Microsoft hits a new low, compares Samsung Galaxy S4 to Nokia Lumia 521

Microsoft's marketing lacks consistency. The software giant goes on from releasing some of the most memorable smartphone commercials to ridiculing itself through pathetic ads. In a new low, Microsoft's Windows Phone evangelist Ben Rudolph decides that "How much tech gear can you get for the price of a Galaxy S4?" is a (fair) question which should be answered with: a Nokia Lumia 521 and a bunch of other things.

The first problem is that this question is not addressed to a broad range of potential Galaxy S4 buyers, but rather US residents looking to purchase Samsung's Android flagship. I'm going to call it for what it is -- deceptive. Ben Rudolph kicks off with the local price of the device at BestBuy, where the retailer asks $749.99, even though it can be had for roughly $100 less through Amazon, where it's listed at about $650.

But, really, the US is mostly a postpaid market where folks go to the mobile operators' stores and grab smartphones at subsidized prices. At local carriers AT&T and Verizon, the Galaxy S4 runs for $199.99 on a two-year contract which is what most people will end up paying and choosing. Again, deceptive.

"Samsung's new Galaxy S4 has a good camera, a good display, thousands of apps, and the ability to keep you connected to the weather, sports, news, and all of the people you care about", says Ben Rudolph.

And here comes the kicker: "The new Nokia Lumia 521 also has a good camera, a good display, thousands of apps, and the ability to keep you connected to the weather, sports, news, and all of the people you care about and because it's a Windows Phone, it does so arguably better than Android", according to Rudolph.

The Lumia 521 is indeed a good phone for the money (goes for $149 at Microsoft Store) but it doesn't hold a candle to the Galaxy S4. The latter offers a larger screen with a higher resolution, faster processor, better back-facing camera and a shooter on the front (the latter is absent on the Lumia 521) and not to mention a significantly larger app selection through Google Play.

The number of apps is meaningless (even though Google Play puts Windows Phone Store to shame in this regard), but the fact is that Windows Phone is still behind Android when it comes to popular and quality offerings.

Nonetheless, Rudolph plows through. The man says that instead of grabbing the Galaxy S4 for a whopping $750 folks can get the $150 Lumia 521 and spend the difference ($600) on a 16 GB microSD card slot, a three-month Xbox Music pass, a pair of Nokia-branded earbuds and an ASUS VivoBook touchscreen laptop.

And, with the little money that's left (Rudolph says $4 although the provided receipts clearly leave only $1.05 to play with), folks can buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Bar the frankly ridiculous math issue that Rudolph has, I'm not sure one can even get a decent drink for little over $1.

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