Yuhnke Commentary: New Windows Smartphone competes against iPhone and Android

PHOENIX - Over the past 1.5 years, Microsoft has been trying to make waves in the world of smartphones with Windows Phone 7. So far, the company has only managed to drop a few pebbles in the pond. Hardware reviews and software reviews have been good but in a world dominated by iPhone and Android, making a dent in the market is tough. This year, Microsoft hopes its new partnership with Nokia will give it that upper edge. The first smartphone launched in the U.S. from this partnership is the Nokia Lumia 710 on T-mobile.

The Lumia looks like most smartphones these days. It has a glass 3.7" touch screen on the front. It has three buttons on the front; back, windows and search. It sports a decent but not amazing 5 megapixel camera capable of shooting 720p video. You’ll find the power button on top and the volume rocker on the right side. There’s also a shutter button that jumps right to the camera app when pressed. This is a nice touch that so many smartphones don’t include. The 710 feels a little thick but still very solid. It has a soft rubbery back. It packs a 1.4 GHZ speedy processor and an unimpressive 8 GB of storage space. There is no memory card slot on the 710.

The 710 reminds me of what I’ve known, Nokia knows how to make good hardware. This isn’t a super high-end smartphone but it still feels solid and high-quality. This is what Nokia brings to the table and exactly why Microsoft decided to partner with them. How does the software, Windows Phone 7 (actually 7.5 aka Mango), stack up?

I reviewed Windows Phone 7 when it was first launched a little over a year ago. I was impressed then and continue to be impressed now. The latest version paired with the 710 hardware is amazingly snappy. I can easily say that the OS and keyboard responsiveness are on-par with the iPhone. That’s not something I’ve been able to say about many Android phones. It just feels fast!  

The OS is built around a “tile” metaphor. Your home screen is made up of tiles that open apps. Some times are active, which means they display updating information. The weather tile updates the temperature, your contacts tile rotates images of your contacts. I added the Flickr tile which showcases Flickr pictures. These tiles can be moved around or removed from your home screen. All of your apps are available on the second page. Think of it as a combination between iOS’ app pages and Android’s widgets. It’s unique and I like it. Sure, it doesn’t feel very flexible since everything has to be confined to a square tile but it also allows Microsoft to truly control the look and feel of the OS. It’s better than iOS’ lack of widgets but not as fun as Android’s widget free for all.  

The look and feel of Windows Phone 7 is slick. The main apps work well and feel very “clean.” The web browser is quick although it lacks support for Adobe Flash (despite the fact that Adobe and Microsoft have said they’re working on it. ) The mail app was solid and worked well with my Gmail account. I think the calendar app is a bit too basic with its black background and white lines.Perhaps I'm alone on that one but I just didn't love it. All of these apps are FAST though! I never found myself waiting for something to load, it just worked.  

Social media integration on Windows Phone 7 is awesome. Connect your accounts and everything seems to sync. Facebook and Twitter updates are seamlessly integrated into your contacts app. No other mobile OS comes close to this.  

In terms of 3rd party apps, Windows Phone 7 is getting there. We live in a world where iOS has 500,000 apps and everyone expects the other smartphone platforms to have the same. Android has 400,000. Windows Phone 7’s 50,000 apps seems like small potatoes. Let’s remember, 50,000 apps is still a lot. Most of the go-to apps are there including Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Pandora and others. Every once in a while I found myself searching to find a mainstream app that just didn’t exist for Windows Phone 7. Case in point; Skype. There is no Skype app. In fact, Microsoft just added support in Windows Phone 7 for a front-facing camera. The 710 does NOT have one. This is sad considering Skype is now owned by Microsoft. The company says it's working to integrate Skype as part of the OS. One app being absent isn’t the end of the world but there were others that were absent from the app marketplace as well.

I'm really not trying to make a big point about apps. I’m not an app advocate. They’re nice to have but I truly believe that most people install a million apps and often use no more than two or three on a regular basis, if that. We put too much emphasis on them. So I’m over the lack of apps. Let's move on.

Overall, the Nokia Lumia 710 is a rock solid phone with impressive Windows Phone 7 software. It’s built well and is super speedy. The interface is unique, intuitive and simple. Owners may find themselves with a case of app envy from time to time but that will go away with time as the marketplace continues to