February 15, 2010

Windows Phone 7 Series

It’s hard to judge a user interface based on movies and pictures alone, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that Windows Phone 7 Series is a huge improvement upon earlier versions of Windows Mobile. If Microsoft won’t quite catch up to Apple and Palm, the release of Windows Phone 7 Series should put them at least a whole lot closer.

Microsoft’s official site shows off some of the new user interface, which is very reminiscent of the Zune HD. Engadget and Gizmodo have movies. Ars Technica has a nice overview of the new system.

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designed_for_use_small

If you liked this, you'll love my book. It's called Designed for Use: Create Usable Interfaces for Applications and the Web. In it, I cover the whole design process, from user research and sketching to usability tests and A/B testing. But I don't just explain techniques, I also talk about concepts like discoverability, when and how to use animations, what we can learn from video games, and much more.

You can find out more about it (and order it directly, printed or as a DRM-free ebook) on the Pragmatic Programmers website.