[Bitpim-devel] Where do I look for phone specifications?

[MBR]

I'm thinking of getting an LG VX3200, and I'd like to be able to
download images and ringtones to it. I also have a Samsung A650. I
found the commercial software offerings for communicating with the LG
VX3200 phone disappointing. Susteen's DataPilot software says it can
transfer phone book data and ringtones but not images to the LG
VX3200. FutureDial doesn't even list the LG VX3200, and for most LG
phones they only support phone book transfer. I tried calling their
tech support lines to ask if the limitation is due to the phone's
design, unavailability of specs, or just that the software company
hasn't gotten around to implementing the code for that model yet.
Instead of getting intelligent answers, I found myself talking to
people who only know how to read from a script.

As a software engineer since the early 1970s, I find myself asking,
"How hard can this be?" Aren't we just talking about some
communication protocol through which you manipulate the contents of a
filesystem? Are the phone manufacturers providing USB connectors on
their phones primarily for show, and then putting arbitrary roadblocks
in the way of programmers who actually want to write code to send data
to and from the phones? Or is the problem that each cell phone
manufacturer is inventing its own protocols and filesystem layouts
without coordinating with any other cell phone vendor, so the software
author has to write different code for each vendor, and in some cases
different code for different models of phone from the same vendor?

Anyway, after a bit of searching, I found this GPL project (Bitpim)
which looks like just what I need. I'll have to learn Python, but I
can't imagine it's that different from other languages I've worked
with. The big question for me is, how exactly do you find out the
specs for communicating with a phone?

[Roger Binns]

You finally prodded me into writing a detailed answer to
your question. I urge everyone who wants to know where to
download the phone specifications as well as anyone wondering
why we can't just support their phone to read it.

http://bitpim.org/papers/phonespecs/

(The one caveat is that Stephen hasn't done his usual round of
spelling, grammar and clarity corrections :-)

Post by MBR
found the commercial software offerings for communicating with the LG
VX3200 phone disappointing.

The commercial software people have different goals. They basically
have to have a tickbox saying they support every phone out there.
If they didn't then retailers would stock the competitor's products
which did support every phone. Consequently they do the minimum
necessary to get that tickbox for each phone model.

Note that one of the BitPim goals is "deep" support for each phone
model rather than the "shallow" support for lots of phones of the
commercial software.

Post by MBR
Susteen's DataPilot software says it can
transfer phone book data and ringtones but not images to the LG
VX3200.

They also have other considerations. It is more work to do what
each specific phone model requires (the LG VX6000 has 5 different
locations that images are stored!) Additionally I think they are
somewhat scared of the carriers, since the carriers all have
ringtone/wallpaper functionality (for a fee).

Post by MBR
FutureDial doesn't even list the LG VX3200, and for most LG
phones they only support phone book transfer. I tried calling their
tech support lines

Their tier 1 tech support folks make $10/hr in Silicon Valley.
http://www.futuredial.com/company/C_job.htm#TSR
Finding people who can tie their own shoes for that paltry
sum in this area is a challenge.

Post by MBR
I found myself talking to
people who only know how to read from a script.

Welcome to America :-) The goal is to make your experience as
homogenous as possible, which means control and monitoring of
even the smallest details. (See Walmart, Macdonalds, most tech
support etc).

Post by MBR
"How hard can this be?"

After reading my link at the top, I think you will find the answer
is "considerably harder than you expect".

Post by MBR
Aren't we just talking about some
communication protocol through which you manipulate the contents of a
filesystem?

Yes.

Post by MBR
Are the phone manufacturers providing USB connectors on
their phones primarily for show, and then putting arbitrary roadblocks
in the way of programmers who actually want to write code to send data
to and from the phones?

They are primarily to use the phone as a modem. Abusing the analogy,
there are no roadblocks since the manufacturers actually haven't gone
to the trouble of putting in roads in the first place.

Post by MBR
Or is the problem that each cell phone
manufacturer is inventing its own protocols and filesystem layouts

Yes.

Post by MBR
without coordinating with any other cell phone vendor,

In what way does it benefit them coordinating with another vendor?

Post by MBR
so the software
author has to write different code for each vendor, and in some cases
different code for different models of phone from the same vendor?

Yup. And in *all* cases it has been different code for different models
and even for the same models with different functionality (eg Brew vs J2ME).

Post by MBR
Anyway, after a bit of searching, I found this GPL project (Bitpim)
which looks like just what I need.

Correct.

Post by MBR
I'll have to learn Python, but I
can't imagine it's that different from other languages I've worked
with.

It is simpler, more concise and consequently more productive. You
may like this instant guide since you already know other languages:

http://www.hetland.org/python/instant-python.php

Post by MBR
The big question for me is, how exactly do you find out the
specs for communicating with a phone?

Hard work, guesswork, trial and error, perseverence. See the
first link in this message.