Razer Updates Synapse Software With Better 'Offline Mode,' Other Problematic 'Features' Remain Unchanged
from the i've-got-some-'ok'-news-and-some-'still-bad'-news dept
A couple of months ago, we brought you the unlikely story of a mouse that required an internet connection to fully function. Razer, for whatever reason, had sold itself on the idea that cloud-based storage was preferable for configuration setups and user profiles, rather than simply storing these settings locally in the mouse itself, as it had done in the past.It cited a variety of reasons for this move, including the laughable suggestion that physical memory was too expensive, but when all the rationalizing was done, the mouse still required an internet connection to utilize all the extra functions customers had paid a premium price for. The "offline mode" still required an internet connection, as users would be left with running $80 mice on standard drivers if they attempted to forgo the registration process and the downloading of additional Razer Synapse software.
Nathan F sends in the (somewhat) good news that Razer has issued an update to its Synapse 2.0 software, adding an improved Offline Mode that can be used to avoid depending on its still rather iffy cloud service. This would be great news, except for the fact that Razer still requires online activation and installation of its Synapse software, whether you plan to use it or not. Rather than allow users to opt out of the cloud before registration, Razer is still requiring all of its proprietary hoops be jumped through before cutting its customers loose.
In other bad news, those using the cloud service are still reporting issues with Razer's software, including the failure to recognize installed devices and lag when switching settings on the fly, the latter of which wasn't an issue with local storage. The release notes (which are far from thorough) also point out that purchasers of certain peripherals will no longer be able to use legacy drivers if they've installed and used the Synapse 2.0 software. In other words, if you purchased certain mice and followed the setup instructions, you're cut off from rolling back your drivers -- something that's a bit underhanded when delivered via mandatory installation.
Then there's the ongoing issues arising from Razer's decision to ditch physical memory in favor of the cloud. This installation process will need to be repeated for each computer the peripheral is attached to. Offline mode improvements are useless if all your settings and profiles are stored on your "home" computer. There's nothing people love more than installing software, especially repeatedly. (This repeated process seems to be an issue even if you never change computers, as connection glitches can cause profile information to become corrupted -- or vanish completely.)
So, while improving the Offline Mode and giving users the option to ditch the cloud altogether is a step in the right direction, Razer seriously needs to consider making the entire process optional. It also should reconsider its cloud-based storage push, seeing as the potential for problems is nearly unlimited. Update or no, Razer is still pushing hardware that won't function without connecting to the internet at least once. It also should reconsider physical storage. If this storage is really as expensive as Razer's talking points insist it is, it could always charge a bit more for a truly portable mouse/keyboard that isn't reliant on an internet connection to unlock its functions.
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Filed Under: cloud computing, mouse, offline mode
Companies: razer
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Now? Maybe corsair, undecided.
You'd think Razer had heard of ubisoft and their issues by now, instead of staying in denial.
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Seems they didn't get the message. A shame really. I use to like them.
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anyone here does not have a net connection ?? I thought so..
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Considering the cost of memory these days and the amount that a mouse might require, this excuse simply does not hold water. The real reason is elsewhere. I could put on my tinfoilhat and speculate, but their actual reason(s) maybe be even more nefarious.
btw, your logic is somewhat lacking
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Very few have truly stable ones! Go figure.
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I thought so.
Technology always fail at some point and if you don't have redundancy you don't have service, meaning when your internet goes out you want be able to even use your computer with such a mouse.
It doesn't seem so bad after all what would I need a mouse for?
If you are a surgeon you may need your mouse to store information before evacuating, if you are a business man you many need your mouse to click on something to save it, oh I can see how this could be a problem for a lot of people.
Not a big one of course, one can always use the command line right?
or make the jump for a touchscreen and leave behind the venerable mouse alone.
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you can rest assured, that you mouse will continue working, even without power, and if you computer is 10 feet below water level.
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They all have constant internet connections on every computer they use that would never leave them disconnected at the time they need to use their property? Must be nice never to have to travel or use a computer in an unfamiliar location. Boring, but predictably safe.
"anyone here does not have a net connection ?? I thought so.."
Yes, everyone on an internet forum has access to the internet. Brilliant logic. In other news, if I walk into a bar most people drink alcohol, so there's no need to sell soft drinks, right?
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you've agreed most people with computers are on the net, and most have a permanent connection.
if you market is focused on people with computers (who need mice) and that those people are connected to the net, you can expect to have quite a large market.
