The Windows Mobile blog has a nice write-up on the custom interface that Microsoft, HTC and T-Mobile worked on for the new T-Mobile Shadow.
What’s different about Neo compared to Microsoft-shipped homescreens is the liberal use of the QVGA screen for images. Remember the Windows default homescreen that ships with every Windows Mobile Standard device? It shows as much information on the screen as possible to minimize scrolling. It was designed for a user who wants to view things on the go without touching the device.
The default homescreen puts as many plugins on the screen at once, but Neo does the opposite – each plugin occupies one full page. When you navigate up and down, the whole screen animates to the newly-activated plugin. In addition, there is a navigation bar on the left so you can tell which plugin you’re at.
Neo promises to only be the beginning. As you can see, Microsoft is spending more of a focus on creating a good user experience, and working with the operator to deliver for their customers. Be on the lookout for more personalized experiences!