Best Buy Finally Called and Asked Me To Return The GN

[YourMobileGuru]

Just because one person has it does not mean anything for a launch. Hell people had the nexus one and look where that is....

And the HTC Merge lol ... several of those were around before they finally got permission to sell them via in directs and a couple regional carriers..

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Plus, if they end up firing the guy who sold a piece of merchandise in the store's stock and system without having to bypass anything saying he wasn't allowed, he likely can walk away with a very nice wrongful termination suit.

Actually he did have to do some creative things with the system to get the phone to sell. IIRC the OP said it took like an hour and a half to sell it to him in the first place.

 

[cmarks03]

Can Verizon brick (i.e. render completely inoperable for even off-network use) a phone remotely? If the updates they push out are in the same (or similar) format as the update.zip for CWM, I think they could. If they push out one that is just the update-script with the commands to format the phone's OS partitions (/system mainly) and do nothing else, the device is toast. Would it be hard-brick or soft-brick? I don't know (and I'm not gonna try on any of my devices ). Is it a good idea for them to do so - in terms of development cost, legality, or PR? Heck no!

As an engineer, I would be interested to know if Google/Samsung/HTC publish JTAG pinouts and other related information for the Nexus line so that people with the right gear could try to recover a hard brick. After all, it *is* a developer phone.

@guinnkevinr: In your unboxing video I don't recall seeing the lock/unlock icon on boot that (supposedly - I have never owned a Nexus device) shows if the bootloader is locked or unlocked. Have you tried unlocking? Or am I just misinformed as to that icon's purpose/existence?

 

[YourMobileGuru]

in addition to being a legally sold phone, what would happen in an emergency situation if VZW deactivated his phone to the point where it couldn't even make 911 calls? is that even possible?

They would never actually brick the device itself (ie prevent it from powering on and working) they would just deactivate the SIM, and even int hat case the phone would still do 911 calls all phones do even of they don't have service or even if they have no SIM card at all. That's a requirement of the FCC.

 

[androidcues]

no...verizon is too stupid to do that. you cannot brick a phone unless you destroy recovery and the bootloader.

just freaking unlock that puppy and flash a real rom like CM9 and be done with it....once you take over the system partition its yours and only yours buddy.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Wow. You sure are a blind fanboy. Do you believe everything you read on the Internet?

When the same story is picked up bu every major tech blog and news outlet, yes I generally believe it. I actually saw a (heavily watered down) story about the iPhone inaccurately showing signal on my evening news.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Verizon also cannot block your access because you rightfully bought a legit product for a legit purpose. If they block you then they are violating your legal contract of what the phone is for..

Read the terms and conditions. Yes they can.

.

My guess is that verizon cannot sell these phones because it may be illegal for them to do so if the rumors about google wallet and net neutrality is true. It may not but verizon might be airing on the safe side..

It had nothing to do with Net Neutrality or Google Wallet, and the device will (most likely) go on sale on Thursday (unless it is delayed again for some reason).

 

[YourMobileGuru]

It's now approaching 7PM PST and best buy never called back today. Guess they gave up. I'm glad because I am really happy with the Gnex and plan on keeping it. Thank you everyone for all of the support and guidance.

Or else they go the word that the phone is going on sale Thursday and there isn't much point in perusing this anymore. They will pay their fine if Verizon knows about it and your phone will get the OTA that fixes the device that day.

http://www.androidcentral.com/veriz...c-15-looking-likely-according-costco-document I've had this confirmed by no own sources so it looks like it is gonna happen.

 

[iknownothing]

The bit about the employee bypassing their employer's purchasing system is how Verizon legally justifies disabling the device. It was unauthorized. The fact that the OP admits in writing on this forum that he knew it was unauthorized makes it indefensible. I'm not passing judgement, I probably would have done the same thing. Not an issue. The issue is they have asked for it back, which he has zero liability to do so. I would have brought it back because they asked me to. No big deal. Not passing any judgement. Verizon takes this stuff WAY too seriously. Only speaking from experience here. Trying to offer advice from someone who is actually been in a similar situation. Situations are distinguishable, yes. Bottom line, Verizon can do what it wants.

