Just over two weeks ago, I received an invite to review a Windows Phone 7 device, service and a Zune Pass included.

I accepted it.

While I was away on a road trip to the Midwest, the phone was delivered.

The phone arrived packaged in the current AT&T style box. It was a Samsung SGH-i917 Focus, on the AT&T network.

The package contained:

• The phone
• A battery
• A SIM card
• A micro-USB 2.0 power cord and adaptor
• A user manual
• A pair of earbud headphones.

The phone also had a vacant microSD slot.

I dutifully assembled the device, and proceeded to charge it as recommended in the manual. In the interim, I was able to procure an 8 GB “Certified for Windows Phone 7” microSD card as additional memory for the Focus.

As a result of remembering a few friends’ tweets, I heeded their warnings against starting up a new Windows Phone 7 device without following a few required steps for initializing microSD cards**.

I followed instructions, fired up the phone, and was treated to about the most dazzling cellphone screen I had ever seen!

The phone connected to the network, did it’s thing, and voilà, everything was a go.

I set up a Windows Live account, and that was it. I couldn’t set up a Facebook account as I have turned off Facebook Platform apps completely.

I connected Exchange, IMAP, and Hotmail accounts.

Samsung Focus
The Samsung Focus is just a fetching smartphone, with a nice looking, polished obsidian black case.

The shiny case has the connector at the top of the device, and the required three buttons on the face. It is very responsive, and lightweight.

However, all these virtues pale in comparison to the impressively beautiful OLED screed. People, the screen on the Samsung Focus is just f-i-n-e, FINE!!

I attempted to compare it to the HTC HD7 and HD2 devices I had on hand. Alas, there was no comparison. I then remembered back in November 2010 when a longtime Apple iPhone user, Romit Mehta (@rawmeet), a Business Intelligence professional, switched to Windows Phone 7 from the iPhone: he raved positively about the screen on the Focus! Seriously, that beautiful and responsive screen puts the HD7 to shame.

So much so that I swear I keep spying Wifey trying to change phones again, with the only thing stopping that dastardly deed being the fact that her phone is on a T-Mobile account.

AT&T
I switched just Wifey and my phones to T-Mobile Father’s Day 2010 when I was tired of decrying the sorry state of 1) AT&T service in my rural Colorado town, and 2) the lack of desirable AT&T Windows Mobile devices.

In the intervening months, it seems that AT&T has stepped up to the game. I am now able to get AT&T Edge service – don’t laugh, it is a rural town – instead of the former local roaming provider (T-Mobile still uses them), and generally faster response, though there are several dead spots around ‘town’ where there is absolutely zero service.

Leaving the Midwest, we had done a partial road trip to Chicago, and I was pleased to see that AT&T service was mostly 3G all the way from South Ohio. I have also found that reception seems better, with decidedly more bars in parts of Los Angeles where prior to now I’d had inferior service.

That said, AT&T still needs to improve its offerings, especially in Rural America.

Windows Phone 7
I have been a user of Microsoft’s phone platform since the Pocket PC days, and I have used it exclusively, extending that exclusivity to my business, and making it the only platform we support.

Over the years until Windows Mobile 6, Microsoft constantly improved the platform, making users happy.

Well, happy….until the debut of the Apple iPhone.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, it continued at its development pace, and fell behind, both to the iPhone and the iPhone’s greatest admirer (copycat?) Android.

When Microsoft finally woke up to the threat the network effects of the successes of these other phone platforms presented, it went into an impressive hypervelocity development mode, though much time was lost.

The result of that increased investment and development was Windows Phone 7.

Using Windows Phone 7
Elegant, easy to use, intuitive. With the minimum specs, Windows Phone 7 is quite responsive on the two phones I have played with it on.

How easy is Windows Phone 7 to use?

Turn it on

Windows Live setup was as simple as entering in your Windows Live ID and you are connected.

Facebook? A Facebook client is built in. Connecting to corporate Exchange was two taps easy. The (Windows Phone 7) Marketplace is easy to navigate and purchases are simple. PC integration? Download the Zune PC client software and movies, music, podcasts, and more are at your fingertips.  Want Xbox Live gaming? You’ve got it, including your Xbox Live Avatar

Welcome to Windows Phone 7 Live Tiles
Those Windows Phone 7 “Really?” ads were on point when they dared us to imagine a world where the presentment of information from all sources is laid out so logically that gleaning information a phone becomes an at-a-glance effort.

