I am not sure if T-Mobile, Nokia, or Microsoft flipped the bill, but I am leaning Microsoft based on info I learned about their marketing strategy back in 2010 and the fact that Microsoft’s Windows Phone blog is promoting the coverage. It’s possible that Nokia is behind it considering their aggressive marketing lately and the fact that they’ve warned us that US Marketing would be as aggressive as overseas campaigns lately.

Whoever is behind it, Kudos. Any brand awareness outside of the geek crowd is great. If you can get her audience to put down their iPhones to try out Windows Phone, you’ve done well.

Host Kelly Ripa talked about Windows Phone and shared photos on the Lumia 710 from behind-the-scenes of the Oscars and her special. In a particularly exciting moment for the 180 members of the live studio audience, Kelly announced that everyone would be going home with a free Windows Phone and six months of service from T-Mobile! The giveaway was followed by a short Windows Phone video that highlighted the ease with which photos can be quickly shared on Facebook.

This is further proof that Microsoft is trying to get Windows Phone into the hands of another totally different demographic than what we had with Windows Mobile. Check out her website, it looks like a giant Windows Phone ad!

Regarding info that was shared with me in 2010… I am not under NDA anymore since I left the MVP Program last year, I still plan to respect information that was shared with me under this NDA.

The Verge has a story up speculating that Microsoft is killing off the Windows Live and Zune branding in Windows 8.

We have heard that Microsoft may be replacing Zune with a Spotify-like service later this year based on Xbox Live, and the move to scrap the Zune desktop client for Windows Phone 8 further backs up the death of Zune as a brand. Whether Windows Live and Zune are fully killed off by the end of the year remains to be seen, but Windows 8 is clearly taking the first big steps toward the inevitable.

The branding will look like this in Windows 8:

• Microsoft Account (Windows Live ID)
• Mail (Windows Live Mail)
• Calendar (Windows Live Calendar)
• People (Windows Live Contacts)
• Photos (Windows Live Photo Gallery)
• Music (Zune Music Player)
• Video (Zune Video Player)

I was never a fan of the Windows Live branding, but Zune… A BIG FAN.

Although Zune hardware never really took off as a major competitor to the iPod, the Zune service seems to have done well. When Yahoo Music Service tanked, it stepped right in as one of the best music consumption models around. When it was $15/mo for all the music you wanted, it was a great music solution for those that didn’t want to spend a bunch of money to own their music. It got even better when they added 10 free DRMless songs a month for the same price, it went to pure awesome. They later removed the free songs for new customers, but I still love the business model.

When Pandora and other similar services popped up, it replaced Zune as my favorite though. Now, after reading The Verge’s article, it seems that Microsoft is heading down the same path. That could be a good thing, but we’ll have to wait to see.

Zune > Kin. Plain and simple. I hate that Microsoft is killing off this cool four letter word.

Lot’s of changes happening up there in Redmond for sure.

Yes. That is a list of what US carriers are carrying or will soon carry. Pretty anemic if you ask me, especially those 2 carriers with one single phone to choose from.

Who’s fault is this? Microsoft? The OEMs? Verizon? Sprint?

I don’t know the answer to this question, but something has to change. Windows Phone will not share the same success that the iPhone did during AT&T’s exclusive deal. Verizon and Sprint definately need to get into the game. The single Sprint and Verizon devices are old and outdated. Hopefully something will be announced at MWC next week.

I posted an article tonight on GBM about how well Nokia is doing in Europe, without Spring and Verizon, they won’t be as lucky here in the US.

Remember Microsoft and other players in the game, I Will Get a @WindowsPhone Tattoo if @HTC or @Nokia Announces a Verizon Windows Phone before my 40th Birthday.

