There must be a best of times, and a worst of times, as Charles Dickens once said. Indeed, today’s smartphone landscape reads like a page out of a Dickensian novel, fraught with family conflict, personal struggle, and the redemption of good winning over evil. Follow me for a minute, I’m onto something.

When Windows Phone 7 Series was announced last year, it seemed once more than the Microsoft behemoth was slowly reversing its ways, positioning itself as the upstart against the intractable, and undeniably successful, Apple and its iOS constituents. WP7S was soon renamed Windows Phone 7 and demos began permeating the web, showing a new, largely gesture-based 2D interface with stark colours on a black background. The media punditry were intrigued, yet weary of another player entering the War so soon after Android has begun its road to dominance.

In early October of this year, after myriad peaks and months of speculation, a number of devices were launched bearing the new Windows Phone moniker, and Microsoft invested some $500million in advertising, including a very funny, adroit “Really?” television campaign, promising despondent wives everywhere that with this new device, they may finally get their husbands to peer up from the BlackBerry, put down the iPhone, set fire to the Android, and get back to what’s really important: not peeing and texting.

Rogers was sure to get into the Windows Phone 7 game from the outset, having been the only GSM provider in Canada during the fraught years of Windows Mobile. Microsoft had a good variety of manufacturers on board, too, and Samsung, hot off the success of its Galaxy S family with their 4″ Super AMOLED displays, presents the Focus. Here we go.

The Phone

The Samsung Focus is gorgeous. I’m just going to put that out there. It isn’t the build quality, which is good, or its austerity, which is appreciated, but an overall lack of inflection. It’s like a Bond villain, whose accent one can’t quite place, but whose presence you defer to immediately, awed, sobered.

It has four physical buttons — a left-side volume rocker and right-side upper power button with a dedicated two-gradient camera button below it. On the bottom front of the device, flush with the screen, are three capacitive touch buttons: back, home and search; these are standard on all Windows Phone devices. A small Samsung logo is printed north of the screen, right below the earpiece.

To say the phone is slim would be to denounce it. Instead, I will say it is exactly the right dimensions to ensure the 4″ screen does not feel cramped. Weighty, yet comfortable, the plastic, unlike that of the Galaxy S Vibrant, is secure and thick. That is a good thing, because the entire phone is made of it. This is my one criticism of the device: for a $600 gadget, there is not a single speck of metal. Neither the chrome edge nor the battery compartment is metal, and if you’re going to be really picky, this could be distinct disadvantage when comparing the device to even its own kin, the Captivate.

But both the Captivate the the Focus excel in similar areas, and the latter is arguably, in spite of its plastic tendencies, the more attractive of the two. There is a symmetrical contour on the device’s back, comforting the index finger when making a phone call. The 5MP camera has a LED flash; this thing has legs.

But the beauty, like a painting, is on the front, and as every artist knows, the frame does not a good art piece make. Identical to the Galaxy S family, the 800×480 pixel 4″ Super AMOLED display is stunning. WP7 is a colourful OS, and the Focus reproduces them adeptly. Contrast, another focus of Microsoft’s child, no pun intended, is indeed the best of any screen I’ve yet witnessed. Because the OS relies so much on white text on black background, or vice versa, with whole, flat colours making up the homescreen tiles, accurately producing colour is essential for user enjoyment (see HTC’s HD7). You will want to use this phone just to turn on the screen.

Under the Screen

Windows Phone 7 is a character. It doesn’t pretend to be able to to multitask or copy-and-paste. It’s just fine doing one thing at a time. Like you should be.

All kidding aside, there is something undeniably beautiful about the way Microsoft uses text as a catalyst for movement. Unlike Android, which purports to do a hundred tasks at once, and then inevitably crashes attempting to perform even one of them, WP7 takes the opposite approach. Information is gleaned from a multitude of customizable, low-impact tiles available on the left-side homescreen. Holding your finger on a tile will mimic the “scared rabbit” mode of iOS, allowing you to rearrange tiles to fit your needs. The tiles take up either one or two “boxes” and when you see them there, fading in and out, alive with information, you wonder how you ever lived without them. The iPhone seems so static and hard in comparison.

