It's certainly been a long time coming, but today Microsoft has finally launched their new mobile OS, Windows Phone 7.  There will be over 60 carriers in 30 countries launching WP7-powered devices, and there will also be handsets available from Microsoft Stores and Amazon.  The first phones will begin shipping holiday 2010, with many more arriving next year.  Here in the U.S., both AT&T and T-Mobile will be releasing Windows Phone 7 handsets before the year is out, with CDMA devices launching some time next year.  You can check out the short press release down below.

I don't know about you, but I'm extremely excited to see another major player enter the smartphone arena.  Andy Rubin may not think that the world needs another platform, but choice is always a good thing.  Hopefully we won't be waiting long into 2011 to see CDMA Windows Phone 7 devices, otherwise the adoption of the new OS could end up suffering.  How do you all think WP7 will fare in the ever-growing smartphone market?

Windows Phone 7 was designed to deliver a mobile experience that has the phone working better for people, bringing together the things they care about most and helping them to get things done faster. Our new phones are distinguished by:
·         Unique design and integrated experiences that are built from Microsoft’s deep portfolio of products and services, such as Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Office Mobile, Zune, Windows Live, Bing and more.
·         The customizable Start screen with Live Tiles that come to life with real-time updates from the Web such as news, appointments or the status of friends for a truly personal experience.
·         The Zune music experience that allows people to play their music collection by syncing wirelessly from their PC, streaming or downloading from Windows Marketplace.
·         Easier searching thanks to the dedicated button to help people find what they need, whether in contacts, in Marketplace, in e-mail or on the Web.
·         The Windows Live solution, which helps people manage pictures, Windows Live calendar, Office OneNote Mobile and more.
 
More information about Windows Phone 7 devices, features and capabilities can be found at http://www.windowsphone.com