Windows Phone 7 OS is going to be Microsoft's mobile entertainment platform, by bringing gaming to the player anywhere they go, and the ability to network with all your LIVE friends, Microsoft is coming out the gate swinging. Steve Ballmer announced today the games hub will not only connect you to your XBox LIVE accounts but also bring a new wave of gaming to your mobile hand held.

With almost 23 million players on LIVE, and the ability to use this operating system on any number of phones this OS could give Apple a run for it's money. I really like the ability to Collect Achievements, this feature is what has made apps like Gowalla and Foursquare so popular. This could be a turning point in mobile gaming, a milestone for the "gamer on the go". We should hear more about Windows Phone 7 in the coming weeks, and with a tentative release date of "Holiday 2010", XBox LIVE users could start switching phone OS's.

Microsoft will be explaining more details of the XBox LIVE integration at the MIX10 Web Conference in Las Vegas this March. We will keep everyone posted as we hear more details.

Press release here.

Steve Ballmer announcement here.

Demonstration of Phone OS in the video below. If you want to skip all the technical mumbo jumbo and get to the actual XBox LIVE talk, skip to 21:10 to hear them talk about the integration.