I also think that, aiming at the general market, this is a good bet to make, and I also think that if it works like they showed they're gonna have a lot of people buying a WP7 phone...
But for the average N900 user (by which I mean the people that bought one knowing it's a linux phone, liking the fact they can mess around whatever they'd want) it isn't the best system around I guess
Don't forget a lot of people, once again not your average user here, like the iphone a lot and more are buying one everyday. That doesn't really support multitasking either, can be easily used in combination with social networks (not saying the N900 can't though), ...

About the UI, I didn't like it either. To me, the homescreens of the N900 (call me a fanboy ) are just a lot more appealing
Although the Zune interface in particular was looking kinda cool, nice job there!

I guess what I'm trying to say is, considering the fact that it's a whole new direction for Microsoft/Windows Mobile it's not bad, but I don't see me using a WP7 phone anytime soon

I admit I'm no Windoze fanboi. But I just hate the WinMo7 UI. The big, bright, flat, extra-large panels and text just look kinda Playskool-unkool, like for the under 6 or over 80 set. Way ugly and just uses up screen space.

And...M$ says they will dictate the hardware it is allowed on. Sounds like Ballmer has been channeling Jobs to me.

And...all phones will require 3 front-panel buttons, one being for Bing search. The heck with that - I'll choose what I use for search. I really like the clean, buttonless front panel of the N900 anyway.

And...old WinMo apps are a NoGo. That's gotta make developers wonder if they really wanna start over, with so many other OS out now they can write for.

But...it's Windoze, so it has a guaranteed base of users who will buy anything M$ no matter how good or bad.

I am not a Microsoft fan at all, but I guess I fall on the side of those who are impressed with the WM7 interface. To me it's the most innovative UI I've seen in a long time. I'm a fan of the N900, but basically it's trying to simplify and translate a computer desktop UI paradigm to a phone. It remains to be seen (i.e. with Maemo 6) whether that will have much mass market appeal.

The iphone, on the other hand, is basically just an app launching device, with a slick interface. And if you think about it, Apple has not fundamentally rethought it's design grammar since the original launch of OS X. It's getting dated.

WM7 is an attempt to really rethink what people want from a pocket media/phone device and how they interact with it. The UI is organized around the sort of activities (social networking, games, calls, email, web browsing, etc.) that people do on these devices, rather than trying to provide a basic platform from which these activities can be launched. The level of integration of activities with each other is impressive.

And it seems like Microsoft is moving beyond even the concept of applictions launched against a desktop in general. Even the question raised by some about multitasking I think is perhaps to misunderstand how it's not relevant to a UI like this (which remembers the state you left things in and relaunches them that way).

Honestly, to me the WM7 interface (at least what I've seen so far) makes everything else look clunky and dated. I think Microsoft may have a paradigm shifting platform here. Of course, that could also lead to it failing, if it's just too different for people.

Also, people say the Zune Pass is amazing. $15/month for unlimited music. This has real potential to go head to head with iTunes in a way no one else has. Yes other people offer this kind of service, but not so seemlessly integrated with a device.

So I find it very interesting. I'm not surprised that Microsoft pulled this off. They've had a lot of very innovative ideas floating around as basic research for years, this is just the first product they're actually putting some of these ideas into.

All that said, Microsoft is so proprietary I can't ever imagine wanting to get locked into their universe of products and services.

Flash was the first thing I disabled from my N900. Makes the browser run a lot more happily Remember, Flash is not the web.

Used a Wm6.1 device right up till I got my N900, loved it, still do. I-Mate Jasjar [VGA Display, full keyboard etc] wonderful device. Windows mobile has come along way, but lack of advertising and market push has moved it out of the public's eye and so most people have no idea its as good as it is.

With that said I love my N900

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2010/02...compatability/

http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-...3cy&topic_id=1

... not very impressed ...

And soon after that I installed zoutube.

If a video plays in the forest, and it doesn't end up on YouTube...

Windows Mobile with Windows Browser...muhaha, sry .

I'm part of the impressed group. I'm not 100% sure about their move away from multi-tasking - explicit multi-tasking smartphone - to a more multimedia phone; however it's a bold move where they're finally breaking away from legacy OS that's been around for ages and going forward.

Something I'd wish that Windows desktop would do. Toss out the old, start anew.

The inclusion of the Zune HD interface - one of my actual favorite UI's for quite a while - is a winner in my opinion.

Surprised... yes. Intrigued? Yes. Would I buy it? Perhaps.