Try out Windows Phone 7.5 Mango with your iPhone

Correction "...because most areas of the Demo are [not] even active ."

I had an iPhone for 3 years and I simply love it. Apple sure changed how the world thinks about mobile phones. I also like to try-out new tech and after trying the Windows phone, I'm hooked. It's a dramatic shift from the iPhone and especially the old Windows Mobile products. Readers must be aware that your experience with this Demo is obviously nothing like the real thing; The Demo is more like a slide show because most areas of the Demo are even active and of-course you can't use any of the hardware features. The demo really is a disservice to the real thing. Try new things people, don't crush new ideas. I think the people at Microsoft are really trying to innovate here. Let's encourage that.

I think the demo is cute, usable, neat, etc.

However, it then betrays the cultural differences between Apple and MS. "The people demo is over, press restart to start over".

Oh COME ON MICROSOFT! You're dealing with humans, not robots.

Crap articles like this are why people think all Apple users are dirtbag snobs. Doubt you'll approve this comment, but bush league as always, TUAW.

We have to admit Microsoft has done a good job with this Metro UI.

Ugh! Disorganized and confusing. I am very much hoping to see some day a nice non-iOS look-alike that is effective and efficient as android and iOS. Unfortunately, this is not it, or at least, not for me. Don't get me wrong, I like iOS, but would like to see other options with a different look. Perhaps someday someone will better develop a mobile KDE or Gnome OS.

Steve: We go way back...but really now:
"'ll admit it. I went and took a look at Windows Phone 7.5, and then I washed my hands with a sterilizing soap, and put in eyedrops in an attempt to get the UI out of my eyes. But it's well worth a look, just so you know what passes for a mobile operating system in Redmond, Washington."

I'm sorry man, but as far as actual innovation goes, Metro is the ONLY modern UX out there. We may all be Apple folk, but give credit where it is due, man: for these kinds of devices the Metro UI makes far more sense than the pseudo-Desktop/WIMP UI of iOS and its horrid second-rate clone Android.

As a developer I know I am strongly considering this platform as a second to Android and I am a serious Apple guy.

What was really cool was saving the web app and re-launching full screen. Whoever did the work on it did a great job. it runs like the "real thing" on a 4S, very fluid and "alive".

I think the OS is quite slick- slicker than the iPhone, in fact. But not all my apps are available for it, so I'm sticking with my iPhone 4.

Personally, I'm not a big fan... The interface is boring looking, and as someone who is a bit OCD, I can't stand looking at all the fonts of various sizes, colors, and offsets all over the place. To me, their effort to make it simple comes across as more of a jumbled mess. Further, its not clear which OS elements are interactive. Big kudos for the effort, but I call this one a fail...

I recently upgraded from an HTC MyTouch 4G to another HTC device running WIndows Phone 7... Some observations.

1) WP7 is more locked down than Android by far. This is probably a good thing for most users but not for developers like myself.
2) the WP7 phone has slightly wimpier hardware but almost always feels more responsive. Swipes are always smooth and fluid almost as good as the iPhone.
3) Both phones have crappy WiFi range. This is probably HTC's fault and nothing to do with the OS.
4) WP7 has fewer applications but most of the big ones are there... The only program that I really miss is Pandora but ZunePass is kind of close.
5) IE9 on WP7 is a decent mobile browser (light years better than WinMo 6.5 and earlier). Still it isn't as good as the webkit based browsers. IE10 should be on par though.
6) The live tiles are cool but I can't get enough of them on screen without having to swipe a lot to get tiles near the end of the list on the home screen.
7) The developer tools are AWESOME! Much, much, MUCH better than eclipse/Android SDK. I have very limited experience with XCode but I think Visual Studio is about as good as XCode if not better in some places.
8) Fragmentation... Pretty much all WP7 devices are capable of running WP 7.5 (Mango). Can't say that about Android.