I blogged about my troubles with bluetooth profiles on the Motorola Q here and here. I have received yet another response from Verizon, and this one contradicts the last. Here’s the text:
Thank you for contacting our Verizon Wireless website. We are happy to further assist you with your question the Motorola Q device.
We apologize for the confusion. Per our website and the Motorola website, the Motorola Q does have the Bluetooth Serial Port Profile. The Serial Port Profile is needed to allow the device to sync, via Microsoft ActiveSync, with a computer, which this device does support.
If you are unable to use your Pharos GPS device, have you checked with Pharos to see if their equipment can be used with a device running Windows Mobile 5.0 – Smartphone Edition or with Windows Mobile 5.0 – PocketPC Phone Edition? The Motorola Q uses Windows Mobile 5.0 – Smartphone Edition. Pharos would need to provide information on using their devices with Windows Mobile 5.0 – Smartphone Edition.
If you have further questions or concerns, please write to us again through http://www.VerizonWireless.com. We appreciate your business and thank you for choosing Verizon Wireless.
This, while truthful, manages to deflect on two separate fronts. On one front, they’re saying that Pharos needs to provide support for connecting to a Smartphone. While I don’t agree that it should be this way, I can accept that that is their position. On the other front, they’re indicating that claiming support for SPP is true because the device provides SPP services when it’s connected to a computer for ActiveSync over Bluetooth. Again, truthful, but not quite in the spirit of the whole industry standard Bluetooth support.
Like I’ve said before, Verizon is free to do what it wants with these devices, but they’re devaluing several brands in doing so. Devices that have hardware and software that it capable of interop are being crippled in the name of business. Verizon is trying to make a couple extra bucks, but they’re doing so at the expense of the Motorola™, Bluetooth™, and Windows Mobile™ brands. I’d even argue that if Verizon would change it’s tune to allow open interop, from SPP to DUN to OBEX and beyond, the extra goodwill that they would gain in the marketplace would make up for any speculated lost revenue. My 2 cents anyway…
Updated Info: HOW-TO: Use a Bluetooth GPS with the Motorola Q
One Man Shouting 