Vodacom/Vodaphone handset branding reaches new lows

[Flint]

I picked up my upgrade this weekend on my Vodacom Weekender, an SE W850i (been eying it for ages). I have already had my fair share of irritation with Vodacom's branding on my Nokia N95 (which prevents me from upgrading to new firmware in the comfort of my own home without possibly voiding my warrantee). Well, with the SE they have reached new lows. One of the reasons I wanted the 850 was as a small music player-and that includes using it's radio functionality. [-]The bloody Vodaphone branded/crippled version doesn't have it.[/-] I checked GSM Arena again, and I checked on a friend's (MTN) W850, and it's definitely supposed to have a radio.
[-]I get vendor branding, really I do, but where the hell do they get off REMOVING FUNCTIONALITY!?[/-]

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Oh, and they buggered up all the cool themes too. Gone are all the funky animations and icons, replaced with Vodaphone versions that just change colours and nothing more.
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[edit again]
My bad, finally found it under entertainment. My apologies.. and don't I just feel stupid
I still hate that I dont have access to the themes though
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[JK8]

Theres themes everywhere, go google for them!

 

[Flint]

No, it's not that the themes are not available, but they are crippled. Many of the SE themes actually change icon look, menu layout and behavior. None of this works on the Vodaphone branded SE phones. On the branded devices the themes are limited to a change in colours and possibly borders around the icons.

 

[JK8]

No, it's not that the themes are not available, but they are crippled. Many of the SE themes actually change icon look, menu layout and behavior. None of this works on the Vodaphone branded SE phones. On the branded devices the themes are limited to a change in colours and possibly borders around the icons.

No No No! Theres different types of themes, I forgot the name I think they called active themes, its a type of theme that can change the icons, those do work on the branded W850, go download them or make them for yourself.

Only the Walkman phones have the feature to change the icons.

 

[Flint]

I have tried a number of themes I got from a friend who has an unbranded (MTN) W850, they are 'active' on his but not on mine.
I'll look for others though, thanks for the tip.

 

[Flint]

I have done some digging around and confirmed that flash menus (that's what they are called-they make use of Flash Lite) are disabled by some operators-including Vodaphone. The single Flash menu included on the device (Orbit) is the only one available without either reflashing with generic firmware (not nearly as easy as with the N95) or some kind of long repackaging process that I'll maybe look at if I ever have the time.
Thanks again Vodaphone/Vodacom, you really have made my day yet again

 

[pcgig]

Well Talk about Disabled Handset features.I bought my sister the Mtn Motorola V360 because it has Egde and the Mot v360v from vodacom has been stripped of its Edge Capabilities.Talk about being Degraded!

 

[pcgig]

Vodafone branded Handsets should be avoided at ALL times.Anyway my Girl Friend Bought the N73 from vodafone,I on the other hand have an N73 from mtn,I updated the firmware at the comfort of my own home.Now thats what I call true freedom and Democracy!

 

[JK8]

Well Talk about Disabled Handset features.I bought my sister the Mtn Motorola V360 because it has Egde and the Mot v360v from vodacom has been stripped of its Edge Capabilities.Talk about being Degraded!

Lol they cant remove the entire EDGE thingy from the phone, thats a hardware issue they dont touch the hardware.

 

[dakota]

I managed to convince Vodacom to remove the V-Live rubbish from my w850i. Was quite a struggle, but they did it and the phone is now so nice to use.

Go visit the nearest vodacare outlet to you and tell them that the phone is not externally branded with v-live so they are required to take it off, and if they say they can't do it, tell them to send the phone to the Advanced Repair Center. Whatever you do don't walk out of the shop, and don't stop making a fuss until they agree to remove the v-live software and replace it with the generic software.

 

[Flint]

So they can do it? Thanks for the advice.
What do you mean by 'not externally branded'?

 

[Satguy]

So they can do it? Thanks for the advice.
What do you mean by 'not externally branded'?

There is BIG red lettering that say's - vodafone on the casing / cover of the handset.

 

[Flint]

lol.. Ok I don't have my w850 with me so I'm not sure if it has that. My N95 does.
Interestingly enough, a friend of mine has a W850 as well but it's an MTN one, and Voda also changed the print (and functionality) on two of the buttons!

 

[JK8]

lol.. Ok I don't have my w850 with me so I'm not sure if it has that. My N95 does.
Interestingly enough, a friend of mine has a W850 as well but it's an MTN one, and Voda also changed the print (and functionality) on two of the buttons!

Ye they made the internet and shortcut keys, a green and red buttons.

 

[seedat77]

The worst thing about Vodafone branding is the damn icons. They're so boring and outdated. At least they can be changed on the Nokias.

BTW I got a Vodafone branded W850 for my wife some time back, and she used it for less than a day. After going through a couple of phones, she just couldn't get something she liked. I then got her the unbranded version W850 and she just loves it to bits.