Swapping Onboard Storage On The HD7

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theunwired.net/?item=disassembled-windows-phone-7-memory-management-and-microsd-cards&5674' target='_blank'>http://www.theunwired.net/?item=dis...rosd-cards&5674</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"One of the limitations of Windows Phone 7 is, that Microsoft's new mobile OS isn't supporting user removable flash memory like microSD cards, as supported by Windows Mobile, but Windows Phone 7 uses embedded memory like Apple's iPhone does...However, even if Windows Phone 7 isn't featuring a customer swappable flash memory, it seems that some handset manufactures are using micro SD cards anyway."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1288315017.usr14226.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>Even though Microsoft has mandated non-swappable storage, you can still <a href="http://windowsphonethoughts.com/news/show/100762/windows-phone-7-and-removable-storage.html" target="_blank">upgrade a WP7 device's storage capacity</a> if it has a MicroSD slot - if you don't mind having to factory-reset your phone. the::unwired.net takes a stab at the process, and though it's not as trouble-free as it could be, Arne shows that it can be done.</p>

[PhatCohiba]

Word to the wise. Part of the problem with the microSD slots is that MS memory specs are above anything you can get today, so if you use a lower spec'd card when you're first 8gb are full, you will experience problems.....

... or so I heard on the engadget mobile podcast.

[Philip Colmer]

Paul Thurott has posted on his blog the explanation he has been given by MS: http://windowsphonesecrets.com/2010/10/29/microsoft-speaks-on-micro-sd-and-windows-phone-storage-expansion/.

In a nutshell, operators can offer differing onboard memory if they like because they'll do the testing. MS has concerns that different cards are of differing quality and if users make the change themselves, they may end up with unreliability.

[Gerard]

Would this be so simple as just buying a high quality card? For instance, buying one of Lexar's or Sandisk's top of the line models with Class 6 speed rating? Or is there more to it, like not just the 'best' card but also the 'right' card for a given phone model?

[NeilE]

Exactly, it's not "best", it's "appropriate and tuned for the data characteristics of the device". Most all of the cards you find, even thoes labelled "class 6", are meant for digital cameras. I'm told by folks in the know that if you try and use them in a Win Phone 7 your performance will degrade considerably.

The various phone folks will list out specific cards that are known to work. I've heard you can get them online from places like ebay, but they're significantly more expensive than those intended for cameras.

Neil

[Fritzly]

Wonder why the so trashed WM 6.5 does not have these issues with storage cards......
Well, hopefully WP8 will fix it....

[Gerard]

I rather doubt that WP8 will even support this level of card swapping potential. To 'fix' this 'issue' from Microsoft's perspective, it seems they'd have to lock down any possibility of user intervention with device potential. Adding memory would go against their new iPhone-copycat approach to marketing. At least one reason for preventing too much memory being added to these devices is fairly obvious; the more data users must stream or download from the cloud, the more carriers can justify charging to consumers, the richer they get. And since everyone (well, most) share the sense that making more money is a good thing, who can complain if Verizon or AT&T get richer due to this strategy? Justifying it to consumers is simple. Just say 'there were too many problems with removable memory cards' and apparently most will either respond 'what memory cards?' or 'yeah, that's so true.' Less is more, just like Apple says. Just like Palm used to say.

[Fritzly]

I rather doubt that WP8 will even support this level of card swapping potential. To 'fix' this 'issue' from Microsoft's perspective, it seems they'd have to lock down any possibility of user intervention with device potential. Adding memory would go against their new iPhone-copycat approach to marketing. At least one reason for preventing too much memory being added to these devices is fairly obvious; the more data users must stream or download from the cloud, the more carriers can justify charging to consumers, the richer they get. And since everyone (well, most) share the sense that making more money is a good thing, who can complain if Verizon or AT&T get richer due to this strategy? Justifying it to consumers is simple. Just say 'there were too many problems with removable memory cards' and apparently most will either respond 'what memory cards?' or 'yeah, that's so true.' Less is more, just like Apple says. Just like Palm used to say.

I could not agree more. it will be interesting to see what all these WP epigons will say after users will start complaining about the increase of their montly bills. This of course if WP7, in the way it is right now, will be a success.