Today, the HP Magic Giveaway is coming to this very corner of the web. Your chance to win $6000 of the best (sealed and unsmudged) geek toys for this holiday seasons from HP and Microsoft in just a couple of keystrokes and mouse clicks away. For Tablet PC users it’s just a few pen strokes and taps away.
Head over to the istartedsomething.com HP Magic Giveaway contest minisite for the prize package and entry information.
In keeping with the holiday spirit, where no one really has time or effort to do anything, it can’t get any easier than a simple sweepstake. Just register your name and email. But there’s a twist. Users of the Windows Vista (and newer) operating system are given the opportunity to claim a bonus entry. If you don’t use Vista (or tried Vista), might be a good time to head over to a friend’s house and check it out.
The competition runs for 7 days until Tuesday, 9th of December 2008. If the technology works, a winner will be drawn later that day. Good luck.
103 Comments
Fabio
I’m in.
Good luck to you all.
TheOne
Thanks Long!:)
Viktor
I’m in too
Clifton Griffin
In like Flint.
fiji
Yeah, bonus entries. It’s good to be a Vista user!
fiji
In Canada it’s still Monday. 6:10:34 EST to be exact.
RL
In and In again………
Keep in mind that your firewall may block the bonus entry application.
If so, allow the application through your firewall for the bonus entry.
Thanks Long and HP.
Helmore
Count me in.
There sure are enough puns and jokes in there
I even bothered to read the small foot note text.
DeathSeeker
You forgot to fill out the Publisher/Company info in the Bonus App.
Yert
And Left 4 Dead? I wonder if the Kitchen Sink is hidden somewhere in there too.
Morten
Funny program you’ve made with logo and all. Nice site as well.
Well, I have submitted an entry.
Stephen Boots
Thanks, Long.
Just a note to users of Windows Live OneCare – the firewall will block your program and you get two prompts to allow *after* you get an error about an internal error. You simply need to allow the app to the firewall prompt (both times – yes, annoying) and then clear the error dialog and click submit once again for it to actually go through.
-steve
jjpriest25
I love how easy it is to enter here. I remember the dragon contest and that one was easy to enter too. Way to keep the stress down on entering Long!
Code Red
The puns and other funniness never stops for you, eh Long?
User-Agent: sinofsky
Dan
Hey. You should probaly note that with UAC enabled you have to save the file and go to run as administrator for it to work correctly
wreiad
And now I play the waiting game.
a2h
Can Australians enter? You do live in Australia, Long, right?
Long Zheng
@a2h: Residents of any country can enter
MJ
I love you Long!
Ben
this is better than most of the other sites. they usually make you write a short description about who you’ll give the prize away too. also, many of them make you sign up for their site. Long’s contest is the best so far!
DC
I am in! Thanks Long~
Keep up the good work!
Mr foto
Thanks Long.
Make sure you disable firewall temporarily if you try to use the verification dealy.
a2h
Woo! I’m in! <3 Long. In a totally non sexual way.
neodorian
In x2. I second Ben’s sentiment. It’s great that some sites are opting for charity but it’s good for me that some are just going for the drawing. I probably won’t win but if I did the goods would be split between my house and my family’s house. Nothing tearjerking or groundbreaking. I just would like to have some great gear for upgrades for me and mine.
Zim
Great to see a simple contest here. I think it’s cool when they try to do interesting things to reach real users, but truth is we really want to put our names and hope to be lucky.
I’m in!
william
Thanks for taking the time to run this.
Caffery
I am in (too!), with a different email address. (of course just one entry)
Thanks a lot for making this contest simple to enter, I think yours is the simplest.
Sushruta
Thank you for the opportunity once again Long.
Sushruta
Forgot to say.Great entry page Long.I loved your comments on the entry page.Excellent touch of humour.
Mikael Söderström
Really nice.
It seems to be really easy to add more entries even if you´re not using Vista though.. Long, feel free to e-mail me if you want to know how.
Ognjen
Woooooooo
Ow, and I am a bit concerned what the downloaded program did?
I mean its 6k worth of stuff so I downloaded it anyways, but I am a bit paranoid right now
Ognjen
Ow, and @people who say good luck to all, I say:
:D:D
“Thank you, good luck to me too”
John Li
Love the “Uploading VHD of C:\…” for users of “special builds”.
