14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Phone 7 users are required to sign into their smartphones using a Windows Live ID, just like Google's Android uses a Gmail account. Once logged with a Windows Live ID, users will have access to Zune, Xbox LIVE, as well as Windows Phone Marketplace services.
Even though Windows Phone 7 is still in its infancy, its marketplace already features around 3,000 applications. However, the need for more third-party apps that cannot be found in the marketplace is rising.
Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t officially allow users to install third party apps on WM7 devices unless they’ve been approved by the company and posted in the Windows Phone Marketplace.
Until last week, the easiest way to install third party apps was to download them directly from the Windows Phone Marketplace, or, if you don't care about money, you could pay $99 per year for a developer marketplace registration account.
Developers are permitted to install any compatible third-party app, so they can test them before submitting them later to the Marketplace.
Thanks to a new tool called ChevronWP7, developed by Long Zheng, Rafael Rivera and Chris Walsh, users will now be able to install any compatible app without downloading them from Windows Phone Marketplace.
ChevronWP7 is the first tool that enables users to sideload apps on a Windows Phone 7 device. It is a single executable file that must be run on a computer running Windows XP SP2 and up.
Also, users need to have the Zune Desktop software installed on their computer and they need to connect their phones to the PC with a USB cable.
While the use of the once-click ChevronWP7 unlock tool will give you a broader access to the device, it can also render your Windows Phone 7 smartphone permanently unusable.
Microsoft is already aware of this and issued a response in this regard:
“We anticipated that people would attempt to unlock the phones and explore the underlying operating system. We encourage people to use their Windows Phone as supplied by the manufacturer to ensure the best possible user experience. Attempting to unlock a device could void the warranty, disable phone functionality, interrupt access to Windows Phone 7 services or render the phone permanently unusable.”
Feel free to suggest your own Windows Phone 7 tips and tricks, especially if you're an advanced user.