One Week Until Windows Phone – I’m Prepping
Now that the Windows Phone ads are on 24/7 (Really?) all I can do is count down the hours (and harass the AT&T employees to see if the shipment is in yet to preemptively try to get one early). But in the meanwhile I’ve taken a few simple steps to be ready on day 1. First off, I checked my Windows Live ID – all good, I didn’t forget my password. I then integrated my wife’s Facebook account with it (hey I don’t have my own Facebook account so I’ll stalk her friends for now). If you haven’t done with, just go to Live.com, login with your Live ID and then go to ‘connect services’ and add the login info as needed. Next I downloaded the latest Zune software to my PC (well I had it on one PC but I want it everywhere so I can browse for new apps/music wherever I go). I also logged into Zune with my Live ID. And finally, I got myself a memory card. Just checked the Amazon link for the Focus and it states “Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB”. Now I know that Charlie Kindel is warning against changing SD cards because the ones in the device are approved by MS and third party ones can be buggy, but I figure if I get a class 4 card from a legit manufacturer I’ll be fine so I went with the Kensington 32gb class 4 for $100 (free shipping too). I ordered it yesterday and since they’re in NY and I am too I should get it within a few days. I’ll tell you how that works out when I have a Focus in hand.
So, what are you doing to prepare? Any plans on going with a larger SD card or are you guys waiting for the guinea pigs like me to test it out first?
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Right now I’m kind of waiting for the ability to actually see it showing up for sale on AT&T’s site. All we have now are teasers. I can probably even wait on a microSD card for a little bit as long as I can reinstall apps. Just want to actually see them go on sale or even pre-order.
I’m all in on the Focus, going with a 16gb card on top of the 8gb onboard NAND memory. Good looking out on the Facebook integration with live, didn’t know about that.
Not getting a new card. I already have a zune so i have the zune software. I have a windows live id already. I havent really done anything to prepare for getting my focus.. I kinda want to see where it leads me..
Personally i’m waiting for Microsoft to support Greece. Rumors state end-of-November launch. Fingers crossed.
Oh, and David, you mean Kingston, not Kensington.
I got all my live accounts in order and made sure that Zune and Xbox were playing nice with the account. I still need to get a good contact list up to one of the accounts (either Google or MS). I am holding off on getting the SD card to see if the prices start coming down even more.
I did the linking of different accounts to my Windows Live ID, got Zune updated already and continuing to search for a great deal on the memory card.
My HTC Surround is paid for in full, don’t need a memory card with 16gb on-board (only ever had 8 before and it was plenty on my fuze bc there are only 24 freaking hours in a day and I’m not such a lazy ass that I do nothing but music and tv the whole time.) I purged my facebook account last week, live id has always been set-up because I’m on xbox (DON’T FORGET YOUR GOLD SUBSCRIPTION. Best buy may still have prepaid 50.00$ /1 year cards but regular price went to 60/year.) Already have Zune software from the ladies Zune HD. I’ve already got confirmation that this bad boy is mine when it arrives. If it comes via regular shipments (probably not and most likely UPS on day before) then friday. All my services are linked and ready. Suspense is a bitch and a half.
Why not Class 10? I am just curious. Also why not from new egg ?
Got my Samsung Omnia 7 delivered this morning, gosh….it’s sexy, and the screen, just beautiful.
Just getting the hang of things at the minute……..will update later.
@bazztrap: Kingston Class 4 is the highest 32gb one ther eis. Sandisk is class 2. Newegg is more money: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=micro+sdhc+32g
I did not prepaire anymore, I have my device already and I am VERY HAPPY with ot. But just one big issue for me: I can´t get my outlook contact images into it. I spend hours to put a few hundred contacts with photos for each person, but when I translate this with outlook connector to my live account, they are gone !! And I can´t even add them in my live account ?!?! Does anybody know a solution for that, can you add photos to your live contacts right now ?
@ycnyc: can you add them on the phone itself?
yes, kind of, but than I have to copy a few hunderd pictures via Zune to my phone and make it contact by contact, not on the PC .. and there is no sync to live, so if I broke my phone, the work is gone, again 🙁
@ycnyc: What if you try this: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2010/11/01/use-hotmail-features-without-changing-your-email-address.aspx add your email address to Live and then it should sync (I presume)
@David:
My phone WP7 syncs with my live account email, calendar and contacts, but NO contacts images. I did not found any solution in your link for this. The thing is, I can´t even change the contact image via web broswer when I log into my live account, so hotmail or live can´t use any contact photos right know. The contact itself is synchronized, but not the images. And this is not so funny on a phone which uses the photos even on the home screen. My only photos on home screen are from contacts which facebook account, the facebook image of this people is put in there by default, but that is all 🙁
@ycnyc:
Yep, I see your point. I was looking at this a few days ago and realised because Live contacts use the picture set by the contact themselves that is what is displayed and there is no way to override it or add a custom image. Another area where there is a disconnect between MS services. I guess we’ll have to make as much noise as possible to have any hope of MS changing this.
First thing I did to prepare was to sell my TP2 on ebay. I was surprised it actually fetched $180 in its condition. Next, I also installed Zune and am currently building my media library. The one item I am playing around with is Tivo video conversion. Anyone have any idea what the best video format would be on WP7? I am trying the ZubeHD, mp4 and one other format. I will have some TV ready to test when I get my device.
whatever happened to the MyPhone service? Is it not active for WP7? I was wondering how to get my phone contacts on it.
@Murani Lewis: That’s the reverse I think – it backs up your contacts and resyncs them later
Hey David K,
maybe I missed something. Why are you chosing the Focus instead of Surround? Is it the front facing camera or something else?
BTW- My local AT&T store manager already is sporting the Surround, he recieved it in a WP7 training class. I asked to get mine before the 8th too. All I recieved was a weird smirk.
David K – I am with you. Focus w/32gb MicroSD. Already ordered the card. Can’t wait (mostly so I can slam my winmo device into the earth)
I called ATT to find out about the phones’ availability and twice they told me that only the FOcus will be available at launch while the other two “will be available before the holiday season”. I did read somewhere that Best Buy has an exclusive on the Surround. I’m still not sure which one to get but looks like it’ll be the Focus.
btw, Kensington does have class 10 available on their website.
Has anyone tried the Kingston 32gb on the Sam Focus yet? Get errors?
@luke: I’m using it without errors – Kingston 32g – class 4