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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
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Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets

By | December 13, 2011, 7:06am PST

Summary: Anyone suffering Droidrage?

Microsoft has kicked off a new social media marketing campaign - tell them your Android malware horror stories in exchange for a chance to win a free Windows Phone handset.

Note: Just to be clear, not everyone gets a handset, there are five up for grabs.

Ben Rudolph, Microsoft’s Windows Phone “evangelist”, kicked off the #droidrage campaign on Twitter:

It seems there are no shortage of people willing to share their #droidrage stories:

Others see it as a crass marketing campaign:

And some responses are so funny they deserve to win a phone:

Anyone suffering Droidrage?

Related:

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Topics

Phone, Handset, Malware, Microsoft Windows Phone, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Corp., Android Malware Victim, Malware Victim, Social Media Marketing, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Cyberthreats, Viruses And Worms, Security, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Forrestall 18th Dec
@Rama.NET, I don't think Rick is an Apple troll. It seems for whatever reason he just dislikes Microsoft, some or all of their products and their consumers.

His unreasonable behaviour got worse after arguing over this. It seems he can't accept, comprehend or imagine people not agreeing with him or sharing his lifestyle. Every counterargument makes you a fanboy and anyone with a single Microsoft product must be 100% locked in.
View in thread
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Very innovative of MS
toddybottom 13th Dec
Good job MS, I like it.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
itguy10 13th Dec
@toddybottom

When your CRAP doesn't sell, give it away. Yeah, very innovative. Then again MS has never innovated.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Pete "athynz" Athens 13th Dec
@toddybottom Sure let me trade in my malware free Android phone for a WP7 device that goes wonky when it receives an SMS message... not.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Rapid Rec 14th Dec
@toddybottom "Linux has a ton of vulnerabilities as does OS X. They typically aren't exploited because, as you wrote, hackers don't attack 1% marketshare."
Yep. leave it to you toddy-farty to hijack a thread about MS and turn it into an Apple-bashing thread! Your family must be proud!!
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
mrlinux 13th Dec
Yeah trade it for a phone with a SMS attack
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/windows-phone-hit-by-sms-vulnerability/17099
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Return_of_the_jedi Updated - 13th Dec
@mrlinux

That can't be right, hackers don't attack 1% marketshare.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
bobiroc 13th Dec
@Return_of_the_jedi

No one ever said they don't attack but there are usually less attacks. For the same reason the big national banks are usually spoofed for phishing attacks over a smaller local or regional bank.

I am sorry these simple concepts escape you.
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You are right
toddybottom 13th Dec
@Return_of_the_jedi
And this one is not being exploited.

Linux has a ton of vulnerabilities as does OS X. They typically aren't exploited because, as you wrote, hackers don't attack 1% marketshare.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Gisabun 13th Dec
@Return_of_the_jedi : Duh. Mr. biased one. Did it said that WinPhones were attacked? More like Microsoft is fixing a problem before something occurs - unlike Android phones where they wait for issues to happen or maybe pay hackers to find issues.
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All OSs have bugs
toddybottom 13th Dec
@mrlinux
That isn't the important news. Android has had its fair share of SMS related bugs too like for instance texting one person and having it sent to another and here is another which looks remarkably similar to the WP7 issue:
http://www.ocert.org/advisories/ocert-2009-014.html

Like Android's bugs that are fixed by Google, this flaw will be fixed by Microsoft and then another vulnerability will be found and then fixed. This is the cycle for every OS in existence.

The difference is that Android's malware issues are not bugs, they are literally by design. There are advantages to Google's more open Android store so I'm not being unfair to Google here but there is 1 big disadvantage and that is malware. MS (and Apple) are only saying that if you are tired of that disadvantage, try out a different approach. If you aren't tired of it, you don't have any horror stories and you won't be interested in WP7. No problem.
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Difference from proof of concept and "in-the-wild" attacks.
Bruizer 13th Dec
@mrlinux

Google has had to remote delete millions of apps from users phones.

This is a smart move my MS to bring visibility to their product. Attack an area where Android is very very very weak in. Laughably weak.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Cylon Centurion 13th Dec
@mrlinux

It's not an exploit or an attack.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Socratesfoot 13th Dec
Android horror stories? Anybody? Anybody? Hello? But we're giving Windows phones out free?!? Anyone? - *crickets chirping*
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Crickets chirping? Did you not read the article?
toddybottom 13th Dec
@Socratesfoot
"It seems there are no shortage of people willing to share their #droidrage stories:"

That isn't the sound of crickets chirping, that is the sound of frustrated Android users who want WP7 phones.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Socratesfoot 13th Dec
@toddybottom

Malware on Windows? Share you horror stories and get a free copy of Linux. www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
itguy10 13th Dec
@toddybottom Who wants Windows Phones? Hint: Less than 2% of the marketplace.

