[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu phone issues not good for Ubuntu reputation

[Gareth France]

Is it just me or have Canonical chosen a bunch of cowboys to ship the 
first phone? After the initial server issues causing problems for buyers 
I managed to lay my hands on one.

Shortly after someone mentioned that the free case being offered to 
early adopters did not show on their invoice and so they would not be 
getting it. I contacted them right away to check mine and was told that 
I would not be getting one as only the first buyers of the day would. I 
had to stand my ground and explain that after pressing refresh over and 
over for 1 hour + I could only have been one of the first buyers. They 
confirmed that indeed yes I would be getting the case. The date was 
confirmed as within the first fortnight of March.

Having heard nothing I contacted them a few days ago to be told that it 
would not be shipping for a while yet, no date given. Today I contacted 
again as my 1990s style backup phone is driving me insane and was told 
that some have shipped but mine is not one of them, I would be emailed 
when it was sent. Fair enough except I arrived home to find it waiting 
for me! Sans case!!

Contacting them again to complain they still insist it will be sent out 
later this week (the phone, with the case). Seriously? These guys could 
not organise a piss up in a brewery!

Having said that, thoughts on the phone. At first it did absolutely 
nothing, just blank screens when I try to add my online accounts. Turns 
out my 3G 'Mifi' was being overloaded by the update automatically 
downloading.

If I had one thing on my wish list right now it would be either the 
ability to record your own ring tones from mp3 etc or defaults which 
were less hippy dippy or wind chimey. Oh and it really needs a sat nav 
app, as there is no dedicated turn by turn mapping program on there.

It is taking a bit of getting used to the idea of a phone without a 
dedicated apps menu, for some reason I keep feeling the need to swipe 
for the taskbar and I'm trying to open the dash 'a la desktop'. But no 
doubt this will pass.

All in all it looks great and the only thing is really needs is further 
development of the app selection, but then we all knew that before it 
was announced didn't we?