An Open Source Alternative to Verizon's GetItNow?

malachid69 asks: "Is there anyway for us, as open-source developers, to provide a free alternative to the Verizon GetItNow network, some way in which we can share and co-develop software for our phones, and provide a way for them to be emailed/SMSd onto the phones? Basically, is there any way for us to create a SourceForge equivalent to GetItNow?"

"A bit of explanation: Recently, I was trying to find ringtones for my LG cell phone, and was having some difficulties in figuring out how to even get them onto my phone without the cable.

Finally, I contacted Verizon Wireless via email.

My original email: 'How do I provide content *I create* on the GetItNow network AND/OR how do I SMS the content to my own phone?'

Their response was to first explain how to use GetItNow to download ringtones (many of which really suck, none of which are free). They continued with 'You are unable to SMS Get It Now created from any websites to your phone and [we] apologize for any inconvience this might have caused.

To my humor (due to the fact that every application I had downloaded had crashed), they also said: 'Verizon Wireless requires extensive lab and field-testing of the Get It Now applications we choose to offer, to ensure that our customers get the highest-quality applications in the marketplace today. (Emphasis, mine)

In response, I asked: 'How would an open-source developer put applications onto the get-it-now phones without charging customers for use of the program? And, while we are at it, can I only use Brew to write applications for verizon phones, or can I use Java?'

They gave me the link to the GetItNow developer site (click on Developer Zone at the bottom) and said, 'Verizon Wireless does offer SMS downloads of ringtones and graphics through our Vtext.com website.'

As a side question: I would prefer to write my applications in Java instead of Brew (which Verizon GetItNow does NOT support). Has anyone had experience using any of the Brew-in-Java implementations (like the one from IBM)?"

Comments

Fix the bigger problem

[lightspawn]

We need a resource that streamlines this process:

* Users spot the need for software that doesn't yet exist
* People 'vote' (or something) on the importance of these projects, and/or share any relevant information (like an existing project which can do the same thing)
* Groups of coders, documenters, testers etc. form to make these project a reality.

Let's face it - a lot of ideas get lost because the people who happen to think of them don't happen to have the time or the skills to code them.

Re:Fix the bigger problem

[lightspawn]

There is no reason the two systems can't exist together, implementing each other. There is much need for commercial software a hacker with a little time on his hands would never want to tackle; conversely, there are many possible projects which could make the world a slightly better place but can't really become profitable.

certified?

[jeffy124]

first, let me just say that I have never heard of GetItNow, nor use Verizon, but here's my take:

Verizon Wireless requires extensive lab and field-testing of the Get It Now applications we choose to offer, to ensure that our customers get the highest-quality applications in the marketplace today.

That sounds like a "Verizon-certified" thingy. Similar to the Nintendo Seal on old NES games. A way for consumers to know if what they are getting meets some quality standard.

There almost has to be a way around it and develop personal software for GetItNow, much like the volumes upon volumes of games out there without Nintendo's little seal of approval.

Perhaps a better way to present it to VErizon is to ask "Is it possible for me to develop my own little personal application for GetItNow?" rather than linking in open source. Verizon doesn't necessarily need to know that you're trying to come up with some open source stuff.

Re:certified?

[grotgrot]

That sounds like a "Verizon-certified" thingy. Similar to the Nintendo Seal on old NES games.

Brew applications are written in C/C++. The reason for the testing/certification is because they can trivially cause all sorts of damage (remember you can make pointers to anything and trash anything - you don't get an industrial strength operating system in the phone with applications and data suitably protected). Additionally the Brew programming environment is crap. For example the way you find out free space on the EFS (embedded file system) is to write a file, fill up the filesystem, and see how big the file got! [This actually also causes some models to panic, reboot, panic on an infinite cycle] Contrast with J2ME which uses a defined virtual machine which can be proven to be safe.

A way for consumers to know if what they are getting meets some quality standard.

The "quality standard" is it not crashing the phone. The vast majority of the games are pure unadulterated crap. For example there is a XXX game (you know the big action film with Vin Diesel in it). After several screens of copyrights and license agreements, you end up with a clone of Pole Position (that ancient Atari game where you move a blob between parallel blobs that are supposed to be a road going off into the distance). And it is REALLY REALLY bad. In fact most of the games look like they took an entire afternoon to write.

Qualcomm and Verizon will lose this game. People expect much more, and will vote with their money. Here is by far the best explanation of just how dismal it is.

you don't get on to the real web from verizons or.

[gl4ss]

..or what? what's the problem?

providing j2me's for download(over-the-air download) for example is easy as making pie, you just need the right mimetypes set on the server and you're set(sdk's availabe from sun&phonemakers). then the guy wanting your app just browses to your page with his phone and downloads it. providing sms(mms) installation is a bit harder and not so simple as it (doh!) involves getting all the things required for starting to send mms's on demand.

you could very easily create a library of free j2me programs and build a phone friendly site for browsing them by category and providing downloads(in fact, please do, I think there would be some 'market' for it).

same thing for providing symbian programs for the usual symbian phones.

anyone know a good site to promote freeware symbian(series60) game, apart from freshmeat? I'm kind of lost on finding any since google searches for it bring up just total crap(linkfarms&shit).

too bad

[exhilaration]

I can install anything I want on my Nokia 3650 on T-Mobile - which was free after rebate when I got it, but now you'll get paid $50 after rebate.

Carriers like Verizon and Sprint do their best to limit what you can do with your phone. They think that earning pennies by selling crappy applications and ringtones is of greater value than keeping their customers happy.

Nokia also provides enormous support to software developers. You can download free IDE's and SDK's from their website. Pick your favorite language - C++, Java, OPL, VisualBasic, and soon Python. Nokia puts no restrictions on what you can do with YOUR phone. WHY? Because they know that they're in the business of selling phones, not software.

Re:too bad

[Oliver Wendell Jones]

See my earlier posting about how Sprint allows us to download pretty much anything we want to our phones with only a "Nontrusted source - Accept? Yes/No" screen standing in the way.

Sure, Sprint sells stuff on their site and probably makes a lot of money that way (I get a $5 per month free credit towards Sprint downloads as part of my package) but I get 99% of my apps, games, ringers, etc. from the free websites.

Re:certified? usually yes

[Oliver Wendell Jones]

I use Sprint PCS and there are numerous free download sites where I can download free games, applications, ringtones, etc.

When I try to download from any site other than Sprint, I get a message on my phone letting me know this is untrusted content and Sprint is not responsible for it's behavior and a Yes/No check box to proceed or cancel the download.

Other than that one extra step, there isn't much difference between an open source download (like the Mobile Mule program that lets you remotely monitor your eMule file sharing on your desktop) and the closed source software that Sprint sells (leases?) on their website.

Check http://www.3guploads.com as one great site (it's free contrary to the numerous "please donate here" links you find all over the site) that has tons of free stuff to choose from.

I have unlimited PCS Vision (wireless internet) on my account, otherwise I could be charged per KB of downloads.

Verizon realized that people want things like ringtones, games, etc. and set up their system so that all content has to go through them and their GetItNow gateway, so they can collect a 'toll' on everything you download to your phone.

Is it ethical? Questionable. Is it legal? Probably.

This is yet another reason why you should do your research and compare other vendors before you decide.