Razer Naga gaming mouse requires always-on Internet connection

[D_A]

Razer Naga gaming mouse requires always-on Internet connection, license agreement says they can use this to spy on you

Found this on another forum:
http://boingboing.net/2012/11/07/raz...se-requir.html

Channelx99, a poster on the overclock.net forums, says that the Razer Naga gaming mouse comes with special drivers that require your computer to be connected to the Internet at all times in order to play -- and this means that the mouse was useless when it was first plugged in, because Razer's servers were down.

Parsing the Razer license agreement, Channelx99 finds that Razer reserves the right to spy on all your activity and to sell or data-mine that data. Multiple emails to Razer from Channelx99 have not created any clarity on this, as the company only sends back generic customer-service messages that don't explain whether the purpose of the drivers is really to spy on and monetize users.

There's more at the linked article, plus a link to the guy who dug into it: http://www.overclock.net/t/1319323/r...rvers-are-down

[Syn.]

Most Razer hardware now uses Synapse software, its not just Naga.

[BrowncoatGR]

So nobody at Razer thought about what would happen to their bottom line when this eventually exploded all over the net?

[Rava6e]

This is the stupidest thing concerning mice ive ever heard. What happens when my internet connection dies, which it does every few months, due to upgrades and repairs and whatnot. Will it not work then? Or will the basic functions work? Im looking to buy a new mouse right now, and this was one of the contenders.

[Evantaur]

It only needs to be connected once

After that synapse2 will sync your changes to razer servers and have a local copy at /appData/roaming/rzrsynapse or something like that

they made synapse2 so you can get your settings from anywhere...also works as a backup

Also i think there's still a driver just for naga that does not need internet connection, but i'm not sure if it works with 2012 model

Edit. My phone went crazy while i was typing

[Chrono Detector]

What a huge epic fail, so now hardware comes with online DRM or whatever? And forces users to install spyware? Pass.

[zanzabar]

i had seen a thing that razer had problems with their software crashing when the internet had connection problems (before this), or on laptops that recover from sleep with no internet.

[naokaji]

This is the stupidest thing concerning mice ive ever heard. What happens when my internet connection dies, which it does every few months, due to upgrades and repairs and whatnot. Will it not work then? Or will the basic functions work? Im looking to buy a new mouse right now, and this was one of the contenders.

Basic kb / mouse functionality is all integrated in the operating system, kb / mouse drivers are always only for extra functions.

[crash5s]

What a huge epic fail, so now hardware comes with online DRM or whatever?

That's not what's going on. Razer's products now get their drivers from the cloud and store a user profile there as well. When you first install any of them you'll need an internet connection to download what you need and get off and running. Once this is done you will have a local profile and be able to use the mouse as normal. Now if you go to another computer like at say a LAN or whatever and run synapse it will pull your profile for you as well. The online connection is always on so it can update your profile and check for updates.

It's pretty painless unless you run into one of two situations. The first is that their servers are offline when you are attempting to install synapse, at which point their products revert to generic keyboard/mouse. The second is that if you're internet connection is crappy it has a hitch between offline/online swaps.

If you care that much, you can download synapse 2.0, configure your stuff and then block it. You won't lose full functionality, but it won't update your profile in the cloud and you won't be able to pull a profile, you'll simply be stuck with your local profile.

You can resume your regularly scheduled freak out now.

[Syn.]

That's not what's going on. Razer's products now get their drivers from the cloud and store a user profile there as well. When you first install any of them you'll need an internet connection to download what you need and get off and running. Once this is done you will have a local profile and be able to use the mouse as normal. Now if you go to another computer like at say a LAN or whatever and run synapse it will pull your profile for you as well. The online connection is always on so it can update your profile and check for updates.

It's pretty painless unless you run into one of two situations. The first is that their servers are offline when you are attempting to install synapse, at which point their products revert to generic keyboard/mouse. The second is that if you're internet connection is crappy it has a hitch between offline/online swaps.

If you care that much, you can download synapse 2.0, configure your stuff and then block it. You won't lose full functionality, but it won't update your profile in the cloud and you won't be able to pull a profile, you'll simply be stuck with your local profile.