I would expect there would be far less people with computers and no connection that there would be people with computers and a net connection.
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It's also acceptable and viable for people who aren't in that demographic or who find the changes requiring registration and connection unacceptable to complain and buy from their competitors. It's also acceptable for those of us who see and understand that to point it out.
"I would expect there would be far less people with computers and no connection that there would be people with computers and a net connection."
..and there are probably more people who don't have internet 100% of the time on 100% of the computers they wish to use with the device. Whichever way you look at it, the market for people who can use this device effectively is lower than those who could use it effectively if the data was stored on a dirt cheap chip stored in the unit itself.
"if you market is focused on people with computers (who need mice) and that those people are connected to the net, you can expect to have quite a large market."
They're already in a niche market as the majority of people who use computers have no need for a customisable mouse, and most of those won't spend as much on a mouse as Razer's products cost. They're not selling to someone who's happy with the USB mouse that came with their Dell, and the people they're targeting know they have a choice and know their needs.
This might be more of a deal than you understand. Even if not, offloading features to the cloud concerns me as much as my (real and proven) concerns about offloading features from hardware to software did back in the day (look for "winprinter" and "winmodems" and see how they caused a lot of problems with early Linux adoption due to their Windows requirements). IMHO, whichever way you look at it, it's a step in the wrong direction, even if the market is still relatively large.
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Start stocking up on that cheese.
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Making devices "connected" is the hot new thing. A decade from now, your pen will probably require an internet connection.
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In the event that infringing material is produced with the pen, it will provide a 5 second warning, then explode taking out everything within 5 meters... 'just to be safe and prevent any potential copyright infringement...' A spokesman for AIM AND DIE said, "We can't be too careful with these serious potential criminals or we don't know what they will start doing next... for all we know they could start removing tags from Mattresses... OMG the HORROR...."
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I can't help but hope Ubisoft/Razer will not be in charge of the activation systems!
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Translation: I am buying any other brand just not the RAZER LoL
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I mean I know one can remap buttons and all that good stuff to do just about anything, but does it recognize all the buttons in the RAZER or the manufacture took some steps to only allow communications with the bus if a key was given?
For this and other questions I don't see why anyone should risk buying that crap hardware, since it could turn out to be a tease and not real features one would be able to use.
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wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
here is a clue, you don't like a product or how it is offered, DONT FREAKING BUY IT..
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Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
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Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
Do you also rant against product reviews?
I'll bet you're a lot of fun at parties.
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Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
Once Techdirt's re-writers find a hook, however slight, they hang ever more tenuous fare on it. Games and similar fluff pieces are frequent in this "technical framework" cause games are big with the fanboy-trolls.
Don't miss today's exciting episode of Mike Masnick, Court Reporter...
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"This water is too wet!"
"This vacuum is too dry!"
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Yeah. We already established well over a year ago that Blue wouldn't be a very good party guest...
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Trollus fanboius vs. trollus industrious.
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Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
Here's another clue - read the article you're commenting on. You aren't told that the cloud connection is necessary until you complete the installation process. If the packaging said "Internet service registration required for all features, whether you use them or not" then MAYBE it would be cool (not in my book, though). Let me help you find the relevant bit:
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Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
The devolution into the children you've acted like for the last few years is nearly complete, I think. Now if only you can find the next logical steps of either shutting up or actually going to sites that do cover your preferred subjects...
"here is a clue, you don't like a product or how it is offered, DONT FREAKING BUY IT.."
How about "if you don't like a site, don't read it"?
I won't buy the product, anyway, and this is a great way to learn who deserves my money and won't give me a deliberately inferior product in return. Articles like this are to remind mental midgets like yourself that people were trying to tell you why before we took our money elsewhere. At least with a product like this you can't whine about "piracy" while you kill your own business.
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I Hate Them Meeses to Pieces!
Meeses are in an intimate relationship with the computer thay are connected to. PERIOD. If you move the mouse, the relationship follows. The "cloud" nor the internet, has anything to do with it. They must have figured out some way to monitize the cloud connection to want to pull crap like this. Sheesh!
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Originally, they were claiming that keeping all of the settings in memory onboard the mouse was becoming a problem because they had so many settings (apparently stored in some horribly inefficient method - because really, how much memory can mouse settings really take) that their new line of mice were going to require more onboard memory than their previous line and the memory chips were going to raise the price.
