Microsoft Garage Project “Tossup” Released on Android and iOS – Softpedia

Microsoft has been taking some big leaps forward since Satya Nadella was named CEO, and if the company can create more products like this app, the future should be bright in Redmond.

Right now, it’s only possible for people to respond to polls if they have the app, though people who don’t have Tossup installed will see the question being posed to them before getting prompted to install the app.

Available for Android and iOS in the US only, Tossup lets you ask quick questions around where to have lunch, for example, or where to meet. Simples. We’re not sure if this app is necessary, but it’s the latest, unique project from Microsoft’s Garage team, which aims to let developers explore ideas.

It’s an interesting concept; the goal is to remove the hassle of having to coordinate plans over various media from email to SMS and instead collect the entire conversation in one place.

Microsoft wants to take the hassle out of making plans with your friends with its newest Android and iOS app, Tossup.

“Everyone has been through the tedious experience of planning a get-together which results in long e-mail threads or text messages that go on and on without any resolution”, said Ashok Kuppusamy, a Microsoft group program manager whose team is focused on building mobile apps.

Sounds like a neat concept, but how does it work practically? The app uses Bing to pull in restaurant information such as opening hours, reviews, addresses, and more. To help move the decision process along, you can even add a countdown clock. The app is developed by a group within the Outlook team in Silicon Valley and has been tested extensively by users at the University of Washington and Santa Clara University.

“Tossup is just the beginning”.