There is an article on Silicon.com which states that Microsoft is moving into Ericsson and Nokia's backyard, despite the plans that Microsoft had to expand its European presence suffering terrible setbacks...

It says that Microsoft is aiming for corporate users - which is not where Symbian is growing right now, so where is this backyard? Maybe it's in another Matrix somewhere? I'd hardly think that saying a consumer launch could follow, constitutes an invasion of Symbian's territory.

Maybe Microsoft is realising that normal, Joe-blogs in the street doesn't want a Microsoft phone? Microsoft does have a long history of knowing things but not admitting it.

Now, you're going to hate (maybe even flame) me for this but I am currently using an SPV and I'll tell you what, it sucks the big one! It was given to me and so I figured I'd give it a try to see how it measures up. Expect a comparison soon, but the bottom line is that it Microsoft Smartphone 2002 is not a valid platform for a mobile phone.

Not wanting to give too much away before the report is finished, I am amazed at how sluggish and unreliable the phone is. I honestly thought my 7650 was slow until I saw how long it takes to get a simple menu up on an SPV, and the freezing for a matter of seconds, for no apparent reason, is something that my 7650 has never done! And don't even get me started on battery life!

So, keep your eyes peeled for a comparison between an SPV and a 7650 (I don't even need to go so far as a 3650, the 7650 stands its ground perfectly well). It won't be based on technical specifications, but on performance in the field (as it were). And yes, it will be fair (for indeed, there are positive elements to it).

In the meantime, friends don't let friends buy Microsoft phones!