your pads shouldn't be worn after 7 mo unless you drive A LOT, or abuse your pads A LOT. Take them out, clean them, and apply some anti-squeal goop to the back of the pads and on the shims. That should quiet them down. Its very easy to tell whether your pads are worn just by looking at them. When you take them out, I'm sure you'll find you have plenty life left in them.

When the time does come to replace/upgrade, I've found my axxis ultimates to be very effective and friendly street pads aside from a bit of dust (I don't wash my car anyway, so who cares).