) for $50 a month. I moved to them and I haven't been happier.


If I was on Verizon you could bet I'd be in the store with my phone telling them where they could put it with this latest move. Unfortunately, they're the only other provider on GSM which means when the iPhone gets away from AT&T it's the only other place for it to go without putting in some other back in circuitry to support CDMA or one of the other providers.
 
Don't even get me started on Verizon!


Seems their deals are no longer deals anymore.

They became too big, and now that they are the giant, they just don't give a rats ass about the average consumer.

My wife just spent a hour on the phone with them.

I am so friggen peed off with these idiots.
 
Steve LeBlanc said:
It's a cell phone people....
Click to expand...

I would agree but it's the principal. After I buy a product don't come in and change settings so you can make a bigger profit. From what I've read the default search engine on a Blackberry's browser is not user changeable. After plunking down a nice chunk of change for the phone, paying through the nose for monthly service, and being subjected to outragous early termination fees I would contend that it is not okay for Verizon to up and change the default search engine which most users were happy with just to scrape a few extra bucks off a customer.

If Microsoft changed Internet Explorer's default search engine to Bing and you were unable change it I'm more than sure everyone and their mother would be screaming monopolistic practices. Why is it okay for Verizon to do?

Personally I'm sick of technology companies especially computer manus treating customers as nothing but a continuing revenue stream. Everything from 'custom' default homepages which are nothing more than a referral center which sets the manus cookie so that they get a cut of what ever ads you click within a given network to 30/60 day anti virus trials when there is perfectly good free AV software that's able to be preinstalled to preinstalled toolbars and a bunch of trialware all of which the manu gets a cut of when/if you upgrade.
 
Big Dan said:
Personally I'm sick of technology companies especially computer manus treating customers as nothing but a continuing revenue stream.
Click to expand...


Why? Let's face it -- that's all we are :)

I make money off you, you make money off me, we both make money off of Billy Bob, he makes his money from Sally Joe (she's a total bottom feeder though) :sqlaugh: :rofl:

It's nothing personal -- just simply pure capitalism :sqcool: :sqbiggrin:


As much as I hate to admit to it, I agree with Steve -- it's a stupid cell phone, that you should probably put down anyway. Have a beer, it's more fun -- support Belgium :D
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Why? Let's face it -- that's all we are :)

I make money off you, you make money off me, we both make money off of Billy Bob, he makes his money from Sally Joe (she's a total bottom feeder though) :sqlaugh: :rofl:

It's nothing personal -- just simply pure capitalism :sqcool: :sqbiggrin:


As much as I hate to admit to it, I agree with Steve -- it's a stupid cell phone, that you should probably put down anyway. Have a beer, it's more fun -- support Belgium :D
Click to expand...

I agree in a sense just some of it is ridiculous. Retroactively changing a default search engine isn't right, you want to do it to your customers going forward fine but not the ones who are already accustom to their default.

As for computers I realize that it supposedly makes the system cheaper but I can build my own computer for less than buying one with the same components off the shelf so how are all those affiliate offers making things cheaper for me? They aren't maybe marginally so but most of it is going right in the OEM's pocket.
 
My Cell Phone was purchased to replace my having to find a quarter and a pay phone while away from home. If I needed to stay connected so badly, I would stay at home with my computer.
No text messaging, no Internet on the phone. The only other feature I use on the phone is the occasional pic taking and MP3 Player.
 
Big Dan said:
As for computers I realize that it supposedly makes the system cheaper but I can build my own computer for less than buying one with the same components off the shelf so how are all those affiliate offers making things cheaper for me? They aren't maybe marginally so but most of it is going right in the OEM's pocket.
Click to expand...

Put down the cell phone Danno -- I know you can do it... :sqlaugh: :rofl:

C'mon, do you really need it -- do you need that data plan? Does the search engine really matter (BTW: Was it created, or did it evolve?)...


You wanna buy my relic $5,000 dollar rotary phone? I can give it to ya for only $3800.00 (TODAY ONLY)! I will not take offers at this price, after the end of the year. Then I'm gonna change the number, because of inflation :D
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Put down the cell phone Danno -- I know you can do it... :sqlaugh: :rofl:

C'mon, do you really need it -- do you need that data plan? Does the search engine really matter (BTW: Was it created, or did it evolve?)...


You wanna buy my relic $5,000 dollar rotary phone? I can give it to ya for only $3800.00 (TODAY ONLY)! I will not take offers at this price, after the end of the year. Then I'm gonna change the number, because of inflation :D
Click to expand...

:D My cell phone is worse I cannot even change the home page on the browser but it's a cheapo phone on a discount service so I really cannot complain. Heck, I only use the browser to check Gmail if I'm way from a net connection other than that I've always got my laptop with me.

If I paid $200 for the phone plus out the a$$ for monthly service you're damn skippy I'd be as POed as Papa about the whole thing.
 
One of my former coworkers at the store was addicted to her phone..
Did anyone else read the article where cell phone companys may need to put warning labels on phones sold in Maine..???
 
Well... all this is beyond Shirl and myself. I can do text but it's rare. Aside from that, all we use the cells for is phones. And we really don't talk on them much anyway.

We don't use 'em to take pictures. We've got cameras for that. We don't browse the Internet with 'em. We've got puters for that. We use 'em for what they are ~ phones. When we're on the road and need to keep in touch, they're great. Kinda like long-range walkie talkies.

Aside from that, mine is just an expensive pocket watch. If that's all I'm gonna use it for, why pay Verizon out the wazoo? :)
 
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