Thank You Internet! Free iPods on the Net

Thank You Internet! Free iPods on the Net

Due to the success of Apple iPods, numerous websites on the Internet have invested on offering free iPods to website visitors with little strings attached.

An example website would be FreeiPods.com. FreeiPods.Com gives away free iPods to website visitors and potential participants who completes an offer. Then they would be required to recruit 5 friends to do the same. Internet websites such as this claims that it is not a scam, though it does require a little bit of work on your part.

If you're extremely gullible, you will easily be enticed to get one o fthe free iPods, although we must admit, this promise of a free iPod from Internet websites such as FreeiPods.com looks very dubious.

But closer scrutiny would make it appear that the site is legitimate. The scheme does not look every bit like a networking pyramid scheme. It seems like a new type of marketing online. It looks so professional with support from major Internet companies like AOL, eBay and Columbia House.

Also, many happy customers are appearing like mushrooms all over the internet claiming receiving free iPods. All the more that skeptics are analyzing the economics.

How it Works

This is basically how it works:

1. An internet website offering free iPods like FreeiPods.com would offer either an iPod or a US$ 250 gift certificate to potential contestants that would sign up for several online promotions.

2. It would also be required that they persuade five more people to sign up.

3. The subscribers are then given the option of choosing from 10 different offers, that includes a trial of 45 days of AOL, and a trial of two weeks of the genealogy service of Ancestry.com. As you can see, these offers are easily cancelled and are free.

4. When the online trials are finally over, for both the main customer and the five referred people, the free iPod is provided.

Several people have written on their blog about the free iPod. At first they were skeptical, but when they tried it out, they eventually had the free iPod. Some also had a nice feedback for the set up since the Internet company did not require any credit card number or any hidden fees.

In fact, some receivers of the free iPods are so convinced that they created Internet websites that are affiliates of the free iPods websites. These websites are called "conga lines," and are supposed to persuade other people that the free iPods schemes are not a scam. Some of the websites, to name a few, are FlatScreens.com and FreeiPodGuide.

Gratis Internet

People behind the free iPod websites also denied that the site is a a networking scheme. It is not like an advertised networking scheme on eBay that also promises to give away free iPods.

They also revealed that Gratis Internet, maker of FreeiPod.com receives a huge amount of money for sending potential subscribers to sites like eBay, AOL, or RealNetworks. These internet websites offering free iPods are marketing firms sending potential customers to client websites or advertisers. The scheme is closely related to viral marketing.

The management refused to specify the money involved in the business, and said that they do not directly deal with the major companies involved. Gratis Internet was just commissioned by a third-party marketing agency, such as San Francisco's Adteractive.

For four years, Gratis Internet was in operation of customer-acquisition schemes via these websites: FreeCDs.com, FreeVideoGames.com, FreeDVDs.com, and FreeCondoms.com.

More than US$ 3 million worth of free merchandise that includes free iPods and CDs were given away, including five to six million condoms.

Since its launching last June, FreeiPods.com was successful in dispatching more than 2,500 free iPods. In monetary terms, that is more than US$ 1 million.

During the last few weeks, Internet traffic hits have exploded. About one million Internet visitors have enrolled in the scheme. Though majority of these people are using fake names and addresses, it reflects the interest of the public on the free iPods and other stuffs.

Successful customers that have finished the requirements of the scheme would receive a message of "Sent to Vendor, Waiting on Product." This message means that the free iPod is already on backorder. Though, previously, iPods were delayed in shipment, the process would be improved.

The Pleasures Of Getting A Free iPod

The Pleasures Of Getting A Free iPod

We all know that an ipod is expensive. The new releases of APPLE ipods are really unaffordable for normal people. But if you are only after listening to songs and don’t really care about videos, playlists, etc, I suggest that you buy the ipod shuffle instead.

