[freehunter]

  The UX must be consistently slick

This point is useless, the entire number 4 in your post. First of all, if you're using it as a point, you've never used a Windows Phone. It's as stable as an iPhone (certainly moreso than Android), I've had one since April and have never had a crash, lockup, or misplaced UI element. You seem to be bringing that from Windows Mobile, which is hands down the biggest thing holding Windows Phone back right now. Technical people who cannot and will not distinguish between it and its unrelated predecessor.

This argument pisses me off because it's completely unfounded, yet I constantly hear people saying "Well, I have my doubts since it's a Microsoft product" without ever using it. The biggest hurdle to Windows Phone 7 is ignorant techies casting misinformation to the general consumer just because bashing Microsoft is a fun talking point.

[stcredzero]

This point is useless, the entire number 4 in your post.

I have read that there are issues with proper implementation and understanding of UI conventions with WP7. Certainly, this is true for the iPhone as well: not all iPhone apps are consistent or slick, and the UI conventions have some key differences from desktop apps. It will be even more critical for WP7, since they have a markedly different set of UI conventions.

Given that the developer pool for WP7 is much smaller at this point, a few highly visible but poorly implemented apps are going to have a disproportionate effect. That would be a pity, as Metro really is a setup up in UX design from iPhone.

[d4nt]

I used a Windows Mobile for a couple of years (two different handsets). I found that while the main screens were reasonably well skinned and looked good in the store, when used for real that often fell away to reveal a clunky UI that was impossible to work with. I also found that I had to reboot every day because of lockups and crashes, plus the phone often dropped calls and was generally very slow.

I understand that this is a complete re-write of their phone OS, but I will still be waiting for a couple of years to see how others find it before I'm willing to trust that division of Microsoft again.

EDIT: I'll give you an example, our CTO recently got one of the new Windows Phones, I asked him what it was like and his response was: "Good... but I can't seem to get it connected to our Exchange server". If a rock star techie can't get his phone talking to Exchange what hope is there for the non-techies out there.

[d4nt]

The fact that I will base my purchasing decisions on past experience of the brand and word of mouth about the product is not unusual. Many people will be like me, and this is one of the challenges that MS will have to work hard to overcome. Downvoting me for being that way is pretty immature; approach the world as it is, not how you want it to be.

[freehunter]

I don't have the ability to downvote, but your reply completely missed my point. My point was, you "past experience of the brand" doesn't mean anything here, since there is no past of Windows Phone 7. It may be named number 7, but it's brand new. There was nothing like it before. The fact that you keep comparing it to Windows Mobile shows your ignorance. We as techies should have the ability to give new technology the benefit of the doubt, especially when every reviewer and user is giving it rave reviews. The only people complaining about it are those who have never used it

Your CTO either doesn't know ho to use his phone or your Exchange server is broken, and you should be able to see through that.