Motorola Mobile Phone Tools CD ROM With USB Data Cable

Manufacturer: Motorola
Model: 98540
Category:
Average User RatingAverage User RatingAverage User Rating: Number of User Reviews: 8

Reviewed by: jbroomall from OH on Apr 18, 2004
Rating:

Experience: 2 Days

Strengths: An easier way to input phone numbers into the phone book rather than key in the information

Weaknesses: Multiple contact numbers for the same person show up as separate entries whereas if you entered them in the phone, they would all be attached to the same name.

Summary: I found this software not to be very compatible with Outlook. I spent many hours massaging the Outlook data to prepare for the phone by setting up a separate category, only to find that the Phone Tools software did not accept Outlook categories and I had to set up a separate folder. Then the data duplicated the data in my phone when I synchronized. I spent hours trying to clean it up and each try corrupted the data more. Also, the backup did not work and I lost the data that I had started with in my phone. Finally after uninstalling and reinstalling the software I was able to synchronize the contacts. However the Outlook folder I am "syncing" with had to be configured far differently from my basic Outlook contacts in order to get the information into the phone properly. Consequently, there is no value to "syncing" with Outlook because I essentially have a new set of data anyway. It might have been better to use their phone book and import Outlook contacts as v-files, but the manual gave no clue that was an option. The help screens were of no use. It would be nice if they gave you information about the data configuration before you start. That would save a lot of trial and error to get the data to look the way you want.

Reviewed by: Ahrens from MD on Dec 30, 2004
Rating:

Experience: 20 Days

Strengths: Great ringtone editing, and picture download capabilities. Can Sync events and contacts. Shows a pictured of your Phone on the screen. Can dial from the computer, relativily fast uploads and downloand

Weaknesses: Does not initialize the phone everytime, adds multiple contacts

Summary: Best to start off with a contact that is completely empty on either your computer or phone, same with the contacts leave one blank then the transistion might be a little easier. I loved the Ringtone editor with my V400 camera phone. Camera doesn't take the best of pics, but you can download them to your computer to clear your sim card.

Reviewed by: n8080 from CA on Nov 23, 2004
Rating:

Experience: 1 Weeks

Strengths: None that I can tell yet

Weaknesses: Won't sync up with phone. Doesn't have categories for contacts

Summary: I received this a week ago. I have tried to sync my v710 phone to my PC with WIN ME and when that did not work, another PC with WIN XP. Both OS's have all updates. No luck even in the remotest sense. I went to Motorola for help. They are not responding. I checked the web site for help and found a troubleshooting description of the problem. I followed it and it still doesn't work. And the reason I bought this was because I want to sync up my Outlook address book with my phone and you can't do that out of the box with Bluetooth. You need the special cable.
Save your money!!!

Reviewed by: threengs from TX on Jan 14, 2005
Rating:

Experience: 3 Days

Strengths: Transfer wallpapers, ringtones, etc. to Motorola phone

Weaknesses: Buggy, connection drops or cannot find phone.

Summary: The software is average at best. The connection between the phone and pc is not very consistent. Transfer of files once connection is made is rather slow for a usb connection. Software updates are free.

Reviewed by: erik_hertz from CA on Mar 15, 2005
Rating:

Experience: 30 Days

Strengths: Coying my numbers from My Phones into Outlook. Using my keyboard to write texts and configure my phone.

Weaknesses: Updating software is a nightmare, and does not seem to accomplish anything.

Summary: A great idea, unfortunately executed poorly. I don't know who is to blame for the poor performance of this product, Motorola or Cingular? My guess is Cingular because they want you to pay for the ability to transfer data from your PC to your phone. I have the Motorola V551 and its ability to play MP3 ringtones, Camera, and Edge Capabilities are what made me interested in this phone. I thought that the capabilities of the Mobile Phone Tools would help me circumvent Cingulars proprietary influence over this phone, I was wrong.

Reviewed by: stdenker from UT on Feb 24, 2005
Rating:

Experience: 2 Weeks

Strengths: Works well for what I need--downloading photos to my computer.

Weaknesses: The program does seem to have difficulty initializing or takes a long time.

Summary: I bought this cable and software to download pictures and it works great for this purpose it works great. I've had some success getting Outlook contacts imported into the phone but there were some redundancies. I like the ability to edit the "phonebook" from the desktop and then synch that with the phone. After I installed Mobile Phone Tools software, I upgraded to v3 using the live update feature. One bug is the pull down menus for Multimedia Studio are now in French and I'm not fluent...

Reviewed by: suethem from NJ on Jun 23, 2004
Rating:

Experience: 15 Days

Strengths: great product for the price

Weaknesses: NA

Summary: Its simple to install and use. It works exactly for what I needed, which it hooks me to the internet via my cell so I'm completely mobile with my computer now!

Reviewed by: itmgr66214 from KS on Feb 28, 2005
Rating:

Experience: 1 Years

Strengths: Advertising looks cool

Weaknesses: Just does not work - oh! and did I add there is no customer help from anyone on this?

Summary: Bought a Motorola V300 cell phone - critical feature that I could sync contacts with Outlook 2003. Well, bought the software afterwards, "Mobile Phone Tools", and it simply does not work. At one stage I actually did get a sync to go but it would double up contacts rather than sync them. But now the software has corrupted itself (depite uninstalling and reinstalling it). I can load the phonebook but it errors out when reading the phone contents. Tried contacting BVRP who wrote the software but they evaded all attempts to contact them, call Motorola they said. Tried to contact Motorola but they will not help. I still get more advertising from them (they want me to buy more software - ha!). Surprises me that a company of this reputation would try to dump unusable product on the unsuspecting public. Now I have a V300 cell phone - and NO WAY to sync the contacts with Outlook (sigh!). Anyhow - my recommendation is to avoid it like the plague, even if it means not buying a Motorola phone.