It is the cheapest ipod out in the market today but it already cost thousands of pesos. It is already expensive considering people without big paychecks. So if it is expensive, why would you want to have it anyway if you can’t afford it? It is not even a necessity anyway. We don’t exactly need it to live and you are not obliged to buy one.

But having an ipod would be a big benefit because it brings you wireless entertainment. Plus considering its uncanny portability, it is really a must have gadget. It can play hundreds of songs even though it is just a small box. The ipod is simply an amazing and entertaining device. Imagine a gadget that has the capability to play songs, organize playlists, and show videos.

But let us go back to reality here, the reality I was mentioning earlier. These devices are definitely not cheap and it will be hard to buy one. You will really have to save for it. You might even have to cut short on other stuff and limit your meals. These high prices deprive of people of their passion to listen to music.

But what would you feel if someone would give you a free ipod? Now, you do not have to spend your own money and savings, instead it would be given to you for free. That would be wonderful, won’t it? But the question there is, where in the world will you get a free ipod?

Nowadays, many people use this free ipod as a gimmick. They could attract many people for the promise of a free ipod. Most of the promos include a free ipod as one of their prizes. If you would only join, you would have the chance of winning a new and free ipod. I guess that they are including a free ipod as one of their prizes to invite more people to join the promo because almost every people want an ipod inside their pockets.

If you would be one the winners of the free ipod, you will definitely be excited about it. If you think about it, a device worth thousands will be yours for free, it is like a gift from heaven.

A promise of a free ipod can also be use for advertising. You can advertise a certain event of maybe a product given that if they but, they might win a free ipod. Many would be buying your product or will be going to your event.

Another example is, if you a restaurant and the number of customers are low, try on giving a free ipod a prize in a raffle and that they can acquire the raffle tickets only if they ate at your place. Next thing you know, there will be a sudden increasing in the number of your customers. The results may be shocking.

You would be surprise see that many people would be eating at your place because they want to have a chance on winning that free ipod. A free ipod brings wonders to your life. Now, it is no longer just a device for entertainment but for business as well.

But why and how does a free ipod do this? As we all no, gadgets is the in thing today and the ipod is one of the front runners in that category. Although we hate to admit it, it is human nature to want what is in. Even if people can’t afford it, they really still crave for it. That is why a free ipod is so attractive and catchy for those people who want it but don’t have the money to purchase it.

But is it all about being in? In my opinion, a free ipod is attractive because it will bring you entertainment with comfort because it is portable and is easy to use. You can listen to music and watch videos with one click. This is like the extreme gadget for music lovers. And music doesn’t only include those of the rich, it goes all the way down to the middle class and the poor.

And for their love of music, a free ipod is all that’s left for them to have this magnificent device and enjoy music.

Textbooks Coming to iPhones, iPods

Report: Textbooks coming to iPhones, iPods
The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area

CourseSmart LLC is reportedly going to offer more than 7,000 e-textbooks through Apple Inc.'s iPhones and iPod Touches.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the company will let students add digital notes to their texts and search for specific words and phrases.

Digital textbooks are offered by CourseSmart for about half what it costs to buy the physical books, but they can't be resold at the end of the rental period.

The company is a joint venture of six publishers, including McGraw-Hill Education and Pearson PLC's Pearson Education.

The books being offered on Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices aren't available at this time on Amazon.com Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AMZN) Kindle.

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This is going to be great especially for travelers.
More of the ipod, iphone.

Apple iPods on Parade

At the time when everything is going digital and the technological world had been bombarded with digital this and digital that -- digital camera, digital camcorder, handhelds, digital celfone, laptops -- Apple Computers saw nothing much digital in audio technology, except maybe for the compact disc players. In 2000, Apple had decided to tap this unchartered market, with Jon Rubenstein as the Chief Engineer of the iPod project. A year after, released the first generation of Apple iPods.

