Android smokes Windows Phone in Microsoft challenge

STRIVING MOBILE PHONE PLAYER Microsoft has been accused of being a "poor loser" for failing to cough up a prize when an Android handset beat one of its Windows Phones in a challenge.

The controversy began yesterday in a Santa Clara Microsoft Store that was hosting one of the software company's "Smoked by Windows Phone" challenges. At these events anyone who finishes a given task faster using a handset other than a Windows Phone stands to win a $1,000 HP laptop, assuming they agree to the small print of the competition's terms and conditions.

In the event that they are beaten by a Windows Phone, the challenger can trade in their existing handset for a Windows Phone.

Sahas Katta, CEO of Skatter Tech duly signed the waiver and got in line for the challenge equipped with a Samsung Galaxy Nexus running the latest Android operating system on the Verizon Wireless network.

"The Microsoft Store employee I was up against then explained the selected challenge. Her exact words were the following: 'bring up the weather of two different cities.' The one who could do that first would win. I felt like I struck gold since I knew I already had two weather widgets on my home screen: one for my current location (San Jose, California) and another for Berkeley, California," Katta reported.

"After a three-second count down, I hit the power button on my phone and said 'DONE!' out loud. I had disabled the lock screen entirely, which is a rather awesome out-of-the-box feature of Android that takes you straight to the home screen with a single push of the power button. I didn't even need to touch the screen, since the two weather widgets were already there."

Katta's opponent finished a split-second later. She had two live tiles on her home screen displaying the weather of two different cities as well, but had been delayed by having to swipe away the lock screen.

Not unreasonably, Katta thought that he had won, but was quickly told that he had lost. "I asked for a reason and was told Windows Phone won because "it displays the weather right there". That was rather unclear. I showed her my device which also was showing off the same information with two side-by-side weather widgets on the centre home screen. After pressing for a better reason, I was told that Windows Phone won 'just because'," he posted.

Microsoft "evangelist" Ben the PC guy posted on Twitter, "Relax guys! I wasn't there for the challenge with @sahaskatta so didn't see what really went down. We'll make it right though!"

We have requested and are awaiting comment from Microsoft.

Somewhat ironically Katta appears to be a Microsoft fan, as a quick look at his web site shows. 

Original Article here

Posted in: Android