New Windows 8 Mobile - queries

[Thargoid]

I got my son an N520 some weeks ago and gave it to him for his birthday yesterday. Some very odd things happening with it and so I am taking it into Carphone Warehouse this lunchtime to get them to sort it out, but wanted to ask the following here first:

For some reason, the Windows store wont allow him to download any apps without a parent first going to the Nokia website and making an account somewhere there and granting permission for him to purchase the app. Now I'm reassured that Nokia / Microsoft care so much for the well being of my son however I feel he's quite old enough to make the correct decisions without consulting me first. What I cant understand is how MS / Nokia know how old he is! On my Nokia 920 and my eldest sons 520 we never had to go through this and at no time entered our ages or were asked to make accounts on websites.

Obviously I'm getting the shop to wipe this annoying feature, but I'm really curious how it believes (truly as it turns out as he's 15yrs) he's a minor.

 

[crash1989]

It picks the information from the Outlook account, when registering the information must have been fed into the profile section. Hence, it knows

You should check the outlook account being used in the device.

interesting to see the level of control provided, I have never seen this practically being applied.

 

[falconrap]

Apparently the age verification is based on his account at account.live.com. When you set up the phone with an account, the birth date is entered and that's the date the restriction goes by. Apparently you can't just change it there either. It would appear you need to create another account and use a birth date that is 18 years back or longer, or you can create a parental account and give him the permissions through there. Taking the phone to the store will not help in that area. If you have a Windows store or Nokia store near you, they may be able to go through the whole process with you. I only know "of" the process. I haven't had a need to go through it.

 

[Thargoid]

Oh dear. On the one hand its quite amusing that he's caused this problem himself, on the other a bit annoying.

Two ways around it I can see - either reset the phone to factory settings and amend his MS email account details, or alternatively make a 2nd MS email account with an adult DOB and set his old account to forward all his emails to this new one. With a new phone probably the former solution would be best.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Oh dear. On the one hand its quite amusing that he's caused this problem himself, on the other a bit annoying.

Two ways around it I can see - either reset the phone to factory settings and amend his MS email account details, or alternatively make a 2nd MS email account with an adult DOB and set his old account to forward all his emails to this new one. With a new phone probably the former solution would be best.

Either way you still have to reset the phone to change the account. There's way around that. Changing a Microsoft account FAQ | Windows Phone How-to (United Kingdom)

 

[LMZR]

Yeah, upon getting the 520, i had the same issue.

I fixed it by changing my Birthdate, apps install fine now.

 

[Thargoid]

Thanks - I'm sure we can sort out the email thing though that's going to have to wait a week it seems.
I'm more concerned now by Talk Mobile's apparent inability to "put through" the line connection even when the Carphone Warehouse rep stood in front of me and told me it was all through, and has hence cancelled it and now I have to wait 5 days before they can activate the line for some reason. Seriously this is a very bad situation and I know its not Microsoft's or Nokia's fault but I can't help thinking if I'd got him a Samsung or something like that then these problems wouldn't be here now.