Verizon V 710 Bluetooth Software Update

Well, if you've been following along on HoFo, you probably are aware that some have already had the flash done and, in fact, it disabled the transflash to phone transfer of audio files.

I contacted a couple of corporate stores in the NW burbs of Chicago today and was told the flash wasn't available as of yet but would be sometime soon...."check back at the end of the week". :roll:

What I do know is my V710 works fine with my car with three exceptions:

1) No phonebook transfer from the phone to the car.
2) No audible ringtone in the car (mutes the audio system though)
3) No signal strength

The flash purportedly resolves issues #2 and #3 but not issue #1 which I seriously doubt will ever be resolved.

 

Hi…….I’m a new proud Prius owner in Auburn WA and just having the time of my life with this car. Although I have not yet finished my first tank of gas I’m getting 43.9 MPG and am tickled…….it can only get better. This car is a technological marvel and very impressed with the engineering. At this point the only major thing I think the Japanese could improve upon is to contract out their seat design to an American engineering firm….they could be more comfortable.

The issue concerning the bluetooth problems with the Motorola V 710 phone is dishearting. Sounds like this problem has been around for a while and Verizon/Motorola are moving at a snails pace towards resolution. My dealer claims to have sold/serviced Prius for years now but no one their seems to know about this issue until recently (yesterday) and therefore they have no knowledge base. I’m often amused with sales people. Frequently we know more about the product then they do; these internet forums certainly give us an edge and they should consider reading them. I even called over to the Bellevue WA Toyota dealership thinking that Bill Gates and his Geek Squad surly have Prius/710 issues but they also seem to have no knowledge of it. I was just asking what mobile phone carrier they recommend given that Verizon was certainly not the way to go and of course both persons I spoke with recommended Verizon…hummmm. What is most aggravating about this issue is that I, as well as I suspect many others who invested in the state-of-the-art Motorola V 710 via Verizon…….we are locked in a contract and are stuck. Hopefully they will come up with a fix (that works).

 

Just a quick note, I am also a Prius/v710 owner, had been reading up on the problems/updates. Visited my local verizon dealer (south side of Chicago) on Friday, the tech there said the update was being pushed into their system that night and to come back Monday to get it. Monday I came by and got the "it's been pulled", but gave him my number and got a call back the next day saying he could give me the update. Went in fearing for another pull, and 30 min later I'm up to date. Only played a little in the car so far, but making calls is definitely better, and the roam/signal is all there. Havn't tried phonebook xfer... will try soon.

 

Can you confirm if the phone book transfer is or is not operable?

 

Yes, please give us an update after you try a phonebook transfer.

I have to say, though, that based on the experience of others, it's not going to work. It appears that with Moto phones, the Prius just sits there and waits for users to send data from the phone. With the V710, there's no way to accomplish that......yet.

On HoFo, a Lexus owner reported the phone rang in the car and he was able to see signal strength after the update but was still unable to transfer his phonebook. Same deal, apparently, with the Lexus vehicles.......users are prompted to start the transfer on the phone.

 

well tag, looks like you got me. just as you said, still nothing for the pb transfer... and while it's not on topic for this thread, I took my Powerbook to the car to try to send my phonebook through that, didn't have any luck there either. still, dial from the phone works well enough that i'm not worried.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(froboy\";p=\"67143)</div>

Sorry to hear it's a no-go with both the updated flash and the Powerbook.

Now, you haven't overlooked the possibility of using the 17 available one-touch slots, right? I find one-touch to be pretty handy and it's accessible regardless of how fast the car is moving (although the phone numbers themselves go blank, so you sort of need a good memory).