Horrible Ebay Experience #1

Back in January, I was headed out to cover CES. To ensure that I had a good data connection, I went out and purchased an AT&T Hotspot, the Elevate 4G. I only planned to use it for CES and then sell it or keep it for future shows. I purchased it for full retail to avoid a contract so I paid $249 + $96, which included $50 for 5GB of data, taxes, and fees. I could easily pull the cheap trick of buying it and then returning it within 30 days, but I think that practice is quite rude. I would rather take the loss and do it the honorable way. I used the hotspot for a week at CES and got back to town and canceled the service and account a couple weeks later, still within 30 days mind you. Still, I wasn’t planning stick AT&T with it. Instead, I put it up on Ebay for $150 or best offer. I got a $100 offer and countered with $115. The buyer agreed and paid promptly. Aside from losing about $250 on the deal because I am too nice, everything was going good at this point.

The photo above is the image I used in the auction. After snapping that photo, I packaged the box and set it aside until it sold. I put the auction online and the deal I mentioned above was made later that same day. Like I said, the buyer paid promptly and I headed to the Post Office the next day. I packaged it with bubble wrap inside a box slightly larger than the factory packaging.  The device was actually still active and service was still on in the Ebay photo above. I called to cancel the morning I mailed it out. I sent it out at a cost that was more than what I charged for shipping and I included tracking.

A couple of days after the buyer received the Elevate 4G, I got the following message through Ebay:

AT&T says that I need the old number associated with device to switch over. Can you please provide otherwise I’ll have to send back. Thanks.

That didn’t sound quite right so replied and asked him to call me. He called and explained to me that AT&T said he needed to old number to activate service. I explained that he didn’t need it. I let him know that this device was purchased at full retail to avoid contracts.

He went on to explain that he bought it to replace a hotspot that he had been using that died on him. He wanted this one to avoid a contract himself. He explained that he had tried popping his current simm card in the Elevate 4G and it didn’t work. I asked him if it was a 4G or 3G hotspot he had before. It was a 3G and he need to go to a store to get a new simm card that supports 4G. He also told me he tried calling AT&T to get them to move his service to the simm card I left in it. Well, that simm is deactivated for good when you cancel service so that wasn’t going to work. He went on to say that he ended up going to the store to get a simm card and that’s when he told them that he needed the number. I sensed some evil right there. I told him to hang tight and that I would call him back after I checked with a friend. I hung up and called my local AT&T store and explained the scenario with the assistant manager. He agreed with me that something didn’t seem right and that what I told him he needed to do was correct.

I called the guy back and the story changed some. He said that the AT&T store told him that he needed to go to the warranty repair center and there just happened to be one in his town. He said he’d go there and call me back. To this point, I didn’t know it was broken. I wondered why the warranty repair center, but it didn’t register yet. We hung up and he headed to this center apparently.

He called me a couple hours later and told me that the Elevate 4G wouldn’t read a simm card and that this warranty repair center said there was water inside the device, voiding the warranty. He went on to tell me that they told him that, since it changed ownership, it wouldn’t be under warranty anyway. I am calling BS at this point. In the two days that it took the USPS to get this to the buyer, there was no rain on the radar. There wasn’t in Tuscaloosa for sure and all our weather goes northeast towards this guys location. Typically, our weather makes it to his area 16-18 hours later. Yes, this guy was just a couple states over and up. My point is, unless this buyer dropped it into a toilet, no way it should have any water in it.

Let’s pretend there was a major rain storm and the package did take on a little water, or even a lot, the device sits in the tray above. You see that little hole? Yes. Water wouldn’t stand in that tray, it would fall into the bottom. Spoiler Alert: When I received the device back today, the was no sign of water in or on the box or contents.

After he told me what this warranty repair center told him, I asked him if I could call him back. I called the local store again and let the assistant manager know the scenario. He said that he felt like the buyer might have gone into the store to activate service and decided to take on a contract and buy it for 1/2 of what he paid for mine. I don’t know that, nor did the manager, but something happened at that store. I asked AT&T if there was anything I could do and he told me that since I was no longer a customer that there was nothing he could do. He looked up my purchase date for a possible return that I wasn’t a fan of doing and I was now 3 days out of the window of opportunity. Now I am stuck. I asked if he’d be willing to let me bring it in to check out to make sure it was broken. Perhaps the buyer was lying and nothing was wrong at all. He agreed.

Reluctantly, I called the buyer back and told him I’d refund his money. I was fairly sure that something in all this was definitely not on the up and up.

