Windows Phone Xbox Live Achievement syncing issues coming to a close today

Wednesday, August 8 was an unusual time for Xbox Live on Windows Phone. The Windows Phone Developer site and Marketplace both underwent some upgrades that week. Not everything went according to plan though, and that week’s new Xbox Live game Sally’s Spa didn’t show up until Thursday the 9th. Coincidentally, the Xbox Live Deal of the Week program came to an unceremonious end that week for unknown reasons.

Sally’s Spa (fun game though it is) initially appeared to suffer from some Achievement syncing issues. Specifically, some Achievements would unlock in-game (complete with the standard notification and sound effect) and show up as completed in the game’s Achievement list, and yet they failed to appear in the phone’s Games hub and Xbox.com. In other words, though the Achievement unlocked during gameplay, they did not sync properly with the user’s Xbox Live profile.

There was no rhyme or reason to which Achievements wouldn’t sync – for instance, ‘Survivor’ doesn’t currently appear on my profile and yet ‘Super Survivor’ and ‘Expert Survivor’ (both of which come after the former) do.

Bigger than just a spa

This prompted much grumbling about the game’s bugginess, but as it turns out, Sally’s Spa is not the culprit at all. Starting on the 8th, the same issue has occurred for players of many Windows Phone games: Fruit Ninja, Assassin’s Creed, Little Acorns, Asphalt 5, and more. In one particularly heart-rending case, an Asphalt 5 player completed every goal in the game but didn’t get the game’s final Achievement, ‘Champion.’ Imagine the work it would take to start anew on that one!

Fight for the fix

Windows Phone Central as largely kept quiet on the matter, but that doesn’t mean we just sat around waiting for it to be fixed. Instead, your lovable gaming journalist immediately set out to investigate the cause of the Achievement syncing issue and inform the people who could fix the problem about it. After much effort, we finally have an official statement from Microsoft on the matter:

“Microsoft is aware that some Xbox Live Achievements obtained via games played on Windows Phone may not have synchronized properly with some user’s Xbox LIVE accounts. The issue has been resolved and we are restoring unsynchronized Achievements on user accounts affected by this issue.”

In other words, the cause of the problem has been located and fixed, and now we’re just waiting for the changes to go live. The timing is extremely similar to Microsoft’s deployment of the digital certificate fix for the Windows Phone Marketplace, but we're told there is no connection between those issues and the timing of their fixes.

Back in action (soon)

Most importantly for gamers, WP7 Achievement should start syncing properly within the next 24 hours, at which time our gaming lives can get back to normal. Achievements unlocked since the 8th should sync properly once the fix goes live, though it’s unclear whether you’ll need to boot the game back up or not to initiate the sync.

It’s great that Microsoft took the issue seriously and corrected it as fast as humanly possible. Were any of you affected by syncing problems, dear readers? And are you as glad as I am to put it all behind us?

Thanks to everyone who contacted us about this issue, as well as the good people we contacted in turn!

Update: The Achievements are taking longer to resync than we were told. We'll update again when we learn more.

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Skype for Windows 8 gets a sneak peek with new Metro UI

News Posted on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:17 am EDT by Daniel Rubino

Although we have no idea what to call the new Skype UI that is in early preview release (Metro? Modern?), we know how we feel about it. Swoon.

Neowin has managed to get their hands on a preview-release for the new Skype app and they even tossed up a few screenshots noting that the app is so far rocking pretty hard, even for a preview edition...

“The UI is fluid and dare we say fast too. The Skype team has done a good job at making the application finger friendly and so far, we have not had any crashes with the platform.”

This Skype preview is not for general release so don’t go looking for it just yet but our gut tells us this will launch when Windows 8 does in the fall. Can we say for once that we’re actually really excited for a Skype launch? Because we are.

Head to Neowin for more images.

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Are Nokia and Microsoft planning a surprise launch for Windows Phone 8?

How close are we to a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device?

If there is one thing we can say about Nokia and Microsoft lately is that both companies have faith in their products. Whatever the sales or marketshare figures show, the Windows Phone OS and Nokia hardware are a brilliant combo.

So we’re relishing the words by Chris Webber, Nokia’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, who Tweeted this morning a nice little message to rival Samsung:

“Samsung take note, next generation Lumia coming soon.”

It is a bit unusual for companies to directly call each other out so publicly, which is why this probably has garnered so much attention. If we wanted to deconstruct that tweet a bit we could highlight the usage of “note” by Weber as a hint to Nokia’s upcoming Windows Phone 8 plans. Samsung has quite successfully launched and sold a few GALAXY Notes in recent months (see our hands on when we compared it to the HTC Titan).

