[effenwolf]

The point is that there should simply be a delete option. I've just wasted too much time trying to do what should simply be allowed. I don't appreciate these icons being imposed on me. Even more infuriating that I can't get rid of them. Totally pissed off after thinking I might just be taking the wrong approach and realizing this is being shoved down my throat, like it or not.

Since I couldn't find a relevant sub-forum...


I'm sick and tired of getting the stupid icons for "Make-UR-Tones" and "Brain Challenge" pushed to my phone via service book. Sure, they were out of sight and out of mind for a while until I updated to 5.0.0.509 on my Bold 9000. I could just hide them again... but why should I have to? I've paid $500 for my Bold and have a $200/month plan with AT&T... we've all endured frustrating BIS outages and phones with mediocre hardware refreshes being released as new models and loads of dropped calls. I feel I've earned the right not to be spammed any more with icons, don't you?

How would we reach if our Internet Service Provider caused icons to appear on our computer desktop without our permission? Yet we tolerate this from our Wireless Service Provider?

Tonight, I spent 3 hours on the phone with AT&T and was bounced through RIM's support twice in order to try and find a way to get those service books blocked from being sent. After lengthy appeals to ever escalating levels of tech support, the final result was that nothing could be done.

I don't know why, but this has me thoroughly enraged... must've struck a nerve. So I went marching off and downloaded the appropriate compilers and SDKs for programming on a Blackberry... only to find that I need to have the code signed in order to have access to the right API.

Specifically, I was looking at:

COMMAND_DELETE_SERVICE

If I'm correct, that should delete a particular service book. Just have that application set to run after ever reboot or service book update and keep those perky ones deleted. There's also an API to keep track of service book events, and I assume new service books arriving would be an event. Just have to clean 'em as soon as they arrive. Heck, I'd even be willing to pass up on 50 - 100 KB of precious Application Memory in order to get that accomplished.

Anyone with access to the BlackBerry Signature Tool want to go on a [service] book burning crusade with me?

The other option is that BES users (which I am not) could have a policy set to block all third party browser launchers. That would solve the problem, but would also break the functionality of things like the Crackberry Launcher. Still, would there be any way to put that policy in place (or fake it) for non-BES users?

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[GlitchZero]

Are you guys going to call Rogers too, and ask them to take down the 'Rogers' part of the Rogers Centre sign on the old SkyDome, just because it's an advertisement?

How about the Pepsi Centre?

How about writing to your local legislation, asking that billboards, bus shelters, etc all get taken down because they're forced advertisements?

****, I think I'll call Sirius radio right now, as well as OnStar, and tell them to send me a debranded unit because I don't want people who get into my car to have products in their face.

These links are one incredibly small dot on a giant spectrum that happens every day. Some people are just taking extreme offense to this because we're so desensitized to the rest of the 500,000 advertisements we see every single day, that these seem like a huge imposement. Like so many people have already said, yes, it sucks that we don't have a choice. But that's how it is. Make a folder called "Annoying ****.", put them in there, and move on with your life. Then, when you update your OS, hide them again.

[effenwolf]

I don't own the freaking Skydome or the Pepsi Center. I do though own my phone. If someone wants to use my phone as a bill board, then they are entitled to compensate me for it. So give me a delete or accept compensation option. I suppose if one day you walked out to your car and it was re-painted with a Monster Energy theme, you would just shrug your shoulders and, "move on?" How about if you walked into your place and found an ad poster glued to one of the walls? This is not much different. This is going beyond reasonable boundaries. Yes I moved these shortcuts into a junk folder. It's a matter of principle and ethical behavior. None of which our corporate world seems to have much of nowadays.

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[Motorcycle Mama]

But you DON'T own the software. And you AGREED to allow the carrier to push the items to the device.

https://forums.crackberry.com/e?link...token=I3ZqmGA2
My Wireless Device

Your wireless device must comply with Federal Communications Commission regulations, be certified for use on our network, and be compatible with your Service. Please be aware that we may change your wireless device's software, applications or programming remotely, without notice. This could affect your stored data, or how you've programmed or use your wireless device.

[Mamaluka]

Somehow I doubt the OP's reviewing of the 'Customer Agreement' is going to miraculously change his opinion.

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[GlitchZero]

I don't own the freaking Skydome or the Pepsi Center. I do though own my phone. If someone wants to use my phone as a bill board, then they are entitled to compensate me for it. So give me a delete or accept compensation option. I suppose if one day you walked out to your car and it was re-painted with a Monster Energy theme, you would just shrug your shoulders and, "move on?" How about if you walked into your place and found an ad poster glued to one of the walls? This is not much different. This is going beyond reasonable boundaries. Yes I moved these shortcuts into a junk folder. It's a matter of principle and ethical behavior. None of which our corporate world seems to have much of nowadays.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Are you going around shoving your phone in peoples faces saying "CAN YOU SEE SKYPE?! DON'T YOU TOTALLY WANT SKYPE? ISN'T VCAST SUPER AWESOME?!"

If you are, you should probably have your mental stability checked, but in the much more likely scenario that you're not, your phone is NOT a billboard. You have them tucked away in a folder hidden. If you couldn't hide them and they were forced into your application list, THEN there would be an issue of 'billboarding' or whatever you want to call it.

And as far as my car is concerned, damn, go ahead and paint whatever you want on it. Am I looking at it while I'm driving? No. Heck, ask them to buff out and cover up some of the spots that are beginning to rust up while they paint.

You've already got advertisements plastered all over everything you own, be it your clothes, your phone, your car, your shoes, or your mocha latte you can't seem to make it through the day without.

On to the final point, your idea of reasonable boundaries, ethics and principles are so far skewed from the next persons it's not even applicable to a spectrum. What you think is ethical and what I think (or the next person, or the next person, or the next person..) are wildly different.. The point of the matter is these companies make money pushing this crap to our phones, and a few people ******** about it isn't going to make them suddenly realize that cashing in on your willingness to buy a subsidized phone without reading the contract thoroughly isn't a very honorable thing to do, and break the corporate deal they made with whoever.

[Chrisy]

You'd really be ok with your car maker coming later and putting ads on your car?! Wow, i wouldn't be. When i bought my Subaru new it had the ad for the Subaru dealership i bought it from. i made them melt that crap off before i bought it.

As for having ads on clothes etc, we choose to buy those items with the ads on it. This is a little different because we buy our phone and the ads are pushed onto it after the fact.

It doesn't bother me really at all, i just have like 30 launchers i'll never use in a hidden junk folder. But it's annoying and if there was a way to opt out/in i would opt out in a second.

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