Where's the Trial Version of Sprite Backup?

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=1573' target='_blank'>http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=1573</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Protect your valuable data using Sprite Backup, the award-winning backup application now available for the Smartphone platform. Take advantage of Sprite Backup''s speed, simple interface and unparalleled reliablity."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Pack_Sprite_Backup_Smartphone.gif" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />Sprite Software has just made Sprite Backup 2.1 available from our Smartphone.net <a href="http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=1573">affiliate store.</a> So I thought it would be a good time to complain about this wonderful product. ;) The product page for Sprite Backup currently has the following warning: <i>"Sprite Backup for Smartphone requires privileged access, and <b>may not run correctly</b> on some phones, please <b>see details when installing</b> for more information."</i> (Emphasis mine ;) ) I'm happy that they are forthcoming about the type of access that is required to use the product. The problem is that most people don't know what "privileged access" means, and since there is no more trial version, you have to put down $30 of your hard earned money only to find out that it doesn't work on your device. 8O Yes, I know that Sprite offers a full money-back guarantee, but they are openly saying it won't work on all devices and you have to pay to find out if you have one of the unlucky devices. Does this seem wrong to anyone else?

[Jerry Raia]

It is absurd. I have this version on my 5600 and it works...except for the scheduled backup function. Sprite has been pretty useless helping with this problem other than having users send in long lists of installed software looking for imaginary conflicts and then never responding. It would also be nice since as with the Pocket PC version it shuts down all programs before the back up that it perform a restart when it is done. I would recommend no one go through the hassle of this without a trial version. We all know how much fun trying to get a refund is.

[ARW]

My cardinal rule for Smartphone software is no buy if no trial. I'll have to pass on this app I guess.

[Jerry Raia]

That has become my rule. In fact I'm very suspicious if there is no trial version. To me it means the developer isn't too confident in their product.

[cortez]

well...i've come over from the darkside (a.k.a. using the MPx220) to the right-side (using the SMT5600) and i ran into the Sprite Backup "it doesn't work on your phone" thing today.

Sprite Backup worked, but the "Upgrade Setup" program failed because it said i didn't have privileged access. i know this is not true, because - five minutes after turning on my phone - i was able to app-unlock and SIM-unlock my phone (using the free SPV services process) without issue; both of these tasks require privileged access.

[Jerry Raia]

Lets face it, on the Smartphone Sprite made a mediocre product.

[Mike Temporale]

Well, I've switched over to Sunnysoft's Backup. It's good, but it's not as feature rich as Sprite. It's also cheaper than Sprite, which is a plus. ;)

[nedge2k]

Bah, just app unlock your phone with the HTC signed verion of PHM Reg Editor from the WM5 rom (available on SPV-Developers) and you're sorted :D

[Jerry Raia]

Well, I've switched over to Sunnysoft's Backup. It's good, but it's not as feature rich as Sprite. It's also cheaper than Sprite, which is a plus. ;)

What good are features if they don't work? :lol:

[Mike Temporale]

Bah, just app unlock your phone with the HTC signed verion of PHM Reg Editor from the WM5 rom (available on SPV-Developers) and you're sorted :D

True, but as I stated above, the average user doesn't know anything about application locks. So right from the start, new users are going to be turned off of Sprite.

Oh, and as cortez pointed out, he's still having problems with his app unlocked 5600.

[cortez]

Bah, just app unlock your phone with the HTC signed verion of PHM Reg Editor from the WM5 rom (available on SPV-Developers) and you're sorted :D

is this app-unlocking tool different than the one i used (from SPV-Developers site) to app-unlock my SMT5600 so i could sim-unlock it? i believe it was part of the aeconfig.zip file.

[ctitanic]

I sent them an email the other day complaining about this situation too. I did a ROM upgrade and I could not find the copy of the program so I went looking for the trial and I could not find it either.

And let me tell you one thing, I bought the program because I have been using the PPC version for a while but usually I do not buy any program if I can't test it first.

[kzemach]

Lets face it, on the Smartphone Sprite made a mediocre product.

That's too bad. We've been using it on PPCs for large scale deployments and it's stellar. Also, we had a less common hardware platform that it didn't work for, and the Sprite guys bent over backwards rewriting some code to make it work with our model (ASUS 620).