You can resume your regularly scheduled freak out now.

I agree. While it is a more connected driver set up i think its a good step forward.

[crash5s]

I agree. While it is a more connected driver set up i think its a good step forward.

It's not even that much more connected for the driver set up, and it's a huge step forward.

When you purchase your product you need to create a synapse account/profile once to download your drivers from the cloud. Once you get everything going after that, you don't need to connect synapse online again. That's it, your done. You can now use the drivers locally and you will have a local profile. If you want to be dead sure about it you can even block the synapse program from going online and it will work just fine. This is no different than any other software I use at work or other products where you register it and then download the software. Does anybody even use the driver CD that comes with a product anymore? That crap is always out of date and often asks you to register as well.

For me I installed it at home first and created all my shortcuts, macros, program specific junk, and up it went. Went into work and logged into my profile and down it came. Ditto at my friends house. I haven't updated it at home, if I go into synapse to screw around with stuff it will let me know it's not updated but it doesn't interfere with anything. I think that they have a razer store/twitter/facebook button inside synapse to be a bit stupid but I don't really care. My friend has the same keyboard and when he plays over here he can just switch to his profile if he wants. It's kinda nice actually.

You don't have to be connected to the razer cloud if you don't want to be once the initial install is done and over with. It's up to you if you want to keep an updated profile in the cloud or not. But there is no DRM here and there is no requirement for an always on connection.

This post was typed from my apartment with a fully functional blackwidow ultimate with synapse not connected to the internets!

[zanzabar]

That's not what's going on. Razer's products now get their drivers from the cloud and store a user profile there as well. When you first install any of them you'll need an internet connection to download what you need and get off and running. Once this is done you will have a local profile and be able to use the mouse as normal. Now if you go to another computer like at say a LAN or whatever and run synapse it will pull your profile for you as well. The online connection is always on so it can update your profile and check for updates.

It's pretty painless unless you run into one of two situations. The first is that their servers are offline when you are attempting to install synapse, at which point their products revert to generic keyboard/mouse. The second is that if you're internet connection is crappy it has a hitch between offline/online swaps.

If you care that much, you can download synapse 2.0, configure your stuff and then block it. You won't lose full functionality, but it won't update your profile in the cloud and you won't be able to pull a profile, you'll simply be stuck with your local profile.

You can resume your regularly scheduled freak out now.

wouldent making it off line with a sync button make this way easier. and that EULA addition of collecting data that they can sell is not something that should be going on.

[crash5s]

wouldent making it off line with a sync button make this way easier. and that EULA addition of collecting data that they can sell is not something that should be going on.

The software is still in beta so keep that in mind. But they won't share your personal information unless you agree to it, it's not really that much more malicious than steam. I don't really agree with it, but the horse you're upset about here left the gate with Valve and is never coming back.

Furthermore, you don't have to keep it online. If you just install synapse to get your drivers and local profiles and then cut it off the internet your product is still fully functional, problem fixed. I agree that they should have a button to make this easier don't get me wrong. However the concept that you have to keep connected to razers cloud 24/7 to use your product and keep giving them information just isn't correct.

The people who started this whole mess appear to be upset and a bit confused. They state the activation/driver whatever servers were down, that's a logical gripe and it's stupid on razers part. They state synapse has to always be online, this is false. They seem to know this because then he complains that the software is hitching moving from online to offline mode... McFly should think here because it obviously has an offline mode if it's switching to it (and I haven't had this issue). The other complaint is that it pops up and annoys people for updates (never seen it do this).

I'd say they ed up because what's going on has obviously confused a lot of people and they should make it easier to manage offline vs online. But claiming that their software requires always online to use your Razer equipment so it can spy on you while throwing pop-ups at you just isn't true.

[chew*]

wouldent making it off line with a sync button make this way easier. and that EULA addition of collecting data that they can sell is not something that should be going on.

Thats probably just razer's way of saying that they are protecting them selves from isuzu drivers.....I SUZ U.

[Evantaur]

“aggregate information” is information that describes the habits, usage patterns, and demographics of Subscribers as a group (which may include computer system and device data) but does not describe or reveal the identity of any particular Subscriber.

