Tech QQ

If you, like me, just got your Windows Phone 7 device. Then you are probably installing it and setting everything up. If you are unlucky you might recognize this little box from trying to install the Zune software on your computer.

If you are running a Windows 7 N or KN version, the above error is due to Windows Media Player not being installed with these versions.

To get Windows Media Player just go to the download site and get the Media Feature Pack for the N and KN versions. (You have to pass the Genuine check for your Windows installation before you can download it.)

Then install the eventual patches that you might need after you are done installing the Media Player.

After doing this, Zune will install properly for you. Happy synching!

So I got this really nice new phone (that I have been looking forward to for the last eight months in theory), but I can’t call, text or send nasty pictures on it. Why’s that you wonder?

Well, after I unpacked my shiny new toy it turns out I have no net connection. All seems to be due to the SIM card activation somehow has gotten stuck in some step of the chain at Tre.

So far I’ve called customer service five times or so since Tuesday, and it’s still not fixed.

First call I manage to get a hold of a real knucklehead. He asked if I had dialed in the activation code from my phone. I then had to explain to him again, for the second time within 5 minutes, that my SIM isn’t working and that I have not network connection – hence I can’t dial! He then asked if I had called “the number” that was enclosed in the package and given my number for activation. I tell him there was no number enclosed that I was supposed to call. He proceeds to tell me that it’s ok if I can’t find it and says he can connect me to it. I hang on and wait, the number get’s connected - I get a voice saying “This number is no longer in use”. Total win!

Second call I manage to get a hold of some one with a little clue as to what is going on, and she even asks me for my to-be phone number. After looking it up she says there’s been a snag in the system but that it’ll be fixed during the day.

Very late that same day my SIM still isn’t working. Person number three at customer service explains these kind’s of cases takes minimum 24 hours to fix, but that the technicians have gone home for the day so “maybe tomorrow”.

Day after that early morning, I talk to person number four at customer service, “I see the case is in progress, I see 24 hours has passed so it’s probably done soon. Have a good day!” – Good day, yeah right…
Later that day I call again, person number five answers, but this time I rang tech support instead of customer service for phone contracts. –“Yeah the technicians are working on it, but these kind’s of things takes 48 hours.” I get as a reply.

I say: “48? Your colleague said 24!”. “Oh that’s wrong” he says, and that’s all.

Later that day (48h since first phone contact initiated has passed) I call customer service for contracts and ask for status. Still the same status they say. I tell them it’s about time for some compensation. The reply I got –“Call back when it works and we’ll see how this has impacted you”.

Weak. Very weak in my opinion. If you live in Sweden and are waiting for a Windows Phone 7 device, I highly recommend you to get one of the HTC models or the LG model. Just don’t get the Samsung Omnia 7 so that you are forced to go with Tre as the provider!

Can't reach Market, XBox Live or Zune?

If you live in a country that’s not one of the originally supported ones, you might face some issues when installing your Windows Phone 7.

When you start connecting your phone to different services (under settings-> email & accounts), the very first Windows Live account that you provide will be the one that will control your connection to Marketplace, XBox Live and Zune.

If you, like me, live in one of the countries that’s not supported yet, then using your current Windows Live/MSN account will most likely lock you out from these services. To enable connection to Marketplace, XBox Live and Zune you should just select “create new account” when the phone asks for a Windows Live account.

After you create a Windows Live account as the first used account, you will have access to all the services, even though not living in one of the supported countries. When done you can then add the Windows Live/MSN account you use regularly together with other mail and/or facebook accounts.

If you already setup the phone the way you like it but used your regular MSN account and now can’t connect to the Microsoft services above, then you unfortunately have to reset the phone to factory settings and start over again but following the above process. Resetting the phone is done by going to Settings –> about, then pushing the “reset your phone” button.

After being pretty disappointed that they had no devices in store on the 21:st that was supposed to be the release day, I at least managed to sing up on a list for the Samsung Omina 7 device at the local 3 shop.
On Tuesday the 26:th this week I had a package to go grab at the nearby candy shop. My Omnia 7 had arrived, and 8 months of wait were done!

A bit of unpacking revealed a handset, USB cables, hands-free set with extra plugs for different size ears, battery, charger, warranty, user manual and a brief “How to get started” pamphlet.

As all electronic gadget manuals say – “Charge before use”, I actually took my time to charge this one. The two hours I waited for it to charge before I could start playing with it felt like an eternity…

After a few minutes I notice I had no network connection after installing the SIM-card. As I couldn't get that to work, and Tre:s webpage kept telling me I wasn't a registered customer(?) I finally managed to reach customer service today, just to hear them say there had been a misstake and that my account hadn't been activated properly. That should be sorted within 24 hours they said, so tomorrow I might be able to make my first call with it.

I've had quite a few other setup snags, but more about that some other night when I have more than 5 hours sleep ahead of me.

At the Google campus a new statue has been added to the previous pastry themed statues. This time it was time for the Gingerbread man to make an appearance.

Are we closing in on the next major build of Android already?

Aparently there's still people using VHS vcr's. The guy in the following video has a whole collection of them even. Except from a collection of VHS vcrs he's also got a unique presentation style as well as a cool accent and maybe the nices hair-do this side of Halloween!

Check it out in the vid below.

Windows Phone 7 release in Sweden

Today is the 20th, the day before Thursday the 21:st October. I've been looking forward to Thursday the 21:st October for quite a while now.

My plan was that I would go out and try out the four new Windows Phone 7 devices being released here in Sweden on the 21:st. Because even though I have been following the development of the new OS and the new devices closely this year (well, since February) - I still haven't been able to decide on which of the four devices being released here, on the 21:st, that I want.

I went to the largest mall in town today. I vent to four different stores to check about availability tomorrow. I talked to Telenor, Telia, The Phone House and Tre. When inquiring weather they will start selling Windows Phone 7 devices on the 21:st the personnel looked puzzled. None of them seemed to have a clue about Windows Phone 7. In three places they asked: "What model are you referring to?". To which I replied:- "I don't care, ANY ONE of the four being released!". All three looked at their screens for a second and emediately replied -"No, sorry"...

How lousy is this?
Tre is even the preffered launch partner and they even have dibbs on the Samsung model being sold, no other of the companies will even be allowed to sell that. (Yeah I know, I should have replied "Any of the three being released" in two cases above, but I was starting to get annoyed)

We've all read the fantasy figures Microsoft was supposed to use to promote Windows Phone 7, guess very little of those found their way to Sweden...

Hopes and dreams shattered I was moping about, but a friend pointed out to me that Dialect actually had WP7 commercials on their web page. And after checking it out they have even listed the models with price and all. Check it out if you like at Dialect.se. So for tomorrow my hope probably stands and falls with Dialect, wish me luck tomorrow.