Olé, Contoso: Windows Phone Marketplace will integrate carrier-branded stores

So we noticed this odd "Contoso" label on Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace press image earlier today, and we finally got to the bottom of it: Microsoft's Todd Biggs says it's a placeholder entry for a carrier-branded section of the store -- instead of having a separate portal and / or store, Verizon or AT&T or whoever can simply sell their content to customers directly through Marketplace. So why Contoso? Todd says it's a random trademark owned by Microsoft used in place of carrier names that doesn't actually mean anything, although we think it suggests adventure, white roadsters, and finely-groomed mustachios. And now you know.

[DanH Posted Mar 15th 2010 11:59PM]

Microsoft uses Contoso in a lot of it's study books for certification exams as it's example domain name.

[Spectracide Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:01AM]

@DanH Yup! Also Fabrikam.

[shotta Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:14AM]

@DanH: that is true.

[djbouche Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:38AM]

@DanH

Yeah, it surprises me that Engadget have never heard of this. I've heard it countless times when Microsoft Enterprise products have been demo'd for me, and only 2 hours ago when I was trying a Virtual Lab demo of PowerPivot on the PowerPivot website.

"Contoso is a fictional company used by Microsoft as their example company and domain (www.contoso.com) in almost all literature. The domain is registered by Microsoft and currently redirects to their company homepage."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contoso

[PBB Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:42AM]

@djbouche
Don't forget company 123. Had that all over my last MCE exam, along with contoso and fabrikam.

[thompchr Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:57AM]

@DanH It's funny though. I think with my knowledge of what Contoso is, I would have probably completely overlooked this and missed out on a news-worthy story. Go engadget!

[devScott Posted Mar 16th 2010 5:35AM]

@DanH
years ago at a teched conference a Microsoft db guy told me the northwind sample database they use cost them tens of thousands to setup as they had to ensure that no name or title used linked to a real person or entity. That is why it is the same even after all these years.

[kpenning Posted Mar 15th 2010 11:59PM]

Good idea... promotes centralization. I don't want a filthy AT&T App-store tile on my home page. Put that crap in the marketplace... I'll go to it if I need it.

[aaronbustillos Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:07AM]

@kpenning


agreed

[PBB Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:45AM]

@HighestRanked2
Except Verizon has been doing it for years with no problem...

[kpenning Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:11AM]

@HighestRanked2 How? It's pretty obvious that AT&T will help you with AT&T labeled market apps...

[jon Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:53AM]

@PBB

Just ignore him, he's got that 2 in his name because the staff already banned this shitheel once.

[trong Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:01AM]

I thought it was some secret Portuguese word when they announced it at WMC...

[Joe Cool Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:32AM]

@trong

I fluently speak portuguese. The nearest portuguese word to Contoso is "conosco" which means "with us". Example: "Oi! Vai conosco para a praia hoje?" which means "Hi! Are you going to go to the beach with us today?"

So sorry to burst your bubble. It ain't pork and cheese. I mean portuguese.

[Mr 14 Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:10AM]

Vaya Contoso

[aaronbustillos Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:14AM]

@touchmygadget

problem?

[Alexicov Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:17AM]

Muy Curioso!

[Quikboy Posted Mar 16th 2010 3:56PM]

@Alexicov: Lol!

[hogwash Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:23AM]

Anything that goes with this goes with the Zune HD, correct?

[iamlilysdad Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:41AM]

@hogwash no. this is a competely clean break. the software used to develop for wp7 is not compatible with zune hd. zune hd can be ported to wp7, but not the other way around. many zune hd owners (like myself) are pretty miffed about this but that's they way business goes sometimes.

I do wish that they would just upgrade the zune hd (supposedly the hardware is fast enough to meet requirements) but oh well. i have zune pass so if i get wp7 i'll be all set.

[Murkurie Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:01AM]

@iamlilysdad
ZuneHD has only 128mb of ram, I believe you need 256mb for windows 7 phone. I wouldn't mind a update for my HD that brings some of these features. but it does everything a Media player should.

