The Acer Ferrari discussion
A lot of people around the world are getting these. I don't have a list but I know that it includes well-known bloggers, and blogs that reach a smaller niche.
Robert Scoble linked to Scott's laughingsquid (one of the recipients), who in turn linked to Australian Long Zheng, who links to a lot of other bloggers (including me, thanks!) and got into digg and Slashdot as "Microsoft bribing bloggers with laptops".
Some bloggers are saying "Bribe". What's the Slashdot crowd saying? "Bribe"... What's the MSM saying? "Bribe".
They all point to Microsoft, but forget to say this is something between AMD, Microsoft and Acer. Of course they always have to point to the bigger one of the three. They forget to say though that only Microsoft could pull this one off. Which other company could reach that many bloggers, journalists and influentials around the world, in a single move? I don't imagine people getting so hot about this issue if it was an initiative by Apple or Sun.
The "influentials" are welcome to keep or return the laptops. They can disclose or not.
My option was to keep and disclose. I've already mentioned it here. I maintain my independence by making it clear which companies are sponsoring this review unit. The same way people know I have an account with both Telecom New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand so as not to show a preference for one or the other.
This is no different from freelance journalists getting free flights to Taiwan to attend the IDF. Or being sponsored to attend the PDC. Or attending the CES and receiving a laptop bag from Toshiba, or going to ShowsStoppers and receiving a bag with goodies from the exhibitors.
Get over it folks! Go read Scobble's latest post on this: "I think the Microsoft Vista giveaway is an awesome idea".
Incredible how a marketing campaign can get this "viral". Want it or not, people are talking, and this is good for them.
By the way, the laptop comes with a puzzle, which is the key to access The Vanishing Point - lots of answers to the puzzle and more at this Vanishing Point Wiki.
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Comment by Robin Capper, on 28-Dec-2006 17:52
I think it's great marketing* and comes down to the matter of disclosure which you've covered admirably. Will be interested to see how you find Vista on a Ferrari :-)
* Sadly, I didn't get one!
Comment by juha, on 28-Dec-2006 21:50
Seems like a lot of hassle for something that you can't apparently keep.
Comment by juha, on 29-Dec-2006 08:41
Yeah, just trolling a little... also, if you read the email, it doesn't actually say you can't keep it and that MS necessarily wants it back. Just that once you're finished reviewing stuff, you give it away or return it.
Comment by Petter, on 29-Dec-2006 11:48
"I don't imagine people getting so hot about this issue if it was an initiative by Apple or Sun."
Wow.
You're lost.
Enjoy the laptop.
Comment by Jimmy Montague, on 31-Dec-2006 11:16
Geez! I'm a blogger. How come I didn't get a free laptop? I could surely use one. . . .
Comment by Andrew Clary, on 3-Jan-2007 03:49
I think Petter is bitter.
"You're lost."?
Hardly. While Apple has been known to give out hundreds of Nano players to employees, it's all in-house givings, while the consumer world must still buy all of theirs. You could prove me wrong, but I haven't seen any instance where Apple has given anything to the consumer market.
I believe you are right, Mr. Freitas, Apple or Sun wouldn't lift a finger for their supporters, which is probably why they aren't as big as Microsoft. Even if Apple did hand out a Macbook or even an iMac loaded with Leopard or Puma or Tomcat or whatever feline this new release will be, they make the hardware too, while Microsoft doesn't, so it would be silly for Microsoft to send anyone a review copy of anything without hardware capable of running it to a true and full user experience. As for Sun, that's what they get for trying to peddle open-source, there isn't any money to be made.
Am I jealous you got a laptop and I didn't? Well, I hardly blog, and it isn't about Microsoft, although it has gotten me interested in the investment ;) But to answer the question, not really. You review for Microsoft, among other things, and have apparently influenced enough people anyway for Redmond to notice and applaud your efforts. Job well done!
Comment by Brenda, on 3-Jan-2007 17:06
hmmm.. i didn't think freitasm could be bribed by MS.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/02/microsoft_free_ferarri_pc
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Comment by Michael, on 28-Dec-2006 17:36
It is not a Bribe, it is no different than what any othher company does when they send review units to reviewers and allow them to keep it.
It's only an issue because Microsoft is involved.