It's not only about privacy, it's about jumping additional hoops just to start using the device.

Mandating account creation is definitely a problem

Its something like the Ovi Suite updates used to be... where you could not proceed with the older version with-out updating to the latest version which you know doesnt support your phone anymore...

Have you all ever read the "Nokia service terms and privacy policy"? You find them under "Accounts"->"Nokia account", or those who never registered under "Accounts"->"Add account"->"Nokia account".

Short cite from "Effective date September 1, 2011", you can read under "3. Registration and Termination":
"... Uppon first use of your device and each time you update the Nokia device software, a text message will be sent to Nokia."

I think this done befre account creation and means: Nokia gets a SMS on first use an after every update or flash of device software. Nokia gets at minimum your phone number and may be IMEI, thats much better than an emai-address.

Only solution: flash *your device* before first use to a open/custom firmware, and you never get *Nokia device software* again and Nokia will not get a text message from *your device*. - Or we buy a sim card and share it for "first use" and after "update" or "flash".

Any questions?

That's pretty messed up... Does any other phone manufacturer do this? Maybe RIM?

simply flash your phone and when turned on, disable the Nokia account prompt at start-up, disable Nokia tips and only then insert a sim card, simples...

For some reason google talk is creepy in this matter too...

My mobile number is not registered on my gmail account...I add a google talk account and Singapore doesn't have the option that when a contact is offline you carry on the conversation via sms...

I switch my data off and even though i'm offline from the net i am able to receive google talk messages...I tried using a prepaid number and no charges deducted from my balance too...So this means that Google has some sort of arrangements with telcos in Singapore for users without a data connection to send/receive google talk messages...


P.S. before someone here accuses me of being mistaken; i did this on the following droids:
SGS - 2 different units
SGS 2
HTC One X

In the process to test i used 3 different prepaid numbers from 2 telcos in Singapore without any of the numbers being in my gmail account...

The same, or something similar, happens on the N900, which is why someone created the 'notmynokia' package, which seemingly prevents sending of those SMSs.

Edit: It does that by disabling startup of /usr/bin/cherry (started in /etc/X11/Xsession.d/34cherry).

There is something called cherrychecker which is run on x startup phase of N9 too... Is it related?

How can I disable the Nokia account prompt? I can't find it in the settings and I get a permission denied when I try to remove ovi-startup.

It's even more important these days, when you can't create a Nokia account and the prompt pesters you at every boot.

You are saying that you can't input the following?

Sorry second line should be continuous but can't get enough room, there is space between oviplugin /usr