Updated: now read our full and definitive Windows Phone 7 review.

Microsoft might have been working on Windows Phone 7 for a year and a half or so, but only now is it getting to the point where it can be considered ready for market.

We bagged some hands on time with a near-final version of the software and gave it a thorough test ahead of our final Windows Phone 7 review.

• Windows Phone 7 phones: all the handsets

The interface is the same as day one - tiles in a big long list that offer up titbits of information about various subjects.

Got email? Displayed. Upcoming event? On the screen. Friend updates contact picture on Facebook? Little winking emoticon that changes whenever you get a message? Ability to pin things you actually need to the start menu? All check.

But the main thing is this interface actually works, and works well - you swipe, it doesn't lag and pretty much does what you expect it to do under the finger.

Opening the tiles is also better than expected - the applications load quickly, the transitions are smooth and once again there doesn't appear to be a hint of slow down. Microsoft has clearly worked out what users want in a 'delightful and simple experience, and the hardware optimisation is excellent. for the core apps.

Moving tiles around the front screen is pretty easy - simply drag and drop and the interface will re-sort itself to match what you're trying to do.

The flat, plain tile interface is something we feel users will have to get used to, but at least it offers up a wealth of information, so it will be easy to see what's going on.

If you're not so bothered by this view you can scroll left to get to the list of applications, although hitting the home button will always take you back to the tiled view.

There are little delights too - when a text comes in it will display at the top of the screen, so you can tap it and enter.

Or when a Wi-Fi network is available, the phone will tell you - simply swipe it away to make the notification disappear. It's not a killer feature but certainly really adds to the slickness.

Contacts and Messaging

Other elements on the Windows Phone 7 operating system seem to work well too - with contacts and messaging well-equipped.

Contacts can be tied in with Facebook, Google and your Windows Live ID, meaning you can easily browse information and photos from your friends should they have uploaded such, and comment on them too.

However, while linking is easy and intuitive you seem to have to have the Windows Live contact uppermost, meaning if they have different names (such as their surname attached) you have to either delete that section or go and change the name, which is irritating.

Also we've seen this trick before - the HTC Sense UI, for instance, does this with aplomb already, and more besides.

It's not a bad thing to see it again, but it shows that Microsoft is playing catch up in the smartphone game - although better to get things right now and be seen as a copycat than trying to reinvent the wheel just to be 'innovative'.

Messaging is great - especially when it comes to the on-screen keyboard. In both portrait and landscape modes it's highly accurate and decent at word correction too - we're taking iPhone/HTC levels of accuracy here, and the pops and clicks associated are lots of fun too.

As you can imagine, a number of email standards (POP, IMAP, Exchange) are all supported here, so you'll be able to continue using email on the go as before.

Set up is super-easy - even Exchange only needs a name and password in some cases and it can set up your corporate account. True, this is a Microsoft phone, but if you ever tried to sync email on a Windows Mobile phone you'll know it was like trying to negotiate with an otter. A Finnish one.