The second coming of Microsoft’s smartphone operating system has kept us waiting too long, now it’s here, can it really benefit the way you run your business on the move?

Windows Phone 7 software has been released to rival the iPhone however it has the benefit of installed Office applications and direct connectivity with Microsoft Exchange making e-mail on the move simplicity itself! Its stylish home screen which has the ability to pin anything from applications to website bookmarks making the phone quick and easy to find what you need in an instant.

The simplicity of the software carries through elsewhere too, after navigating away from the start screen you find everything you need at your finger tips such as web browsing to Office and Email, perfect for access to information on the move. The web browsing interface is definitely worth noting as on all handsets tested none feel sluggish in any way.

HERE IS A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE LEADING FEATURES OF WINDOWS PHONE 7:

• SIMPLE BUTTON-BASED HOME SCREEN USING “LIVE TILES” THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED
• WINDOWS PHONE “HUBS” IN THE UI — OFFICE, PEOPLE, PICTURES, MUSIC, GAMES
• DEEP MICROSOFT OFFICE INTEGRATION
• BUILT-IN ONENOTE EXPERIENCE FOR MOBILE NOTE-TAKING
• SHAREPOINT INTEGRATION FOR CORPORATE DOCUMENTS
• EXTENSIVE MAPS AND LOCAL INFORMATION
• ONE BUTTON VOICE SEARCH (USING TELLME FOR VOICE RECOGNITION)
• INSTANT CAMERA ACCESS FROM SLEEP MODE BY JUST TOUCHING THE CAMERA BUTTON
• AN OPTION FOR AUTOMATIC WEB UPLOADS OF ANY PHOTOS THAT YOU TAKE
• INTEGRATED PHOTO ALBUM NOT ONLY SHOWS THE PHOTOS YOU’VE TAKEN ON YOUR PHONE BUT ALSO PHOTOS FROM YOUR PC AND FACEBOOK
• INTEGRATION WITH ZUNE FOR MUSIC AND XBOX LIVE FOR GAMING
• ELECTRONIC ARTS (EA) WILL BE A LAUNCH PARTNER FOR GAMES, INCLUDING TETRIS, SIMS, AND NEED FOR SPEED
• UNLIKE ANDROID, SOFTWARE UPDATE WILL BE CONTROLLED BY MICROSOFT AND WILL GO OUT TO ALL PHONES SIMULTANEOUSLY ON ALL CARRIERS.

Tags: Microsoft, mobile, Windows Phone 7