Jaymelbe
I’m in ! Hey Long .. any BIG bonus to Windows 7 users?
I know… I’m asking for more… but I really want that gift and I want to do the best to get it !
Will have to wait to be home to the Vista bonus .. but be sure of that… hopefully , we are not the 1st of april today
.. I still remember the new sound package !
amhio
Ver good , If I win I will help the world
Andre Da Costa
Its worth a shot. Thanks Long.
Andre Da Costa
“(and newer) operating system”
I assume Server 2008 and Windows 7 users qualify then, right Long?
Mikael Söderström
Andre Da Costa:
I used Windows Server 2008, and it worked.
xaml
The bonus entry can also be claimed running Windows Server 2008.
Try. it. out.
Corrine
Long, I love your sense of humor — a couple examples:
“* Picture is not to scale. Products may appear larger in life.”
“Unless of course their offer is greater than a million dollars which I may be inclined to sell your information for personal profit and gains.”
I’ll have to wait until I’m home to take a long shot at entering (pun intended) since my work machine is XP.
Daisy
Thanks so much….and I thought my Windows Vista was only good for confusing me on a regular basis!
Marcelo Lynch
Hey! Thanks so much for making this so easy!!
I dont wanna go wrong, so I ask you: If I completed the form, and did the originalsoftwarethingy, yesterday (1 Dec), i’m participating? ‘Cause I don’t wanna be banned, but I want to enter!
Pleas answer me
Thanks
Xi Chen
Thanks, I am in.
Long Zheng
@Marcelo: That’s okay, you’re fine.
Arie
Great!! i`m in!
Heather Exum
all right!
Marcelo Lynch
Thanks!
Jari H
Giving it a shot to be sure, thanks for the opportunity!
Robin
Count me in please!
Aaron Nelsen
Do I get two bonus entries? I’m using both Windows Vista and Windows 7!
At any rate, thanks for the opportunity to win some sweet stuff.
Robert Banghart
Surfing in to enter on my Windows Server 2008 Enterprise box
Joel McLaughlin
Oh please pick me!
Daniel Alvarez
I’m in too. And using Vista at work. At home still using XP (I need a new computer!!!!!)
Sascha
I’d love to have a box capable to run Vista.
Andre Da Costa
Thanks for the update Makel and Xaml.
a2h
Why bug Long to pick you? It’s most likely going to be randomly chosen.
Unless Long has a secret plan…
Let’s make up conspiracy theories!
Brian Lee
I’m in!
Jason
yippe .. and I have Vista
dj_cityboy
hey Long,
thanx a huge amount for the opportunity, muchly appreciated, and thankfully i have Vista as well! yayz!
peas
cityboy
Jesse
I’m in. Good Luck to everyone participating!
Chris
i so wish i would win one of these… my fams christmas is gonna suck
poqeteer
Count me in…
Scooper
I’m so in…
John Kearney
If i got this, i can finally have a computer that works from this generation, and it would help the financial issues. Thanks Bank of America…
John Kearney
How do we get the bonus entry if we have Vista?
Eliot M. Gelwan
Going to donate the booty to a number of worthy causes… and, yes, I use Vista.
Travis Carnahan
Thanks for making it easy! You sure were right about the time! I use Vista and a tablet pc!
Joel Peña
Thank you for making it so easy man!
Good Luck to everyone participating!
Ed Riesgo
I have to say, I don’t usually partake in these offers (foolishly) and if I do I don’t get myself hyped up. The massiveness of this prize package though forgoes all that. Good luck everyone.
Andy Wolf
Would be nice to win. My brother’s birthday is on 31th December, he could use a new PC.
Te Wann
This would be great to have as my first ever win of anything!
*fingers crossed*
Justin
Yeah cool contest — thanks for the opportunity!
Kevin
Thanks Long!!!
I greatly appreciate the simplicity of your application process. After sending long emails to many of the other sites participating in this giveaway, its nice to only have to put in a name and email. Also, I totally agree with the extra entry for Vista users. Its a good way to get people to switch to the best Operating System yet!
Thanks again!
