Category: Mobile Tech

After suffering a massive data disruption and offering its customers an olive branch, it looks like most T-Mobile Sidekick users will have their data restored! The company’s latest update said:

We are pleased to report that we have recovered most, if not all, customer data for those Sidekick customers whose data was affected by the recent outage. We plan to begin restoring users’ personal data as soon as possible, starting with personal contacts, after we have validated the data and our restoration plan. We will then continue to work around the clock to restore data to all affected users, including calendar, notes, tasks, photographs and high scores, as quickly as possible.

T-Mobile and Danger (a Microsoft company) have dodged a huge bullet. Permanent data last would have meant legions of pissed of customers that it would have to pacify with gift cards and free service. There are certainly some customers that will jump ship, but this situation could have been way, way worse.

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The war between AT&T and Google regarding Google Voice is getting pretty funny. GigaOm has revealed AT&T’s latest (lame) tactic:

AT&T today countered Google’s claims that it’s blocking Google Voice calls to rural areas because they’re directed to free conference call lines and sex hotlines engaged in the dubious practice of so-called traffic pumping by trotting out a convent of Benedictine Nuns who apparently can’t receive, or make, Google Voice calls, either.

Google’s point about certain rural areas exploiting high-cost termination fees for sex hotlines is legitimate. AT&T trotting out a group of nuns that can’t  receive Google Voice calls is not quite as legitimate (in terms of net neutrality), but it’s definitely underhanded. The company is obviously trying to garner pity from religious people, as in, “Oh my God. These poor nuns can’t receive calls from Google Voice. Google must hate Jesus!!!”

It’s pretty low and more than a little silly. That’s my take on it anyway. What are your thoughts? And also, if you could use Google Voice to call nuns, would you serenade them with “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria”? I certainly would. Ha!

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On Sunday, I wrote about a service disruption that zapped the data of T-Mobile Sidekick users. To make amends for the loss, T-Mobile is offering its users a free month of data service and a $100 gift certificate. The company updated its forum post with the following:

In the event certain customers have experienced a significant and permanent loss of personal content, T-Mobile will be sending these customers a $100 customer appreciation card. This will be in addition to the free month of data service that already went to Sidekick data customers. This card can be used towards T-Mobile products and services, or a customer’s T-Mobile bill. For those who fall into this category, details will be sent out in the next 14 days – there is no action needed on the part of these customers. We however remain hopeful that for the majority of our customers, personal content can be recovered.

A free month of service and $100 gift card? I’d still be pissed off. So much of my personal and business data is stored on my phone and in a Google cloud. If that were to suddenly vanish…well, like I said before, I’d probably break down and cry (whoa-oh-oh Sweet Child O’Mine). Then again, the Sidekick demographic is pretty young and I’m sure the percentage of those using one for work is pretty low. So maybe a high-school stud that lost the numbers of all his girlies would be perfectly satisfied with T-Mobile’s payout.

To all the “data disruption” victims and friends of said victims, is T-Mobile giving enough back to its customers?

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T-Mobile Sidekick owners are screwed (it’s a technical term). According to the company, a recent “data service disruption” means that user data has gone bye bye. T-Mobile issued a statement that said:

“Regrettably, based on Microsoft/Danger’s latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device – such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos — that is no longer on your Sidekick almost certainly has been lost as a result of a server failure at Microsoft/Danger. That said, our teams continue to work around-the-clock in hopes of discovering some way to recover this information. However, the likelihood of a successful outcome is extremely low.”

That…has got to suck. While storing information on the cloud is the way many mobile operating systems are going, this little mishap might make people wary of the process.

I rely on various Google services to store personal and business information and rarely make local backups. I’m pretty sure I’d curl up in a ball and cry if my info suddenly got zapped.

Any Sidekick owners out there? How are you dealing with this situation?

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