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Microsoft Offers Free Windows Phone Devices To Malware Infected Android Users – Over 3,200 Applied?

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Earlier this week, Microsoft went on an Android bashing spree with one of the members of their Windows Phone team, Ben Rudolph, offering free Windows Phone devices to Android users fed up with Android’s growing malware problem. A condition known as “Droid Rage” according to Microsoft.

So, just how many Droid Raged users were willing to swear their allegiance to WP7? According to Microsoft’s Bill Cox, who revealed the results via his Twitter today — they received over 3,200 applicants who shared their Android “horror stories.” in an effort to gain a free WP7 smartphone. Now, I wouldn’t exactly call this a “win” for Microsoft or Windows Phone 7. Exactly how many of these “stories” were completely genuine and how many were fabricated in an effort to gain a new $600 smartphone, remains to be seen.

What’s more, in a bitter twist of irony, a security flaw in the newest version of Windows Phone 7 Mango that was exposed this week, allowing for anyone to send an SMS to a user that will completely reboot their device and completely disable the messaging app altogether. Those in glass houses, Microsoft…

[WinRumors | Electronista]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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45 Comments

  1. Yeah, 3200 doesn’t mean anything. I applied and made up some story because I wanted to win something for once. I’m sure the majority did the same. 

  2. Yeah I wonder how many people were bull-jiving just to get a free gadget. I admit I pretended to have some “Droid-Rage”. This is tomfoolery. 

    On another note, it is very interesting seeing the perspective from the windows phone fans. So used to iPhone vs Android, seems so foreign to see someone pumping up something else. Kind of funny too, like this one tweet from that clown “Sometimes Android just makes me feel so stupid. God help those who aren’t in tech #droidrage” and this one- “What are you talking about? Android’s great! I’m tweeting this to you now on my Andr…. (battery died) #droidrage”

  3. I’d gladly infect my decommissioned Eris with malware if it would land me a free phone. I don’t think I’ll ever leave Android, but I think Windows Phone 7 would be my choice if I did and a free phone just to fool around with or gift to someone would be nice.

  4. @Syrenz
    So your willing to lie in order to try to get a free phone. It’s amazing what people will do for something free. I’d be ashamed to admit something like that to anyone let alone in a public forum. Must make your relatives very proud.

    1. yup! 

      Actually tbch I didn’t specifically say that I had been affected by malware. I just implied it by replying to his post and saying that “it sure sucks to get X”. I do have some morals, but yup nonetheless

  5.  i’d totally make up a story to win a phone. that way i could sell it on ebay and make a huge profit since windows phones are in such demand….oh wait…

  6. I find it ironic Microsoft wants to bring malware infected Android users to even more malware infected Windows

    1. except windows phone 7 is the mac of phones:
      nobody bothers making malware for it, because it’s not worth it.
      windows phone is not the same as the windows you have on your computer.

      1. he was talking about desktop windows – what microsoft’s actually known for – and its super easy to get malware, viruses, trojans, ect on them. 

        1. but microsoft isn’t trying to bring android users to desktop windows, they are trying to bring android users to windows phone 7.

          1. Which will be like Windows 8 and be as infested with malware like window xp

  7. That’s dumb. Also, the company that makes a series of operating systems that are more riddled with viruses and horrible bugs than any other is bashing an OS that has only a few…  hypocrite much? And honestly the majority of people who get viruses are morons. But hey… I guess that’s their demographic.

    Especially with Android, you have no excuse for not reading the reviews for an application you downloaded.

    1. or at least installing something useful to scan for viruses, like Lookout.

      1. Totally agree with you guys. Seriously, why are there so many morons who don’t read the reviews first before buying an app??? 
        I ALWAYS read the reviews first before download an app whether it’s a free or paid (especially the paid ones)

        1. reading the reviews is not helpful at all.. especially with more than 60% downvoting a particular app because its not pretty, or because they have a welfare android phone and cant install it. its hit and miss. i download an app because i want to, not because of what the never satisfied masses say about it. Plus i never pay attention to permissions, but thats a whole different story

          1. On that note don’t cry when you step on a landmine. If it is a 4+ rated application with plenty of downloads I don’t go into detail with reading the reviews, but you do need to know when to exercise caution. You can’t be too careful. But yes, I do agree with you that there is a large number of people who leave completely unhelpful comments.

          2. Actually all reviews in the market are helpful to an extent. Particularly when i buy a paid app i look for anything such as does not work on my sensation or force closes or waste of time. Really is helpful. I don’t look at permissions either its one of those things you should do but you don’t because you really don’t want to read so much.

  8. 3200? Wow, that would be like triple the number of people who would have a WP7 phone, then.

    1. I shared a horror story (a made up one) because the moral of the story is free stuff is still free stuff.

        1. You forgot to add Hippie.  Always add Hippie.

    2. If they want to bash Android they should stop taking royalties from it.  Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

    3. I Tweeted this to them: https://twitter.com/#!/PHADE818/status/147765024771940352

      1. LOL that’s awesome!

  9. In other news Google offers free Chromebooks to windows users who have had to deal with malware. Over six billion applied.

