Nokia recently announced that they have partnered with Microsoft to launch Windows Phones, during the Nokia World conference. The company didn't offer many details of the new smart phones, but they did give consumers a little taste of what they can expect from the Nokia-Microsoft partnership.

Stephen Elop, who announced the Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 710 phones, expressed pride in the new devices, saying that the company is driving innovation in smarter mobile phones and new smartphone experiences. Time will tell how Windows Phones hold up against their Apple and Android competitors.

The news came as a bit of a surprise, as Microsoft hasn't offered much previous competition in the smart phone market. The smart phone industry is largely ruled by two major players: Apple and Android. Apple is no stranger to competing with Microsoft's Windows in the operating system and PC industry. In the past, Apple was considered the underdog, developing alternative PCs to the very popular Microsoft brand. It appears that the tables may have turned. Now that Apple holds a huge portion of the smart phone market, Microsoft is looking like the underdog.

One strong advantage the Windows Phone has over Apple and Android is the exclusive People Hub feature. It serves as a one-stop-app for all your social media and contact needs. Users can access Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to keep their social network updated, and stay updated with their contacts. From the People Hub, users can also call, text or instant message their contacts individually or grouped. The Nokia phones will also have built-in, popular Nokia Maps and Nokia Music features, although they will not be exclusive to Windows Phones.

Nokia is in on the ground floor, being the first company to produce phones that use Microsoft's Windows Phone interface. The Nokia Lumia 800 is the higher-end model. A price is not listed yet, but this phone has a few more impressive features than the Lumia 710. It is beautifully designed, with a sleek, modern look. The 3.7-inch curved display screen almost appears to be floating off the phone.

It includes a built-in Carl Zeiss 8MP wide angle camera lens. The Nokia Lumia 800 runs on a 1.4 GHz Single Core/Qualcomm processor, with a 8-hour running and 16-day sleeping battery charge. This phone will soon be available to customers in the UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

The Nokia Lumia 710 is great for the more budget-conscious smart phone market. The major differences in the two models are in the design, camera and speed. The design of the Lumia 710 is more fun than sleek, but still quite beautiful. The touchscreen uses ClearBlack display technology, which allows optimal visual quality whether you're in or outdoors.

The phone includes a 5MP camera with LED flash and autofocus. It runs on a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon Single Core processor, with a 8-hour running and 18-day sleeping battery charge. The Nokia Lumia 710 will soon be available in Hong Kong, Russia, Taiwan, Singapore and India.