And this pretty much emulates the user experience. Windows Mobile was all about allowing the user the freedom to make his or her phone as slow as achievable, by opening up the UX enough to make it seem like a desktop OS shrunk down. This, however, never matured enough to allow for full capacitive touchscreen functionality, and while an able business device (see Palm Treo, circa 2007), when iOS 2.0 emerged in summer 2008, with its App Store and touch-friendly interface, the world forget about Windows Mobile and its frustrating experience.

Windows Phone 7 is not frustrating. That isn’t to say it is entirely functional, but it isn’t inherently incapacitating the way its predecessor was.

The overall user experience is kind of like a giant version of Tweetdeck. Swiping horizontally is WP7′s raison d’être, its heart and soul. Most apps are built on the facet of multiple screens with which you use the swiping motion to go between sections, often with a shared background (picture the Android homescreen background, which pans along with your swiping). Luckily, the performance is butter; in fact, it’s on par with iOS, and FAR more consistent than Android.

This is the reason I am falling in love with WP7. It’s a slow burning love, but the more I use it, the more I recognize it is finally bridging that gap between iOS and Android that I’ve been yearning for. Yes, it is entirely closed: like iOS, there is no sideloading apps, no Flash, no custom skins, nothing. But that ensures users a consistent experience across devices, of which there are many… unlike iOS.

The Best of Both Worlds

So, do you really get the best of both worlds with Windows Phone 7? At the moment, no. That may change with Microsoft’s upcoming “massive” update in the new year, which is supposed to, among other things, bring copy-paste support, basic third-party multitasking and a multitude of bug fixes.

You see, in its current state, say you enter the Marketplace to download an app. In this example, you scroll left to right to enter the Featured tab. You see Slacker Radio and exclaim, “I know that app!” You download it, pressing the “Buy” button (strangely, even free apps ask you to Buy them) and, intuitively, exit the app using the centre Windows button below the screen, only to realize that you’ve ended the process and the download. You go through the procedure again, install the app, start up your favourite radio station, and press that centre windows button again, expecting the music to continue in the background. And, again, the process ends.

Now, we know that this was reality in the land of iOS for many years; in fact, background multitasking wasn’t enabled until version 4.0, released in June. But we live in a post-iOS world, and WP7′s inability to do anything in the background is currently a huge liability. And, yes, I know I’m crying crocodile tears right now, since this “massive” update will likely implement many of those missing features imperative for the platform to eventually compete with iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, and even Palm.

I have to mention it, though, because until this update happens, this is what we have to work with, and it’s a mixed bag.

There are a number of little things that delight me:

-the way the lock screen bounces when you tap on it, revealing a small portion of the screen underneath

-the ability to press the top of the screen to reveal current connectivity icons

-the comprehensive Facebook integration, including avatar sync

-the way an incoming text message overlays atop your current screen, and tapping on it takes you to the beautiful, threaded messaging app

-the built-in voice search features, which pop up when you tap and hold the Windows button for a few seconds

-the insanely good Zune music app, which trounces even the best third-party Android music app (and it includes lock screen controls)

-the adherence to a consistent app design, unifying first- and third-party apps into a cohesive whole

-the ability to “try before you buy” for most apps in the Marketplace. For example, the best Google Reader app, Wonder Reader, occasionally “forgets” your login information, but is otherwise full-featured until you want to buy it. Brilliant. iOS NEEDS this

-the email app, while lacking threaded conversation support, is stunning, and integrates very well with Gmail, Yahoo, as well as your native Live Mail

-the 3D-like impact effect when you press down on an area of text or a link

There are more things that I adore, but overall I just appreciate the polish and care Microsoft have taken with the design and overall usability.

A few things, however, that need work (beyond the obvious):

-third party apps are noticeably unoptimized and scrolling is jerky and inconsistent. This will likely change when devs get more comfortable with the SDK

-the infuriating inability for the OS to save your current state. Every time the screen goes off, the phone seems to purge the RAM, leaving the app in what seems like a “hibernation” state. This means that every time you turn off the screen the app you are in has to resume, which often takes up to ten seconds.

