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How To Get Free Stuff At Shows
Enigma5O writes "The TechZone heads to the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show and came out with tons of free stuff. We're not talking cheap pens or notepads either. No, they got some really cool stuff like two Sony PSP game consoles, DDR RAM, laptop roller bags, computer tool kit, etc. This article explains how they did it."
"Uh, we're from a, uh... tech review webs... err publication. We'd like to review your product and when I say review, I mean praise."
Did they get their server for free? /.ed already it seems.
When the posters fear their moderators, there is tyranny; when the moderators fears the posters, there is liberty.
Getting free stuff is easy. Not getting caught is the hard part!
4) Post it on your website /.
5) Get the article mentioned on
6) Have your webserver nuked, and past out the ass for extra bandwidth
7) Hock all of your new free goodies to pay for upgrades/bandwidth
8) Back to square zero
Moral of the story - If you're going to try and play the system, be discreet
In my experience, the days of walking away from MacWorld/etc lugging bags full of stuff you actually want ended in about 2000 or so. Yes, there is still reasonable stuff but the scale is quite reduced from those crazy late 90s shows.
Don't anthropomorphize computers: they hate that.
Step 3 - Make An Appointment
While all vendors on the show floor will talk to you about their products, you'll score major points and free stuff if you make an appointment to talk to them. This way the company is expecting you and will be prepare to give you their booth tour. After the tour, they always present you with a goodie bag fill with company information and, you guest it, free stuff!
Attend The CES Parties
Companies that put on parties at CES always have something to give to their guests when they leave. And there are tons of parties to attend during the 5 days that CES runs for. The problem is most, if not all, of the parties are invite only. Don't let this stop you however. Many times you can get an invite by emailing the company or going to their booth and asking for one. This really is the best way to get free stuff because you also get to attend a party as well.
Many companies that throw CES parties will have prizes to give away. That's how I got the Sony PSP. The best thing is many of these contests are the "can't lose" type. In other words, everyone who enters wins something.
Walk The Show Floor On The Last Day
The last day of CES is moving out day. This is best time to get your hands on tons of free stuff. Companies are packing things up to take home and many times they will lose their packing boxes. This is the best time to approach them to ask if there's anything they want to give away and not take home? It's amazing the amount times they will say "Help yourself to whatever you like." This is because it can cost them more to ship the products back home than the product is worth.
You won't get big items, like plasma TVs, for free but many times the companies will sell it to you for a stupidly low price. I remember one year when RCA was the official TV of CES and had their displays scatter throughout the convention center. Instead of packing the $3,000 TVs home, they offered it anyone who was willing to pay $500 for it.
Another reason to walk the show floor on the last day is you will find many abandon booths with stuff still left behind. Most of the time, the stuff is junk but you will come across some really nice stuff once in a while.
hang brain.
First, get elected to Congress...
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*grumbles* Dammit, why dress in anime if you're not into geeks?
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