Windows Phone 7 devices need 'certified' MicroSD cards

AT&T has said today that Windows Phone 7 devices like the Samsung Focus will need special MicroSDHC cards, as removable storage is not yet supported officially by the new mobile OS.

However, Microsoft is certifying certain cards that are set for release soon, each of which will have a "Certified for Windows Phone 7" sticker that means they can be used in WP7 devices.

The cards will each have "optimal performance" and current cards on the market do not qualify.

Because the Focus and other WP7 devices do not have expandable storage, you need to replace the on-board storage, which requires a full wipe of the device.

Users who try to replace the storage on their Focus are greeted by a Stop! message from AT&T, warning them that they might brick their device.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Nov 2010 18:21

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24 comments

ROMaster2

Yay more monopoly.

Chances are the jail broken versions won't restrict this.

14.11.2010 18:31 #1

mike.m

Originally posted by ROMaster2: Yay more monopoly.

Chances are the jail broken versions won't restrict this. Reminds me of how back then, only "certified" USB sticks work with the Xbox 360. Guess WP7 will have to wait a few more years to use their own, cheaper microSD cards. I don't see how not even a Kingston Class 10 MicroSD card won't work. I can see it already, they will probably be selling 16GB Class 2 or 4 cards, while you can get a higher capacity class 6 or 10 for a lower price. Good ol' Micro$oft.

14.11.2010 18:45 #2

Venom5880

The lack of on-board storage is the worst part. Even if users weren't restricted, the idea that a phone could be bricked by swapping removable storage is ridiculous.

14.11.2010 22:56 #3

elfman12

They don't recommend it, advise against it, yet it's their fault that it bricks? Come on, folks, if you want to be seen as being on the bleeding edge of tech, stop crying when you try stuff that might not work every time.
I tried it on mine (Focus) and it worked fine for a bit, then had problems. I understood that by tinkering with it, I was responsible. Got it running fine and will wait for certified (R/w speed) cards to try again.

15.11.2010 01:02 #4

elfman12

BTW, those slots are NOT for "removable" media. It's for "additional" main system media. It resets to incorporate that media into the main mem pool (thus the reason for specific media) but at least you have the option to do it in the future, if you want more storage.
It's not a typical removable media slot, which is nice since now you don't have to constantly manage where apps install (like with Windows Mobile).

15.11.2010 01:11 #5

KillerBug

Another nail in the coffin...microsoft must really want to loose the mobile war

15.11.2010 02:50 #6

Venom5880

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/09/samsung-focus-having-microsd-issues-atandt-not-installing-cards-i/

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/12/atandt-tells-samsung-focus-customers-not-to-buy-microsd-cards-yet/

Numerous smartphones from various vendors have had microSD slots located behind the battery cover. Both my Blackberry Storm and Droid Incredible require the battery cover be removed in order to access them, yet I could remove or insert them even if the phone is on and nothing destructive will happen.

It's a poor design choice, plain and simple. As with everything else, most end-users never crack open the user manual, let alone pay attention to warning stickers. Providing such a convenient kill switch to end-users is a bad idea. It's like selling someone a digital camera and telling them that if they attempt to do anything with the SD interface they run the risk of turning it into an expensive paperweight.

While I agree that it's nice they offered the ability to upgrade the memory capacity, they should have taken cues from every other mobile OS and not have implemented it the way they did.

15.11.2010 03:33 #7

Zealousi

Originally posted by KillerBug: Another nail in the coffin...microsoft must really want to loose the mobile war Agreed, Good old Billy boy. You could not care you got enough money to bribe everyone in the country just for them to buy it.

15.11.2010 06:32 #8

ZippyDSM

Kill it with firaaaaa and send it back to the 90s!

Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

15.11.2010 15:02 #9

lissenup2

And the powers that be wonder why we jack their sh*t and jailbreak the stuff.................because we are all sick of the bullsh*t like this that attempts to command what we should and shouldn't buy and what we will and won't buy. This is an inexcusable attempt at monopoly and extortion of our money by limiting our choices.

This is a new low for Microsoft.

Fu*k them!

15.11.2010 15:48 #10

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by lissenup2: And the powers that be wonder why we jack their sh*t and jailbreak the stuff.................because we are all sick of the bullsh*t like this that attempts to command what we should and shouldn't buy and what we will and won't buy. This is an inexcusable attempt at monopoly and extortion of our money by limiting our choices.

This is a new low for Microsoft.

Fu*k them!
Naw they are just copying Crapple.

15.11.2010 17:22 #11

KillerBug

If they were copying crapple, the built-in memory would actually be built-in, and thus would not be slow like an SD card. This is why android has both high-speed onboard and SD (even if the SD is usually hard to get to).

16.11.2010 06:26 #12

elfman12

Originally posted by Venom5880: Providing such a convenient kill switch to end-users is a bad idea. It's like selling someone a digital camera and telling them that if they attempt to do anything with the SD interface they run the risk of turning it into an expensive paperweight.
There's no "kill switch". Simply installing the card does nothing. You have to hard reset the phone to get it to incorporate the added memory.
The idea was to have all memory be "main" memory, and not the way it was with WinMobile, where you had to decide where to install every app, main mem or removable mem. This is an attempt to simplify the phone for general users (not us geeks).

