Microsoft Launches Windows 7 Phone

The goal for Microsoft’s latest smartphone is an ambitious one: to deliver a phone that truly integrates the things people really want to do, puts those things right in front of them, and either lets them get finished quickly or immerses them in the experience they were seeking.

Windows Phone 7 will make its debut in some European markets on Oct. 21 and in the U.S. Nov. 8. The phone uses an elegant operating system that is very different from the current trend toward app-focused phones. Instead it provides active and configurable interface elements called tiles that update on the fly with real information, allowing users to place the tiles that interest them most where they want on their Start screen.

Facebook photos, music and contacts are pulled into the phone and distributed appropriately across Hubs. It also brings together many of Microsoft’s popular offerings from other platforms, including Xbox, Zune, Office and Bing.

Windows Phone 7 Highlights:

• Start Screen (Blue) 
• People Hub: Friends & Contact Info, Connect on the Go
• Games Hub: Xbox Live Integration
• Productivity on the Go: Office Hub
• Pictures Hub: Take & Share Pictures
• Music + Video Hub
• Local Search: Integrated Bing Search