BeforeApple's iPhone barged in and changed the game, Microsoft was one of the leaders in the smart phone arena. Its Windows Mobile phones were popular contenders, particularly among business users.
But the iPhone took smart phones in a different direction. The clunky menus and awkward navigation on Microsoft phones paled in comparison to the intuitive, touchscreen-based competition. Microsoft couldn't respond fast enough, and Windows Mobile's market share imploded.
Because smart phones are a rapidly growing and lucrative category, Microsoft isn't about to give up. Enter Windows Phone 7, a completely reworked version of the company's smartphone software and a reboot of how Microsoft thinks a smart phone should work. I've been playing with a phone that uses it; it's remarkably good and very different from anything else out there.
Most modern smart phones use an interface that dates back to the earliest models developed by Palm, with rows of applications you tap or click to launch. On Windows Phone 7, you're presented with a series of tiles in two columns. They represent either frequently used apps or a collection of related apps called hubs. They're dynamic: If there's live information coming into an app, you'll see it displayed in the tiles. For example, if a song is playing in the Zune media player, its album art is visible in its home screen tile.
Zippy and fluid
Tap on any item, and the tiles swing out of sight, as if a wind has blown them away. Apps launch very quickly, and on the phone I tested — an HTC Surround, to be sold by AT&T - almost everything about the phone was zippy and fluid.
The Surround uses a 1-gigahertz processor to power a 3.8-inch touchscreen display. The bottom half of the phone slides up to reveal a set of small speakers, which, along with a kickstand on the back, make it easier to watch video. As with all Windows Phone 7 devices, there are three software buttons under the screen - Back, Home and Search, which brings up Microsoft's Bing search engine. It will sell for $199 with a two-year contract. (So far, AT&T and T-Mobile have announced nine Windows 7 Phone devices.)
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