While there is no evidence that Nokia will be offering a massive 5”+ device come early September, rumors around the Nokia ‘Phi’ have suggested a device with a quite large 4.65” screen, akin to the HTC Titan series. (We’ve previously expressed to Nokia the desire for large screen devices back at Mobile World Congress; at the very least they were interested in our appeal).

Then again, that’s probably reading a bit too much into it and instead was just a playful jab at Samsung. But it does raise some other interesting questions for discussion.

The Lumia line of phones for Nokia so far have been a critical success but it remains to be seen if they can catch on with mass adoption. With what appears to be an accelerated launch plan, Microsoft and Nokia may be rushing their next-generation devices to market sooner than expected.

Gearing up for production?

Those recent leaks of parts for upcoming Nokia handsets suggest that pre-production units have already rolled out and mass-production is gearing up. That’s good news as we may be getting some Nokia devices with Windows Phone 8 sooner than the previously anticipated “end of October” timeframe.

With Apple expected to announce the iPhone 5 on September 12th, Nokia and Microsoft will beat them to the punch for revealing their next contender for Über-smartphone one week earlier.

But Apple is still predicted to actually launch their phone sooner. That’s because Apple enjoys unparalleled control over the OS and hardware that Microsoft lacks, not to mention the ability to dictate launch-dates to carriers. For even if Microsoft and Nokia have their next-generation Lumia ready, it still needs to bend to a carrier’s launch cycle (presumably AT&T, maybe Verizon) adding a wrinkle to any planned “surprise” unveiling. And that’s really the issue here: How long will we have to wait until we can actually purchase a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device?

At the very least, it does look like Microsoft and Nokia are fast-tracking plans, which shows a new, more agile strategy for both companies.  That’s good news. But are we now expecting too much, too soon?

Let’s hope they adapt well and don’t disappoint come September 5th.

Windows Phone Central will be covering the Nokia-Microsoft event live from NYC, on September 5th starting at 9:30am ET.

Source: Twitter;  Tweet Image and via: Pocketnow

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The "Open webOS on my TouchPad" Contest winner!

The "Open webOS on my TouchPad" Contest winner! | webOS Nation AndroidBlackBerryiPhone / iPadWindows PhonewebOS JOIN The #1 WEBOS COMMUNITY /   LOG IN     ArticlesForumsReviewsAccessory StoreTipsAppsThemesAbout   The "Open webOS on my TouchPad" Contest winner! 22 by Derek Kessler Thu, 16 Aug 2012 8:29 pm EDT

Well folks, it's all come down to this. After taking hundreds of haiku entries and having the wider webOS Nation community to vote on the finalists, the time has come to reveal the winner. And it is…

Define irony:
HP's tablet runs Android,
But not webOS

This poignant haiku was penned by mgbmusic, who you might also know as @DeadTechnology from the Twitters. Asked what non-webOS device he'd like, he took some time to weigh his options and in the end landed on the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S III for AT&T.

While this was all good venting fun, our hope is that HP got the message and will reconsider their decision to not support the existing webOS userbase with an update to the upcoming Open webOS. This community is passionate about and dedicated to and borderline crazed about webOS. They've for years put up with buggy devices and unending turmoil all to live and hope for the vision of webOS. They deserve better consideration than this. In the meantime, we'll write woeful poetry about the situation.

1 2 7 0 Category: EditorialsTags: contest,haiku,Open webOS 22 Comments Posted by chodaboy on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 8:45 pm EDT

Derek, is that your S3?

Login or register to post comments Posted by destinal on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 8:52 pm EDT

Touchpad doesn't *officially* run Android in any *supported* way either (ie neither google nor the hardware vendor support it), so it's not that ironic.   I expect the touchpad situation with Open webOS will be much the same.

Login or register to post comments Posted by EvanKr on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 8:50 pm EDT

Nice haiku! Congrats, mgbmusic!

Login or register to post comments Posted by bobsentell on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 9:04 pm EDT

Is it me or has a lot of the stories on this site become a march in self-pity? webOS is dead. HP realized that and moved back to Windows. If webOS was really that much of a priority for HP, they would have saved it in the same breath they fired Leo and saved the PSG. The current webOS open sourcing is nothing more than HP throwing a bone to the open-source community.

