Phone7Market is a homebrew app to get around geographic restrictions in the marketplace, though it only lets you grab freeware apps for now. The app is still in alpha, but within that limited scope it seems to work well. Youll need to have the Windows Phone SDK and theres a few other dependencies (hit the link for more info). Just bear in mind that trying this out is at your own risk.

"Heres the thing about BlackBerry users: Were people who, at least when it comes to our phones, appreciate function over form. Weve stuck with our little, not terribly stylish bricks because they worked. They didnt drop calls at bad moments. The e-mail came in and was easy to access. The point was simplicity, lack of worry. It just worked. Can I really say that now?"

CNETs Jim Kerstetter has written an editorial suggesting his days of being a dedicated BlackBerry user might be over. If I read his editorial correctly, I think the reason can be summed up as: his perceived benefit of the BlackBerry platform has been pushed to the brink with yet another service outage, leaving the other platforms much more attractive than perhaps they were before.

I was a BlackBerry user for six years before switching about a year ago. I havent looked back. I prefer the physical models of the other platforms, their user-interfaces and availability of apps. I am not aware of a service outage in the last year on my platform. I think I would have a hard time to go back to the BlackBerry platform. Are there others out there like me? I bet there are a lot.

So, is this an opportunity for Microsoft and Windows Phone 7? I think it is. For one reason, anyone who might have been teetering on the edge of switching from the BlackBerry platform (assuming they have control over that decision) might just have had that little nudge they needed. We have become so dependent on multiple forms of communication through our smartphones (e-mail, text/instant messaging, voice, video, broadcasting (tweeting)), that even an hour without service can be annoying. Another reason is that the timing might just be perfect - Microsofts new Mango version of the WP7 operating system is hitting mainstream and garnering attention the platform needs. Combine that with the BlackBerry users drifting eyes and there might just be an interesting intersection point being formed.

It could be an opportunistic period of time for Microsoft and WP7 in the lead up to the holiday season. Your opinion please: is this a realistic opportunity for Microsoft, or just a speed bump for RIM?

I just stopped in to my local T-Mobile in Chicago, and to my surprise there was no sign of Windows Phone anywhere in the store. When I asked the employee where it was, she mentioned that T-Mobile was really not focused on Windows Phone because there was a "very specific market" for those devices (whatever that meant). I then asked her about the HTC Radar, and she confirmed they were getting it, but didnt have any information to share. It strikes me as surprising and sad to see that Windows Phone has been overlooked in this way. Id be really interested in hearing from our readers about their experiences. Is this a sign of things to come from T-Mobile?

"We knew as soon as we first clapped eyes on this hulk of a phone that itd make a brave purchase. Its not just the 4.7-inch screen that requires a leap of faith, but also the Windows Phone operating system, which is presented here in all its Mangofied glory but is still very much an early adopters ecosystem."

The HTC Titan with its 4.7 inch screen and f2.2 camera is considered one of the better Mango phones currently or soon to be available. Engadget recently released their review and generally came away impressed. The phone felt sturdy and the camera with mechanical auto-focus took great shots even in low light situations. If you are looking for a Windows Phone, the Titan should definitely be on your list.

Hit read for the whole review.

"A must-have application for parking, going to the countryside or travelling abroad...If you leave a place and want to return there later, just turn Radar on and select the place with one click. Then, when you want to go back, turn Radar on, and it will show you the way."

My wife has this habit of turning on the car alarm when finding our way through a parking lot back to the car - with this app, youll be spared some odd looks. With Radar, you can mark the place you want with GPS, and itll let you know what the direction and distance are to get back. Of course, us guys dont need such help right? :) If youre still interested though, Radars available for $0.99 through the Marketplace.

Nokia World is right around the corner, but already some great looking pictures of the upcoming Nokia 800 have leaked to the internet. While there are no surprises, what we have is a good looking phone in three different colors (black, pink, and blue). The pics also reveal a slightly different font, Nokia Music, and Nokia Navigation apps. Although the phone looks great, many nay-sayers are already pointing out the differences in hardware between this and the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Fortunately for us, we wil know all the details by next week and can determine for ourselves exactly what those differences are (and whether or not they will matter in the end). Nokia World here we come!

