While discussing the move to Microsoft's next great hope in the mobile space, the Redmond COO told the world that the transition is expected to happen in the October timeframe across Europe, and in the November timeframe in the US. This is the most explicit anyone from Microsoft has been about the likely launch date for Windows Phone 7, and sets up the intriguing potentiality of Europeans getting to savor the goodness of the brand new OS ahead of their US brethren. See Kevin dishing the info on video after the break.

If you think Street View is awesome, you've got to check Microsoft's Street Slide. Virtual sightseeing (and even window shopping) will from now on be a lot more fun. Check out the video demo inside.

Street View is my favorite Google Maps feature but that doesn’t mean that I’ve missed its flaws. Moving along the street (virtually) happens by moving from one 360-degree photographic bubble to another. While you’re in a bubble you can hardly see what’s in the next. And zooming in doesn’t help much either so you need to move to the next bubble – step by step, click by click.

That might not only ruin all the fun but can also be quite disorienting.

Well, the guys over at Microsoft Research seem to have found the solution for that. They have just demonstrated the Street Slide. The new technology stitches bubbles into a large strip that allows you to easily zoom in and out and move along the street facades.

What you actually get is a multi-perspective street slide panorama. Above and below the strip there is additional information (such as street names and signs, building numbers, store names, even a mini-map) which helps you find what you’re looking for a lot easier than before.

And here comes the video demonstrating the impressive Street Slide:

Microsoft in a bid to revive its flagging mobile phone strategy, is to introduce a new line of handsets with social networking capabilities aimed at the younger market. 

The new mobile phones will be on sale in the US some time in April according to information reported in theWall Street Journal. They are based on a Microsoft development project code-named “Pink” and made available through a partnership with Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications Inc and the Vodafone Group PLC. 

Microsoft has scheduled a press event for the 12 April in San Francisco, which has prompted speculation that the company will reveal its new Pink range. Coupled with the slogan: “It’s time to share”, this would fit the profile of the new social-oriented phones. 

The new development shows that Microsoft is becoming more focused on the hardware aspect of the mobile phone business in order to satisfy consumers’ need for greater sophistication in handsets. 

It is Microsoft itself that has designed the software, hardware and online services for the Pink mobile phones, while Sharp of Japan are responsible for their manufacture. 

Microsoft need a handset that can show off the abilities for its new Windows Phone 7 Series, if they are to gain ground against Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Nexus One. Pink could be the handset range to flex the muscles of Windows Phone 7 Series and truly give Apple and Google something to think about. 

However, given the immense success of the iPad which sold 300,000 units last week, Microsoft's press announcement could well be for its Courier e-tablet, which is also waiting in the wings. 

No big surprise here, but HP Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley just flat-out confirmed to CNBC that HP will not be making any Windows Phone 7 devices, preferring instead to focus on the newly-acquired webOS for its line of smartphones. Here's the entire exchange:

Q: Can you make webOS successful with developers when you're selling Windows Phone 7, maybe Android or Linux at the same time?

A: We continue to be Microsoft's biggest customer, and we continue to believe we will drive innovation with Microsoft. At the same time, I think it's clear to say, that we're very focused on the customer, and giving the customer the experience that's important to them. We won't do -- will not do a Linux / Android phone. We won't do a Microsoft phone.

Q: So no Windows Phone 7?

A: We will continue to more broadly deliver the webOS-based phones that are in the market today, and Jon and his team have driven a strong roadmap for the future.

Q: So does that mean you're going webOS only for phones?

A: For smartphones it does. Our intent is to focus those resources and really make webOS the best OS it can be.

You'll remember that yesterday Microsoft was being uber generous by providing all its 90,000 employees around the world with a free Windows Phone 7 device... well you know the old saying, nothing in life is free. TechFlash has a hold of what they are saying is an internal memo from Microsoft. The memo basically says that Microsoft expects its employees, (you know, the ones getting the free phones) to "evangelize" the product at every possible opportunity. Ok so that's not unreasonable, especially if they're working for the company that makes the OS powering the phone. However, there's a bit more to it because Microsoft are also expecting their employees to set aside some spare time to develop apps for the platform, and yes I did indeed type 'spare time'. How much 'sapre time' Microsoft employees have, and whether they will want to use it developing apps remains to be seen. Still a free phone is not so bad, even if you do have to look busy using it.