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Inside the Free iPod Offer

Posted by Zonk on from the TANSTAAFL dept.

jonathanhowell writes "David Lazarus, The SF Chronicle's tech guy, has an article in today's paper with an interesting investigation into the work you have to do to get a "free" (as in beer) iPod. I'm trying not to call it a scam, because it appears completely legal, if ethically challenged." From the article: "What it doesn't say is that the offer terms will expose you to reams of spam and marketing solicitations, that the user survey is actually a lengthy marketing ploy, and that the sponsor offers needed to qualify for that free music player will almost certainly cost you money."

7 of 396 comments (clear)

  1. Whether you consider the Pyramid Scheme a scam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    It depends on when you retire. Current retirees love them. Those that are 30-40 will surely consider them a scam when they try to get their Social Security.

  2. Re:TINSTAAFL, indeed by Omega697 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    But technically, I ain't making any major errors in this sentance.

    Except for the misspelling of "sentence."
    ----
    http://www.FreeMiniMacs.com/?r=16076424

  3. Re:TINSTAAFL, indeed by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    "However, their was a mistake"

    Do you mean "there" was a mistake? I'm pretty sure you do.

  4. Re:So it's finally exposed... by Moonlapse · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Gratis is the mini mac, and it works. PWNT

    --
    - I got my free iPod and a free Nintendo DS....why not
  5. Re:TINSTAAFL, indeed by ack154 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    "Do you mean "there" was a mistake? I'm pretty sure you do."

    I'm sure that you meant to type "did you mean..." and "I'm pretty sure you did" because it was in the past that he was collecting the thought and actually constructed the post.

  6. Re:TINSTAAFL, indeed by Atzanteol · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    STOP!!!!

    What the hell's the matter with you people?!?! Get a FRIGGIN' LIFE!

    --
    "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

    - Charles Darwin
  7. Moderators are REALLY anal by Quantum+Fizz · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Jeezuz, an actually on-topic post (on topic of the article AND the thread), about my actual experiences, and it's modded down to hell.

    Apparently moderators cannot adequately distinguish between unsolicited spam and a relevent article that happens to have a link to the free mac site.

    Moderators - get a clue. I'm responding to the parent about his experiences how easy people will sell their details for a free t-shirt, and how what I went through w/ the mac mini really wasn't so bad at all.

    I don't know why these moderators are so freaking anal today.