Phone, voicemail, SMS, Twitter, email. All information you want can be placed at your fingertips, and can be instantly acted upon, when needed. Or necessary.

So far, I have have MoTweets, Rowi, Amazon.com, ESPN ScoreCenter (to be uninstalled today after the Lakers got eliminated!), Home Depot, IMDB, Tag Reader, TouchStudio, and the Weather Channel apps installed.

For games I have Fruit Ninja, PacMan, Enigmo, Avatar Gadgets, HALO Waypoint, and Tetris.

So how does Windows Phone 7 perform?
Telephony. Despite everything, it is primarily a telephone. And at this, Windows Phone 7 works. It never forgets to be a phone. The telephone app is easy to use. Integration with Windows Live is excellent. I found myself able to use the same telephone for both Outlook contacts, and personal contacts. In fact, my confidence in being able to separate both sets of contacts. Furthermore, with multiple Windows Live accounts on the same phone – successfully possible for the first time on a Windows Mobile/Phone – I was able to have all contacts associated with those accounts on the same phone, and well compartmentalized. I do see myself using the contacts applet of Windows Live Mail even more going forward.

Messaging. Take my word for it: all included apps on the phone work. With that as a baseline, messaging is mungo cool on Windows Phone 7. Email works smoothly, text messaging is a breeze, notifications just rock.

Apps. A lot has been made about the numerous apps available on the premier platform out there, iOS. While Windows Phone 7 does not have that depth, the number of apps available for it are growing, and as of right now seem to be of very good quality, especially as they are monitored by Microsoft. As I write this, I understand that Microsoft is further tightening the rules for qualifying apps for the Marketplace in order to further enhance users’ experience. That is good.

Gaming. Xbox Live on your phone. Need I say more? It is remarkable how Microsoft glommed on an easy way to get Xbox Live subscribers engaged here. After years of playing Bubble Breaker on my Windows Mobile Devices, it is quite nice to play actual games on WP7.

Music & videos. Zune is the delivery mechanism for music, videos, podcasts on Windows Phone 7. Not only are you able to purchase music, but the Zune monthly subscription service is also available. I am currently enjoying 1980s pop.

Conclusions
When Microsoft declared that they were reimagining Windows Mobile into Windows Phone 7, my fear was that they would take the easy path and try to ape iOS. Thankfully, they did not.

They delivered fresh, new, innovative thinking to the smartphone space, and they have raised the bar greatly.

From the genesis of Windows Phone 7, to the sessions at MIX10, to PDC10, CES 2011, and MIX11, Microsoft has not only shown something new, but is moving the platform forward, with the forthcoming ‘Mango’ update. Moreover, they seem to have committed to constantly improving WP7, the missteps with the ‘NoDo’ updates notwithstanding.

The Metro UI is fresh, different, and presents information in a very visually appealing way it show that there is a lot more innovation to be delivered in smartphones without willy-nilly copying established products as some other platforms have done. Supposedly.

Windows Phone 7 is impressive. It shows what Microsoft can do when it performs a reset on a failed or failing product.

Earlier this year, we declared Windows Phone 7 to be our SmallBizWindows Product of the Year, after just a few weeks with the device. Several months later, based in positive feedback from Wifey, my siblings, and clients who took up our recommendation for WP7 devices, we are delighted that our selection was correct.

I am looking forward to doing more with this device and platform, as the to do list below shows.

*The HD7 mentioned above had been appropriated by my older sibling almost immediately for approximately six weeks, and since then, it was snagged by She-Who-MUST-Be-Obeyed after she had spent only fifteen minutes with it. My brother’s use of it resulted in the wholesale conversion of his entire family to Windows Phone 7, I am proud to say. Him & his wife from Blackberry devices, and their kids from those funky phones targeted at teenagers.

**One of the privileges I enjoy is a friendship with most of the Microsoft Windows Phone/Mobile Devices MVPs that I dub my Mobile Masters, a Twitter list that can be found here.

***The 8 GB card cost $32.99, a ridiculously exorbitant price. I am not an electrical engineer, and as a result I do not know what difference ‘Certified for Windows Phone 7” does. However, I know that this is definitely not a consumer-friendly price.

Next up:

• How easy is it to buy Windows Phone 7?
• Windows Phone 7 vs. Windows Mobile 6.5
• Windows Phone 7 vs. Android
• Windows Phone 7 vs.iPhone
• Windows Phone 7 vs. WebOS

# ISBN-10: 1608448851; # ISBN-13: 978-1608448852
Now available on Amazon.com