Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, your lovely Valentine’s Day surprises, the NBA All-Star Game, or what you think of the Winter Olympics so far, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Earlier today, Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 7 Series at Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress. It’s an important step for the company’s mobile future and by most accounts, it’s a huge leap forward for the Windows Mobile Operating System. After losing ground to RIM’s BlackBerry OS in the business world, as well as Apple’s iPhone OS and Google’s Android OS in the consumer market, Microsoft is stepping up its game. One of the ways it’s attempting to reach out to consumers is through connectivity with Xbox Live. Here’s the official description of Windows Phone 7′s “games hub”:

This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox Live experience on a phone, including Xbox Live games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer’s avatar, Achievements and gamer profile. With more than 23 million active members around the world, Xbox Live unlocks a world of friends, games and entertainment on Xbox 360, and now also on Windows Phone 7 Series.

There are a several interesting implications here. First of all, Microsoft has a huge opportunity to compete with and possibly eclipse the games market in Apple’s iPhone App Store. The company already has deep relationships with several of the best game developers and publishers in the world. Secondly, Windows Phone 7 Series has the chance to extend the social aspects of Xbox Live in a major way. So many people use Facebook and Twitter on mobile devices. By unchaining Xbox Live from a console or PC, the company could make the service a major force in social networking.

I want to know what you think of Windows Phone 7 Series. Check out the official press release and look at its impressive features. Can you see yourself using a Windows Phone 7 Series device in the future? If so, is Xbox Live connectivity a major reason why?