 

Chris seems to reiterate what I found out from Moto after a very frustrating wknd trying to resolve this problem of phone book transfers from V710 to Prius. Story begins when I tried to do xfer soon after getting V710 at end of '04. No go. Last week tried again, noting everything. No go after many tries. RF from pruis seems to be telling V710 to start data xfer, but phone seems to be programmed to not only disallow it, but to disconnect the entire Bluetooth connection, since that is what is said on phone after sounding off that disconnect has taken place immediately upon pushing "start transfer" on touch screen. In frustration, called local Verizon store, and they said, "no problem, just bring the phone in and we'll upgrade the software." I noted the existing software in the phone (under other info in the phone info icon), and then had them "upgrade" it. They reflashed it w/version 8700-01.40.0R Took it out in the parking lot and tried to xfer data again, and still no go. Same disconnect from Bluetooth altogether. Back in store, Verizon tech said it was supposed to "fix" many of the previous problems, especially pb xfers. The only saving grace for that day was, after wasting several hrs., yet knowing I didn't use much gas to do so (it's always fun to drive it), I started to get mad, internet and phone savvy, and finally got thru to someone]Moto (don't even bother w/Verizon unless you want to talk to 10 outsourcers in Costa Rica who have absolutely no knowledge of what code even means). And the Moto data team member told me that the updated software that will absolutely, positively fix the disable of pb xfers will be released in 2-3 weeks, "but don't quote me on that, since it could be later, or even a bit earlier." I can't talk for the rest of you, but I sure hope it's EARLIER. If it turns out to be indefinite, I will personally contribute more money to the REWARD for hacking this code.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(boomer\";p=\"67298)</div>

Heard that before... i'm not holding my breath. For all we know they may be talking about the update we already have. There's a rediculous lack of communication between V and Moto if you haven't noticed already, and they don't even know it. The V tech at my store first said "Moto's been holding us up" but then was totally dumbstruck when I noted all this shit V's been throwing out (granted, we was an outsourced tech).

It's been tried... http://www.nuclearelephant.com/papers/v710hackers.html
Keep your cash.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(froboy\";p=\"67310)</div>

I'd bet anything it is the existing update. For one thing, if there WERE another update, you can almost rest assured it would have been leaked already. After all, the 40 release has been available for download since, what, December?

FWIW, I contacted the Schaumburg, IL store and they don't even have the 40 update yet. The nice lady told me to call back next week which, btw, is precisely what she told me to do last week. I can't imagine how a store maybe 30 miles away can be flashing phones while another doesn't even have the software. It's just nuts, IMHO.

 

My nearest Verizon place that can do the flash said the flash arrives by mail! I find that hard to believe. 18th century technology to deliver a 21st century program. I guess Verizon has not herd of the internet yet. Go figure. On the other had the nice young woman behind the counter could be better trained in smoke and mirrors than facts and technology.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tag\";p=\"67348)</div>

Hmm, Verizon not making sense... no scratch that, an American cell phone company not making sense... you're surprised .

Anyway, you're welcome down to the South Side. If you get down, look for a black '05 a few blocks away from the Verizon shop in Hyde Park and that's me.

 

Argh. That will teach me not to read this forum first. Just got a new V710 and was surprised it didn't ring, wasn't able to update the phone book and the signal strength didn't work. Then I check here and find out it wasn't just me.

 

Not so bad, though, because you should only have the PB transfer issue with which to deal after the flash. Hopefully, that will be resolved as well but I have seriously doubts about it happening anytime soon.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(froboy\";p=\"67431)</div>

Thank you. I may do just that if the folks in the NW burbs can't get it together by next week. So, if you see a silver '04 near the VZW shop, well.....

 

I think the disconnect when you hit start transfer on the Prius is normal: It's disconnecting the handsfree link. Otherwise you'd get a bluetooth is busy error on the phone when you try to send the phonebook (or the option will be absent or disabled, depending on the phone). (The data transfer is a different connection type, and phones generally can only do one connection at a time)

 

Neither Verizon store I went to today could get the update to work which was apparently rereleased to them yesterday

 

I too find it strange that some provision for adding numbers was not provided for. I don't have any I idea if it could be changed but it should be a feature of the system. I am wondering once the Costal Tech Nav Mod is here if you could attach a phone number to a position and use the Nav to dial. I am going to check into it tommorrow.