I have used an iPhone for years, so I am used to the standard grid of apps on an iOS home screen. Android offers some unique capabilities, but still appears similar to iOS at face value. But, the is a distinctive trademark of the mobile OS, and should make the experience unique.

If the Windows Phone 7 tiles were just a different shape than an iOS app icon, that wouldn't be very impressive or add any value. But, the tiles are more than that. Windows Phone 7 gives me the ability to pin virtually anything to my start screen as a tile--enabling me to configure my Windows Phone 7 device to cater specifically to me.

Pin Away!

Windows Phone 7 lets me pin not only apps, but contacts, and even websites to the start screen. In a word, this is "awesome".

Why? Because, it makes the smartphone both more customizable--enabling me to make the start screen into exactly what I need it to be, and more functional--giving me simple one-tap access to the apps, contacts, and sites I need most.