Today at the Microsoft Conference, we saw the new Windows 7 phone.  It's quite a different looking device to previous phones and extends Microsoft's idea that your content should follow you around, no matter what device you are using at the time.  We saw a demo where music bought from an online store on a PC also copied down automatically to the mobile phone, with no manual intervention at all.  Likewise photos taken on the mobile magically (and immediately) appeared in the 'my pictures' folder on the PC.  Pretty cool!

It's all working using "the cloud" - this phone is very dependent on the internet for many of its functions, and if there is one downside, its likely to be data volumes.

The designers have aimed to achieve a couple of goals - firstly, it's designed to be the answer for both business and personal.  It's both 'cool' and 'secure' - for example there is a companion website that lets you track lost phones, or even remotely wipe them.  (It's probably an evolution of 'myphone.microsoft.com' tool that I've been using to backup my phone, hopefully with more space)

The screens are quite cool.  They've focussed it on the content, an gathered information into 'hubs' - for example 'people' (ie contacts) is a hub.  'pictures' is another.  You work with data rather than programmes - which makes perfect sense to me.  Less icons to start programmes, more about information.  One good example is search - searching for 'movie theatres' works out where you are automatically, and lists local theatres and what's showing.  Click on one and it'll even tell you how to get there.   Likewise appointments in your calendar - if the location is known, it'll show you on a map and give you directions.  Intuitive!

 I'm looking forward to the release!!