Handsets

Samsung Galaxy Indulge Has a microSDHC Card that Sends Usage Reports Back to MetroPCS, All for the Sake of Iron Man 2

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O Big Brother, where art thou? MetroPCS is so stoked about their free offering of Iron Man 2 pre-loaded onto their Samsung Galaxy Indulge that they have implemented a system that regularly reports content usage statistics back to the carrier to help shape the content they choose in the future. That’s right, the microSDHC card that comes in the Indulge is set up to let the carrier know just how much you love (or hate) Iron Man 2.

This intelligent SanDisk mobile memory card provides specific, real-time network data to MetroPCS to measure customer interest in digital content. Details of aggregated, anonymous consumer usage will allow MetroPCS to determine the impact of its movie offering, which in turn allows them to provide customers with more customized content and services in the future.

Is that really necessary? We doubt the intention is anything sneaky or malicious on MetroPCS’s part. Still, it is a bit disconcerting. At least you get a free copy of Iron Man 2, right?

SANDISK SUPPLIES FLASH MEMORY CARDS LOADED WITH “IRON MAN 2” MOVIE FOR BUNDLING WITH METROPCS’ ANDROID SMARTPHONE

4GB SanDisk microSDHC™ Mobile Memory Card Provides Measurable, Real-Time Customer Feedback on Preloaded Content

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, February 15, 2011-SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today announced that it has begun supplying a 4 gigabyte (GB)1 microSDHC™ mobile memory card pre-loaded with the full-length Paramount Pictures’ “Iron Man 2” movie for bundling with MetroPCS’ new Indulge LTE smartphone. This card delivers a high-quality movie watching experience on the new Android-based handset by Samsung.

One of 2010’s hottest movies, “Iron Man 2” can be instantly played from the SanDisk microSDHC mobile memory card by inserting it into the Indulge phone, which contacts the MetroPCS network automatically. This intelligent SanDisk mobile memory card provides specific, real-time network data to MetroPCS to measure customer interest in digital content. Details of aggregated, anonymous consumer usage will allow MetroPCS to determine the impact of its movie offering, which in turn allows them to provide customers with more customized content and services in the future.

“Our card helps MetroPCS deliver premium content that is both secure and easily accessible, and provides measurable real-time data that gauges consumer interest in the content,” said Robert Khedouri, vice president and general manager, software and solutions, SanDisk. “This allows MetroPCS to deliver a premium mobile experience to its customers and take full advantage of this new smartphone’s rich features.”

SanDisk’s secure card-based mobile solutions enable secure access, storage and playback of premium digital content. Specifically, SanDisk microSDHC mobile memory cards are embedded with security technology that allows for conditional access to digital content by regulating the network connection through the card, where the files are encrypted and stored. In the MetroPCS Indulge, this includes: secure, copy-protected storage of the video content, access to the content through a quick validation between the network and the phone (via the card), as well as activation reporting to provide MetroPCS with monthly collated data about movie playback usage patterns.

[via Engadget]

 

Kevin Krause
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11 Comments

  1. I dont have Metro but from people I know who have METRO. They kinda suck especially their LTE 4G Coverage. They should stick to the $25 unlimuted call and text in your city or what ever they offer

  2. MetroPCS= Half ass-ed coveraged. LTE from MetroPCS= Half ass-ed LTE.

  3. Another excellent reason for piracy: a pirated Iron Man 2 never phones home.

    “Details of aggregated, anonymous consumer usage will allow MetroPCS to determine the impact of its movie offering, which in turn allows them to provide customers with more customized content and services in the future.”

    In other words, content sellers want proof that people will actually watch their ad-laden movies before giving any more $$ to MetroPCS.

    No thanks.

  4. Metro POS what a joke

  5. So wouldnt a crappy LTE network be quarter-asses coverage? Metro, Cricket, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile. They are all about the same…Not great but not horrible. Mediocrity at its finest!

  6. This is why flashing a new OS and being able to replace the SD cards is important. Who wants to be tracked like this, even if it is just for a shitty movie?

  7. Simply I would disgard there sd card purchase my own and delete the data of the movie off my device… End of story… I am a former metropcs customer and wish them well they truly need better devices they look to be heading in a fair direction with android. Now if they can get HTC to make them a device they just might get some more customers serious about them…

  8. That is, by far, the worst keyboard layout I’ve ever seen. It looks like it was engineered by a 5-year old. “Oh, we forgot the ‘Z’, lets just wedge it into the corner over here.”

  9. i think yall just mad because metro is ahead of the game give them there props yall hate it even more because u wasnt expecting an 2.2froyo 4g coming from metro

  10. all of yall that comment before me must work for verison t mobile sprint and all the other too high bill charging ass companies we still have the future to look forward to and with a start like metro has pulled with this 2.2 android 4g im sure there will be an even better phone that gonna kick the rest of those companies asses

  11. The application tells Paramount, not MetroPCS, when your movie is activated. After you have activated your movie, no more information is transmitted. (Chech the logs during debug mode)

    Just like T-mobile does with the Galaxy S and Inception also preloaded.
    It is enforced by Paramount for Copyright purposes and to avoid piracy.

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