"Speed and consistency has always been a hallmark of iOS, but Windows Phone 7.5 beats Apple here with an extremely snappy performance even on old hardware. Windows Phone 7.5 is as consistent as iOS and maybe even more so with less menu options and settings available to the end user. Windows Phone 7.5 does an excellent job with service integration while Apple forces you into the idea of working with specific apps, such as separate Facebook and Twitter apps."

While the comparison of two smartphone platforms is naturally a subjective exercise, one would think that reading the opinions of someone with a fair bit of hands-on experience with both would increase the credibility of the comments. So, it was with some interest I read the editorial by Matthew Miller on the ZDNet site. One of the more interesting points he makes is that the Windows Phone 7 platform is more task oriented (with quite a bit of task integration) when compared to the iOS 5 platform which is more app-centric. He gives quite a strong endorsement for WP7, but comments on the need for better hardware from the vendors. Its an interesting read, and well-worth contemplating.

Its billed as a racing game, but...Im not at all sure how to describe it. To me it looks like a cross between tiddlywinks and extreme lawn bowling, but hey, you cant beat the price - free. 3D Marble Game also features multiplayer, and thats where the pull factor should come in. If you think its worth your time, this new effort by Trillion Games is now available in the marketplace.

I may be selling these sites and working full time for HTC now, but who says I cant have a little more fun giving away a great prize before I go? Last week I posted about the new Audioengine A5+ powered desktop speakers; the generous folks at Audioengine have offered up a set of these new speakers for a contest. With dual inputs (3.5mm and RCA, the latter of which is easily converted to an addition 3.5mm input with a cable) and a USB charging port, the A5+ speakers are a great companion to an endless variety of devices: desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, and yes, even the humble Zune. Ringing in at $399 USD, these are high-quality speakers that I guarantee will blow you away.

How do you win this contest? Simply post a comment to this discussion thread (one entry per person) telling me what your current audio solution for speakers is and how the Audioengine A5+ speakers will be better. One winner will be randomly selected from amongst all the entries and theyll get to chose either a set of black or white A5+ speakers. Due to the size and weight of this prize, it will only be shipped within the continental USA. The contest will remain open until Friday the 28th at 12 PM mountain time (GMT -7).

Best of luck everyone, and I look forward to reading some interesting entries. :-)

UPDATE: The contest is now over, and the winner is ITforSmallBiz. Thanks to everyone for entering!

WinRumours.com broke the news yesterday that Nokia is launching the Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 at Nokia World today. The Lumia 800 will be first delivered to select European countries at a retail price of 540 Euros (unsubsidised) or a little under $600, while the 710 will first appear in emerging markets at a price of 270 Euros. The Lumia 800 will be the flagship model, sporting a 1.4GHz processor, 8MP camera and 3.7" screen.

Just a quick reminder that our giveaway contest to win a set of Audioengine A5+ speakers (valued at $399) wraps up on Friday at noon, so enter now!

As previously reported, the Nokia Lumia has been announced and it is a beautiful phone (in my opinion). The strength of the internals will no doubt be debated (as will the lack of a front-facing camera), but the marketing for the phone is already leagues better than the stuff put out by Microsoft. Take a look at the video above and let us know what you think, then hit up the Nokia Youtube page for more videos of the Lumia 800.

"Ive had some play time with the Nokia Lumia 800 and I was very curious about the new design (which is very close to the Nokias N9, with minor differences). Upon getting the Nokia Lumia 800 in your hand, the first (and most important) thing that you would notice is the new design."

Ubergizmo got their hands on the Nokia Lumia 800 and was kind enough to provide us with a first impression preview. They stated the polycarbonate skin case felt comfortable to hold and is more manageable than most Android phones due to the smaller but still spacious 3.7" AMOLED screen with curved Gorilla Glass. The performance of the single core processor was extremely fluid and the Nokia specific apps were useful. Overall, Ubergizmo was impressed with the Lumia 800 and believes it is the sexiest Windows Phone to date.