“individual information” is information about a Subscriber (which may include computer system and device data) that is presented in a form distinguishable from information relating to other Subscribers but not in a form that personally identifies any Subscriber or enables the recipient to communicate directly with any Subscriber unless agreed to by the Subscriber in advance of such communication.

“personally identifiable information” may consist of a Subscriber’s name, email address, physical address or other data about the Subscriber that enables the Subscriber to be personally identified.

By using Razer Synapse 2.0 (“Synapse”), the Subscriber agrees that Razer may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information. Razer may share aggregate information and individual information with other parties. Razer shall not share personally identifiable information with other parties, except as described in the policy below.

Razer may use customer contact information provided by Subscribers to send information about Razer, including news about product updates, contests, events, and other promotional materials, but only if the Subscriber agrees to receive such communications. Except in the cases described below, Razer will not share personally identifiable information with any third party unless the Subscriber agrees to such disclosure in advance.

While provision of personally identifiable information remains entirely voluntary, Razer reserves the right to make access to certain value-added services or features conditional upon the supply of personally identifiable information. In such situations, the Subscriber will be given the option to decline use of the particular value added service or feature if he does not wish to furnish personally identifiable information.

In some situations, personally identifiable information the Subscriber inputs in connection with Synapse may be made searchable or otherwise available to other Subscribers (such as in certain public functions). Razer has no obligation to keep the privacy of personally identifiable information that is made available by a Subscriber to other Subscribers.

Collection of personally identifiable information may be out-sourced to associates under agreement with Razer. These associates may adhere to their own set of privacy policies.

Personally identifiable information will be processed and stored by Razer in databases hosted in secure locations. Razer has taken reasonable steps to protect the information Subscribers share with it, including, but not limited to, setup of processes, equipment and software to avoid unauthorized access or disclosure of this information.

Razer may allow third parties performing services under contract with Razer to access stored information but such access shall only be to the extent necessary to provide those services. In those instances, the third party will be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Razer may release personally identifiable information to comply with court orders or laws that require us to disclose such information, without the need of consent from the Subscriber.

source

[zanzabar]

Thats probably just razer's way of saying that they are protecting them selves from isuzu drivers.....I SUZ U.

affter origin i do not trust any time that is put in.

[chew*]

Razer may release personally identifiable information to comply with court orders or laws that require us to disclose such information, without the need of consent from the Subscriber.

So what if they want to help lock up child :banana::banana::banana::banana:ographers......If your doing nothing wrong....why act paranoid.

[zanzabar]

So what if they want to help lock up child :banana::banana::banana::banana:ographers......If your doing nothing wrong....why act paranoid.

we all do things wrong, and there are things that you do without knowing it. and what about personal info like your browser history, or any account information, passwords from raw input, emails, chat, and any other information. we saw EA scan files with origin with no explanation and they had allot of upload on some people (like gigs) so who knows what they are really doing.

[haylui]

lucky my MS Sidewinder doesn't need me to have a internet connect to use the mouse...lol

[STEvil]

Well, guess I wont be buying Razer ever again.

[alpha0ne]

Why not ditch the Razer app and just install something like XMouseButtonControlSetup ??

I wouldn't use/buy ANY Razer nor any other h/ware if it required me to go online to get full usage out of the product, bad enough that some games force an online connection

[TimPrice]

Crapware.

[D_A]

Contrary to the affirmations of one fanboi, this is not a positive step. This is a hideous breach of people's privacy disguised as "convenience" and tolerating it will only embolden other companies to take similar and ever progressing steps to further monetize your personal information, not even for your limited benefit but their own.
1984 was a warning, not an instruction manual.

[Dimitriman]

Good thing my Lachesis does not use Synapse2 sofwtware. Just standard offline driver...

[alpha0ne]

Contrary to the affirmations of one fanboi, this is not a positive step. This is a hideous breach of people's privacy disguised as "convenience" and tolerating it will only embolden other companies to take similar and ever progressing steps to further monetize your personal information, not even for your limited benefit but their own.
1984 was a warning, not an instruction manual.

Well said D_A