Login or register to post comments Posted by chodaboy on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 9:42 pm EDT

It is you. This is webOS Nation, not HP Nation. If you do not want to read about webOS, then do not come here.

Login or register to post comments Posted by namgod on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 10:38 am EDT

I feel so bad for me.

Login or register to post comments Posted by bread on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 1:49 pm EDT

HeeHee!
You lost me at "Windows".
I have used Windows' version of a mobile OS. It had a few features that looked good on marketing brochures, but using it kinda sucked.
WebOS was built as a great platform, and very usable.

I agree with you that HP is "...throwing a bone to the open-source community", and therein lies my complaint.

Login or register to post comments Posted by astark on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 9:46 pm EDT

Congrats! I would have chosen the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700.

Login or register to post comments Posted by calroth on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:18 pm EDT

I'm pretty sure that whatever the haiku refers to, it's not irony.

But then, that's the law of the Internet. If you refer to irony, you'll get people pointing out that it's not.

Login or register to post comments Posted by calroth on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 3:24 am EDT

HP doesn't support Open WebOS on TouchPad: business decision
HP Slate somehow runs Open WebOS better than Windows 8: irony

Contest winner chooses a Galaxy S3 for his prize: personal decision
Samsung accidentally ships him a Developer Galaxy S3 running Open WebOS: irony (also a great news scoop)
Explanation is, Samsung uses WebOS as a manufacturing test before flashing with Android: irony!

Login or register to post comments Posted by ZeroWingUK on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 1:56 am EDT

Can you post how many votes each haiku received? Was it close?

Login or register to post comments Posted by ZeroWingUK on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 2:29 am EDT

Farewell webOS
It was fun while it lasted
I am out of here

Login or register to post comments Posted by thenyboy on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 7:59 am EDT

Congrats! nice choise!

Login or register to post comments Posted by casiouser on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:56 pm EDT

Well, it doesn't specifically say open WebOS in the Haiku, so I would have to know what it was about to understand it.

Login or register to post comments Posted by ZeroWingUK on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 4:01 pm EDT

I still don't understand the winning entry as the HP tablet that I am typing this on does run webOS!?!

Derek - can we see some numbers please? I am interested in how many votes each entry received, we are talking about open webos so can you be open with the results?

Login or register to post comments Posted by e-gadget-guy on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 7:21 pm EDT

Irony is: that's a Galaxy III not a TouchPad.

Login or register to post comments Posted by BadBoyBri on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 1:35 am EDT

Define Irony:
Adam Marks Works For Website
Then He Wins Contest

What was the point of even having the contest?! There were A LOT more better Haikus than his!! But if so, than mine is a Winner Too!! And where is the webOS Love if you gave away an Android?! It should have been a donation to WebOS Internals in his/her name or Codes for Free webOS apps!! :-(

Login or register to post comments Posted by BadBoyBri on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 1:42 am EDT

if you the editors and writers this website don't believe in what you're doing, it's time to shut this down. Otherwise, don't promote the competition by giving away Android devices!! And allowing co-workers to win is UNFAIR to ALL of the Creative, Loyal webOS fans!! I request an "Open Recount" of votes!!

Login or register to post comments Posted by ZeroWingUK on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 6:51 pm EDT

C'mon Derek, it doesn't look good, can we get a response from you please, even the winner said himself on Twitter it wasn't really fair.

Login or register to post comments Posted by ZeroWingUK on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 9:34 am EDT

Is it just me and BadBoyBri who thinks this contest was a complete joke and a fix? or are we the only ones with the guts to say it?

Derek, care to set the record straight? this is not going to go away.

Login or register to post comments Posted by BadBoyBri on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 3:14 am EDT

I think we are the only ones ZeroWingUK with the guts to say something. And/or there are so few of us left, that the rest just don't care anymore!! But once again, what was the point of having this contest, if the winner is a fellow co-worker?!

There were some VERY good Haikus in this contest, and Adam's, in my opinion, wasn't even in the Top 100! So he had to have help to win!! Don't you guys ALREADY get enough FREE stuff from your HP Buddy?! What you have done, will cause MORE damage then ALL that HP has done to webOS Fans! Once again, if you no longer BELIEVE in webOS, then it's time to Shut This Website Down!!

Don't make fun of webOS or Us Fans, with THIS Type of Nepotism BS or by insulting or intelligence, by thinking we won't notice!! :-(

Login or register to post comments Posted by ZeroWingUK on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 10:21 am EDT

As I have received no response from any of the staff on here I have now reported the matter to the FTC via econsumer.gov

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