thinking about resigning my contract with alltel to get the V3m, but my experience with my girlfriend's V3c makes me think twice...anyone have any experience to compare the two with? the V3c doesn't have a microSD slot and the V3m supposedly does...aside from that, what are the major differences? does anyone know whether bluetooth is still ridiculously crippled (headset only)?

my nokia 6255i has uncrippled bluetooth, an MMC slot, and install-your-own java games (i don't have to buy them from alltel)...it's a bit bulkier than i'd like, but all in all, it's been a good phone with awesome reception...i don't really play the games, but i like my full bluetooth functionality...what advantages would there be to buying the V3m (other than the USB charging, which is think is a nice feature)?

12/11/2006 10:50:39 AM

http://cellphoneforums.net/motorola/t220469-v3c-vs-v3m.html

12/11/2006 10:55:18 AM

-V3m does have MicroSD.
-Motorola packages them with a 64MB MicroSD card (though some provider's remove them from the boxes)
-Motorola's software has fully functional Bluetooth, including support for phone-as-modem, OBEX (file transfer), OPP (simple object push for sending contacts). Some provider's install their own OS's on the phone to remove some of the functionality to require you to use their services.

-You can use MP3's and Midi's as ringtones. Easiest way to do that is via OBEX file transfers on bluetooth. Otherwise you need the newest version of Motorola Phone Tools (which is the only way to get the USB driver for the V3m) and a USB cable.

-Reception is good, sound quality is good.

-1.3 mp camera takes ok pictures, no flash or external lighting

-Interface is pretty slow, but most of the everyday stuff (making calls, looking up phone numbers, etc.) can be done by voice command.

-Depending on your provider it may or may not function as an MP3 player. I know Sprint has a music player application on theirs, and Verizon does not. No clue about alltel.

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 11:30 AM. Reason : ]

12/11/2006 11:28:23 AM

The v3m is better in every way, and includes a lot of software revisions (read: your phone will shit itself less) than the v3c.

12/11/2006 11:30:16 AM

If you have a V3c that is shitting itself, take it to the store and have the new firmware flashed onto it. Newest firmware fixes a lot of that.

12/11/2006 11:33:01 AM

in the store AND on the phone, they said the bluetooth wasn't crippled...now all i need is someone to come renew their alltel contract with me...they'll get a razr for $40 and i'll get a razr for $40

12/11/2006 3:45:21 PM

^^No thanks, just as many issues doing that shit, that I can't get into.

12/11/2006 3:50:34 PM

OK maybe this question can get answered here.

Can you put your own music on these phones or do you have to pay for Verizon VCast and download songs for 1$?

12/11/2006 4:15:47 PM

^you can but the steps required to do so effectively make it impossible to do it.

12/11/2006 4:17:17 PM

^Is that all phones verizon offers or just the V3c/m? If not do you know of any phones that you can do this on?
thanks

12/11/2006 4:19:11 PM

^^not true - unless you are computer illiterate

^^^All you have to do is "hack" your phone via a process called seem editing (to enable it to sync with windows media player). Once you do that all you have to do is have windows media player 10, connect your phone via USB cable, then put your phone in sync mode. You can then use windows media player to transfer songs to your phone. I do it all the time on my v3m.

Only catch is songs must be in windows media audio (.wma) format - not .mp3. Windows media player will do the conversion for you before transferring to your phone, but i have run into lots of errors doing this. I use a 3rd party tool to convert mp3->wma then they transfer no problem.

I wrote in this thread how to do the seem edits: http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=422289

If you really cant figure out how to do it by searching the WWW I can help u out.

12/11/2006 4:41:20 PM

Thanks for the response. I am about to get a new phone and would like to know if some phones are better for this than others.

12/11/2006 4:49:33 PM

Quote :

"ll you have to do is "hack" your phone via a process called seem editing"

that's only the V3c...the V3m has a microSD slot so none of this is necessary

Quote :

"Can you put your own music on these phones or do you have to pay for Verizon VCast and download songs for 1$?"

exactly what i wrote above...the V3m has a microSD slot (1gb microSD is only about $15 AR...check slickdeals.net)...i doubt verizon completely removed the ability for the phone to act as an mp3 player (as that's one of the big draws for the V3m), but i know alltel left the mp3 player on there and kept the microSD slot active, so the whole workaround isn't necessary...the ONLY thing that MIGHT be crippled on this phone is the bluetooth OBEX abilities

12/11/2006 5:19:08 PM

Verizon doesn't kill music playing ability. You can buy the Music Essentials Kit, which comes with the software and USB cable to connect your phone to your PC. It also has a set of headphones. Probably will retail for about $30. I bought that and a miniSD card and got 200+ songs on my 8100.

12/11/2006 6:16:52 PM

^Nighthawk--Verizon Does cripple the "easy" song loading that other providers allow as well as OBEX (Bluetooth) Transfer....Alltel allows Bluetooth transfer along with easy loading of mp3s...Verizon is good in many areas as far as cellphones but they do cripple alot of the features that other carriers allow...for my Alltel E815 all I had to do was use cooledit to cut down mp3s to reasonable size then send them via MMS to my phone...since I have MMS included in my package total cost for ringtones=free...I could also use bluetooth or buy a transflash card but I just have been too lazy

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 6:25 PM. Reason : damn my typing]

12/11/2006 6:24:35 PM

Quote :

"^^not true - unless you are computer illiterate ^^^All you have to do is "hack" your phone via a process called seem editing "

Having done pretty much everything under the sun to my Razor, the average person wouldn't go near seem editing or bitpim or firmware hacking/flashing

12/12/2006 9:49:23 AM

I have a V3c ...

1) Motorola Phone Tools and USB Cable from ebay - $10
2) Follow these instructions thoroughly: http://mark.cdmaforums.com/HowTo.htm
3) Profit

12/12/2006 11:16:07 AM

For the phone I just got LG-VX8600 quagmire02 had it exactly right. I just put the songs on my sd card, put the card in the phone--done.

12/12/2006 5:20:21 PM

have a question: does the seem edit trick work for the V3i as well?

12/24/2006 10:20:12 PM