Mango from Windows for smartphone.

With Android's Ice Cream Sandwich and the iPhone 5 on the way, Windows Phone 7 needs an update to fill in the missing pieces. The Windows Phone 7.5 'Mango' brings with it a comprehensive list of fixes and features, but how sweet is it in action?

Windows Phone 7.5 (codenamed 'Mango') is a major software update for Windows Phone, the mobile operating system by Microsoft. Although the OS internally identifies itself as version 7.1, it is marketed as version 7.5 in all published materials intended for end-users.

It's full of people-centric features that make it easier to stay in touch with friends and family, to communicate, and to share ideas. It's easier to use than Android, and in many ways slicker than Apple's iOS. Mango brings dozens, if not hundreds, of new features to Windows Phone.

Features:

1)  Multitasking

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango has multitasking capabilities, but what you get from these depends on the apps you run. Some apps – music players, for instance – get to run in the background, but mostly what you get is the same fast-task switching as before, with the addition of an app picker view so you can choose what you want to go back to.

2) Social Integration

Only Windows Phone has a People Hub with one-touch access to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, so you'll always be in the loop. Skim the latest posts and pictures from your friends. Dial, text, or IM your contacts, one at a time or in groups. Or use the Me card to post your status, see who's writing on your Wall, or change your profile pictures, right from your phone.

You can also chat with Facebook friends just like you were sending text messages. In fact, you can reply to a text message with a Facebook message and vice versa, and the whole conversation shows up in the same place.

3) Internet Explorer 9

Internet Explorer Mobile puts the web in your pocket, harnessing the power of your phone's hardware for faster, smoother web browsing. Open multiple tabs, get search suggestions as you type in the address bar, and tap phone numbers and addresses on webpages to call or map them. Internet Explorer is social, too: with a few taps in the browser, you can share a web link to your social networks or via email. If you buy a Windows Phone 7 device, Bing may well be your browser of choice. If your operator has a deal with Yahoo instead, you can thankfully now change the default browser search back to Bing. Unsurprisingly, you can't opt for Google, though.

4) Groups and Marketplace hub

Groups help you focus on the contacts that matter. Organize your favorite folks into Groups – family, friends from the neighborhood, soccer parents. Then you can email, text, or chat with a whole Group at once. Pin a Group to Start, and you'll see missed calls, new messages, and social networking updates from the Group members.

Marketplace is the place to shop for music, TV shows, movies, podcasts, and tens of thousands of standout apps and marquee games. Available in three places—your phone, the web, or the Zune software on your computer—Marketplace is quick and convenient. Lots of things are free, you can often try before you buy, and one-click billing makes checkout a breeze.

5) Music, Video and Xbox

The Music + Videos Hub is your anytime entertainment center. Play your tunes—synced from your PC—or download new music from Marketplace. Watch TV shows, movies, and your own videos on the high-res screen. Create custom playlists or let Smart DJ do it for you. And add an optional Zune Music Pass to get unlimited music for a low monthly fee.

Word games, strategy, action—there's a game for everyone in Marketplace. The Games Hub is your on-the-go arcade, where you can play solo or use the free Xbox LIVE service to match wits with friends wherever you are. You can even track your Gamerscore and dress up your avatar, right on your phone

Conclusion

Windows Phone 7.5 is supremely usable, surprisingly powerful and delivers the experience Microsoft has been promising, with only a few rough edges left.

This means the operating system has the same elegant and engaging user interface as ever, with colourful tiles and plenty of white space – but it now also has key features that were previously missing to help it match the current versions of iOS and Android. Some aspects even leapfrog other platforms.

Windows Phone 7 has plenty to offer, but so does its more established rivals. I guess what I’m saying is that if a friend asked me for a smartphone recommendation, I’d still suggest they choose between the iPhone and Android unless they’re inextricably entwined in the Microsoft and/or Zune ecosystem. That could change in 2012 and it will be interesting to see how Microsoft continues to build on what is a solid smartphone foundation.