Is it possible to configure a NL 920 so that it is not chained to Hotmail and Skydrive?

[BarrPub]

Looking at the NL 920 it appears that one cannot use it without being nailed to Hotmail, Skydrive and a MS account?
That is:-
Is it possible to configure it so that an ISP's mail system works with the NL920 without interacting with Hotmail? I don't want or need a Hotmail account
. . . and so have a contacts app that holds data on the phone rather than in MS's control.
To have this interact via USB with a desktop utility.
I was hoping that as it was a Windows system that it would be open to third party developers and even open source software.
As a business user I am not interested in a 'Family Room' can one uninstall it?
Lots of questions but any answers would be appreciated.
I just returned the phone after a week - thought all the hardware was brilliant and elements of the software were fine.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

First of all, stop thinking about Microsoft Account as being a "hotmail" account. That is not the case anymore. Email is one aspect of Microsoft Accounts. In fact, you could use a Gmail address as the log in for a Microsoft Account. That is already more than I can say for Google who will not allow any address other than their own for their main services, such as Youtube.

You can configure your phone with only your ISPs POP3 or IMAP if they support it. For the same reason you require an iTunes account on iOS and a Google Account on Android, to use the Windows store on the phone you need a Microsoft Account.

The contacts are on the phone, but they are bidirectionally synced to the supported service of your choice. MS account, Gmail, yahoo and others are supported. So is exchange. Welcome to the 21st century, time to get over the fact that you don't want contacts synced. It means you never have to worry about losing your phone. Contacts are not lost.

Delete the family room. It's automatic as an example of a way to use rooms. Rename it "Manly Businessman Business Only Stuff" if you wish. It's a feature that won't hurt you if it is never used.

As for your comment about USB contact syncing and third party openness, the lack of this ability being open to third parties is for security reasons. I assume another reason you don't want contacts synced is for security reasons yet you ask for a feature that would allow malware to extract personal info from your phone via USB? You can't easily have it both ways sir, and sorry to burst your bubble, but Microsoft cares more about the security of your data than google or apple.

Does that answer your questions?

 

[BarrPub]

Don't misunderstand me, I am looking to be able to use this phone but only if it can do what I want it to.

I can see the need for a Microsoft account if I want to buy something.

It doesn't matter what the system is called (pretty sure it had Hotmail on the page) it looked to me as if when I added a contact on the phone it was immediately sucked up into the ether to what I thought was Hotmail but as I was not aware that I had registered with any MS email services it seemed like I was being forced into it. In other words can I turn off 'bi-directional syncing' to the cloud and enable it to my PC via wire on demand? Your answer sounds like a 'no'.

With respect it might be the 21st C. but I suspect that data secured on a PC synced by USB can and probably is more secure than anywhere else.

To say that MS cares about security than more than Google or Apple does not actually make it secure or better and I am not asking about the relative merits of one against the other. I don't know anything about Android and only a little about Apple. I am migrating from Palm (not WebOS) and am looking for the best phone solution..

I can't see that syncing with 'the cloud' is safer than having data contained and on ones own media which can be backed up independently etc. Loose access to 'the cloud' and as far as I can see you have lost access to your data? Lose my phone and I still have the data on my media.

On 'Family Room' it doesn't matter what it is called can I 'un-pin/delete' it? You say it is 'automatic' so the answer sounds like a 'no'.

I appreciate your replying to this it is most helpful, thanks.

 

[T Moore]

Family room is a feature. You do not have to set it up or use, ignore it.
You don't have to use MS live email. You have to actively enter the account info on the phone to use any email account.
You can setup a POP or IMAP email account. Email delivered to the PC and phone won't have to be synced.
Live mail or skydrive can duplicate what is on the phone. If you can't access it you haven't lost anything.

 

[markfive]

It's preferable to have an MS account on the phone, but you only need it for app purchases.

By default the MS account will enable itself for contacts and calendars, but you can stop these from being used by either turning them off (for calendars) or filtering them out (for contacts). WP has no concept of a "local" calendar or contacts store - you need an account which is capable of providing these (hence why the MS account defaults to having them switched on). Hence there is no facility to sync contacts or calendars (or mail) via USB.

For quite some time I used a WP device with the MS account as shut down as possible (no email sync, contacts and calendars filtered out/disabled, and sync for that account set to manual). My main account on the phone for email, contacts and calendars was an Exchange account. Everything worked just as I expected it to.

 

[miodrage]

BarrPub, mostly the guys here answered ur questions. I have several things to add:
firstly - u cannot use the phone as u intend, but as the manufacturer tells u to. That goes for Apple, Google, Microsoft and every other device.
second - having data in Cloud is so much safer than on any media. Imagine ur computer gets a virus, u don't know that immediatelly, and it gets on ur USB stick, boom, all ur data lost, or corrupted. When in cloud, that data is there for good. Heck, I have over 460 GB online storage, u think I would give up on it easily? No sir, I know, that if I will ever need those again, everything is safe, and I can be peacefull about it.
the third, and the last - Family room - u can ignore it, u can use it (rename it as suggested), heck, u can delete it like I did. Form a group of ur bussinesmen, and a room of close friends.
The purpose of the group is very clear, like on all other phones, u gropu ppl there with whom u communicate a lot, and almost always together. On the other hand Rooms r for close ppl (like ur family if have one), with whom u share everything, and who share everything with u. Read it in Nokia Help, more than once, maybe u then get the full picture.
With WP8 Nokia did a brilliant thing - communication in every possible aspect. If u don't want that, go use some junk which is meant for phone, SMS and maybe have an alarm clock.
Cheers!

 

[BarrPub]

Responders, much appreciate your replies and application of your experience to my questions.

At least I am sure where I stand and can make a more informed decision. I will have a look at the Nokia help pages.

I was sorry to let the phone go as I had to return it within 7 days if I wanted to keep my options open.

'You can't always get what you want' as the Rolling Stones so succinctly put it.

 

[BarrPub]

Further to my query I moved onto the Blackeberry10 forum to see what the case was there and found a comment which was in the same vein as mine from a lost Blackberry soul but a comment further down the thread indicates that there is a third party link being worked on called 'companion link' which allows USB transfer from phone to PC, does anyone know if this is in the pipeline for WP8?

Anyone interested the thread is under:
Re: Z10 What happened to sync for contacts and calendars from Outlook etc

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

I spent some time working in the internet security field. I can safely say that cloud data is safer than locally stored data, hands down. The only issue you need to worry about it wire session hijacking. Microsoft is well aware of the defences against such a spoof and has most definitely got the code in place to protect you from it.

And yes, opening up USB transfer capability to third parties that can access your contacts with it has the potential to be a massive security loophole from a privacy perspective.

 

[BeaverJuicer]

All smart phones are moving to a Cloud based system, be it via Google, iCloud, or SkyDrive.

If this is not acceptable to you, I suggest buying a feature phone with a killer screen. LG Xpression or Pantech come to mind.