PS: Where can we find the google calendar that you had posted before? I want to make sure I don’t miss any of the contests.
chambo622
Thanks for making it easy! I hate having to miss out on half the blogs just because I don’t have the time to craft creative contest entries.
I can always count on you to respec the time of the busy vista user.
Thanks and you rock.
Mia F
The entry page was hilarious. Thanks for making me laugh.
Nathan
“Only one entry per person. Split personalities do not qualify.” <- made me lol!
AH
Count me in.
Andrew
Thanks! Good luck everyone
Annemarie
A patron is using our vista lappy, I’ll have to settle for one entry.
Thanks!
Darshan
Thanks
i am using vista.
Dasu
thank you so much this is easy contest
good luck
Lathres B
Not using vista, but count me in. Thanks!!!!!
Angelos
Thanks for the contest, Good luck to everyone
Katherine D.
this is indeed a great contest, to repeat the previously posted sentiments. oh, i want to win…but good luck all.
Piyush Marmath
(Fingers crossed)
Praying to Lord in the hope of a win.
justin massa
this would be rad to win!!! i’m not a pc guy, but would make the conversion for this.
Mitchell
Count me in!! Vista rocks. I have two desktop and a laptop that comes with Vista!… Whoo!!
what giving means
well I’m really delighted to see that somebody knows what giving means
I guess that one may say everybody on their own but given the season it is just so strange to say the least
As far as I know istartedsomething is the only one really giving and that it is worth saying, the rest – again, I may be wrong on this – is asking you to do all sorts of strange things
I mean of course no sane person would keep all this stuff for himself but being asked to get on the wagon all your family, friends, neighbors, to tell you last 5 addresses, to climb trees or asphyxiate the first cat you’re going to see on the street and take a picture of that seems a bit bizarre
It is like you give some change to that homeless guy around the corner but for doing that you ask him if he is going to buy cookies or vodka with that money, well, if you gave that money that’s his money now and he can do whatever he wants with them
if you want to give you just give, as simple as that, otherwise it is anything but a gift: an occasion to give somebody a moral lesson, a drive for publicity, you name it
So yes, I will be glad to hang around
With or without a prize in my pocket
Kai
I entered, but really, I wouldn’t know what to do with so much stuff if I win =D
@what giving means
I wouldn’t mind doing some of the things other sites are asking people to do, if I had the time, that is. Probably the sites you and me have seen are quite different (I haven’t noticed the cat one!).
But some sites are donating part of the prize to some non-profits or something… that seems a good idea…
JuanZe
I’m in. Thanks for the simplicity of the contest and good luck to everyone
Elias
It’s my birthday today, I HAVE to win
Sheikh Adnan
When is the competition ending? is it ending on “9 December 2009″ or 9 December 2008″? ”
Long wrote:
“Competition starts on Tuesday, 2nd of December 2008 and ends on Tuesday, 9th of December 2009, sometime during the day, maybe after I eat lunch. The winner will be picked and notified not long (pun) after the competition is closed.”
hope the competition isnt running that long….
jonard
im in,, im not using vista,!but i have tried it !! Gudluck to me, i hope i can win !! UUU
Long Zheng
@Sheikh: Fixed
Scott Schoenick
Please add me. I’m using Vista (love it!) only not on this machine.
breley
Good luck players, keep your fingers crossed!
bb10
I hope I’m not late.
justin cazel
cool blog site , even cooler contest thing, can’t believe all the stuff in the prize package !!
had to read it a couple of times, WOW
erictee
When the winner will be drawn? Now it’s already Tuesday night in my place
bmike63
I have never seen a contest as of this nature, a real jackpot !
Good Luck to whoever wins this!
Nikolas
Hmm, how awesome is this! Thanks for hosting
Im in — cant wait until we find out who the lucky winner is! 
Good luck to all, and to all, a suspensful day
-Nick
Barbara Baker
When and where will the winner be announced? I haven’t been able to find any posts for this…the contest has ended already, right?
Just curious; anxious and hoping that I’m lucky enough to be gifted with this opportunity to gift others (as well as myself).
-barbarabaker
Michael
Would love this please
. I’d be able to replace my old kit, finally get my parents on computers and the net, help a good friend stay on after she retires, and hopefully also help out some local disadvantaged kids and homeless folk.
Many thanks !!!!
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