[jhoff80 Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:30AM]

They also use Contoso as the sample company / business card image in the "OneNote Basics" notebook that gets opened by default upon the first run of OneNote.

[Surrealchemist Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:32AM]

Still wondering how they are going to make the screen pop out of the phone like it does in every screenshot. Magic perhaps?

[Damien K Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:46AM]

@(Unverified) No no, can't be magic, Apple already has a trademark for a magical device... Can't be something revolutionary either, Apple has a trademark for that too... It will have to be something different... Hmm.... -.-

[Ryan Hemler Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:06AM]

@Damien K
They can not have something different, as it sounds too much like "think different".

[Damien K Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:57AM]

@Ryan Hemler Got me! =D

[RandomGuy Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:34AM]

I prefer NWTraders 3G over Contoso, and Fabrikam has lousy customer service.

[Damien K Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:43AM]

Go to OneNote and type in Contoso... It's not a BIG conspiracy -.- The second I saw it I knew it was a placeholder... What's next, Lorem Ipsum? Cmon Guys

[KeegdnaB Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:49AM]

When they were showing off Mediaroom 2.0 on the 360 they used Contoso as a stand- in for U-Verse and any other theoretical TV provider

[Johnny Rockets Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:57AM]

Contoso probably has fewer dropped calls than AT&T.

[Jerome36 Posted Mar 16th 2010 2:25AM]

@Johnny Rockets

ZING!

I voted you up good sir.

[Tito Posted Mar 16th 2010 3:50AM]

@Johnny Rockets I use to be allowed to say this "At&t hasn't dropped a call once, they have had excellent service and I have never ran into problems". Then the iPhone came out and in late 2009,

SHIT has been dropping from the sky. . .

At&t's service isn't that great anymore thanks to the iPhone.

[noidea Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:02AM]

Microsoft should change their name to contoso

[davetannenbaum Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:35AM]

Riddle me this:

How many Contosos are in a Kohtar?

[Whispertrance Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:42AM]

And knowing is half the battle!

[grahamj Posted Mar 16th 2010 11:30AM]

@Whispertrance And you know what the other half is:

http://nerduo.com/thebattle/

[cr8tive Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:57AM]

Another step to support carriers. IMO the more reasons to give carriers to push this platform the better, wither it is pricing, incentives for large numbers, placement, support, or whatever...

[Tito Posted Mar 16th 2010 3:48AM]

Constro Condoms, because we know. . . .

[Tito Posted Mar 16th 2010 3:54AM]

@Tito Wow, I failed at reading today. . .

Constro is not Contoso. . .

[confluence Posted Mar 16th 2010 5:08AM]

Seriously? An entire post about Contoso? You guys are definitely running out of ideas. That is not news, sir.

HAHAHA! Contoso.

[mikmik111 Posted Mar 16th 2010 7:23AM]

@confluence well I was wondering what is this too and now I know, thanks to Engadget. And Contoso is a hell better name than 'iPad' so don't laught at it.

[KennyB123 Posted Mar 16th 2010 5:54AM]

@touchmygadget

Ooh, you touched my Tra-la-la.

[wsantiago Posted Mar 16th 2010 7:34AM]

Contoso is a domain name that Microsoft uses in study books just like "Dan H' stated. It was in every learning book I used at ITT-Tech. They used it as domain examples.

[AndyJ Posted Mar 16th 2010 8:30AM]

I've always known that Contoso was a huge Windows shop, but had no idea that they were a cell phone company. Thanks for the info Engadget! ;-) Maybe I'll switch them, they should have ALL the coolest Windows phones!

[GadgetQueen Posted Mar 16th 2010 9:05AM]

Darn, I knew I should have bought stock in Contoso, after seeing them listed in every Microsoft books printed in the last 10 years! Now that they have a front row spot on Windows Phone Marketplace and have been outed by Engadget, that stock will go through the roof! ;-P

[grahamj Posted Mar 16th 2010 11:31AM]

What I was wondering about wasn't the Contoso item but the massive AP ad on the front page of the marketplace. Get ready for ads right in your UI folks.