Pictures From A Phone To Computer

[cabinetman]

I'm pretty low tech. My cell phone is going on a few years old and doesn't have a camera. I've missed some great photo opportunities because of it. My wife OTOH, has the latest and greatest of all the new products. So, I went through bags and bags of phones, chargers, and miscellaneous wiring and found a camera phone. It's a Motorola V226. Found the charger too. So, I charged it up, and switched the Simm card from my phone to it. It works great, and takes OK pictures. I also found an interface cord that goes from the phone to a USB port.

Problem is, what to do to import pictures. My wife doesn't think there was a software CD. So, I found a downloadable driver from Motorola called Motohelper. Downloaded it, and it does nothing when clicking on it except wanting to be downloaded again.

So, what do I have to do to get pictures from the phone to the computer? I have no internet plan with the phone, so emailing is out. TIA.

.

[jdon]

I'm not familiar with the phone you have, but with a lot of them, when you connect them to your computer (by USB adapter), you can open a screen on the phone which asks how you want to connect- there might be a choice to connect as a USB storage device. Then, you can copy files from your computer to the phone, just as you would to any drive.

You might need to download a utility/app to you phone first, but check the phone settings. I don't know why the Motorola utility won't load.

Caveat: I'm pretty low tech re: smart phones myself, esp. compared to my kids Good luck, and sympathy.

[cwsmith]

Much of course will depend on the format of the pictures that the Motorola uses for it's pictures.

But, once you plug most any USB device into your computer, you can simply use the Windows Explorer (used to be "File Manager" on old Windows versions) to go look into that particular device.

For example, if I open up Windows Explorer on my "Vista" - based laptop, it will list the files and if I click on "Computer" it will list the directories available there... "C", "D", and "E", with "C" and "D" being the hard drive (partitioned), and "E" being the DVD drive.

Within seconds of plugging in any USB device, a new "drive" letter will appear... "F" and it will be identified as close as possible. Like my USB storage device, or my camera, or my HP printer which also has a slot for a memory card.

So, you simply use Windows Exployer to go look at that new drive lettered device and any subdirectories that it might contain. For example both my old Nikon camera and my Kodak both have sub-directories for the pictures. You just simply look and they're pretty intuitive as to thier naming. Most pictures are in JPEG format, though I'm sure other formats are fairly popular.

Once you find the pictures, you can simply click and drag them to whatever directory on "drive C" that you may have, or wish to setup for such occasions. Just click and drag to "MOVE" the files from one directory to another; OR, hold down the Ctrl Key while you click and drag and you will simply "COPY" it to the other directory.

Bottom line, you don't need any special software... NORMALLY!

I hope this helps,

CWS

[frumper64]

Another option is to send the pictures as an email or text from to yourself from the phone and then open the email/text on the computer and save the pictures. This assumes, of course, that your phone plan covers data or text.

[Mr__Bill]

Really just plug it in to the computer. The computer will take a while to find and load drivers for it and then ask you what you want to do. If you select download pictures it will do that for you and then open a window to view them. If you select explore with file manager you can do that too, but you may have to search for the pics. Just don't check the box to do this every time, you may want to switch how you access the phone.

You can also put books on the phone for reading when the wife is shopping and you are waiting.

As an added benefit the phone will charge while connected to the computer.

Bill
in the left coast where today it's sunny

[JoeyGee]

jdon is exactly right. I would not worry about drivers or software or any of that junk. If it is a Motorola, I believe you need their phone tools software if you do want to go that route, and I think it was about $50 last time I saw it.

Usually there is a setting under tools or settings for USB mode. Go into that and select mass storage, or whatever the storage option is. Then it should appear as a removable storage device in Windows Explorer/My Computer.

[scmhogg]

Cab,

I had a similar problem. I still have a "flip-phone". And, I don't have an internet connection on the phone.

I sent the pic as an attachment to a text message, to my son. He then sent it back to me as an attachment to an email. Voila.

Steve

[Pappy]

When the xD slot died on my old computer I bought a version of this. Mine plugs straight into the USB port but this one comes with the cable.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/eForCity...lerId=35247640

It will accept and read vitually all types of memory cards.

[cabinetman]

Much of course will depend on the format of the pictures that the Motorola uses for it's pictures.

