Yesterday we received our Windows Phone 7 device, a Samsung Omnia 7 from Expansys.

Even though Mike and I have multi-year Apple iPhone contracts with Bell Canada, we want to start building Windows Phone 7 (WP7) applications right away. As such, we need a WP7 device to test our apps on. Sure, we could use the emulator, but there’s a big difference between that and how a real device feels and works in your hand.

We’ve been admiring WP7 as a mobile platform since it debuted almost a year ago at MIX. All of the media reviews, videos and photos have left us wondering what it would actually be like.

So, without further ado, here are my impressions after 24 hours with a WP7 device:

1. The entire experience is smooth, elegant and understated. Yes, I’m talking about a Microsoft product! Compared to the Apple iPhone, WP7 feels mature and refined (not from a development point of view, I’m speaking about attitude) which is even more impressive considering it is just a first generation product. Microsoft obviously had some great leadership pushing and managing the direction and vision for this platform.
2. There’s a quiet confidence that the interface and interactions have that is missing in the Apple iOS. I think it comes down to how everything looks and acts the same; a common design language that is pervasive across the platform. With the iPhone, every app looks different, some drastically different, but with WP7, while there are subtle differences in app colours, textures and background images, the visual and interaction patterns across apps remain the same. That’s of huge assistance when it comes to usability and familiarity.
3. Setup is incredibly easy. We don’t have a phone contract with this unlocked device, so we’re just using Wi-Fi to connect. That’s perfectly fine for its intended use within the office. The only annoyance, at least for me, is that Microsoft wants you to connect your Windows Live account with the device. I understand the rationale – Windows Live has some interesting tools and features to offer – but I don’t use Windows Live except for a few Microsoft services here and there. Thankfully, you can bypass this request and just hook up your regular Exchange or IMAP account. That too, is easy to configure.
4. Using WP7 makes the iPhone feel flat and one-dimensional. When you press and drag your finger across the screen, text and buttons respond ever so slightly to the movement. Tap the screen and the view pivots to reveal what’s underneath. Views transition in, out, up, down, left and right instead of the iPhone's simple "card stack" down and sideways movements. All together, this translates to WP7 seeming very organic and fluid. You feel like the device is watching you and anticipating your behaviour, rather than it just responding after you tap the screen and submit a command. Definitely a new and innovative approach.

There’s a lot more I’m discovering and enjoying about WP7 (the Bing search by voice command is particularly awesome) that can’t be easily documented in a quick blog post, but let me just say this: it’s a very good experience with a potentially very bright future. WP7 deserves all of the media praise it has received.

Will it replace the iPhone? When my contract runs out, more than likely. It's as an equal to, if not better, mobile platform than the Apple iOS. In the meantime, we’ll keep playing, experimenting and finding inspiration in the WP7 experience. If you get the chance to try a WP7 device yourself, go for it. The platform will not disappoint, even for dyed-in-the-wool iPhone users.