Microsoft is betting the farm on its new mobile phone operating system, in a high-stakes attempt to succeed in the world of smartphones. I’ve covered earlier Windows operating systems for phones and found them largely uninspiring. Happily, the new version puts most things right. It launches on six phones in the UK on Thursday 21 October.
But the more you explore, the better Windows Phone 7 appears, business-wise. There are the small touches, like finding your way to a meeting. Touch the calendar, press the address of the meeting and the phone recognises it and takes you to a map, zooming in so that when you’re at street level it shows you a satellite photo to help you spot the building. Better still, if you’ve been delayed, one touch on the Late button in the calendar creates an SMS or email with text to warn your colleagues you’re not going to be on time. This is neat, though it remains to be seen if it subliminally encourages
