Using the Windows Phone 7 interface

- First unlock your phone. Press the power button and slide the background image up to unlock.

- You'll see the Start screen with a variety of tiles that represent various functions of your phone.

- By default you should see Call, People, Messaging, and Hotmail, though you can add other email accounts. Scroll down to see more options.

- The flick gesture can be used to scroll up and down or to move left or right. Flick left to see a more detailed app list.

- If you tap and hold one of these apps you will see a context menu with a set of options based on the item you selected.

- In the Messaging menu you can hit the + icon to create a new message. Select your addressee by name or phone number and type your message below.

- In the People menu you can search for your contacts and tap and hold to call them. You can even see social media feeds from your contacts if they use Facebook or Twitter.