contest

Skype (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)--the free VoIP app that lets you voice- or video-chat with other Skype users across the world--has become an ubiquitous tool for everyone from grandmas and grandkids to multinational corporations.

Now, the VoIP software ventures into the realm of interior design, with a "Cool My Couch" photo contest that promises the winner a free couch and Skype-enabled TV. To enter, simply submit a photo of your couch along with a caption explaining why you deserve to win. That's it.

The photo contest is open to all U.S. residents who are members … Read more

It seems like only yesterday that the iTunes App Store hit its 25 billionth download...actually it was only last year. It's incredible that the online marketplace (currently at over 49.2 billion downloads) will soon be doubling that number. To mark the momentous occasion, Apple is holding a contest that app addicts will surely appreciate. Feeling lucky? Then download on.

If you happen to download the 50 billionth app, you will win a $10,000 App Store gift card. Though the odds seem stacked against you, don't despair, as the first 50 users after the 50 billionth … Read more

Apple once again is counting up to its next digital sales benchmark.

This time it's to 50 billion downloads on the App Store, its digital software store that launched in 2008, and currently has about 793 million downloads to go.

Similar to previous contests, the person who downloads the 50 billionth app gets $10,000 in App Store credit. The company is also doling out $500 gift cards to the 50 people who buy an app immediately afterwards.

Apple's last big contest for the App Store was for the 25 billion benchmark last March. Chunli Fu, a customer … Read more

To attract software developers, Netgear today launched its Million Dollar App Contest with the aim of diversifying the company's Netgear Genie+ marketplace. The networking vendor hopes the contest will encourage creation of innovative apps for its routers and NAS servers.

The company says the top three app developers will win a trip to Las Vegas and the winner of the contest will also receive $10,000 with a chance to win a grand prize of a $1 million 40-year annuity, which is to be announced at CES 2014. Participants will also earn revenue by selling their apps through the … Read more

Google says it has picked the winners of its Glass Explorer #ifihadglass contest. The company will reveal the chosen ones by way of Google+ and Twitter over the next few days.

The contest, which kicked off Feb. 20 and ran for a week, asked people who wanted to be first to get their hands on Google's high-tech specs to submit their ideas for Glass, like so: "Using Google+ or Twitter, tell us what you would do if you had Glass, starting with the hashtag #ifihadglass."

Pitches involved everything from health care applications to skateboarding to journalism and storytelling.… Read more

Happy Black Friday, cheeps! (That's "cheapskates" plus "peeps" in case you're new around here.)

In honor of this crazy day of shopping madness, and to cap off the celebration of my fifth anniversary writing the Cheapskate blog, I've got one seriously killer contest for you.

Because it's a fifth anniversary, I decided one prize wouldn't do -- I needed five. And thanks to some very generous companies, that's what I ended up with. I'm overjoyed with this roster of goodies, which you can easily enter to win by following … Read more

What's the only thing better than a cheap deal? A freebie, of course.

As you may recall from last Friday, I'm celebrating five years as The Cheapskate. (Confession: I think it's the single longest job I've ever held. It's definitely the best.) Where, oh, where did the time go?

I don't know (I've looked everywhere, even under the couch), but I'm thrilled to have the chance to offer some great prizes during this monthlong contest-fest.… Read more

It's my anniversary!

Five years ago this month (November 12, 2007, to be exact), I lucked into the best blogging job in the world. It was CNET's Matt Elliott who recommended me for the gig, Kelly Morrison who brought me onboard, and Margaret Kane who helped me through the Cheapskate's early stages. I can't thank them enough.

Of course, I'm most grateful to you, the readers. Sounds cliche, but it's true. So many people have sent me so many kind messages over the years -- words of thanks, words of support, and words of great deals for me to share! I actually keep a lot of those e-mails, referring to them when some crank tells me I'm a liar or an idiot. It's really gratifying to know that people value what I do, even more so when they reach out to tell me so.… Read more