Tired of this debate. Sure Verizon can disable a device on their network. But before VERIZON does anything VERIZON will contact him. And they won't.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Can Verizon brick (i.e. render completely inoperable for even off-network use) a phone remotely? If the updates they push out are in the same (or similar) format as the update.zip for CWM, I think they could. If they push out one that is just the update-script with the commands to format the phone's OS partitions (/system mainly) and do nothing else, the device is toast. Would it be hard-brick or soft-brick? I don't know (and I'm not gonna try on any of my devices ). Is it a good idea for them to do so - in terms of development cost, legality, or PR? Heck no!

We don't know for sure what they can do there may very well be a kill-switch that we don't know about but somehow I doubt it.

But as has stated elsewhere in the thread IF they chose to do that they would simply de-provision the SIM card.

Your theory about an OTA is an interesting one but overkill for something like this.

 

[guinnkevinr]

The only bummer for me is that was my favorite best buy to shop at. It has two floors! So now I'm going to have to start shopping at another one so I don't get awkward stares from the BBmobile side of the store

 

[E.T.]

The only bummer for me is that was my favorite best buy to shop at. It has two floors! So now I'm going to have to start shopping at another one so I don't get awkward stares from the BBmobile side of the store

Hey, at least you got it! Congrats. And hey, you've changed the conversation in here - before, it was the whole "oh the GNex hasn't been delayed because Verizon never announced a date" debate 24/7. Now, it seems like you guys getting the phone has made people realize that the phones are literally sitting in stores and have been for days.

 

[ramonm2]

It's the holiday season. Don't screw someone out of their job. 1) they should've know not to sell it in the 1st place but cmon we're not gonna take a paycheck away from someone for trying to get to play with this thing. It'll come out when it comes out.

 

[thescreensavers]

The only bummer for me is that was my favorite best buy to shop at. It has two floors! So now I'm going to have to start shopping at another one so I don't get awkward stares from the BBmobile side of the store

Its alright just wait a few months the department will be full of new people.

It's the holiday season. Don't screw someone out of their job. 1) they should've know not to sell it in the 1st place but cmon we're not gonna take a paycheck away from someone for trying to get to play with this thing. It'll come out when it comes out.

It depends, if the worker was new and non one told him/her what stuff said on the computer then its bestbuys own fault for not giving the employee proper training. Even then if it was a good employee and bringing in the store money nothing will probably happen.

when I worked at bestbuy, I sold something at 50% off and got grilled by my manager because I was not suppose to sell it if it said "liquidation". I was never trained and just pushed onto the floor so there was nothing he could say to me lol.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

The only bummer for me is that was my favorite best buy to shop at. It has two floors! So now I'm going to have to start shopping at another one so I don't get awkward stares from the BBmobile side of the store

Nah with the turnover in mobile give it 6 months and everyone involved will be gone anyway.

 

[humpagardengnome]

That's always been my sense as well given that there are so many varied experiences and changes seem to happen both when phone firmware is updated and when it isn't. I guess I will see for myself soon as LTE is launching here on Dec 15.

Prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster. You will soon expeirience the greatest love/hate relationship of your entire life.

 

[pauldroidr2d2]

The store is at fault for selling the phone. They are the ones in breach of contract.

Maybe they thought it would minimize their penalties if they got the phone back.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster. You will soon expeirience the greatest love/hate relationship of your entire life.

Haha yeah I am sure it will be interesting... not as bad as it was 6 months ago but I'm already a step ahead of a lot of people in that I know how to torn off 4G when I am not using it

 

[humpagardengnome]

Or else they go the word that the phone is going on sale Thursday and there isn't much point in perusing this anymore. They will pay their fine if Verizon knows about it and your phone will get the OTA that fixes the device that day.

http://www.androidcentral.com/veriz...c-15-looking-likely-according-costco-document I've had this confirmed by no own sources so it looks like it is gonna happen.

Safer bet is that the look on their faces as he turned around and walked the door said what words never could. They knew they had no chance of recovering their unable to sell, cell. Had they used honey instead of lemons, they wouldn't have looked like sourpusses last night. The look on their grimacing mugs would've been a perfect photo op for the GN 5mp camera test, it would've been priceless to see their faces as the strongarm approach met w/ failure.

 

[humpagardengnome]

It's the holiday season. Don't screw someone out of their job. 1) they should've know not to sell it in the 1st place but cmon we're not gonna take a paycheck away from someone for trying to get to play with this thing. It'll come out when it comes out.

I believe he said the manager had to call VzW in order to activate. Since Big Red is also on the hook for activating the phone. They fan't do much of anything except.grin and bear it. Had he not contacted VzW during the purchase, it might be a different story for the BB reps. and/or manager.