A week later, the device arrived and I refunded his money.

I open the package to see what I can see. The 1st thing I noticed was that the cable was missing. I opened the back cover to check out this water damage, removed the battery and what did I see?

What in the hell? How did this go from mythical water inside the unit to the simm card holder ripped off the circuit card?  He didn’t mention this. I don’t think water or vibration or even a drop from 2 a two story building is going to rip the simm card holder off of the circuit board. Did he want to make sure it was broken?

So now, I am out $350 and I don’t have ANYTHING to show for it.

Horrible Ebay Experience #2

The 1st story was too long and too many words that my head hurts so I am going to make this one quick and simple.

1. Dude buys $200 sports card for $140 via best offer
2. I send invoice
3. 1 day later, I send another invoice
4. 1 more day later, I send another invoice
5. Yet another day later, I send a message to buyer asking what the payment arrangements he planned. I had been used to getting payments within a day or two of the auction closing. Instant payment is most common.
6. No answer to any of this correspondence.
7. An option became available to me to report auction as non-payment to get my sales fees back. That fee was ten dollars and some change.
8. After that, I decided to sell this card and 73 other cards in one big sale (LOT), which included 2-3 other cards that sold and payment was never received on. I listed that lot here too.
9. That lot lasted a day and a half before I got a good offer that I liked, I accepted the offer.
10. The buyer of the lot paid immediately yesterday.
11. I shipped out this morning
12. While on Ebay adding shipping number to the listing for the buyer to track, I got a notice from Ebay in my email. The buyer of the card finally paid after 7 days and no contact.
13. I refunded the payment and sent another message to the original buyer explaining that he dropped the ball and missed out.

Oh well!

That’s right, Ebay has a big old banner up! Ebay sellers should take advantage of this free advertising!

Check out what a little Linsanity can do to prices.

Just 3 months ago, Jeremy Link 2010-11 Rookies & Stars Autographed Rookie cards serial numbers 0ut of 499 were being sold for under $10. I kind of wish I had bought 20-30 of them because look what kind of return on that investment I could have gotten.

Those same cards are selling in the $200′s. Imagine if I paid $300 for 30 of these 3 months ago (at $10/ea). That $300 could have turned into $6,000 in 3 months. That’s one hell of a return.

Who is Jeremy Lin?

Have you been under a rock? Anyhow, if you don’t know, here’s what Wikipedia has:

Jeremy Shu-How Lin (born August 23, 1988) is an American professional basketball player with the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After receiving no athletic scholarship offers out of high school and being undrafted out of college, the 2010 Harvard University graduate reached a partially guaranteed contract deal later that year with his hometown Golden State Warriors. After his first year, he was waived by the Warriors and theHouston Rockets in the preseason before joining the Knicks early in the 2011–12 season. Lin is one of the few Asian Americans in NBA history, and the first American player in the league to be of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.

Basically, he is the Rudy of the NBA right now.

The new logo was announced officially yesterday. It’s very basic, very clean. The issue I have with it is that it seems to lose the Windows identity.

I think simply adding the standard Windows logo colors would accomplish continued brand recognition and use the Metro look that modernizes the logo.

I have already received a couple flattering comments regarding the simple paint rendering I did.

Windows 8 Logo Goes Metro http://dlvr.it/1Cr6nv (via@GottaBeMobile) MS should hire @ChrisLeckness as a designer, his version much better

Kevin Purcell

and in the GBM comments. I love it.

 If we are lucky Microsoft will steal your idea back from themselves and fix the logo by adding the extra colors. ~Stocklone

I agree with Stocklone – the edited version is far superior – get it trademarked quickly! ~Dale Strauss

What I get out of the video is that Android, Windows Phone, iOS, and the others are generally the same deep down. He’s saying that we, as consumers, want to be able to move from an iPhone to a Windows Phone to an Android tablet and have our user experience the same. Same apps, same data, same same. I personally don’t ever see that happening. With carriers having their agenda and companies like Microsoft and Google fighting for you to use their services, there is just no way of this happening. The closest example of what I believe Charlie means is how on my desktop I can upload some files to Dropbox and be able to access them on my other devices… my work PC, my laptops, my phone (except for Windows Phone), and my tablet. Instead, Google is working on a service similar to Dropbox, Microsoft uses Skydrive, and iOS is using iCloud. While companies like Microsoft are allowing access to Skydrive to iOS users, other companies aren’t. Everyone wants you using their services and products, that’s where the money is at.

