Airset on the Droid? Why not?

Recently, while trying to see if I could download the Java bits from Airset down to my Droid, I was confronted by a rather strange message on the airset.com site:

"Your carrier does not currently support an email gateway, so we cannot send an SMS with a download link directly to your phone. If this is in error, please let us know. "

Huh? That's not true for the Droid on Verizon's network!

Something important to note here, airset devs:

"Android OS allows developers to write managed code in the Java language, controlling the device via Google-developed Java libraries" which are all completely available from Google. So what's the hold up?

Blogtv.com doesn't really "get it".

Something to get from a pro account with BlogTV.com:

"Most payments are approved immediately. However, due to PayPal's policies your payment approval may take up to 7 days.

Really? I know PayPal's policy pretty well, so I'll quote PayPal:

"In order to be covered by the Seller Protection Policy, sellers must follow the risk-reduction procedures specified in #4 (Policy Conditions) below.

.....

4.

f. The seller ships the item(s) to the buyer within 7 days of receiving payment."

Talk about your mis-reading of policy, wow, that is a real stretch of the imagination there, BlogTV.com - you need to get a grip.

As Steve Gibson could be fond of saying: "When will they ever learn?"

TruPhone, recently as of this passed CES 2010, touted somewhat highly - if not at least as popular, "...[I am] a frequent user while traveling...", by famous podcaster - has got to be the worst web 2.0 experience in "total lack of security and oblivious to that problem" company as I have ever witnessed.

You sign up with the usual:

Username (your phone number is used - is changeable later)

Password

PIN Number

However, what is NOT usual for most companies that provide services to their customers which will inevitably need credit card information from you, they sent IN PLAIN TEXT the following (credentials have been altered for obvious reasons):

"...Doing this will ensure your details are secure at all times, and enable you to add credit to your account.

The Truphone website has a My Account section where you can update your details, top up your account, access your account balance and call history, and more. Visit http://www.truphone.com/myaccount and log in using your Truphone account details below.

**Your Truphone User Name and Number is: 12244214122
**Your Truphone Web password is: lover.mare
**Your Truphone Security PIN is: 4173

Please keep these details safe, and we recommend you change your password the first time you log in to My Account. You can also change your username if you wish. You will need to enter your Truphone PIN whenever you top up."

Actually, the password is generated as a temporary (who knows why? I cannot figure that one out at all) - I wouldn't have picked two standard English-language words for a password at any rate.

Also: absolutely don't need the PIN# for website access, don't know why its sent.

Notice the convoluted statement of concern regarding security WE should follow, yet they recommend we change our temp password first time signing in - wouldn't be better to say "as soon as possible"? Of course it would be better.

They sent back the following response to my incredulousness of the matter with:

"We are sorry for the delay in getting back to you!" [There really was no delay]

Looking at your account I can see you have successfully validated your email
address notmyrealgmail@gmail.com Regarding the email Truphone sent you, I am unsure as
to what information you are referring to. If someone resets a password etc. and
has account details emailed to their personal email address, it is expected that
changes would be made immediately by the customer to ensure their security.

If you have any further queries please reply to this email for assistance.

Regards,

Matthew

The Truphone Support Team"

________________________

Notice he includes my email account in the plaintext email response...

Does this make sense to ANYBODY BUT MATTHEW?

And TruPhone will want my credit card info if I decide to stick with them and once I use up their token 50 cent?

PLEASE.

You think it would stop there, wouldn't you. No.

Testing the TruPhone experience, I notice that my whole dialing string - which Google Voice does not do without asking, by the way, from a contact - and kept that whole string as if it was a contact phone number rather than merely the phone number. The whole string was sent to the contact!?

Also, I noticed 12 hours after signing up, I received an unsolicited SMS with, you guessed it:

" **Your Truphone User Name and Number is: 12244214122;**Your Truphone Web password is: lover.mare;**Your Truphone Security PIN is: 4173"

in one string.

Un. Be. Lievable.

Leo Laporte, I ask you: "Really!?". Please pass this on to Steve Gibson for a good laugh.

________________________________________

Ad nauseum:

"https://www.truphone.com/myaccount/callhistory.tru":

The link directly above is supposed tp show TruPhone customers their Call History of:

Calls Recieved

Calls Dialed

SMS Recieved

SMS Sent

Mine shows nothing made, yet I did do a test call AND I received their SMS with the above mentioned credentials. This is not looking any better for this new startup known only as:

TruPhone

-----------------------------

Now, for the other thing - which is entirely MY fault, I installed the TruPhone app on my Droid, even though it wasn't fully supported for the Droid (yet), so I chose the "Install Anyway" option given!

Well, "no duh" it is NOT ready for the Droid, as upon testing (see above) I tried to end the call; the little Droid bot disappeared, but the dialing controls froze - the only thing I could do was PULL THE BATTERY. Total crash - but as I said, my fault for that one.

Eh, what can I say - I'm a PowerUser. And a mini-review-er.

---------------------------------------

And one more thing today (1-13-2010):

Today I received a Hello and Welcome email from TruPhone, in part said:

"Happy chatting,

The Truphone Team

p.s. You should have received an email with your account details, and a link to validate your email address (let us know by email if you haven't).
If you have any questions, please visit the Support page or give us a call (contact details here)."

ARGH! But that's not all.