Although I'm starting to believe that the "simple" people are the ones who post "Fail!" and "another nail in coffin!" etc on blogs, without any discussion of the details/specifics of the actual problem. It gets really old...

16.11.2010 13:31 #13

Mez

Originally posted by elfman12: They don't recommend it, advise against it, yet it's their fault that it bricks? Come on, folks, if you want to be seen as being on the bleeding edge of tech, stop crying when you try stuff that might not work every time.
I tried it on mine (Focus) and it worked fine for a bit, then had problems. I understood that by tinkering with it, I was responsible. Got it running fine and will wait for certified (R/w speed) cards to try again.

17.11.2010 17:48 #14

Mez

Your fault you bought one.

17.11.2010 17:48 #15

elfman12

Originally posted by Mez: Your fault you bought one. It's a superb phone and I'm totally pleased with my purchase. I'm sorry your prejudices and blinders give you such a narrow focus. (have you even HELD a WP7 device? Let alone tested out the OS?)

I ENJOY multiple devices being available for multiple preferences.

If you want to argue tech differences/problems, then great. Otherwise go back to arguing with your cat.

17.11.2010 17:56 #16

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by elfman12: Originally posted by Mez: Your fault you bought one. It's a superb phone and I'm totally pleased with my purchase. I'm sorry your prejudices and blinders give you such a narrow focus. (have you even HELD a WP7 device? Let alone tested out the OS?)

I ENJOY multiple devices being available for multiple preferences.

If you want to argue tech differences/problems, then great. Otherwise go back to arguing with your cat. More like he's the kat argueing with you.....

mew =0-o=
LOL

I'll wait till its jailbroken and hacked then it might be as good as a hacked Iphone 4.

17.11.2010 18:45 #17

Mez

Originally posted by elfman12: If you want to argue tech differences/problems, then great. Otherwise go back to arguing with your cat. Meow!!!

Yes, I do think M$ is filled with ass-wipes. That doesn't make the phone bad but you ought to wear steel jockey shorts as they will want to f*ck your ass. Maybe you will keep ahead of them.

Good Luck!

17.11.2010 20:28 #18

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by Mez: Originally posted by elfman12: If you want to argue tech differences/problems, then great. Otherwise go back to arguing with your cat. Meow!!!

Yes, I do think M$ is filled with ass-wipes. That doesn't make the phone bad but you ought to wear steel jockey shorts as they will want to f*ck your ass. Maybe you will keep ahead of them.

Good Luck! Well all the smart phones and tablets seem to want to do that, IE lock you into a platform and force you to use thier product offerings via thier own marketplace systems.

17.11.2010 22:17 #19

Mez

But Zippy, I think you know what I tell them.

17.11.2010 22:25 #20

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by Mez: But Zippy, I think you know what I tell them. Ya be wary of the super brands they suck even the software. :P

17.11.2010 22:26 #21

cart0181

Well, it sounds to me like Microsoft made a conscious design decision to do it the way they did in an attempt at an actual improvement over what's currently available anywhere on the market today. It sounds to me like they wanted the best of both designs: the speed of all internal memory with the capability to expand in the future. It seems to me you frikking geeks ought to fill up that internal memory with something useful before ripping it out and trying to cram in something not designed for the device. Quit your whining and get by with what it comes with for a little while until the new cards are released. And why assume they will be slow, inferior, and expensive? Just my 2 cents.

18.11.2010 02:04 #22

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by cart0181: Well, it sounds to me like Microsoft made a conscious design decision to do it the way they did in an attempt at an actual improvement over what's currently available anywhere on the market today. It sounds to me like they wanted the best of both designs: the speed of all internal memory with the capability to expand in the future. It seems to me you frikking geeks ought to fill up that internal memory with something useful before ripping it out and trying to cram in something not designed for the device. Quit your whining and get by with what it comes with for a little while until the new cards are released. And why assume they will be slow, inferior, and expensive? Just my 2 cents. If they wanted to do that then why not use a better data management solution?

Keep high and mid priority stuff on the internal memory keep keep all the extra user crap on the external if avabile and the user will never see C: D:,ect because the interface dose not show such details it just shows what you have intrems of over all space and files.

18.11.2010 02:09 #23

elfman12

Originally posted by ZippyDSM:
If they wanted to do that then why not use a better data management solution?

Keep high and mid priority stuff on the internal memory keep keep all the extra user crap on the external if avabile and the user will never see C: D:,ect because the interface dose not show such details it just shows what you have intrems of over all space and files. I think the way the OS is designed is that it only sees 1 large storage pool, so no drives letters/partitions, etc. I don't even think they want to give file access to phone users. I can understand that, since it simplifies the device usage greatly, esp when compared to WinMobile.
MS declared no external storage, but Samsung put the slot in anyway. Instead of hiding it (like on the HTCs - so that they could put bigger cards in and sell the phones under different pricing structures) they got cocky and put it right there under the battery door. Now MS gets a hit and has to clean up the mess with Samsung. Not a good move, but taken as a whole it's NOT a major design problem - there are MANY WP7 handsets that won't ever have this issue.

18.11.2010 04:28 #24

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