IT Help and Advice: October 2014

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Windows Phone 8.1 "Consent Needed"

So I just started using a Nokia 930 and I've been presented with the following dialog when checking for updates to the pre-installed applications;

You'll notice an absence of exactly what "Consent needed" means.

When you touch "retry all" Lumia Storyteller now presents the following dialog;

So "Consent needed" in this case is to grant Lumia Storyteller access to location data. Of course tapping "Cancel" works and prevents the app from installing - it doesn't remove it from the list though so you'll be prompted for as long as you own the device to install it. You just need to "allow" once (which anyone can do, no password required) so better make sure you never give the device to anyone else. Once you've allowed the app there doesn't seem to be a way (other than uninstalling the application) to revoke the granted permission.

I'm sure all that will follow in Windows 10.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Windows Phone 8: Vodafone Still Blocking UK Updates

And this is Microsoft's biggest problem - despite everything they've said about wanting to get "as many devices as possible onto 8.1" they seem to have made the mobile networks gatekeepers for the process and Vodafone doesn't seem to be co-operating.

Here's the screen shot from my Windows 8 phone;

It's very disappointing - I suspect both for me and Microsoft.

Needless to say "last checked about 6 months ago" isn't accurate!

Let's hope whatever the issue is that's preventing Microsoft and Vodafone rolling out the update to my Nokia 925 it gets resolved soon, but as Nokia/Microsoft are no longer selling the 925 I don't think I'll be holding my breath!

Nokia 930 (UK) Pre-Installed Applications

I've been testing a Nokia 930 and I thought it might be useful to give you a list of all the applications that come pre-installed on the device.

This is particularly useful if you're thinking of deploying this device in an Enterprise environment as MobileIron (for example) won't let you remove these pre-installed applications.

Here's the list (followed by screenshots from the device);