But, once you plug most any USB device into your computer, you can simply use the Windows Explorer (used to be "File Manager" on old Windows versions) to go look into that particular device.

For example, if I open up Windows Explorer on my "Vista" - based laptop, it will list the files and if I click on "Computer" it will list the directories available there... "C", "D", and "E", with "C" and "D" being the hard drive (partitioned), and "E" being the DVD drive.

Within seconds of plugging in any USB device, a new "drive" letter will appear... "F" and it will be identified as close as possible. Like my USB storage device, or my camera, or my HP printer which also has a slot for a memory card.

So, you simply use Windows Exployer to go look at that new drive lettered device and any subdirectories that it might contain. For example both my old Nikon camera and my Kodak both have sub-directories for the pictures. You just simply look and they're pretty intuitive as to thier naming. Most pictures are in JPEG format, though I'm sure other formats are fairly popular.

Once you find the pictures, you can simply click and drag them to whatever directory on "drive C" that you may have, or wish to setup for such occasions. Just click and drag to "MOVE" the files from one directory to another; OR, hold down the Ctrl Key while you click and drag and you will simply "COPY" it to the other directory.

Bottom line, you don't need any special software... NORMALLY!

I hope this helps,

CWS

Windows Explorer...under "computer", shows no device.

.

[cabinetman]

Another option is to send the pictures as an email or text from to yourself from the phone and then open the email/text on the computer and save the pictures. This assumes, of course, that your phone plan covers data or text.

I don't have an internet plan with this phone.

.

[cabinetman]

Really just plug it in to the computer. The computer will take a while to find and load drivers for it and then ask you what you want to do. If you select download pictures it will do that for you and then open a window to view them. If you select explore with file manager you can do that too, but you may have to search for the pics. Just don't check the box to do this every time, you may want to switch how you access the phone.

You can also put books on the phone for reading when the wife is shopping and you are waiting.

As an added benefit the phone will charge while connected to the computer.

Bill
in the left coast where today it's sunny

I did plug it in and then...nothing. No windows, menus, or indication in Windows Explorer.

.

[cabinetman]

Cab,

I had a similar problem. I still have a "flip-phone". And, I don't have an internet connection on the phone.

I sent the pic as an attachment to a text message, to my son. He then sent it back to me as an attachment to an email. Voila.

Steve

I'm thinking that I might, but I don't have a media plan. If I can just email a picture, all I have is a keypad, not a keyboard. I'm guessing it's a PITA to do it that way.

.

[cabinetman]

When the xD slot died on my old computer I bought a version of this. Mine plugs straight into the USB port but this one comes with the cable.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/eForCity...lerId=35247640

It will accept and read vitually all types of memory cards.

I do have one of the multi card readers. I use it for the card from my digital camera. But, this phone has no card per se. It has a cable with a USB plug, but when plugged into the computer...nothing.

.

[radhak]

Motorola phones generally did not play nice with the average PC interface, at least some time back. (Not sure about nowadays - I've not had a Moto phone for some time now).

You might need to download and install software specifically built to handle Motorola phones. One was the P2K Commander, somewhat like a file-explorer, that would help your PC recognize and read the phone. I found some reference here : P2K.

The other was the Motorola Took kit : Motokit. Sorry - may not help you because looks like this was just the linux version. Don't remember if there ever was a PC version.

So the P2K might be your only option.

Actually, you might have other, better options : buy a cheap enough phone from craigslist (or Amazon or eBay). Any phone of today will give you the easy picture-taking-and-transferring ability.

[cabinetman]

Motorola phones generally did not play nice with the average PC interface, at least some time back. (Not sure about nowadays - I've not had a Moto phone for some time now).

You might need to download and install software specifically built to handle Motorola phones. One was the P2K Commander, somewhat like a file-explorer, that would help your PC recognize and read the phone. I found some reference here : P2K.

The other was the Motorola Took kit : Motokit. Sorry - may not help you because looks like this was just the linux version. Don't remember if there ever was a PC version.

So the P2K might be your only option.

Actually, you might have other, better options : buy a cheap enough phone from craigslist (or Amazon or eBay). Any phone of today will give you the easy picture-taking-and-transferring ability.

Thanks. I will try that download. If that doesn't work, I agree with you that one of the new phones will be the best option.

.