As I first received the original Download to install via the Android Market, and have since Uninstalled the program, today along with several other (normal) updates for the Droid, I see an Update for TruPhone!!! How ca that be, as we all know the Market to be a highly efficient and competent entity! I have NEVER seen an app in the Market present me with an Update AFTER I HAVE UN-INSTALLED THAT PROGRAM!

There is a serious problem going on in the background of my phone - either on the SD card or in memory - Android Team has got to do something about this ASAP; either the apps uninstall FULLY or they don't uninstall FULLY, which is it, Android Team, what the hell piece of data can a program leave behind that tells the Market that the app is still installed on the phone, even though it has been uninstalled?

I am going to check the folder system for any remnants of TruPhone; this is redonk.

Android's understanding of Bluetooth - soon?

"...Wednesday from Nick Pelly, Google's Android Bluetooth development lead. Half of the fix, re-enabling the BT button [on the the typical BT headset], is already in their internal source code tree. He confirms hands-free voice dialing is a top priority for his team..."

If you think I am going to keep this stuff secret, tell me to keep it under my hat BEFORE you tell me. Just reporting, sir. And this is a BLOG.

FLO-TV to iPhone and Android

FLO-TV is not on-demand, it's time-shifted! BIG difference.

Due to the contractual nature between the networks, they do NOT want Prime time shows streaming to the device when aired, generally only Nick/AdultSwim(only at night, it's dead in the day)/MTV and ESPN are currently allowing SOME live.

HULU is working a deal with Android and Verizon now using HTML5 (already working for YouTube on Android using the native browser - no flash needed), so just hold off.

Recall that FLO-TV natively is first streamed over 700MHz to the Verizon Network, soon out for iPhone and on a proprietary device and on another proprietary device separately for FLO-TV only, on 700MHz (Now you know why Google was interested in buying that range taken away from analog TV for the Digital swing-over)

Charlie Wilson's word war!

Charlie Wilson didn't call his entire female staff "jail bait" - neither in the movie nor in the book.
"Jailbait" was the nick-name of a single character played by Shiri Appleby.

That has been bugging me for a while now, after reading 5 separate articles about the movie, "Charlie Wilson's War".

ZoneAlarm programmers are out of their damn minds

Image via Wikipedia

ZoneAlarm? I have been forum posting and contacting you for over 3 weeks about the tvDebug.txt file growing insanely, recently to 6.5GB in 1 week - 7 days since last post. No settings designed to turn off Debugging works - latest version.

I am perfectly comfortable behind NAT and using Eset's NOD32 for now - your program is just not worth the lack of PAID support.

Whoever invented the use of the tvDebug.txt file needs to go home.

Just in case you didn't know:

"Answered by chadsville

Posted Nov 09 2009 02:39 PM

---

From droidforums.net

"Ok there have been WAY too many people that have misconceptions about the data usage on their phones.

The $30 plan that you got to surf the web and to play with your apps. This plan includes "UNLIMITED" data usage. It does NOT have 5GB cap. This has been confirmed by 3 verizon reps on our site. Also confirmed if you read the terms and conditions of the data plan you purchase. The terms and conditions can be found on their website, or below this paragraph.

planterms.pdf

The 5GB data usage plans are for following and ONLY for the following: USB Modems, PC Cards, ExpressCards, MiFi 2200, Notebooks, Netbooks, OR if you are tethering a device from a: Mobile Broadband Connect-capable smartphone or blackberry. Shown in the PDF file below.

Mobile Broadband Plans for USB Modems.pdf

On your Phone as long as you are using it ONLY as a phone to access the internet, play games, listen to the radio, or whatever else the phone is capable of (NOT TETHERING!) it is unlimited.

*WARNING* If you do find a way to tether the phone without paying for it, verizon wireless has the ability to find out that you are doing it. While it is unlikely that they find you if you stay under 5GB, they still have the ability to. They will charge you the full amount for the data usage for the times you've used it if caught." "

Well, now you know!

Dr. Who?

OK, I suckered you into a mini-review of Demons - new show on BBC America. Great first episode watching Garreth from The Office, UK. as an eviL what's-it getting blown to bits is always awesome! His acting was a good cross between a Pirate and a geek, but with issues.

But, I also have been perusing the Dr. Who-a-thon and enjoying as well. "I don't hear anyone knocking, do you!?" Tennant makes a great Dr.

Not really for the Droid

Android for the Droid mini-review of (Google's) "Finance"

Google-made "Finance" still in the Market actually DOES sync with your google account - singular (you DO need to use the google account tied to the same-named gmail account your Droid has as its Primary gmail account.)

Although Google Finance DROPS the ball by not allowing OTHER google accounts we may have - like the one I like to use for Google Finance when on a full screen browser - it will ONLY sync with the gmail-tagged account that is the SAME as the one you registered for your Droid phone - and probably any other device using Android.

IF you already have a masterful Finance setup using ANOTHER gmail or Google account, all you need do is EXPORT that Portfolio. Then go to your Phone's Named google account and then IMPORT from the file you just EXPORTED and chose ALL or just some of those ticks - you can even give this new Portfolio a different name! And there ya go.

That still does not relieve Google of their mistakes here.

Zedge.net mini-review

They call them Zedgers!

Well, I have signed up (well, almost, as they need to kind of look at their verification system, which doesn't quite work well right now) to be a Zedgehead!

They just came out with a Droid App (today, I think) and is very smooth and just "Right For Droid". Their search features for the over 1.7 million wallpapers and Ringtones - all free at this point - far exceed what the Android Market should at least attempt to be.

Well, that IS a mini-review! And, I buried the lead!