Your mobile is no 'match' for Windows Phone

Microsoft's Ben Rudolph caused a stir during the Consumer Electronics Show back in January. He showed up with his Windows Phone and challenged speed tests -- to show people with other devices how fast the Microsoft mobile OS was. With that humble beginning the "Smoked by Windows Phone" phenomena was born.

That whole concept certainly paid off in media attention with Rudolph going on mini tours of Microsoft stores, exportation to Nokia stores in other parts of the world and a whole advertising campaign launch. In fact, Rudolph states that the company, along with Nokia, ran "over 250,000 challenges in 54 countries".

But now Windows Phone 8 has arrived and it is time for a fresh idea. Where do you go after something as catchy as that last campaign? According to Rudolph it will be to a new idea that he calls "Meet your match".

What exactly is this? Well, Rudolph describes it as "a different take on our Smoked challenges, focusing not just on why Windows Phone is faster, but also on why it’s better, easier, more useful, and more fun".

Instead of a direct challenge designed to show a Windows Phone handset beating an iPhone or Android strictly with speed, this time Microsoft wants to show you why WP8 is right for you. Don't get the wrong idea here, Rudolph still loves a good challenge, but this time it isn't just to see which is faster. He takes a bit more time, showing Android and iPhone users the ways that Windows Phone 8 is better. The camera in the Nokia Lumia 920 and the new "Kids Corner" app were both used in Rudolph's first videos.

This may not be as quick and catchy as the "Smoked by Windows Phone" concept but it makes for a nice little publicity show nonetheless. Rudolph also appears to have the people skills and demeanor to pull these things off. And that is certainly a special skill. After all, do you really want to be told your device is inferior?