GENERATIONS OF APPLE iPODS

Currently, Apply iPods come in three iPod names. Technical specifications of these Apple Ipods differ either in storage capacities or in exterior design, weight, and size. As of February 7, 2006, the Apple iPods are classified into the following:

- iPod (Original) (Capacity: 30 GB and 60 GB)
- iPod Nano (Capacity: 1GB, 2GB, and 4 GB)
- iPod Shuffle (Capacity: 512 MB and 1GB)

Two years ago, in 2004, Apple released Ipod Mini (4 GB and 6 GB in various pastel colors). iPod Mini's marketing was discontinued in September 2005 and was replaced by iPod Nano, which was 62% thinner and has a color screen.

Since Apple iPod's release in 2001, Apple has sold 42 million units. Which is why Apple iPods has been constantly re-engineered to cater the growing demands for faster, sleeker, and feature-packed Apple iPods.

Apple iPods have evolved from monochrome (black and white) screen, the first generation, to its color screen with video player, the fifth generation of Apple iPods.

APPLE iPODS ON PARADE

1. Apple iPods (Original)
1.1. First Generation of Apple iPods

Criticized for being costly for an initial release, the $399 First Generation Apple iPods were, nonetheless, instant hit. Apple iPods, after the October 29, 2001 release, dominated the digital audio player market, quickly overtaking sales of MP3 players (such as JukeBox and the NOMAD).

The first generation of Apple iPods was designed with a mechanical scroll wheel that was divided in four buttons that worked as Menu, Play or Pause, Back, and Forward. Apple iPods' scroll wheel has become a prominent design and feature of Apple iPods.

1.2 Second Generation of Apple iPods

This was the first generation of an iPod that was compatible with Microsoft Windows OS. Although it also had the prominent scroll wheel feature, the mechanical wheel of first generation was replaced by a touch-sensitive wheel, now know as teh "touch wheel."

1.3 Third Generation of Apple iPods

The "ultrathin" Apple iPods were shown to the public on April 28, 2003. Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced these slightly smaller, and with beveled edges iPod series to the public as the third generation line of Apple iPods.

Aside from being ultrathin, this was the first set of Apple iPods that had a built-in Hi-Speen USB connectivity.

1.4 Fourth Generation of Apple iPods

If third generation Apple iPods were called ultrathin, I don't know what to call the fourth generation of Apple iPods which are slimmer than the ultrathin line. The sleek and trendy design had skyrocketed Apple's sales, and made the name iPod synonymous with digital audio player.

This generation of iPod was introduced with the monochrome screen; but after a few months, only, it was marketed with a color screen and thus named: iPod photos.

1.5 Fifth Generation of Apple iPods

Apple launched in October 12, 2005 the fifth generation and was quickly known to the public as video iPod or iPod video, although Apple refer to it as the Fifth Generation iPod

2. iPod Nano

2.1. iPod Mini

Digital player manufacturers such as Creative and Digital Networks released digital audio players smaller than that of iPods sometime in 2003. Their Zen Micro and Rico Carbon products were starting to attract a number of supporters and this had prompted Apple to create their own line of small iPods; thus, the birth of iPod Mini. The 4 to 6 GB storage of iPod mini was made possible by using Microdrive hard drives.

2.2. iPod Nano

On September 7, 2005 Apple announced that marketing of iPod minis would be discontinued to be replaced by a thinner and color screen iPod, which Apple named as "iPod Nano."

3. iPod Shuffle

Apple iPods were known for using Microdrive hard drives. Although most of iPod's competitors were already using flash memory for their digital audio player, Apple didn't jumped the flash bandwagon immediately. Apple waited until 2005 to release an iPod using flash memory instead of Microdrive, and named it "iPod Shuffle."

Keeping up with the taglines, "Give chance a chance" and "Life is a random," iPod shuffle plays music in random order although users can still play songs in order that has been set in iTunes.

iPod Shuffle has no screen. Its size is as small as a pack of chewing gum, and weighs less than an ounce.