I'd make up stories too for a free phone. Unfortunately, it's a garbage Windows Phone.

People will do just about anything for FREE!
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Socratestfoot: Glad to see you change your tune
toddybottom 13th Dec
"Share you horror stories and get a free copy of Linux"

Now that you've admitted there is interest in this, I'll respond with this from itguy above:
"When your CRAP doesn't sell, give it away."

Linux is CRAP.
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RE People will do just about anything for FREE!
bobiroc 13th Dec
@itguy10

Except Use Linux on their desktop of course
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Gisabun 13th Dec
@Socratesfoot : But Linux is already free .... and still no one outside of techies want it. AND it has vulnerabilities.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
jgm@... 13th Dec
@toddybottom If I share my ZDNet troll horror stories, can I get a free account on troll-free Ars Technica website instead?
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
kingcobra23 13th Dec
@Socratesfoot Maybe Apple should get people to drag out their 10 year old PC stories for a chance to win something.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Rick_Kl Updated - 13th Dec
Ben Rudolph: Senior Manager at Microsoft
http://www.linkedin.com/in/benrudolph
That right there casts doubt on any further comments. This reads like many of the old true confession of a Mac to PC switcher.
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What are you insinuating?
toddybottom 13th Dec
@Rick_Kl
Please explain to us what Ben Rudolph being a Senior Manager at MS has to do with casting doubts on Android horror stories?
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Rick_Kl 13th Dec
@toddybottom you need to stop your trolling. You are a known Microsoft troll. Anyone with at least a double digit IQ, can see this is a lame stunt.
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You still haven't answered the question
toddybottom 13th Dec
@toddybottom
This is a marketing stunt put on by a manager at MS for MS. He never pretended to be anything else. MS isn't pretending this to be anything else.

But you didn't originally focus on this being a marketing stunt by MS. You oringinally highlighted Ben Rudolph personally. Why? Why would Ben Rudolph's involvement in an MS marketing stunt be relevant? Apple also puts on identical marketing stunts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Switch_ad_campaign
"It featured what the company referred to as "real people" who had "switched" from the Microsoft Windows platform to the Mac."

So what?
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Rama.NET 13th Dec
@Rick_Kl
Yep, we all you are Apple troll.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Forrestall 18th Dec
@Rama.NET, I don't think Rick is an Apple troll. It seems for whatever reason he just dislikes Microsoft, some or all of their products and their consumers.

His unreasonable behaviour got worse after arguing over this. It seems he can't accept, comprehend or imagine people not agreeing with him or sharing his lifestyle. Every counterargument makes you a fanboy and anyone with a single Microsoft product must be 100% locked in.
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Hate my Droid X
itguy10 13th Dec
But I'm not going to the POS known as Windows Phone.

iPhone here I come. Smart consumers will do the same.
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RE: Microsoft offers Android malware victims free Windows Phone handsets
Rick_Kl Updated - 13th Dec
@itguy10 I hope the majority of the people see this for what it is: A lame marketing stunt, by Microsoft Funny that the stories of droid rage come from areas near Microsoft???s European Offices. I doubt the veracity of any of the stories, as they all reek of Ballmer's foul stench.
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It IS clever, but surprisingly negative; and ...
daboochmeister Updated - 13th Dec
... I do wonder about the reaction from the Windows supporters / fans here, if e.g. Google did the same relative to Chrome OS?

Ironic it breaks at the same time as the WP7 SMS ddos attack ... which of course is more fundamentally MS's responsibility than all the Android "exploits" where a person downloads and gives permissions to an app without researching the pedigree of the app (which is what most of the "exploits" I've seen written about amount to).
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Why am I surprised....
Gisabun 13th Dec
Why am I surprised with the title from Kingsley-Hughes. Misleading people again by not mentioning the limitation in the subject. Oh. By not mentioning it, someone will actually read his "blog" [note the quotes].
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Why am I surprised....
Gisabun 13th Dec
Why am I surprised with the title from Kingsley-Hughes. Misleading people again by not mentioning the limitation in the subject. Oh. By not mentioning it, someone will actually read his "blog" [note the quotes].
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My company just offered Windows Phones (Lumia 800's) to all their staff...
Scrat 13th Dec
... they got TWO people who took them over Blackberries and iPhones.

Enough said.
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I like the following piece...
Solid Water 13th Dec
One security consultant joked that Android malware victims ought to be the last people who receive Windows Phone smartphones, even free ones. "Haven't they suffered enough?"??writes??Security BSides co-founder, Jack Daniel. ??

From "The Register": http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/12/13/microsoft_android_malware/

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