There has been a lot of rumors about what’s coming in the newest update for Windows Phone 7, codenamed Mango. It has over 500 changes, and the Windows Phone Team has written a nice post showcasing some of the best ones and why they decided to implement the changes.

The next release of Windows Phone introduces on-phone podcasts, new features like Smart DJ (my personal favorite), and loads of refinements and tweaks that make it easier to find and enjoy great music and video. As one of the program managers that helped conceive and design many of these new features (yes, I do get paid to listen to music all day), I thought it’d be fun to tell you not only what changes we’re making in Mango but also to give you a little insight into why we’ve made them.