On the other hand, carriers want you using their services. That’s why they add their own navigation trials, their own apps for music, etc. They want the consumers money too.

Kindel makes sense, but it’s not going to happen unless a monopoly appears and you know the US Government isn’t going to allow for that.

He also talks about fragmentation. That’s inevitable in my opinion.

Charlie Kindel is a former GM for Windows Phone team. He worked for Microsoft for 21 years, and was very instrumental dealing with developers. He recently left Microsoft to work with a Seattle startup. You might know him from his article about Windows Phone, “Windows Phone is Superior; Why Hasn’t it Taken Off?“.

Source: YouTube (Via)

• I am tired of nickel and dime trading on Beckett.
• I am tired of being offered a $6 card for a $40 card just because the $40 card only sells for $6 on Ebay.
• I am tired of selling a $200 Cam Newton card on Ebay only to have the seller not pay.
• I am tired of getting messages on Ebay telling me that a $200 card is only worth $50.
• I am tired of paying $3+ for postage to trade a handful of $5 cards.

All that said, I want to move some product for some paypal money to buy myself some Ingram and Julio cards on Ebay.

I am offering every card listed and scanned below for 1 price. I am going to offer it up on Beckett for a few days, if no takers at a fair price, then I will take it to Ebay in hopes that it sells and someone actually follows through with a payment. Yes, I am bitter that I sold 2 high dollar cards and never received payment in the last couple of days. Bitter.

Book for all 84 these cards is approximately $1400. I am also planning to throw in some more that I won’t list, but they won’t be any high dollar items.

Here we go:

1. 2005 Press Pass Eclipse Under Cover Double Cover #DC1 D.Earnhardt Jr./M.Waltrip  /340
2. 2011 Limited Silver Spotlight #207 Blaine Gabbert JSY AU /25
3. 2011 Limited Gold Spotlight #15 Steve Smith – 3 Color /25
4. 2011 Certified Shirt Off My Back Materials #32 DeMarco Murray/250
5. 2011 Topps Triple Threads Autographed Relic Combos Gold #TTARC21 A.J. Green – Torrey Smith – Greg Little /9
6. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches #201 Cam Newton JSY AU RC /299
7. 2011 Triple Threads Delone Carter Sepia RC AUTO JSY SN# 56/70
8. 2011 Triple Threads Unity Relics Emerald #TTUSR174 Blaine Gabbert SN# 6/18 JSY

1. 2011 Finest Jumbo Jersey Autographs #AJRDM DeMarco Murray SN# 551/589
2. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches Rookie Blitz Materials #13 Blaine Gabbert /299
3. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches Silver #173 Stanley Havili /100
4. 2011 Precision Rookie Autographs White Ink #132 Roy Helu SN# 21/25
5. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches Jerseys #64 Kenny Britt /299
6. 2006 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs #228 DeAngelo Williams

1. 2011 Topps Triple Threads Autographed Unity Relics Sepia #TTUAR63 Stevan Ridley
2. 2011 Topps Precision Autographs Red #PCVAJP Jason Pierre-Paul /99
3. 2011 Topps Platinum Die Cuts #PDCCN Cam Newton
4. 2011 Topps Inception #131 Taiwan Jones AU RC /900
5. 2011 Topps Supreme Red #82 Jake Locker
6. 2011 Limited Silver Spotlight #117 Steve Bartkowski /50
7. 2011 Limited Gold Spotlight #143 Dan Fouts /25
8. 2011 Limited Monikers Autographs Silver #170 Jacquizz Rodgers /199