The Lumia will be available in Europe next month and the U.S. in early 2012.

"Windows Phone 7.5 is gorgeous, classy, satisfying, fast and coherent. The design is intelligent, clean and uncluttered. Never in a million years would you guess that it came from the same company that cooked up the bloated spaghetti that is Windows and Office. Most impressively, Windows Phone is not a feeble-minded copycat. Microsoft came up with completely fresh metaphors that generally steer clear of the iPhone/Android design (grid-spaced icons that scroll across home pages)."

David Pogue, New York Times columnist, Missing Manual publisher, and Emmy-winning CBS new correspondent knows a thing or two about the tech industry. If you are familiar with the Missing Manual series of books from OReilly Media, you will also be aware that David knows a lot about the Mac platform and all things Apple. So, it is with quite a bit of interest that I read his October 26 column on Windows Phone 7. In short, he is very impressed with it. The column covers both the shortcomings and nice features of the platform, including the new audio and visual searching, character recognition, translation, voice recognition, Xbox integration, and more. Pogue concludes the column with some analysis of why Windows Phone 7 is not as successful as you might expect, and he has hopes that the success will grow.

It doesnt have the chops of the Lumia 800, but I fancy the 710 will probably appeal more to the young and trendy set. Apart from the WP7 chassis specs mandated by Microsoft, the 710 features an FM radio, a decent 3.7" screen, and a 1.4GHz processor - no too shabby. Youll also get the ability to switch the phone covers based on your mood for the day, with in all 10 different colour combinations available. Ive no idea whether any of those covers come in the box - it doesnt appear that any do. Still the price is fairly competitive judging from the unsubsidised price of 270 Euros, and Nokia has been nice enough to include turn-by-turn GPS navigation as standard, covering 90+ countries. That alone makes Nokias offerings enticing, especially for those of us in the boondocks of the world.

"The company just sent out invitations for a "backstage" event held in New York on November 7. Microsofts Windows Phone team, including Andy Lees and Joe Belfiore, along with other partners will be on hand to discuss the platform."

Microsoft will be holding a backstage event on November 7. The invitation states a host of partners will be in attendance for chatting and that a big thing is planned. What the big thing may be is anyones guess at this time.

"Lenovo, last we checked, isnt on board with Windows Phone. But guess what? Here are shots of such a device. Actually, it was rumored back in December 2010 that Microsoft was in talks with Lenovo to join the Windows Phone crowd for China."

WPCentral has attained a few shots of the Lenovo S2 Windows Phone Device. Aside from the front facing camera, hardware specs are unknown at this time.

"When I was unboxing my Lumia 800, I found that the packaging is almost as beautiful as the phone itself..."

Ben Rudolph of the Windows Team Blog has received his Nokia Lumia 800 here in the States. He was kind enough to post a few unboxing shots of his new toy. Overall, the packaging seems to follows the new trend of minimalism and seems clean and neat. See Bens post for a few more shots.

“The flexible display we are looking to introduce sometime in 2012, hopefully the earlier part,” said Samsung’s vice president of investor relations, Robert Yi. “The application probably will start from the handset side.”

At Nokia World, a flexible display was being demonstrated as a method for interaction with onscreen content. Twist the screen to zoom in, twist in the opposite direction to zoom out. Not to be outdone, Samsung has announced that they too have been working on a flexible display. Only time will tell if this will end up as a gimmick, or if software developers will find novel and interesting uses for this technology.

"Acer has launched the Acer Allegro in France, making it Acers first foray into the the worlld of the Windows Phone 7 operating system...The most interesting aspect, however, is the introduction of Fast Charge technology, which apparently charges the devices 1300mAh battery 2.5 times faster than the its other tablets and phones."

Its not a top of the line handset - the Allegro meets the minimum specs for Microsofts mandated hardware for WP7, but thats about it. The biggest differentiator is the fast-charge technology, which is nice given the medium sized battery. Hopefully well be seeing more manufacturers picking this up, as well as more offerings from Acer. The Allegro will retail for 299 Euros sans cointract, which tells you what market this model is aimed at.