Orange Selects, Free Apps and Mango

If you have a Windows Phone and you’re on Orange, you’ll hopefully have heard that they’re celebrating the launch of the “Orange Selects” Marketplace with a free app every day for the whole of July. Today for example, you could enjoy Birdsong, the excellent Twitter client from Red Badger for free.

If, like me, you’re running the Mango beta build on your device, you may find you can’t access the Orange Selects Marketplace – you’ll get an error message saying “We’re sorry, but we can’t complete your request right now…”

Do not fear, you can still get the apps; all you have to do is search. You just need to know the name of the app. You should be able to find out with a bit of “Can I Bing that for you?” or follow me on Twitter or head over to this post on the MSDN Team Blog.

• - Visit Marketplace on the device and search for the app name.
• - You’ll see two results – one published as “Orange UK” which should be free for the day. The other you’ll see under the normal publisher name (“Red Badger” in this case).
• - Select the Orange UK version to enjoy your free app.
• - Repeat daily until 31st July.

Comments

• Anonymous
  July 13, 2011
  You might want to point out that you also need to have to be on Orange! Just tried with my GiffGaff sim (previously on 3) and no joy :( Would it work if I put an orange SIM in or is there a hardcoded carrier setting on the handset itself? Also, I see from your screenshot you're running a later version of mango. On mine the marketplace title says "applications + games" not the shortened "apps". Does that count as 1 of the 500 new features ;)

• Anonymous
  July 13, 2011
  Sorry, I thought that was clear from the opening sentence "If you have a Windows Phone and you’re on Orange". Whether your device works with another SIM will depend on whether or not you purchased it carrier-unlocked. I can't say whether these apps would continue to work if you later changed the SIM to another operator as I simply don't know. They're offered as a benefit for Orange customers. I'm running Mango 7661 just like everyone else. Mike

• Anonymous
  July 13, 2011
  "just like everyone else" - everyone else who has installed the beta that is. I appreciate not everyone has access. Mike

• Anonymous
  July 14, 2011
  Hi Mike, How can we get our apps reviewed for Orange Selects.

• Anonymous
  July 14, 2011
  Hi Rehan. You'd need to make contact with Orange. I'm afraid I don't know how their process works. Mike

• Anonymous
  July 14, 2011
  do you have a list of all the free apps given away so far?

• Anonymous
  July 14, 2011
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  July 14, 2011
  This may sound stupid but I'm new to all this, what's my username/e-mail & password. Tried my proper e-mail address as i get hotmail through the phone and I've tried the nomal 1111, 0000, 1234... etc. no joy.

• Anonymous
  July 14, 2011
  Hi Martin. What username/password are you referring to? What are you trying to access? Mike

• Anonymous
  July 15, 2011
  When I open the app it asks me for a username/e-mail address and password after bthe logo initially appears

• Anonymous
  July 17, 2011
  Hi Martin. Sorry, I see what you mean. Birdsong is a Twitter client so it is expecting you to enter your Twitter credentials (http://twitter.com/). Best regards, Mike