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Sprint Web Phones Leak Users' Phone Numbers
Anonymous Coward writes: "Tasty Bits From the Technology Front says that Sprint PCS phones leak your phone number when browsing the Web. The unique ID number each phone has to help assure privacy is ... your phone number." (And TBTF is a good read anyhow.)
This is nothing new. I have a Sprint PCS Phone (Samsung 3500, great phone!) and I wrote a little perl script which checks my IMAP mail. While doing that I found lots of resources at phone.com. They have example perl scripts included in their development tools which show you everything your phone gives away.
(If there is interest in the IMAP mail checking script for HDML phones, let me know.)
My experience with Sprint PCS and the 'Wireless Web':
It costs a lot (at least when I used it) about 35 cents a minute, with a minute minimum. I would logon, schlep through the crappy four line text menus only to get to a 'this feature coming soon' message. 35 cents down the drain.
It is almost unusable. Do you want to order a book from Amazon after going 19 levels deep in a text menu, typing your credit card number and address on a numeric keypad? gimme a break.
The features you would want just aren't there. How about a user customizable 'home page'. Quick shortcuts to stock quotes, weather, news briefs, sports scores - nope, have to navigate the menu system to get anywhere. Usability testing - anyone, anyone?
Spring PCS service just sucks period. At least in Chicago. My phone dropped nearly half the calls I made, and failed to ring on incoming calls more times than I care to count.
Just avoid Sprint period. My terrible experience with them just makes me laugh at the irony of their TV adds. 'Crystal Clear'? Can't they be sued for outright lies?
-josh