Windows Phone 7 Series

Microsoft, a few days back, announced its new operating system for the mobile phone platform, the Windows 7 Phone Series. The new OS wowed everyone at MWC this year and received rave reviews. With their new Windows Phone 7 Series, Microsoft are telling us that they are now dead serious about the smartphone market and will not want to play second fiddle to newcomers like Apple and Google any more. The following are some of the things that we really liked in the new OS, along with some that we did not appreciate much (hey, nothing is perfect!).

The best thing about the Windows Phone 7 is how much it is not like the previous Windows Mobile. We really hated Windows Mobile for its dated interface and how much frustrating it was to use compared to other touchscreen OSes like the iPhone OS or the Android. Thankfully, all that is completely gone with the new Windows Phone 7 Series.

Microsoft has been bold enough to go for a complete revamp and not do a simple touchup job like they did with the previous versions of Windows Mobile. This has its disadvantages, like incompatibility with older applications, which is probably why Microsoft did not do it so far (and hasn't done it with their desktop OS). However, in the long run this redevelopment is going to prove much more beneficial to everyone; to Microsoft, the developers and the consumers.

It looks stunning
We are big fans of the Zune HD interface design and couldn't be happier that Microsoft decided to implement a similar design in their new mobile operating system. The new interface looks stunning and is nothing like other touchscreen interfaces out there. The best thing is that Microsoft decided to completely avoid similarities to the iPhone interface, unlike many other manufacturers. The new interface is not only good-looking but also seems intuitive and easy to use; something found lacking in the older Windows Mobile. It comes out of the realms of the geek world into a new world where smartphones are not just bought by geeks anymore. Quite simply the new Windows Phone 7 Series interface is possibly one of the best on any mobile device currently.

Hardware Standardization
Previously, anybody could license Windows Mobile software from Microsoft and then run it on their phones. Often these phones did not have the best in terms of hardware, which hampered the overall usability of the device, often putting the blame on the OS itself (not that Windows Mobile was perfect). In the new Windows Phone 7 Series however, Microsoft has set a couple of ground rules that the manufacturers have to comply with. Their devices have to meet a set of standards otherwise they would not be able to run the OS on their phone. Also, this time Microsoft are themselves handpicking the hardware partners to which they would want to license their software to. Also custom skins like HTC's Sense UI are no longer allowed.

What this will result in is that you will have a far more consistent experience across different handsets. No matter which Windows Phone 7 Series handset you pick up, you'll not find yourself lost with the new interface layout. Also having set the standards in hardware, you'll experience better usability from your phones. No longer will you come across phones that are slow or sluggish because they cannot the run OS properly or lack certain features like multi-touch, as it is now a standard requirement.

Integration with social networking services

Social networking websites are now a major part of most of our lives and Microsoft has understood this and implemented a feature in their Windows Phone 7 Series OS that will help make our lives easier. The People applications will not only house all your phone numbers, but also a place to communicate with them online. It has integration with Facebook and Windows Live service and although Twitter is missing for now, you never know, it might make an appearance in the final version.

Through the People application you can communicate with your family and friends and find out what they are doing with live updates. You can put up a person's tab on your home screen, so you can quickly check what they are doing as they update their profile. You don't need a dedicated application for doing this anymore.

Similarly, Picture app allows you to share the photos on your phone with the rest of the world, thanks to the social networking sites. You can also keep your photos in sync with your phone, your PC and online web galleries. If one of your friends uploads a picture you can see it in the Pictures gallery. This is something many people love to do and with the new Widows Phone 7 Series it is going to be much easier.