The Party's In Full Swing, Windows Phone 7 Is At The Door

For all you Windows Mobile Phone users (you know - Blackjacks, Moguls, etc...) the new Windows Phone 7 is here. Yesterday, Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, was in NYC telling the world about the new mobile phone operating system and the type of hardware on which it will run.

I almost forgot Microsoft was releasing the newest challenger in the mobile phone market. I mean, all we hear about is “iPhone this” and “Android that”, all while BlackBerry attempts to jump up like the little kid who isn't getting enough attention, yelling "Look at me! Look at me!" So, now that this mobile phone party is in full swing, can Microsoft come in and sway everyone's attention? Can they gain market share in a saturated market that has us all looking in the direction of apples and robots?



Old School
PPC-6700 from Sprint

 Microsoft helped pave the way in PDA phone development - all the way back to Windows CE and Windows Mobile 5. We were multi-tasking in our pockets on these early phones. Remember the PPC-6700, one of the first fully functional touchscreen smartphones that was like carrying a mini-computer in your pocket? This phone was a pioneer in what you could do with a mobile device. But somewhere along the way, Microsoft lost focus. Yes, there was Windows Mobile 6, and Windows Mobile 6.5......but these were just operating systems that added or expanded Windows Mobile 5. Where was the innovation? Where was something new? Where was the 'one more thing'?

Microsoft may be late to the party, but I'll tell you that the new Windows Phone 7 (WP7) operating system is trying to make the mobile device party even bigger and better.

With an entirely new interface, a well thought out user experience and integration with Marketplace, Microsoft is coming out with a strong platform and looking to directly compete with BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android. So how will they do it? Microsoft is going to market these phones like commercials on Super Bowl Sunday. Prepare to be blitzed with advertising.
According to USA Today, Microsoft plans to release three WP7 phones on AT&T; using hardware from LG, HTC, and Samsung. T-Mobile will also get some WP7 phones, by HTC and Dell.  The first devices will debut in the United States on November 8th on AT&T.


New School: HTC HD7
Photo courtesy of i.telegraph.co.uk



Now, you may be wondering, "TechBender, you've blah blah blah'd about Windows Phone 7, but how does it work?" I told you Microsoft was coming out strong. So strong in fact, they've put up a Facebook app that allows you to play with the interface. So, click on over and check out the new interface for yourself so you can see what features might interest you.   The interface is designed to work with your life, and includes native integration with Facebook and Twitter.  WP7 also includes instant on photos even when the phone is asleep.  Simply hold the photo button and the camera quickly turns on to capture those fleeting moments.  Also, you don't download apps to this phone. Rather, you use the native applications that are based on your lifestyle, such as social networking, gaming (especially X-Box users) and business. The best part is, there will be 5 pieces of hardware to choose from in the US. So, users who like keyboards will like that they can find a phone with a keyboard, while those who like touchscreen will be happy with the 1Ghz standard processor required on all WP7 phones, which means a quick and responsive onscreen keyboard across all devices.


Who should be interested in Windows Phone 7?  If you've ever owned a Windows Mobile Phone in the past, like using Outlook Mobile and Mobile Office on your handheld device and you don't need a lot of apps, then in November you might want to drop into an AT&T or T-Mobile store and play with a phone to see if you like it. And don't hesitate to refer back to the WinnyTechBender post about iPhones, Sex, and Choosing the Right Smart Phone to help you choose the right phone for you.  I'll be sure to post an update to this blog when I can get my hands on a WM7 phone.  I mean, your TechBender is good, but I don't have enough status to get a demo phone....yet.....

Ok Microsoft. You came to the party late but it looks like you brought some great party favors. We'll see if anyone's interested in what you cooked up. Talking about all this partying is making me hungry. Someone pass the chips.