  10. Screw Microsoft there phones are junk and slow and after awhile they become very Laggy and slow…just like wait what’s that ….

    Oh Yeah a computer running windows!!! Hahah I love xbox I have one to be honest and I love my computer but i hate windows!!!!

  11. If your stupid enough to download something with a title like, for example “sexy hot girlfriend pics” your 1. Desperate 2. Stupid for downloading such and app and deserve to have your phone riddled with malware, go ahead and jump ship to CrapPhone7. You can normally get an idea of an app by its title. Common sense prevails, read comments, check ratings and GOOGLE it if your unsure. No mobile OS is free from malware/viruses or hackers, a flaw of the digital age we live in! And those in society thinking, oh my iPhail has no probs with that kinda stuff, yeah right….carry on then!

  12. It’s Microsoft’s malware, created by Microsoft to lure Android users who want free phone (shame shame shame).  Not me

  13. I don’t understand…….that Ben guy said windows 7 “upgrade”. He needs a dictionary because i’m pretty sure it’d be a downgrade.

  14. I think Windows is having a bit of Droid rage… “Damnit google, defeating our rival while we can’t even get a foot hold in the cellphone market… DROIDRAGE!!!!”

  15. 3200 out of 200 million Androids and MS is gloating? lol

    1. I used to love Microsoft, Xbox is still sweet but i still won’t forgive MS for letting Apple run wild the last decade, thank god for Google because MS hasn’t done crap since uncle Willy stepped down

  16. It’s Funny Cause Thats Not Including All The People Who “Applied” Cause They Wanted A Free Phone

  17. And are they required to give MS their infected Android phone as an exchange ?… I would imagine the numbers would be a bit different then.

  18. You have to be pretty ignorant or just apathetic to get “infected” on Android (carrier IQ not withstanding). 

  19. 3200 and I’d bet that most of those are happy android users that want a free gadget. Me included.:)

  20. Anything for a free Buck the truth is unlike Microsoft apple won the first round because they were over protection of there devices android has few flaws but only because Google’s to lazy to support every freaking updated phone but there own unless u own a nexus ur pretty much sol on top updates hints that its not androids fault that there dev’s are to lazy to send in a update fixing the holes I have a prevail from Samsung there’s only 2 updates I recived one 2.2.2 and 2.3.5 that was like what 4 to 6 months gap if android is to successful overcome many company’s there dev needs to keep with the updates but that’s just my IMO

    1. google isn’t too lazy to update, it’s the manufacturers.
      google can’t just push an update to every single phone out there, because manufacturers all make their own small(and big) changes, and use their own hardware components.

  21. How about offering a free Windows phone for every owner of a Malware infested Windows Pc?
    Oh wait… Thats every single one out there….. XD

    Also, im sure more then half of that 3200 are fake cases to begin with.
    Some people will do or say ANYTHING to get something for free.
    Hence how the majority of those real malware infected android devices became infected to begin with. People not wanting to get something for free…. ;)

    I know I can’t be the only one, but would you really download apps from a developer named RuFraud?? Seriously? Just saying the name doesnt make you think twice about installing it?

    That said, Google really should do something about the market. I understand that they want to be open and let people put whatever they want up, but they really should atleast look at the stuff before they put it up there. lol
    Not everyone looks at the privileges for every app they install. Not that it even matters. Their are plenty of legitimate apps out there that ask for permissions that don’t really make much sense because of the stupid ads and crap like that.

  22. I’d like for them to be legit competitor, since competition is always good.

    But they, of all people, should know that popular OS just has more malwares. They used to laugh at ‘well mac is safe’ argument against them and now they’re using the same stance… Hah. I guess they’re that desperate. Playing Mac strategy means so far from being competitive and just trying to carve a niche…. -_-

  23. I’m surprised the number is so low, considering it’s likely a high percentage to entries were fabricated stories submitted solely to win a new device the winner could then turn around and sell to some dolt.  But, as with any platform, the weakest link in device security is the user, so those who have really experienced problems on Android are very likely to experience similar problems on Windows Phone, or any other platform they move to.

  24. Yep give me a free windows phone so i can sell it and buy a better android muhahah

  25. So 3200+ added users would instantly double the amount of wp7 users. Just give out free xbox 360s like everyone else is. This just seems pathetic. Anything to try to be relevant I guess. They’re running out of ideas if this is where they’re at.

  26. I’m more fed up with the lack of polish and smoothness of Android.  I’d happily switch to WP7, and I really want to… But there’s no LTE offerings on Verizon, with no hope on the horizon.  Looks like i’ll be sticking with a Galaxy Nexus or Razer for now.  If only there was a really nice phone without a stupidly large screen…

  27. Now that is irony at its very best… :)

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