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Motorola leaves Linux users in the lurch with its Linux smartphone

Posted by kie on · 4 comments
Kie's bitter experience.; By Kie
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When Motorola released its smartphone running linux, I thought that it was a great match for my requirements. I later found that the synch. options were Microsoft only, so I contacted Motorola...

When Motorola released its smartphone Motorola MING (earlier known as the A1200)



It looked like a great match for my requirements. It has all the normal smartphone options like a camera and web browser but it has some unusual features in that it runs Linux, has Chinese handwriting recognition and a talking English-Chinese dictionary. My previous Motorola mobile had just bitten the dust and was out of warranty and this looked like the perfect replacement.



To give Motorola its dues, the phone works well but to my dismay I later found that the synchronize options offered are 'Exchange ActiveSync' or 'OTA', i.e. Microsoft.



I contacted Motorola US.

-----
Thank you for contacting Motorola e-mail support, we appreciate your request.

Thank you very much for your considerations and interest in our products.

Regarding your concern, we regret to inform you that your inquiry has reached our North American office, and we do not have international product information at this location. For information specific to the product you mention in your inquiry, please contact the Motorola office that is closest to your country for further assistance. The various worldwide Motorola offices can be found by locating the following link: http://www.hellomoto.com

We apologize for the inconvenience. -----


I contacted Motorola HK.

-----
Thank you for your email dated 10/09/2007. Regarding to your inquiry about the 
handset operation for Motorola A1200, we would like to provide you with the following 
advice and feedback.

Please be informed that the software of Mobile Phone Tools is capable with Windows 2000/XP platform and cannot support Linux OS at this moment.

Should you have any further inquiry, please do not hesitate to contact our Motorola Customer Hotline and our Customer Services Officer is delighted to serve you. To speed up the handling process, please provide us with the above Ref. No. when you make further inquiry.

Thanks for your inquiry and we are looking forward to serving you again.

Motorola Customer Hotline Hotline: (852) 25063888 Operating Hour: 0900 - 2100, Monday - Sunday (including Public Holiday) _____________________________________________________________________

This Email is sent by Customer at 09/10/2007 11:50 I have the Motorola Ming (a1200) phone which runs linux.

I bought the phone with the expectation that I would be able to back up my data to and from my computer (which also runs linux).

I have been unable to do this so far, which means that the phone is much less useful. It will also be a hassle if I lose the phone or if I buy a new phone.

Would you please advise me on how I can synch it to my linux computer. thanks. ---


While they are happy to use Linux in their phones but at the same time lock out Linux (and Mac) users from backing up their data seems hypocritical and somewhat insidious.



How can we encourage companies like this to consider users of other platforms?

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Comments (4)

Send it back

By posting your experience on the Internet should help. But, If you can, send it back as an unsatisfactory product lacking essential features and faulty advertisement. That should give them something to think about.

You can also indicate that you are willing to keep it if there is a commitment to have a Linux synch feature in the near future.

Have you tried Kmobiletools?

Have you tried syncing via Kmobiletools? http://www.kmobiletools.org/

I wrote an article in last month's Linux Journal about Linux and cell phones: http://interactive.linuxjournal.com/article/9466

I was able to backup my cell's contact list to Kaddressbook.
kie Story submitter ·
Thanks, I missed that article.

I just tried via USB on debian stable with kmobiletools. unfortunately I can't get it to recognise the phone :(

If it worked with my phone it would be the perfect solution.
"moto4lin" did it for me and my Motorola L6. The program is in beta since 2005, but that's no good reason not to try. Beware; It is very user unfriendly in my opinion, and you should try it several times in several different ways.

http://moto4lin.sourceforge.net/

I'm thinking about writing a letter to Motorola HQ as well; but on the other hand mail by recorded delivery is not cheap from where I live.

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