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.
Filed Under: cloud computing, mouse, offline mode
Companies: razer
Comments on “Razer Updates Synapse Software With Better 'Offline Mode,' Other Problematic 'Features' Remain Unchanged”
Logitech. End of problem.
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Also, Steelseries.
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I literally was about to buy a pair of razers (2 gaming rigs) prior to finding out about this garbage.
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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If only it applied to their universal remotes….
After the first story I posted on the Facebook page of the lead designer. Funnily enough I didn’t get a response( quite a few likes though lol ).
Seems they didn’t get the message. A shame really. I use to like them.
I still can’t believe someone thought it a good idea to develop a mouse that required an Internet connection. What is the point of that?
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I’m amazed there are people that still buy it.
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oh ok, it’s as if the majority of people who have computers also have internet connections !!!! go figure..
anyone here does not have a net connection ?? I thought so..
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I still have not gotten on the internet.
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So? Just because most people are on the Internet, it does not mean that all devices used should also be Internet connected. What benefits are there of having an Internet connected mouse over a bog standard USB mouse? I don’t see any.
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The reason given for the required internet connection was to offload the memory … see how it saves you from using your local memory? … What a bunch of bs.
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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there is memory in the device, there has to be. where is the firmware stored? I just purchased my third razer mouse and boy am I regretting it.
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Most people have internet connections.
Very few have truly stable ones! Go figure.
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Does everybody here have internet connectivity in natural disasters?
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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and your really, really going to need that mouse the next natural disaster you encounter !!!! 😀
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oh and some electricity for you computer, a house for you and your computer, then you’ll be able to play WoW all you like, while the earth quake, volcano, flood, meteor strike, tsunami, drought, fire, tornado, hurricane, solar storm, EMP, disease, pestulance etc. come to get you..
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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“oh ok, it’s as if the majority of people who have computers also have internet connections “
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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put it the other way, if enough people are on the internet, it then becomes acceptable and viable for them to supply services for that product via that net connection..
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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“put it the other way, if enough people are on the internet, it then becomes acceptable and viable for them to supply services for that product via that net connection.”
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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I didn’t realize that your mouse also had an internet connection. I must be living in the dark ages, mine’s only USB.
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Oh hey, let’s make a mouse that needs food to run. After all, it’s as if the majority of people have food!
Start stocking up on that cheese.
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I still can’t believe someone thought it a good idea to develop a mouse that required an Internet connection. What is the point of that?
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 future your iGlasses will require an internet connection.
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Exactly this… and with the advances in technology and my new patented: Automated Infringement Management Assisted NanoTechnology Device Detection, Inspection, and Eradication (AIM AND DIE) technology… the internet connected pen will stop writing any time it detects ‘potentially copyright infringing material’ being produced with it…
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….”
No wait, there’s more, in the future if moms want to deliver their babies they’ll have to be connected to “The Cloud” *ominous drums* so they can download the proper Governmental permissions and drivers.
I can’t help but hope Ubisoft/Razer will not be in charge of the activation systems!
I will wait for the Linux driver.
Translation: I am buying any other brand just not the RAZER LoL
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The current Linux drivers are already better than the default windows and are obviously preferable to this cloud based crap.
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Is my experience that Linux drivers appear a year or two after the hardware is on sale in general, has people already release the drivers for the RAZER mouse? or it doesn’t need it?
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.
wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
geez, scraping the bottom of the barrel ?
here is a clue, you don’t like a product or how it is offered, DONT FREAKING BUY IT..
Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
Without articles like this, how do people know whether its worth buying, as the problems may not be obvious hen looking at the box it comes in.
Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
Do you have a vested interest in this particular company?
Do you also rant against product reviews?
I’ll bet you’re a lot of fun at parties.
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@ AC: Much worse: this is the SECOND piece on same stupid 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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Aren’t you the first one to complain that TechDirt articles aren’t about technology?
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out_of_his_ass complains about everything.
“This water is too wet!”
“This vacuum is too dry!”
Re: Re: Re:2 wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
out_of_his_ass complains about everything.
Yeah. We already established well over a year ago that Blue wouldn’t be a very good party guest…
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I love it when OOTB mentions other species in its same genus.
Trollus fanboius vs. trollus industrious.
Re: 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..
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:
Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
I love the way you people have stopped lying about the content of the articles and are now simply whining that the site isn’t covering what YOU want to read. Especially articles that are 100% relevant to the subjects usually covered here.
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.
Re: wow an entire article about a mouse !!!
here is a clue, you don’t like the story or how it is presented, DONT FREAKING READ IT..
I Hate Them Meeses to Pieces!
What I really don’t get is why the internet connection at all. And don’t feed me that crap about the cost of internal memory. Flash is dirt cheap, especially in the sizes needed here. So much for that excuse. Logitec solved that problem 20 years ago. It’s called SetPoint, and works wonderfully.
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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My apologies to Hanna-Barbera for the quote.
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I am sure it is a combination.
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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If they are truely pulling that, then they deserve to be boycotted or just plain ignored. Who needs their fancy, overpriced rodents anyway. I sure don’t.
