Microsoft Korea is to stage "smartphone speed competition" events starting on April 12 where anyone carrying a smartphone can join and contend with Window phones -- handsets with a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft -- in terms of speed when uploading images, downloading content or any activity related to SNS like Facebook on your mobile phone.

And when your phone (whether it is an iPhone or Android-based phone) will beat Window phones or "outspeed" them, you are entitled to winning a prize worth $100. A month-long event will be held at KT outlets and college campuses across the nation.

This marketing idea from Microsoft isn't new; the "speed events" had been displayed at major IT shows including CES 2012 in January in Las Vegas and MWC in Feburuary in Barcelona which drew huge attention from the audience making the events "talk of IT town" in some quarter on social networking sites.

Microsoft's betting on its "speed" of Window phone proved successful in a way; the winning rate of its Window phone saw 88% against other competing models at CES events, giving it great credit to claim its outperforming features concerning its speed and UI.

Sam Kim (press@whowired.com)