windows 8: Smartphone

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Due to launch in the European and Asian markets this October and in the US this November, the Windows Phone 7 or WP7 is an entirely new mobile OS from Windows that has no heritage from the older unlamented Windows Mobile 6 series. It's hardware platform requirements are so stringent, no current Windows cellphone can be upgraded to it. In terms of functionality and user interface, the new Windows mobile OS promises to push the envelope further, something Windows could not do with the old Windows Mobile platform when it became clear it could not match what the emerging Android platform now leading the smartphone markets can offer.

Unveiled during the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last January, the Windows Phone 7 finally got released in September not on any consumer handsets but with its SDK development kit that invited 3rd party program developers to port apps to the forthcoming smartphone. Already, a long list of cellphone brands are readying their WP7 handsets led by long-time Microsoft partner HTC which has always been at the forefront of new Windows OS wizardry. In fact it already has five GSM models released in the European and Asian markets (HD7, 7Pro with its CDMA counterpart, 7 Surround, 7 Mozart and the Trophy). Rivals Samsung has the Omnia 7 and Focus while LG has the Quantum, Optimus 7 and 7Q models. Once it gets launched in American markets, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint along with AT&T and Vodafone are expected to carry the WP7 smartphones.

Features

The most identifying feature that distinguishes Windows Phone 7 smartphones is its user interface with a home screen that Microsoft calls the "Start screen" made up of tiles equivalent to icons. Turned on, its UI certainly doesn't look like any smartphone on the planet. Credit goes to Microsoft for not copying the look of the iPhone 4 which many competitors are emulating.

Multitasking is standard as well as multitouch technology with OLED screen support, something Microsoft could not do with the older WM6 OS. This, together with a dark UI, the OS promises to prolong battery life. This is evident with the new WP7 HTC models with the shortest 4 hours of talk time on the HTC 7 Surround powered by a 1230 mAh li-ion battery while the highest on the HD7 enjoys 6.3 hours on the same battery.

Initial Reception

The first beta releases may be underwhelming but as more tester feedback improved the first iterations, the launch models from Samsung and HTC released in Europe impressed many hard nosed critics to admit that they are quite fast and responsive. There are admittedly some features missing that you can readily find in Android and the iPhone but the common consensus is that what it has, it does well. One thing going against the new Windows Phone 7 is the relatively immature 3rd party apps with almost nothing to compete with against the Blackberry, Android and iPhone online application stores.

There is no doubt that the WP7 is a desperate attempt for Microsoft to remain relevant in the world of smartphones. It basically took the Redmond OS leader in PCs a good two years to come up with an answer to the Android when. This is at least a much more pragmatic response than what Nokia has with its Symbian failures.

windows phone 7 forum is a friendly community that help all the windows phone 7 users with their windows phone 7 phones

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