Win an iPad! Four contests worth entering
Know what I think? An iPad won is twice as sweet as an iPad earned. Here are four chances to win one.
If you're anything like me, you'd really, really like to have an iPad--but you don't have an extra $500 lying around. (Or $600. Or $700. You get the idea.) Resorting to crime is not an option, so that leaves just one other possibility: contests.
With a little investigative legwork, I found four contests offering an iPad as the grand prize. Some require a little hoop-jumping on your part, like creating a video for YouTube, whereas others are as simple as completing a short entry form. Here are your best bets for winning an iPad:
- Be a GrooveMaker on YouTube Contest Start with any GrooveMaker music app (including the free one). Shoot a video of yourself using it, post the video on YouTube, then rack up the most views. Your reward: a 16GB iPad. Be sure to read the rules carefully, as you have to follow some fairly specific instructions. Deadline for entry: June 30.
- Erictric iPad Giveaway Contest This is just about the simplest contest out there, but you need to act fast. Between now and "Wednesday morning" (that's as specific as the terms get), follow Erictric on Twitter, then post a short comment explaining why you want the 64GB iPad. That's it! Contest entered.
- GW Birthday Bash Game developer Mobile1Up has a pretty simple point of entry to win a 16GB iPad: Just enter your iPhone/iPod UDID and an e-mail address, then click Enter Contest. After that, download the free GW JetPack game, play it, and then submit your high score (which is used solely to validate your UDID). Deadline for entry: May 15.
- Save My Oceans Upcycle Contest Ever heard of upcycling? Me neither, but if you're willing to learn about it and then devise an upcycling project (complete with photos and details), you can enter to win a 32GB iPad and case from O'Reilly Media (publishers of MAKE magazine) and TakePart, LLC. (Actually, the contest terms reference a "34GB" iPad, but I'm pretty sure they mean 32GB.) Deadline for entry: June 6.
Update (4/21/2010): Meritline is also running an iPad contest. All you have to do to enter is become a fan on Facebook. But the contest kicks in only if the number of fans reaches 7,000--so tell a friend!
Update #2 (4/28/2010): PopCap Games just announced a contest to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Bejeweled. The grand prize is a laptop, but the two first prizes are iPads.
Update #3 (5/3/2010): Fox Movie Channel is giving away an iPad (and an iPod Touch). You have until May 31 to enter, and the only requirement is filling out a form.
Have you found any other iPad contests worth mentioning? (Legitimate ones?) If so, post links in the comments!
In the meantime, here's one more suggestion: You can seriously defray the cost of an iPad by earning yourself an Apple gift card via Swag Bucks, a free service that awards prize-redeemable points for performing various online activities (like using the Swag Bucks toolbar, participating in special offers, etc.). It may take a while, but 37,000 points buys you a $300 Apple gift card. Now you're looking at $199 for the entry-level iPad. That's a lot more palatable, no?