-Facebook integration, while comprehensive, should be customizable. I don’t want all my contacts integrating with my main Google contact list, and there doesn’t seem to be a way to turn it off

-the usually excellent and responsive on-screen keyboard takes a performance and accuracy dive depending on what app you’re in. This often leads to massive typos

There are likely many more pluses and minuses that I could focus (groan) on. But, I want to focus (groan harder!) instead of the feeling WP7 instills:

I have hope. I have hope for Samsung, after the software debacle of their Galaxy S series (where is 2.2??); I have hope for Microsoft that they finally understand the needs of the smartphone consumer. You know why they don’t want a ton of apps running in the background, eating up resources? They don’t want Flash playing in your browser? Because on a thousand Android forums there are a million questions about low battery life and cagey performance. There are hacks and tweaks and tools and walkthroughs. And for the most part those things excite me; indeed, they thrill me. But Windows Phone delights me in its usability, and that’s something I could never say of Android. Google’s platform is built to scale — up, out, into tablets and microwaves — but WP7 feels like a phone OS, period.

Leftovers

Speaking of battery life, it’s good. Far better than the Galaxy S Vibrant or Captivate, and that’s with the same hardware. There is an obvious correlation between juice-gulping background apps and services and battery usage, so WP7 gets off easy in that regard. But the lack of heavy 3D graphics probably helps, too. The black backgrounds keep the Super AMOLED pixels asleep for much of the time that the screen is on, and the pared-down nature of the OS leads me to believe that Microsoft likely optimized the kernel for mobile devices rather than trying to create a shoebox Windows like they did the last time.

The camera needs mentioning, too. The Focus, like most of the WP7 phones, comes with a 5MP camera, LED flash and a simple camera application. From the off state, simply hold down the shutter button for a few seconds and your phone will unlock and take you right into the app. Microsoft probably figured they would incorporate this feature and risk a couple in-pocket pics than risk the wrath of an angry user who couldn’t swipe through to application icon in time. When you take a picture, it slides to the edge of the screen, a snippet showing in case you want to review it before taking the next one.

In terms of music playback, plugging your phone into a Windows machine will launch an install for Zune, the music sync application. The software is excellent, and works much the same as iTunes does. But for Canadians, there is nary any Marketplace access: you cannot buy music, nor can you even download podcasts. And even if your region does allow music downloads, don’t even think about trying to buy from the phone itself. It simply tells you to plug the phone into your computer. Very disappointing, MSFT.

When you do sync your local music with the phone through the Zune application, playback is outrageously good. Full screen album art along with full gesture support is awesome, and I think WP7 is going to replace Doubletwist on Android as my go-to music playback app. What is disappointing is the meagre 8GB internal storage, along with a finicky microSD slot that does not support a large number of existing products. Though at least it has a slot, which is more than can be said for most WP7 phones at the moment.

Third-party app support at the moment is a mixed bag. I found that scrolling is inconsistent as best and infuriating at worst. The apps largely conform to the layout of first-party apps, but for some reason have not nailed the smooth-as-silk performance. But the Marketplace is picking up steam, and attracting a number of developers, especially in the gaming space, and it will be interesting to see what they can do given a mature SDK and tons of Microsoft money behind them.

Conclusion

This review has partly been a Samsung Focus review, and my first real look at Windows Phone 7 itself. I think I was spoiled, as using the platform’s best phone first has probably ruined all others for me. The Focus is not for the tinkering nerd, nor is it for the multitasking demon. At the moment, it sits in the slow-and-steady category, the obelisk that transcends space and design; it is a touch fantasy, and executed with precision. I applaud Microsoft, and Samsung, for impressing on their first try.

Pros:

-great design

-beautiful screen

-decent camera

-sturdy build

-smooth as butter performance

-admirable battery life

Cons:

-limited functionality

-lack of metal (for the price)

-high price

-early adopters’ remorse

The Rogers Samsung Focus is available for $149.99 on a 3-year term and $599.99 outright.

Recommended: 8.5 / 10