How to Get Free Stuff

By Jake • May 25th, 2010 • 10 Comments

When I read Louis Gray’s EVO review, something struck me as funny.

Not only did he get his HTC EVO for free at Google IO, but he also got his iPhone 3G for free by winning a contest.

Hmm, we here at the ‘Lab have benefited from free phones as well, and not just at this year’s IO.

Here’s my tally:

Now, mind you, we don’t attend these conferences to get free stuff, at least I don’t. However, attending tech conference has become a great way to get “free” phones. I use free loosely here because you have to pay for the conference and possibly travel, natch.

Still, Google IO cost less than $500 this year, and we got devices that match that and more when you include the service and the lack of contracts.

Of course, if you can’t travel, try entering contests. Noel (@noelportugal) won a Nexus One from Jason Calacanis that way, so Louis isn’t the only lucky one.

Just saying.

Update: I forgot another great story of free, Chet’s tweeting his way to COLLABORATE 09. In comments, Louis adds a helpful link to FTC disclosure badges, designed by Jeannine Schafer (@neerbot) to use after you get your free stuff.


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  • http://www.louisgray.com/live/ Louis Gray

    Don't forget to use these helpful disclosure badges!

    http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/12/ftc-disclosur…

    Disclosure: The badges were my idea.

  • http://theappslab.com Jake

    Disclosure: Those are awesome.

  • http://empoprise-bi.blogspot.com/ John E. Bredehoft (Empoprises)

    Disclosure that I may have failed to fully make on my own blog: At last year's Oracle OpenWorld, I won a copy of the PeopleSoft Developer's Guide for PeopleTools & PeopleCode, with a suggested retail price of US$69.99. However, I'll admit that I spent more time with the other freebie that I got from the Oracle Technology Network – namely, the Oracle building blocks (picture here). And then there's OTN's sponsorship of the blogger meetup….And no, I did not immediately write a “Justin Kestelyn rules!” post on my blog.

    I know that there was a rash of posts about this when the FTC implemented its disclosure rules, but it's good to revisit the topic again.

  • http://theappslab.com Jake

    I guess retro disclosure will have to do. Those FTC rules were never really distilled very well, at least not from what I remember.

  • http://theappslab.com Jake

    Disclosure: Those are awesome.

  • http://empoprise-bi.blogspot.com/ John E. Bredehoft (Empoprises)

    Disclosure that I may have failed to fully make on my own blog: At last year's Oracle OpenWorld, I won a copy of the PeopleSoft Developer's Guide for PeopleTools & PeopleCode, with a suggested retail price of US$69.99. However, I'll admit that I spent more time with the other freebie that I got from the Oracle Technology Network – namely, the Oracle building blocks (picture here). And then there's OTN's sponsorship of the blogger meetup….And no, I did not immediately write a “Justin Kestelyn rules!” post on my blog.

    I know that there was a rash of posts about this when the FTC implemented its disclosure rules, but it's good to revisit the topic again.

  • http://theappslab.com Jake

    I guess retro disclosure will have to do. Those FTC rules were never really distilled very well, at least not from what I remember.