[SmokingJoe]

3. Try-Before-You-Buy. Microsoft lets you try out apps before deciding whether or not to purchase them. I have wasted a fair amount of money buying iPhone apps only to find out they don't really do what I need, or just suck at what they do. Even apps that are free place a burden on me to then uninstall them. Having the ability to check out an app before purchasing is a significant value for users, and will also benefit developers--at least the ones that make decent apps.

4. Email. Windows Phone 7 provides native Exchange access with Active Sync updates, and allows users to connect with multiple Exchange accounts. Windows Phone 7 also supports third-party e-mail such as Gmail

5. Integration. Windows Phone 7 is a platform that combines Office productivity, Exchange e-mail, Xbox Live gaming, search, music, and voice communications. Granted, that is not all that unique in a smartphone these days. In fact, it's more of a baseline requirement. But, Windows Phone 7 meshes the various elements of your digital life together more seamlessly and intuitively than other smartphones--especially for users that are already more or less Microsoft-centric in other areas.

[lefty-lie-spy]

I see a total 0 reasons in your article summary. ‘Nuff said. iPhone won a long time ago.

(yes, this is a flame.)

[EyeGuy]

Last I heard, Microsoft is not supporting the synching of their OWN devices with Outlook 2010.

[DesertSapper]

Not committing to any phone hardware or OS yet but WP7 is definitely on my short list.

I like the WP7 'hub' interface design - actually I'd like most anything but a screen full of tiny icons. I love the Office/Live/Zune integration. The ability to test apps before buying is a huge plus I'd not heard about until now.

That said, I'm wary of WP7's limited multitasking - a lot like iOS. It might prove to be no problem at all but would like to know more. Also, I'd probably miss cut-and-paste if that doesn't make it into WP7.

[Deagle]

People still use phones?

[ShadowAce]

[The KG9 Kid]

I ran an HTC Mogul with Windows Mobile 6.x for over three years. They suck donkey balls.

Anyone buying a Windows Mobile 7 phone will be just like the suckers who bought a Microsoft Zune. You get what you deserve.

Android or iPhone. One or the other. That's the only way to go.

[WayneS]

DILLIGAF?

[SeeSharp]

Can you write your own apps and load them directly without going through M$?

[B Knotts]

Hubs. The hubs concept is one of the smartphone paradigm shifts imagined by Microsoft. Grouping apps and functions based on general categories is an innovative and effective means of navigating the smartphone. Case in point--since Apple introduced the ability to nest apps in folders under iOS 4.0 I have essentially gone through and implemented a similar concept by creating categorized folders and housing the appropriate apps there. The iPhone version just requires more manual effort on my part.

Uh. My Palm Centro has this, and its OS has been around since the mid-1990s. Not exactly groundbreaking.

[kevkrom]

Even apps that are free place a burden on me to then uninstall them.

Wouldn't you have to uninstall "try before you buy" apps you didn't want to buy?

[McGruff]

N/a for me because I work at a company that doesn’t allow camera phones. I have an old Motorola phone that I can still use because it doesn’t have a camera. Just as well probably.

[martin_fierro]

6. The BSOD on a cell phone is smaller and cuter.

[Ro_Thunder]

No tethering.
No cut and paste.

I’ll stick with my HTC Touch Pro 2 (Tilt2), that supports BOTH of these features.

[capt. norm]

I don't like ANY cell phones and hate the fact that I need one.

The new Microsoft entry will be easy for me to do without.

Usually, holding out until loads of improvements are made, pays off in the long run.

I'm thinking that within a year or so a clear winner will emerge and I can make my selection.

That having been said, I used to jump on every computer bandwagon that came along and as a result, I have in my closet TRS-80 Model I and Model II, a TI-994a (with Extended BASIC and extra RAM), a Commodore 64 and a 128, and the computer I thought showed great promise, The Amiga.