1. 2011 Topps Precision Rookie Jumbo Relic Autographs Red #RAJRTJ Taiwan Jones
2. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches #159 Phil Taylor AU RC /405
3. 2011 Topps Precision #117 Alex Green AU RC
4. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches Rookie Blitz Materials #12 Bilal Powell /299
5. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches Signatures Gold #123 Dane Sanzenbacher /25
6. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches #127 Denarius Moore AU RC /405

1. 2010 Prestige Rookie Review Materials #9 Jeremy Maclin
2. 2011 SP Authentic Redemption RC AU Patch #233 JacQuizz Rodgers /699
3. 2011 SP Authentic Autographs #88 Tandon Doss
4. 2011 Bowman Chrome Rookie Preview Inserts #BCR2 Jake Locker
5. 2011 Donruss Elite Down and Distance Jerseys #48 Tony Gonzalez/299
6. 2011 Donruss Elite Down and Distance Jerseys #17 Jeremy Shockey /299
7. 2008 Stadium Club Beam Team Jerseys Retail #BTRJS Jonathan Stewart
8. 2008 Stadium Club Beam Team Jerseys Retail #BTRDM Darren McFadden

1. 2006 Fleer Fabrics #FFSM Steve McNair
2. 2006 Topps Draft Picks and Prospects Senior Standout Jersey #SSEW Eric Winston
3. 2011 Donruss Elite Aspirations Autographs #117 Cameron Jordan
4. 2009 Topps Mayo Autographs #MAAC Austin Collie
5. 2009 SP Authentic #344 Curtis Painter AU RC /799
6. 2011 Certified Certified Potential Materials #14 Greg Little

1. 2011 Topps Magic Rookies Autographs #64 Dwayne Harris x2
2. 2011 Limited Monikers Autographs Silver #117 Steve Bartkowski /50
3. 2011 Topps Prime #50 Cam Newton RC
4. 2011 Panini Gridiron Gear Rookie Orientation #30 Cam Newton
5. 2011 Topps Magic Rookies Autographs #48 Mark Herzlich
6.  2011 Topps Magic Rookies Autographs #72 Tyrod Taylor
7. 2011 Topps Magic Rookies Autographs #35 Austin Pettis

1. 2011 Topps Inception Gray #48 Andre Johnson /106
2. 2011 Limited Threads #66 Mark Sanchez /99
3. 2009 Topps National Chicle Autographs #NCABO Brian Orakpo
4. 2006 Press Pass Autographs Bronze #8 Dominique Byrd
5. 2011 Topps Inception Blue #78 Clay Matthews /209
6. 2006 Topps Chrome Red Refractors #155 Drew Brees
7. 2006 Upper Deck Legends Legendary Signatures #99 John Brockington
8. 2006 Upper Deck Legends Legendary Signatures #53 John Cappelletti

1. 2008 Bowman Chrome #BC93 DeSean Jackson RC
2. 2011 Finest Rookie Autograph Refractors #24 Edmond Gates /150
3. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches City Limits Materials #5 Julius Peppers /299
4. 2009 Topps Mayo Relics #MRDB Dwayne Bowe
5. 2008 Bowman Chrome Rookies Silver #BC70 Felix Jones /199
6. 2008 Bowman Chrome Orange Refractors #BC77 Kevin Smith 23/25
7. 2008 Bowman Chrome #BC71 Darren McFadden RC
8. 2008 Bowman Chrome #BC76 Chris Johnson RC

1. 2005 Upper Deck Legends Legendary Signatures #JW Joe Washington
2. 1999 SP Signature Autographs #CG Charlie Garner
3. 2009 Topps Chrome Blue Refractors #TC176 Shonn Greene
4. 2011 Topps Prime #50 Cam Newton RC
5. 2006 Upper Deck Legends #128 DeAngelo Williams RC /750
6. 2003 Finest #150 Rex Grossman AU RC
7. 2009 Topps National Chicle Autographs #NCAMJ Michael Jenkins
8. 2006 Press Pass Legends Autographs #24 Bruce Gradkowski

