Microsoft Back with WIndows Phone 7

It seems like forever ago that Microsoft wowed us with the first public glimpses of Windows Phone 7. (Back then, it still had a "series" tacked on the end.) Since that day in February, we've been waiting with bated breath to see some fully functioning hardware. Now the waiting is over. We've seen the line up, we have the carriers, and we even have dates and prices (for some models, anyway). The first Windows Phone 7 device available in the U.S. will be the Samsung Focus. The super AMOLED packing device will be landing November 8th on AT&T at the industry standard $199.99. The Focus will be followed "a few weeks later," according to AT&T's Ralph de la Vega, by the HTC Surround and the LG Quantum, the latter of which packs a landscape, slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

T-Mobile will also be getting in on the Windows Phone 7 action in the U.S. While firm launch dates and prices have not been announced, you can bet that the HTC HD7 and Dell Venue Pro (with its portrait, slide-out keyboard) will be landing soon after the Focus, and will likely match the $199.99 price point. In addition to the five U.S. handsets, Windows Phone 7 will introduce four other devices, from HTC, Samsung and LG, to the European and global markets. The LG Optimus 7, Samsung Omnia 7, HTC 7 Trophy and 7 Mozart bring the grand total of phones to nine. If you count the announced 7 Pro for Sprint, which is landing in 2011, Microsoft smartphones have reached market saturation on day one. As soon as we can, we'll be back with a full review of a Windows Phone 7 handset, but, until then, check out the videos after the break.