I'm sorry to see that there are so many smartphone issues, since they've been quite a good company for us to work with.

Ken

[Jerry Raia]

Lets face it, on the Smartphone Sprite made a mediocre product.

That's too bad. We've been using it on PPCs for large scale deployments and it's stellar. Also, we had a less common hardware platform that it didn't work for, and the Sprite guys bent over backwards rewriting some code to make it work with our model (ASUS 620).

I'm sorry to see that there are so many smartphone issues, since they've been quite a good company for us to work with.

Ken

No question the PPC version is outstanding. It makes this all the more puzzling.

[Mike Temporale]

That's too bad. We've been using it on PPCs for large scale deployments and it's stellar. Also, we had a less common hardware platform that it didn't work for, and the Sprite guys bent over backwards rewriting some code to make it work with our model (ASUS 620).

I'm sorry to see that there are so many smartphone issues, since they've been quite a good company for us to work with.

Ken

You're their target market. It seems that they really want the enterprise customer, and couldn't care about the average Joe. :(

[MartinD]

Hi there,

We appreciate your comments and are disappointed that you have not all had a pleasant experience with Sprite Backup.

We will look at clarifying the statement on our download page to try and make it easier to understand the issue with privileged mode
and what it means.

Please note a conflict with Oxios ToDo list and Citytime Alarms was found thanks to users postings on our forums and a version that
addresses these issues (one being scheduled backup) was made available a few weeks ago to users on our forums.


Instead of offering a trial version, we provide a 30 day Money-back Guarantee because in our experience the only true test of backup software would be to
remove all data and try restoring it- which we are aware no-one is really preparred to do.


Thanks again for your input/insight, it is much appreciated.

Regards,

Sprite Software Team

[Jerry Raia]

Hi there,

We appreciate your comments and are disappointed that you have not all had a pleasant experience with Sprite Backup.

We will look at clarifying the statement on our download page to try and make it easier to understand the issue with privileged mode
and what it means.

Please note a conflict with Oxios ToDo list and Citytime Alarms was found thanks to users postings on our forums and a version that
addresses these issues (one being scheduled backup) was made available a few weeks ago to users on our forums.


Instead of offering a trial version, we provide a 30 day Money-back Guarantee because in our experience the only true test of backup software would be to
remove all data and try restoring it- which we are aware no-one is really preparred to do.


Thanks again for your input/insight, it is much appreciated.

Regards,

Sprite Software Team

I have to say that is a bit weak. Not every one posts on your forums. I do and got no word of this update. You need to do better than that. I have said here that I have restored backups using your software successfully on my SMT5600. The issue is your lack of responsiveness. This has been a problem for months.

[Mike Temporale]

Hi there,

We appreciate your comments and are disappointed that you have not all had a pleasant experience with Sprite Backup.

Hi Martin. Welcome to Smartphone Thoughts, and thanks for taking the time to reply.

We will look at clarifying the statement on our download page to try and make it easier to understand the issue with privileged mode and what it means.

Prehaps a free download that does a check and lets the user know what the chances are that they will encounter problems with Sprite Backup. you could check for known problem applications, privileged mode access, etc.


Instead of offering a trial version, we provide a 30 day Money-back Guarantee because in our experience the only true test of backup software would be to remove all data and try restoring it- which we are aware no-one is really preparred to do.

Clearly there is a problem with this approach. Since Sprite Backup was first listed on Smartphone.net back on July 18, there has only been 1 copy sold. 1, that's it. Sprite Backup is a great app, and deserves more than this. However, the lack of a trial version is a problem for many people.

[Jerry Raia]

I went and got the updated version (that was being kept a secret for some reason as it isnt mentioned on the front page of the web site) and scheduled backup finally does work!

[ctmagnus]

That's version 2.1.1268 (http://www.spritesoftware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1680)?

[Jerry Raia]

That's version 2.1.1268 (http://www.spritesoftware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1680)?

Yes :)

[ctmagnus]

I tried SunnySoft backup and it continually hung on my Smartphone. So I downloaded the version of Sprite from the above link, and it went all the way through.

Also, the version at the above link is in fact a ten-day trial, although I couldn't find anything referring to that fact on their site.