1. 2006 Donruss Elite College Ties Green #14 Maurice Drew  /1000
2. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches Rookie Blitz #7 Daniel Thomas /249
3. 2011 Panini Plates and Patches Jerseys #19 Brandon Marshall /199
4. 2006 Ultra Postseason Performers Jerseys #UPPDB Drew Bledsoe
5. 2005 Bowman’s Best Blue #102 J.J. Arrington JSY
6. 2005 Bowman’s Best Green #119 Roscoe Parrish JSY

1. 2011 Limited Rookie Jumbo Jerseys #29 Stevan Ridley /99
2. 2008 SP Authentic SP Star Signatures #SPSS4 Craig Davis
3. 2008 Press Pass SE Game Day Gear Jerseys Silver #GDGBB Brian Brohm
4. 2008 SP Authentic Retail #157 Quintin Demps AU RC

My scanner had some dust on it upon closer look at these scans. If you would like a better scan/photo of any of the cards individually, let me know.

Thanks for looking.

So either this:

or this:

If the following conditions are satisfied:

1. Nokia or HTC Announces a “Flag Ship Quality” Windows Phone that will be available on Verizon.
2. The announcement has to come prior to March 21st, 2012 which is my 40th birthday.
3. The device has to be announced to be available before the Summer of 2012.

That is all. Get on that HTC and Nokia. I know, I know… they could care less about some idiot wanting to get a tat, but still.

I am really excited about both of these phone, but I use Verizon and can’t wait. I use my HTC Titan as my work phone, but I use the Galaxy Nexus as my personal phone right now. If I could get a great deal on the HTC Trophy, I would use it until something better hits Verizon.

History Lesson #1

Back in 2010, I was among 30 or so invited to Microsoft’s campus to spend a day with Windows Phone a couple months before launch. Screen shot ability or the lack thereof was among the things I brought up in our sessions. I had been using the iPhone on/off for a year at this point and if you follow me on Twitter, I tweeted all sorts of interesting screen shots because iOS makes it so damn easy. I mentioned in these sessions that this is going to be something that Microsoft needs to have at launch. My points were noted, I guess.

History Lesson #2

I did a series of posts on GottaBeMobile about using Windows Phone again late 2011. I got my hands on the HTC Titan and proceeded to set it up. I had forgot all about the lack of screenshots. When I figured it out again, I was disapppointed again. I wrote a post over at GBM on how to unlock your Windows Phone using ChevronWP7. The main reason I unlocked my Titan was to be able to use a 3rd party app that gives the ability to take screenshots. It’s kind of weird to use, but it works. I can now provide friends and readers quality screenshots after going through hoops. Most Windows Phone users aren’t going to want to go through that hassle.

Case Study #1

I have a very talented friend that wants to be able to do guides and reviews of Windows Phone software, but she can’t get screen shots to accompany her content. She thinks that taking a photograph of the phone to get the screen captured is tacky and too much of a hassle. She bought a token to unlock her Windows Phone, but she doesn’t have Windows 7 to be able to run it. My friend can’t take screenies.

Because of this, this very awesome, talented writer isn’t contributing content that would really help the Windows Phone Community. I am probably more disappointed in this than she is.

Case Study #2

Jean-Louis Gassée posted a really good read about Nokia’s comeback over on Monday Note. This quote speaks directly to this topic…

I encounter my first problem when looking for ways to take screenshots for today’s note. The documentation is mute on the subject, and all Google can offer is that I need software developer tools. Is there really nothing for normal humans? I email my friends, I tweet nokia-connects (as recommended in a nice handwritten note that came with the phone)…still nothing. A simple two-button procedure, followed by a no-hands Photo Stream upload – in other words, the iPhone method — seems to be the type of solution to aspire to.

Have you ever wondered why there are 14,000 iPhone/iPod Touch app review sites out there? Well, iOS is still wildly popular, but on another level… IT IS EXTREMELY EASY TO WRITE AN iPHONE APP REVIEW BECAUSE SCREENSHOTS ARE A BREEZE!

Android used to be a bear too, but OEMs started offering ways to let users get the screen shots they want.

I am begging you Microsoft, please get this into a release soon. Hurry up and rush it into Tango? Yep, I know… not gonna happen, but here’s to hope.