skydrive

While many didn't expect much from Microsoft's Keynote Address at the 2011 Mobile World Congress, Steve Ballmer and company did find a way to surprise us. While the first part of the presentation was a re-cap of the progress Windows Phone 7 has made, the Microsoft CEO also touched on how well the new phones are being recieved by consumers. Nine out of ten Windows Phone users would recommend the phones to other and many feel that Windows Phone 7 is the easiest and most delightful to use.

Building phones that people love and that are operator friendly is the top priority at Microsoft. Ballmer also mentioned that the first update for Windows Phone 7 is only a few weeks away, being release in March and will include the copy/paste feature and overall performance enhancements. No surprises there.

When Windows Phone 7 hits the shelves, it'll take some time for everyone to learn the ins and outs of the new system. We've touched on getting set up with Windows Live and X-Box Live to help you prepare for Window Phone 7.  To add to the resources, U.K. based Pocket-Lint has compiled a list of seventy-two tips and tricks that might give everyone a leg up on the new OS.

As we learn our way around Windows Phone 7, we'll be adding additional tips for Windows Phone 7 to our Help section.  In the meantime, here are a few from the list of seventy-two.

3. Add people to the start page: No it's not just about adding apps to the start page, but people too. Find them in your contacts book, click on the "pin" icon, and they'll be added to your Start page so you can speed dial them whenever you need.

10. What are the dots?: Whenever you see three dots at the bottom of the screen, that's a menu for more options. In photo playback for example, it will give you the options to delete the image or perform a quick upload.

25. Turn off 3G connectivity: There is always someone that will want to turn off 3G network support, presumably to save battery, and if that's you you'll need to head to the Settings, Mobile Network page to do just that. While you'll save battery don't expect those web pages you are surfing to load anytime soon.

32. Auto save your images to SkyDrive: It's always a good to keep a backup of your pictures, and Windows Phone 7 comes with SkyDrive which lets you do just that. In steps the auto upload to SkyDrive option. If you got confused the first time it asked you when you went into the pictures area, don't panic, you can re-enable it via the Applications page hidden within Settings. Go to Settings, swipe to the left and then scroll down to Pictures & Camera. In there you'll find the option to set the Auto Upload feature on.

53. Get rid of the "Sent from my Windows Phone" signature: Annoyed by that "sent from my iPhone" message you always get from your mates, and don't feel you need to brand your messages with the Windows Phone 7 love - don't panic, you can turn it off. In Mail press the three dots, select Settings, and then either turn off email signature or change it to whatever you want - maybe "Sent from my iPhone".

61. Merging your contacts: If you've got your contacts book filled with Facebook, Gmail and Hotmail, maybe even your work email, then chances are some of your core friends are going to be in your contacts book a couple of times. Windows Phone 7 is clever enough to "link" these contacts so they are shown under a single page. If it misses some, go into People, select a contact and then press the "chain" icon at the bottom of the page. You can then link further contacts to this page if you wish.