Scott Hanselman's Computer Zen - Welll that sucks...more quotas and limits on the Smart Watch

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Welll that sucks...more quotas and limits on the Smart Watch

Posted 2004-03-15 10:11 AM in Bugs.

Crapola. Got this error message today, from the Outlook plug-in that syncs my Calendar with the MSNDirect Smart Watch services.

Sync started at 03/15/2004 10:09:49

Add of [Appt: Some Appt.] failed: You have exceeded your monthly quota of calendar updates.

Lovely that they TOLD me this. Crappy that it's the 15th of the damn month and I'm now sans-wrist-calendar until 4/1.

Update: Joel Grossman, the VERY amicable Lead Program Manager for SPOT at Microsoft has fixed this "bug" and I'm back syncing a few hours later! How's that for customer service. This is why I say Microsoft isn't 30,000 people in 1 company, it's 30 people in 1000 little companies. Thanks Joel!

Tracked by:
"Microsoft Watch Gives You Your Calendar... Some of the Time" (Olivier Travers) [Trackback]

Monday, March 15, 2004 11:23:14 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

That'll teach you to read the fine print. :)

On their legal disclaimer page, http://direct.msn.com/about/agreement.aspx, section 3.2, paragraph two:

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The Service includes a monthly limitation on the number of personal messages that you may receive through MSN Messenger. If Microsoft enables the Service to provide additional messages through MSN Messenger (up to a maximum limit), additional fees will be due if you choose to increase your monthly limitation. If you are using a Microsoft Windows operating system on your personal computer, you may also choose to send your Microsoft Outlook calendar appointments to your Watch. To enable this feature, you must install additional software from the Site to your personal computer. There is a separate limit on the number of calendar appointments that you may receive, which may not be increased.
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Looks like you're hosed, man. And with no recourse but to cancel service. That sucks.

Travis

Monday, March 15, 2004 12:35:43 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Yeah, dont know about you, but I am finding my SPOT watch far less than its cracked out to be.

Michael Teper

Monday, March 15, 2004 12:39:18 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Wow, that really reduces the utility of the Outlook integration. I wonder if that's a common problem, or if you just have more calendar updates the most people.

Patrick Cauldwell

Monday, March 15, 2004 6:07:54 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

UPDATE: I heard from Joel Grossman, the Lead Program Manager for SPOT, and he's fixed some bug that caused this! So how's that for customer service! :)

Scott Hanselman

Monday, March 15, 2004 8:13:01 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Nice that they fixed it, but did they happen to mention what the actual limits are in your conversations with them? That could get to be a drag (esp. for someone with your calendaring dexterity :-)).

Greg Hughes

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 7:48:55 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Did he fix the issue for you specifically? Or for the whole service? Or for a firmware update for some upcoming release?

Josh

Wednesday, March 17, 2004 1:16:03 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Cancel Service? Hell no. Early adopters don't give up that easy! :) Looks like it's fixed for everyone. Also, a new watch face and new channel have posted!

Scott Hanselman

Wednesday, March 17, 2004 5:42:04 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Other than this little snafu (now fixed), how do you recommend the Smart Watch?
[ ] Nah, what-a-waste.
[ ] Eh, kinda cool ~
[ ] Man, should seriously consider.
[ ] Damn, you gotta get one!
[ ] Other?