Stephen Fry Welcomes Windows Phone 7

Geek icon Stephen Fry surprised the world by applauding the launch of Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7, having derided previous mobile operating systems from Microsoft as “soulless grey office blocks”.

Speaking at the London launch, the writer and performer, who is known for his love of Apple’s iPhone, praised the “sleek” user interface, and said it was “just fun to play with” and had earnt a place in his pocket alongside the iPhone, Android and the BlackBerry Torch. Microsoft announced six Windows Phone devices from LG, Samsung, HTC and Dell which will be available, as predicted, on October 21 in the UK.

“Microsoft can be proud”

“Microsoft has done something it can be proud of,” said Fry, who took the stage unannounced at the London launch, in the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) . He emphasised several times that Microsoft had not paid him – and made a disparaging remark about Windows Vista to prove his independence.

“Windows Vista was as good as the shit on my shoe,” he said – lending more credence to his favourable remarks on the new Phone OS. While Microsoft had previously been dull and corporate, this time round it had acknowledged that people are “human beings first”.

“What joy there is in heaven when one sinner repenteth,” said Fry, over Microsoft’s change of heart.

New York launch

Meanwhile in New York, Steve Ballmer spat out a pre-packaged line, saying Windows Phone was “Always delightful, wonderfully mine”, before handing over to demonstrators and operators who are delivering the phone.

The UK will have six Windows Phone 7 devices: HTC’s Mozart, Trophy and HD7, Samsung’s Omnia 7 and LG’s Optimus 7, along with the Dell Venue – a business-oriented phone with a slide-out keyboard, which will be available for purchase, and not through operators.

All five – sorry, four – UK operators will have Windows Phone 7 devices, with Everything Everywhere (Orange/T-Mobile) named as lead partner.