Hi Drew,
I've been a supporter of Windows Phone since before it's official inception. I always though I never wanted a cell phone at all, I didn't like the entire idea of being connected wherever you went (found it unnecessary). However, back in say April of 2010, I heard that Microsoft was re-entering the smartphone market. I had always though Windows Mobile 6.5 was different, so I decided to do some more searching around on this new "Windows Phone 7". I managed to find/snag the leaked emulator from an early unfinished build of the operating system.
Let's just say that then I knew. I would buy a Windows Phone handset as soon as they became available. The launch was in October 2010 and I purchased an LG Quantum for Christmas. I used the device for 17 months, before purchasing the Samsung Focus S i937 from eBay (only available on AT&T in the USA). I've been using that device since May and it's a trooper! It's only 110 grams and 8.5 mm thick, however I've dropped it (and even thrown it while angry) on floors, lawns, gravel, desks. After all that abuse, the only mark on the device is 2 shallow scratches on the screen (which happened when I fell asleep on the bus and the phone slid out of my hand and along some lose dirt that was on the floor).
So to say I'm not ecstatic to get my hands on a Windows Phone 8 device, would be a complete lie. I can't wait! My carrier has announced they'll be launching the HTC 8X on November 15th. They are also supposed to launch another device, but I guess that will be later (they originally launched the LG Quantum and then the HTC HD7 several months later). I've heard some great things about the device, and it looks beautiful. The Beats Audio enhancement just adds to the deal (recently bought an HP business notebook with Beats and it sounds better than my 5.1 surround system). My only issue is the battery. Being powered by an S4 dual-core with LTE and 1 GB of RAM, the 1800 mAh battery sounds lack luster. Many people around the internet have noted that as well. My single core Focus S has a 1650 mAh battery which granted can give me comfortably 14 hours of moderate usage, or 10 of heavy. If the 8X can't live up to this, I'll have to investigate other options, such as the Nokia Lumia 920 or Samsung ATIV S, which won't (immediately) be available on my carrier, which means I'd have to shell out 550+ to buy one outright.
As for the operating system, Windows Phone 8 now runs on the CE kernel (the same one as Windows 8), so there's great potential. I'm particularly excited for the Skype integration and Wallet (which is similar to Google Wallet, allowing you to setup your phone using credit/debit cards and use it as an NFC payment option).
