Transferring cell phone pictures on Motorola W376G

[Paul E. Schoen]

I just sent this technical request to TracFone:

"I just purchased and activated a Motorola W376g phone which advertised
Bluetooth wireless technology as a highlighted feature on the front of the
package. It also featured a connector that was clearly labeled with the
official USB connecton logo, and I had assumed it was available for USB
connection to my PC."

"However, upon further research, I found that (in very fine print) that
this phone does not support PC connectivity via Bluetooth or USB. I had
assumed that I could download pictures taken on my phone to my PC, but
there appears to be no way to do so. I can send the picture to another
phone, but I do not know how that is done or the requirements for the
receiving phone. There appears to be web access, but I do not know if there
is a way to upload images to a website via FTP or HTTP protocol."

"Please let me know if there is any way to transfer images from the phone
to an external storage device or PC. If not, please let me know if you
offer any phones that support this feature. I am happy with the phone but
it is important to me to be able to have access to pictures."

There is a feature that allows sending a message with the picture, but I
tried sending it to my land line phone and it did not ring. I was hoping
that maybe it would send the JPG in a text-based MIME or Base-64 format
that I might be able to receive as a file on a modem and then convert to
JPG, but apparently it only works for cell phone subscribers with the
capability of receiving multimedia objects. The picture is stored in an
internal "additional storage device".

Apparently the USB-PC feature is disabled and the BlueTooth is only for
automotive hands-free connection. I was hoping to be able to use this phone
as a digital camera and save pictures as files to be edited and used for
other purposes, but Tracfone probably does not want customers to have this
capability in a $50 phone where they make most of their money selling air
time.

I wonder if I could take a picture of the cell phone screen? Or use a
scanner? But I'm sure the resolution will be rather poor. Any ideas on a
way to get the images electronically?

Paul

 

[IanM]

I just sent this technical request to TracFone:

"I just purchased and activated a Motorola W376g phone which
advertised Bluetooth wireless technology as a highlighted feature on
the front of the package. It also featured a connector that was
clearly labeled with the official USB connecton logo, and I had
assumed it was available for USB connection to my PC."

"However, upon further research, I found that (in very fine print)
that this phone does not support PC connectivity via Bluetooth or USB.
I had assumed that I could download pictures taken on my phone to my
PC, but there appears to be no way to do so. I can send the picture to
another phone, but I do not know how that is done or the requirements
for the receiving phone. There appears to be web access, but I do not
know if there is a way to upload images to a website via FTP or HTTP
protocol."

"Please let me know if there is any way to transfer images from the
phone to an external storage device or PC. If not, please let me know
if you offer any phones that support this feature. I am happy with the
phone but it is important to me to be able to have access to
pictures."

There is a feature that allows sending a message with the picture, but
I tried sending it to my land line phone and it did not ring. I was
hoping that maybe it would send the JPG in a text-based MIME or
Base-64 format that I might be able to receive as a file on a modem
and then convert to JPG, but apparently it only works for cell phone
subscribers with the capability of receiving multimedia objects. The
picture is stored in an internal "additional storage device".

Apparently the USB-PC feature is disabled and the BlueTooth is only
for automotive hands-free connection. I was hoping to be able to use
this phone as a digital camera and save pictures as files to be edited
and used for other purposes, but Tracfone probably does not want
customers to have this capability in a $50 phone where they make most
of their money selling air time.

I wonder if I could take a picture of the cell phone screen? Or use a
scanner? But I'm sure the resolution will be rather poor. Any ideas on
a way to get the images electronically?

Paul

Hi Paul,

looks like a basic phone. It supports MMS, this is the way you send a
photo to another phone.
The manual also mentions "format additional storage device" - does that
mean it has an external flash card?
If so that may be another way of getting the photos off the phone.

Ian

 

[neon]

go to motorola site and search for software for your phone without that you don't stand a chance to easy transfer. I have nokia N96 and I can do that but the phone cost $1000 so maybe that is why there is software for it.

 

[Paul E. Schoen]

Hi Paul,

looks like a basic phone. It supports MMS, this is the way you send a
photo to another phone.
The manual also mentions "format additional storage device" - does that
mean it has an external flash card?
If so that may be another way of getting the photos off the phone.

I received the following very helpful message from TracFone:

Picture messages can be sent to an email address. To send a picture
message, please follow the steps below:

1. Please press the MESSAGE key which is located to the right of the
navigation keys.
2. "Create" should be highlighted on your phone screen display. Now
press the key below the word SELECT.
3. Go to "MMS Templates" and press the SELECT key.
4. Go to the desired Option and press the SELECT key.
5. The Image should be displayed on screen. Now press the OK key.
6. "One Time Entry" should be highlighted. Press the SELECT key.
7. Enter your email address and then press the OK key.
8. Press the key below the word SEND.

I was able to save the image from the email, process it with
PhotoImpression, and it turned out fairly good after some brightness and
contrast adjustment. Considering that it was taken at close range in
ambient light, I was happy with the results. I had purchased the phone as a
replacement for the V170 I thought I had lost, but now I found it and was
considering returning this phone. But it is a lot nicer and the camera
feature makes it well worth the $50 I paid for it.

The Bluetooth features are still being tested. Maybe they will allow direct
transfer to a computer?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[[email protected]]

I received the following very helpful message from TracFone:

Picture messages can be sent to an email address. To send a picture
message, please follow the steps below:

1. Please press the MESSAGE key which is located to the right of the
navigation keys.
2. "Create" should be highlighted on your phone screen display. Now
press the key below the word SELECT.
3. Go to "MMS Templates" and press the SELECT key.
4. Go to the desired Option and press the SELECT key.
5. The Image should be displayed on screen. Now press the OK key.
6. "One Time Entry" should be highlighted. Press the SELECT key.
7. Enter your email address and then press the OK key.
8. Press the key below the word SEND.

I was able to save the image from the email, process it with
PhotoImpression, and it turned out fairly good after some brightness and
contrast adjustment. Considering that it was taken at close range in
ambient light, I was happy with the results. I had purchased the phone as a
replacement for the V170 I thought I had lost, but now I found it and was
considering returning this phone. But it is a lot nicer and the camera
feature makes it well worth the $50 I paid for it.

The Bluetooth features are still being tested. Maybe they will allow direct
transfer to a computer?

Thanks,

Paul

How much do they charge per image-attachment email?

Michael

 

[Paul E. Schoen]

How much do they charge per image-attachment email?

It cost something like 1 or 2 units (minutes). This was a small image
(about 25kB). I don't use the phone very much, and I usually purchase about
400 minutes and one year of service once a year for about $100. My new
phone has double minutes. It's a pretty good deal to have a cell phone for
about $8 a month. And I have good service at my house where other people
have had problems getting a connection. I have heard this is often more due
to the sensitivity of the phone itself, rather than "the network". Motorola
seems pretty good.

Paul