Updating to Windows Phone 7.5
The stone in the Mango
Review Just like Apple iPhone users needn’t own a Mac to sync data and apply updates, Windows Phone 7 users needn’t be reliant on a PC either. To broaden the appeal of Microsoft’s latest handset OS, the company offers a Mac software alternative.
Nice to know there's an update, but what version is it?
Unlike Apple’s dual platform iTunes offering, MS keeps Zune exclusively for its PC clientele and Mac users get Windows Phone 7 Connector. It’s even available to download from Apple’s Mac App Store. I’ve been using this Mac app with an HTC Trophy, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to update it to Windows Phone 7.5, aka Mango.
The other week, I thought it had arrived early, but this was just an update to version 7.0.7008.0. As far as installing goes, it all went smoothly. Download, instal, reboot – that sort of thing. The only grumble I had with the experience is that Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac doesn’t actually inform you of the update revision number that you’re applying. You’re flying blind. And it was only at the end of that particular update process that I realised that Mango hadn’t ripened yet.
Mango crushed: Windows Phone Connector for Mac retires early
A few days ago, my phone started nagging me about updates again. This time, I was more hopeful despite there being no information about the version. However, Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac didn’t play nice on this occasion. It detected there was an update, but installing it was another matter. Going through the motions to apply the update resulted in an instant app crash. I’m no coder, but I’m guessing it’s not good news when I get this every time:
Exception Type: EXC_BREAKPOINT (SIGTRAP) Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000002, 0x0000000000000000 Crashed Thread: 6 Dispatch queue: com.apple.root.default-priority
Application Specific Information: *** Terminating app due to uncaught exception 'NSInternalInconsistencyException', reason: 'Invalid parameter not satisfying: aString != nil'
Maybe it’s another app causing trouble, but one thing seemed certain, getting a recent Windows Phone 7 update onto my HTC Trophy wasn’t going to be happening with Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac.
Next page: I Zunes
COMMENTS
If you spot a linux user using their own Windows Phone mobile you're automatically granted 3 wishes.
Don't get sucked in though, they're rarer than leprechauns.
A step backwards
Good one MS, Android updates without a computer, get with the new century.
Worst article title ever
"Updating to Windows Phone 7.5"
There I was thinking this might be a review of 7.5 or something useful... instead it's a whole article about updating your phone using a minority OS. I'm sure it's interesting to the other Mac users who wanted to upgrade their WP7 devices (all 4 of them) but would a descriptive title be OK next time...
Err...
At the risk of sounding linke one of those tedious "it worked fine for me" types:
It worked fine for me.
Same phone, but all updates were done from Win 7. One update to prepare for Mango, accompanied by a little excitement about getting Mango, then a relisation that it was to prepare for Mango, when the next update came down straight afterwards. I can't really tell you how long Mango took, I went to the pub and when I was back the phone was working fine on Mango.
I quite like it, most of the differences are not initially obvious, but they are there and it does make for a nice OS to use.
