The Best Apps for Windows 7 with a Thinner Selection,

Some people make it a big deal that Apple has 425,000 apps and Android has, by some counts, 250,000.

But would you want a television with 400,000 channels or just 100 great ones?

The Windows Phone 7 platform has “only” 25,000 apps, and that number will quickly grow once Nokia, one of the most popular handset makers, starts producing devices for the platform later this year. Already, though, the phones are good, if you mix in the right apps.

Before I get to my own list, a note or two is in order. The devices come loaded with a mobile version of Microsoft Office, which lets you open and, in some cases, edit Office files. That saves you one big app-related shopping task.

Also, while you can easily browse for apps on a PC, there is no dedicated shopping software for the Mac, so those users must instead browse online and buy on the phone, which can be buggy and frustrating.

Computex: Microsoft Highlights Windows 8 in "Biggest Year Ever"

           

Microsoft Corporate Vice President Steven Guggenheimer, who heads the company's OEM relationships, gave a Computex keynote this afternoon. He showed many demos of Windows 8 and reflected on the huge variety of solutions the company is encouraging with its partners. He called this Microsoft's "biggest year ever," and said it isn't just about Windows 8, but also the embedded version, Windows Phone, a new version of Office, and many others. Still, the focus of the talk was on Windows 8. 

Guggenheimer started by talking about how separate ecosystems for PCs, phones, and TVs are now coming together as single platform. He compared Microsoft's ecosystem to Apple's, which doesn't allow any other company to have a brand, and Android's, which makes each vendor do much of the work toward creating individual ecosystems.

He showed a video with many of the devices running Windows 7 since its October 2009 debut.  Microsoft has sold more than 600 million Windows 7 licenses so far, and Windows 7 is running on about 40 percent of Internet connected devices worldwide. This is all leading up to Windows 8, which he described as a complete re-imagination of Windows. Windows 8 was first publicly shown at Computex one year ago and the company issued the Release Preview last week.

Top 10: Windows Phone 7 Apps

Windows Phone 7 might be the underdog of mobile operating systems, but it holds a special place in our heart thanks to its minimalist Metro user interface and silky smooth operating system. With the latest Mango update adding hundreds of tweaks including Twitter integration, and new phones from the likes of Nokia and HTC giving Android a serious run for its money, there’s never been a better reason to switch. If you’ve just bought a WP7 handset, or are thinking of getting one, make sure you download our top ten apps from the Marketplace.

10. Network Dashboard

If you frequently find yourself running out of battery, you’ll want to disable features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G. Unlike the Quick Settings option in Android, WP7 users normally have to scroll through the settings menu looking for the right options - Network Dashboard adds a set of stylish tiles to the home screen that will take you straight there. It’s also completely free, so there’s no reason not to have these handy tiles just a swipe away.

A quick toggle for Bluetooth should be handy if you use a hands-free kit

9. SimpiRSS

Google’s Reader web app is fantastic for keeping track of all your favourite websites, but its mobile interface on WP7 leaves a lot to be desired. SimpiRSS mimics Microsoft’s Metro user interface, so it feels like a first-party application. Sign in with your Google account and you’ll instantly be able to read all your RSS subscriptions right away, but unlike other apps you can also add extra subscriptions manually. The free version is ad-supported, and the paid-for version costs £1.49.