Here's one we didn't see coming: Enabling USB Storage for Windows Phone 7 has been uncovered and detailed over at WPCentral, showing that the phone can indeed be used as a USB drive for manually copying data without using the Zune software.
The hack, which is as simple modifying registry keys, allows the user to use the phone on the local machine as a "mass storage device" so they can manually load music and pictures onto the phone. Essentially, modifying the keys allows the device to operate in "Legacy Mode" and another enables it to be shown in the shell. After modifying the registry keys, you must shut the Zune client to allow files to be manually added.
It's worth noting that even if you manually put the music or pictures in the corresponding folders, the phone won't actually read them, essentially rendering the hack useless, but at least we can move files, right? The files you see above are protected Zune Pass files, but even when other files are entered into the structure that are compatible, the phone doesn't read them. The news follows hot on the heels of the Windows Phone 7 USB tethering being uncovered built into the OS last week.
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