Windows Phone 7 smartphones almost here, T-Mobile outplays AT&T, Sprint and Verizon DNQ

Ok, so forget about what your previous mobile Windows experience! I could lead you to the Windows Phone 7 reviews we’ve got on this blog or make you wait till the end of the article for a conclusion but think of it this way: while Windows Phone 7 smartphones might not be overall better than the iPhone 4 or top Android 2.2 performers, at least this time around they do stand a fighting chance. In fact, there might be a lot of people who will find a Windows Phone 7 smartphone a great gift for this Holiday season.

In the US, Windows Phone 7 will be launched with T-Mobile and AT&T. While the latter has more smartphones planned (3 vs 2), T-Mobile has managed to get their grip on what should be the top smartphone in the line-up, the HTC HD7. AT&T ‘s offer includes the thinnest smartphone from the WP7 list, the Samsung Focus.

Before you get to planning your gift-wraps color though, let’s just spit out that all the smartphones that Microsoft has announced as the Windows Phone 7 starting line-up are based on a Snapdragon 1Ghz processor (and that’s the about the best you can get). The display resolution is also standardized: 480 x 800 pixel (WVGA).

Windows Phone 7 starting line-up:

HTC HD7 (T-Mobile)
Dell Venue Pro (T-Mobile)
Samsung Focus (AT&T)
LG Quantum (AT&T)
HTC 7 Surround – (AT&T and Telus)
HTC 7 PRO (Sprint)
HTC 7 Mozart (International)
HTC 7 Trophy (International)
LG Optimus 7/7Q (International)
Samsung Omnia 7 (Europe)

The release date has been set at October 21 for some select countries around Europe and Asia, with the US market getting the first Windows Mobile Phone 7 smartphones in mid October. Most likely release dates will differ between T-Mobile and AT&T. Although Sprint will be getting the HTC 7 Pro, that won’t happen in 2010, as will be the case with Verizon’s first Windows Mobile Phone 7 smartphone, although none has been officially announced yet.