How You'll Unlock A Windows Phone Device (As A Developer!)

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.istartedsomething.com/20100611/windows-phone-7-developer-phone-unlock-detailed/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+istartedsomething+(istartedsomething)' target='_blank'>http://www.istartedsomething.com/20...artedsomething)</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Today at the TechEd North America 2010 event Microsoft has confirmed Windows Phone 7 developers will be able to register a number of devices which unlocks the capability to side-load applications on to devices directly from development tools such Visual Studio or Expression Blend. Initially, Microsoft will offer three device registrations per Marketplace account ($99 per year) tied a Windows Live ID. Developers who legitimately require more will be considered by Microsoft on a case-by-case basis."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//wpt/auto/1276309559.usr7.png" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>The rumors we were hearing last week are true - Developers will be able to unlock devices without having to buy special "unlockable" devices. Pretty cool - All you need is a phone, a $99 per year developer account, a mess of free tools, and a dream to start building!</p>

[Darius Wey]

Personally, I feel that the three-device limit is weak, especially when you consider the importance of on-device testing and how many variants of WP7 phones there will be in the market. Microsoft really ought to raise the quota. If Apple can give developers the ability to register 100 devices per year, what's stopping Microsoft?

[landslide]

So in comparison, android costs what, $0 to develop for?

Have these monkeys actually reviewed their competitors offerings?

It is obvious they are blindly (and I mean blindly) trying to copy Apples formula for success, but isn't that yesterday's mobile O/S? iOS4 from a developer's perspective is a bit of a disappointment. 'Snake Oil' multitasking. lol...

[Fritzly]

A further proof that all the limitations of WP7 are artificially set by MS; great strategy...... to loose even more money.
Besides is this phone "calling home" every time you boot it up?

[landswipe]

A further proof that all the limitations of WP7 are artificially set by MS; great strategy...... to loose even more money.
Besides is this phone "calling home" every time you boot it up?

Most likely, it all comes down to the company's privacy policy anyway, it is so easy to just shoot a HTTP or UDP packet over the network... It also comes down to how such companies react to breaches in privacy... Some sweep it under the carpet, some are honest and do something about it ;)

Honestly, like all things, people just want a phone that works...