Chevron WP7 Official and Authorized Windows Phone Unlocker Now Available!

Good day to sport a Windows Phone as there’s now an authorized method for sideloading applications. No, you can’t bypass all of the security features and interop is still locked. It’s the same as having a developers device with the same limitations but it’s nice that MS has permitted this method of authorized sideloading apps. Here’s the announcement:

Hey folks, we want to brief you on an important milestone we’ve reached.

Early this morning, we officially signed off on the final deployment of ChevronWP7 Labs. This marks the point in the development process where we leave the keys in the ignition and bail. Just kidding. Seriously though, we are very happy to announce the immediate availability of ChevronWP7 Labs.

First, let’s recap: ChevronWP7 Labs was designed to allow hobbyist developers to install, run, and debug unsigned applications on their personal Windows Phone. You log into the site with your Windows Live ID, pay a small fee, and presto — you’re ready to write and share some homebrew code.

We’re also happy to announce we have about 30 “I Heart Windows Phone Homebrew” shirts to give away, ranging in size from M to XL. In two weeks, we’ll draw and notify 30 registered ChevronWP7 Labs users at random. (Only users with at least one token are eligible.)

For you shirt connoisseurs out there, these are Gildan pre-shrunk 100% cotton shirts sponsored by the awesome folks at ooShirts. If you need some shirts for a Windows Phone bowling league or just some friends at school — they have you covered. Even better, here’s a secret coupon code “ighokqq” to get free shipping regardless of how heavy the box is. (So take advantage.)

On the homebrew application front, we’ve already spotted a number of interesting apps:

• Screen Capture v3 – Take screenshots from your Windows Phone 7 to share a funny SMS or illustrate an app on a blog post
• Mango Battery Status – Check your phone’s battery life on a Live Tile
• Webserver (Mango) – Why wouldn’t you run a web server on your phone

So what are you waiting for? 😀

As expected, it’s $9 per phone and you use your Windows Live ID to sign in. Great stuff. I think this is a win for the platform.