Realistically, that claim is crap. In the time that they have had between iterations of their hardware, the price of memory has dropped, so it would seem to be likely that more memory would still be cheaper than the memory chips in their previous line. It could be argued that they were trying to reduce some costs to increase their profit.
It is also likely that storing settings in the cloud gives them some important marketing information about their customers. I would not be surprised if the cloud server had lots of information about customer's hardware profiles on their PC's, IP address information, etc. This would be pretty useful in marketing new hardware.
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Even IF that were true, it still doesn't explain or justify the use of "cloud" storage for storing the settings. When confronted with the need to store settings that won't fit in the mouse's memory, anyone with 1/10 of a brain should come to the logical conclusion of storing the settings on the computer itself, as has been done for many years. Sure, use the cloud as a backup to make it easy for users to move their settings to a new system, but to completely replace local storage with cloud storage for something so essential to the normal operation of the system is just beyond idiotic.
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Without this protection people will just illegally download our mouse off the Internet and use it without paying us for it!
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People buy these mice for the software?
It's not like Logitech where their crappy software is REQUIRED to get any functionality out of the mouse beyond right and left click. That's why I went to Razer to begin with. (Really, Logitech what the hell were you thinking making it so I couldn't use middle-click without your crappy software?)
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The only Razer mouse I ever owned was the BoomSlang. The immense DPI for back then (2000DPI ZOMG!!11!!ONE) and on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment certainly upped my odds in Unreal Tournament. It was a good mouse. It also stored its settings locally.
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And sorry, I had to ask. I've seen too many tech related post lately from people complaining about products they've admitted to never having used.
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In defense of Razer
This is a stupid idea, but they are, at least, trying something new. I'm sure that this is their logic, however flawed it may be in this case.
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1. How expensive is memory?
2. How much memory does a mouse need to store configuration settings?
I imagine that realiatically the answers to both are "Not very much".
I think this shows us tow things.
1. We are at the point where companies just assume that reliable high speed internet is available to everyone.
2. We are at the point where companies really don't consider the customers when it comes to making products.
I guess Razer is worried that someone is going to pirate their mice?
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My fist deathadder lasted a few years, my last one a few months, but I forgot to register, so no replacement for me,
I went back to Logitech and the MX performance mouse and the Logitech wireless trackball.
setting up the MX the first time was a bitch the drivers double installed and messed up everything.
once I got it figured out it's AWESOME......
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Former customer
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Deathadder and Synapse 2.0
Unless they fix it for me, I paid premium price for a standard mouse/keyboard combo with features I cant use OR I can plug in a different keyboard everytime I boot my system.
On top of the "DRM" related issues as discribed, I really really regret paying €170 for what I thought would be premium quality. Cant get a refund from the store I bought the items from cause, what should I say? "Razers software wont work properly"?
Should have sticked with logitech as Ive been using for so many years..
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Just don't use the macro keys. Problem solved.
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Synapse problem about 3 days ago. this is sh*t. I bought
some headsets by Razer too... but, that's it, I'm never buying
anything Razer again.
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I got both Razer Naga 2014 and the competing Logitech G600 and in my honest opinion, Razr deserves to get shut down for this decision.
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Razer Naga may have mechanical thumb pad buttons but the advantages over the competing mice ends there.
The Logitech G600's build is far superior in every way. You can configure all the buttons once and plug it to another PC and your settings will be intact. No accounts/internet connection/cloud/extra software required. Over all design of the thumb grid is better (splits it on 2 sections which eases getting used to it - like touch typing with your thumb)
This thread is aimed primarily for gamers who demand the very best since they spent premium dollars. Don't ridicule anyone or play down the obvious issue here and say "it's just a mouse".
Who ever thought that the driver on these Razer products needs to get incorporated with the "malware feature" needs to get sacked.
Boycotting Razer for sure.
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Razer
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I bought this for advertised features that were not disclosed to be unavailable.
Most of the locations where I need to use the mouse are behind proxies that do not allow cloud connections. The ads and the description did not disclose how difficult it would be to configure and use the features even with an Internet connection, or that it would not be possible without.
In some cases it is possible to get a temporary proxy or firewall exception. This allows you to install and configure naive software or drivers that require this. However, the Naga goes further and requires the Internet to even operate. It is a mouse. This was not expected.
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