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Oscar goody bags looking Razr sharp

Celebrities will walk away with tech swag at this year's Academy Awards. Photo: Stars to score Oscar swag

Margaret Kane Former Staff writer, CNET News
Margaret is a former news editor for CNET News, based in the Boston bureau.
Margaret Kane
2 min read
Looking to get your hands on one of those hot new Razr phones from Motorola? No problem--if you'll be attending this year's Academy Awards ceremony.

Motorola said Wednesday that a limited-edition version of the ultrathin, wildly popular phones would be included in the lavish gift baskets handed out to presenters and winners at the show, which airs Sunday, Feb. 27. The special edition phones will be black, instead of the metal finish on the regular phones, a Motorola representative said.

A representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the organization does not comment on the gift baskets.

But details invariably leak out in gossip columns and trade publications. And the perceived bonus of seeing stars toting their products prompts some companies to issue press releases about the giveaways.

Tech goodies in previous year's baskets included a Samsung high-definition television set with one-year subscription to satellite HDTV provider Voom and a TAZ I personal video and media player from Tight Systems.

The freebies aren't limited to the Oscars. According to published reports, presenters and performers at last year's Teen Choice Awards received a Sprint PCS Vision phone from Samsung; and TiVos were given out at last year's Independent Spirit Awards.

Past Grammy gift bags have reportedly included a 20GB iPod from Apple Computer, a Siemens mobile phone and a Logitech digital camera. Last year's American Music Awards' bag included a Sirius satellite radio. And Hewlett-Packard gave away cameras in the goody bags handed out to some attendees at last year's MTV Video Music Awards.