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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.
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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Even more to the point, no internet connection is 100% reliable. They drop out all the time, or get slowed way down by local loading. The last time I checked, the USB connections to my computers worked fine every time, no dropouts, no delays. So, what are these idiots thinking? Again, it has to be monitizing the customer data which, as far as I’m concerned, takes them totally off my radar as a mouse source.
This reminds me of a computer component where the box had the instructions for installation say “visit this website”, but unfortunately I had my computer apart before I read that, and needed the part to continue before I could get on the internet. What do.
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.
But we NEED our mouse to require an Internet connection, because of Piracy!
Without this protection people will just illegally download our mouse off the Internet and use it without paying us for it!
This is one Mouse that should have its throat Razored !
People buy these mice for the software?
really? I don’t think I’ve ever used their profiling software or drivers, just the default Windows HID driver, which works fine. All the games and applications I use let me map the buttons in the app itself.
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?)
Re: People buy these mice for the software?
Are you sure you’ve used Logitech mice? I only ask because I work in IT and when it comes to mice I make sure my company ONLY purchases Logitech ones. They’re reasonably priced, available in a variety of sizes and types, and all just work. When it comes to them I tend to purchase the wireless models and I’ve never once had to install any software to use them. Windows handles the driver installation and everything works. Including the middle-click/scrolling wheel. Which is why I ask if you’ve used their mice.
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I wouldn’t have said anything if I hadn’t. Mouse I was referring to was the Logitech MX Revolution. Without the Logitech software (and specifically, the Windows version–problematic since I originally bought it to use on a Macbook) the middle-click only toggled between clicky and non-clicky scroll wheel movement. It was the third Logitech mouse I had returned to the store in 2 years, the previous 2 having broken (one, the cord, another, the scroll wheel) so I stopped buying their crap and went to Razer. Never went back since.
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I have the Anywhere MX. I like it a lot – small, lotsa buttons (that all work in Windows 7 without SetPoint installed), and has a nice “heft” to it. I guess I can’t speak to the Revolution on a Macbook or Windows…
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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Hmm. Don’t believe I’ve used or purchase that mouse. I’ve bought lots of the mXXX series of wireless/portable mice though and never had to deal with, much less install, the Logitech software for any of them.
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.
What’s the need for internal memory on a mouse? Last I checked computers had this new invention called hard drives. Store the profiles there in the same folder your software is installed in.
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…and if you need to take your expensive customised mouse and use it on a different computer or OS, where are those profiles stored? On the original computer/OS? Oops…
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Well if you are moving the mouse to another computer and require use of the onboard stored profiles you’d require the installation of their software anyway. So just export/copy the profiles over. OR, have the “cloud” storage as an “option” (note, not required) and pull them down from there. There are many ways to skin a cat. I’m just saying if the main excuse is wanting to cut costs by removing flash memory from the mouse, you can do so without pissing everyone off.
In defense of Razer
In defense of Razer, I think that they are a pretty kick-ass company, and they have expressed explicit understanding of the need to innovate and push the market forward.
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.
Two questions.
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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I think the real reason behind this ( and also the reason I quit buying Razor Deathadders)is to register the product to get a replacement if it goes bad.
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……
Former customer
I own a Razer Lachesis mouse and Blackwidow keyboard. If this is how they treat customers, I think I’ll take my business elsewhere. I saw some great new keyboards and mice today at EBGames that blow away anything Razer makes. Adios suckers.
Deathadder and Synapse 2.0
I recently bought a deathadder 2013 mouse and a deathstalker keyboard but unfortunately I cant use them properly. I have a dual boot system and with Synapse 2.0 installed, my keyboard wont work during boot up so I cant select what system to boot from. I’ve written to Razer about this but I havent had a reply yet..
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..
Hey Razer, I was about to buy the ‘Razer Ouroboros’. After reading about this crap, the hell with that.
My annoyance level concerning my driver update led me here, only to discover that Razer’s amped up the ridiculous notion that a mouse needs ‘cloud’ software. As such, this will undoubtedly be the last Razer product I buy… their keyboards are junk anyhow, I had to obtain 3 replacements in under a year for a Razer Lycosa, the last one of which causes PC’s to blue screen randomly and it’s now out of warranty.
Would need their cloud fancy software to use the macro keys.
Just don’t use the macro keys. Problem solved.
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The entire reason I bought this mouse it to use it at work for programming (the Macro buttons would be amazing), but I’m behind a Proxy at work, and it was not advertised that an internet connection was required to use one of it’s PRIMARY FEATURES, the macro buttons. Problem not solved, not even close.
got my Mamba for a while but only started to notice the
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.
The problem here is the fact that they are doing some data mining at the expense of their customer’s resources.
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.
I agree with Joe.
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.
Razer
Razer hardware is junk. Failure rate is high. DONT BUY!!!!
I bought this for advertised features that were not disclosed to be unavailable.
I paid a lot of money for this mouse in order to use the keyboard mappings.
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.