Missing Sidekick data may be gone for good
Most of them don't look like this today.
(Credit: CNET)It looks as though the current Sidekick outage is turning into a bigger mess for T-Mobile. The company has just published an apology to Sidekick users who've been without many important services for a few days--and says that because of a server error at Danger (a Microsoft subsidiary), affected users might not get their data back at all.
This is terrible news for some Sidekick users out there and is also one of the largest fails in cloud computing in recent memory. T-Mobile has already offered affected users a free month of service, but that was a few days ago when it seemed the problem was on its way to being resolved. Now, some users are looking at not having their data restored at all. Those whose data hasn't already been recovered will likely have to rebuild their contact lists, calendars, to-dos, and other personal content themselves.
The problem is that many users didn't back up that data. A friend of mine never backed up her Sidekick LX because Danger's server-side infrastructure made it redundant--or so she thought.
T-Mobile says they'll issue another update on Monday, October 12, which will communicate the current status of the repair.
One important point T-Mobile is communicating to affected users is not to power off your device. On its Web site, T-Mobile warns, "We continue to advise customers to NOT reset their device by removing the battery or letting their battery drain completely, as any personal content that currently resides on your device will be lost." Good luck on Monday.
With more than 15 years experience testing hardware (and being obsessed with it), Crave freelance writer Matt Hickey can tell the good gadgets from the great. He also has a keen eye for future technology trends. Matt has blogged for publications including TechCrunch, CrunchGear, and most recently, Gizmodo. E-mail Matt. 
I'm still not sure why Microsoft bought Danger last year since they doesn't even use MS technology, but now that MS owns Danger they have to clean house, roll some heads, and maybe integrate them into MS instead of letting it continue to be a separately run company.
Expect class action law suits over this.
I'd be the first to sign up ofr the class-action lawsuit!
Are you kidding? "Cloud Computing" from billion dollar companies like Amazon, Google, and yes, in the case of this EPIC FAIL Microsoft.
Turns out THEY, despite their billions of dollars and mega huge wiz bang data centers, DIDN'T HAVE A BACKUP. Period. But somehow, you blame the regular housewife. AMAZING. Are you on MS's payroll?
more epic fail here
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/12/snow-leopard-guest-account-bug-deleting-user-files-terrorizin/
Yes, T-Mobile should have a disaster backup-plan in place, I would expect nothing less from a provider that offers cloud services. However, fact is, you and you alone are responsible for your data. No technical/electronic device is safe from failure. If you don't have your data in at least two physically separate places at any given time, chances are, you will lose your data at some point.
Most people do not understand backup until they have painfully lost data for the first time. Some, still don't understand it then and continue to lose it again and again.
Thank you. Well said.
"A friend of mine never backed up her Sidekick LX because Danger's server-side infrastructure made it redundant--or so she thought."
Redundant isn't redundant until you have the information in two locations at once. And while you think that the company housing your information is required to ensure your information is safe, fact of the matter is that, it's a luxury that they provide, not a requirement. Please refer back to dredlew's quote.
The courts have already said that if you are PAYING FOR A SERVICE, that these companies are REQUIRED to make sure that any data you give them is safe, even from hardware failure.
Then you have probably not read warranty clause legalese like "express or implied". I am neither a Danger user nor have any financial interest in MS/Danger/T-Mobile but this is a huge lawsuit waiting to happen.
How would you react if Hotmail/Yahoo/Gmail lost ALL your mails? Would you offer the same advice to back up all your data?
Won't people learn!
Jp
Brisbane
Why Tmobile, Danger, and Microsoft doesn't allow a more permanent storage of information (not the sim since you can't store email addresses and other info, it's too limited) on the device or even allow a backup to the memory card is plainly stupid (MS has had this capability for pocket pcs since I can remember, symbian 60 allowed this as well). Now days we can encrypt our storage cards, password protect them, and they have the capacity to burn (plus it would allow all the ram on the device to be dedicated to processing), it would save them a lot of service calls, people will feel secure having access to their information, and this crap about keeping it as a dumb terminal is stupid if they're not going to do backups regularly so customers won't lose their information.
As a previous employee at Danger, I was always disappointed that the data was held hostage by the cloud. It was intentional to not allow importing and exporting of data like contacts(unless you purchased the 35 dollar Intellisync product or the discontinued Missing Sync product) because that made conversion to another product that much harder to do. A user would have to laboriously email or bluetooth single contacts-and now email doesn't even work.
With that said, the Android devices are cloud devices as well, but I would expect Google to be 1000% more respectful of customers' data and at least have redundant systems. The whole episode gives Cloud computing a bad name because Danger, under previous management, was more interested in selling hardware and Microsoft lost the people in charge of the Danger service.
I think a better solution for cloud computing would be the Android devices. They are essentially designed and built by original Danger employees. Think of the Sidekick, adapted for today's standards, with a bulletproof cloud and good services. Even the price is the same. The only thing the Sidekick has going for it now is a nice physical keyboard. A 100% lost opportunity by Danger and T-Mobile.
It seems you designed the POS but you are blaming it on him/her for blowing the whistle.
It Is An Extinction In The Making.
you should backup your contacts and data
Now, TMobile may be able to sue Microsoft for breach of contract and fraud-who knows?
People like Paris Hilton use these to chat , get a clue.
It`s like the Verizon ad where the dad "Twitters" "I am sitting on the porch" (who gives a S***)
All this "social networking" stuff is a bunch of garbage...they just make up these services to get "page-views" And gullible people use them every day.
- by JCPayne October 12, 2009 3:10 PM PDT
- If you go into the sidekick's software you'll see it links to servers at t-mobile.hiptop.com
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