Day 5 of Engadget's Five Days of Holiday Giveaways: Convince us to give you an HTC Universal
posted December 16th 2005 2:15PM
It's the day you've been waiting for all week. On
day one we gave away a bunch of cellphones;
day two we loosed just one very nice phone by way of the
Podcast; day three we gave away a ton of Xbox prizes;
day four's mystery prize has yet to be unveiled, but
today's the day we're holding back the tears, sucking it up, and giving away the ultimate gadget of 2005. The winner of
the last day of Engadget's Five Days of Holiday Giveaways goes home with the mother of all handhelds, a freaking
unlocked HTC Universal. Seriously. We love
our readers that much.
And all you have to do is convince us why we should give it to you.
Here's how it works: you email us at engadget at gmail dot com with the subject
"Holiday Universal contest" (no quotes) with something to convince us to give you an HTC Universal. It
can be a short movie, a picture, a poem, a public display of your affection for Engadget or the HTC Universal, a song
you wrote — whatever!
The only rules are: you can only enter once (as always, we'll be checking), your entry must be in by
11:59PM EST, Sunday, December 18th, and whatever you do to convince us to give you this thing must be original.
Original not only as in you thought of / did / recorded / whatevered this thing into creation, but that it's
original original. We can pretty much tell you that the "I really want a Universal but I'm a broke college
student!" shtick ain't gonna win you this thing. Nor is the guilt card. Winner will be chosen by Engadget's staff. Be
creative, have fun, good luck, and happy nondenominationalmas to everybody!
UPDATE: Not sure how much more clear we can make this: TELLING US YOUR SOB STORY WON'T HELP YOU WIN. We need to see some creativity.
well, during my next visit to zimbabwe, i need something to make the natives think i am their leader and magician, so i can rule the world and take over antarctica!!!
oh and wm5 is cool.
PLEASE I BEG YOU, DON'T GIVE IT TO ME!!! I DON'T DESERVE IT, I DON'T NEED IT..NOOOOOOOO.... PLEASSE I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO YOU GUYS, NOOOOO!! DON'T GIVE IT TO MEE!!
I don't even know what this UTS does, but it looks cool. I need to take notes in class in style! I hate cell phones!
I was going to make an Office Space spoof with the 'ummm exc..excus....excuse me, excuse me, I believe you have my universal, um,um, that's...that's my universal'
Anyway - too much work, don't have a camera, and I would probably just die laughing trying to make it - so I am fresh out of ideas :p
Instead I think I just sent a sob story :p
Since my out of warrenty (because of modding), hp ipac just fell down the toilet, but there was no water in the toilet, which would seem a good thing, well its not, the thing cracked open, and lcd screen has burst.
I am out of money, an would really appreciate this!
I want to feed it to my ravenous dual core power mac g5 with 16 gigs of ram while bill gates watches and curses steve jobs and his ridiculous controller that doesn't really do anything
Because I have been complaining about how lame engadget has been lately (well not exactly but I've been annoyed with some of the articles).
You might think that is a horrible reason to actuly GIVE me something but it isn't.
I will stop complaining because hey! engadget gave me a gadget.
I've never had a proper phone and would love this thing with all my heart.
I'll show you my tits!
The HTC Universal is like my Red Rider BB gun from " A Christmas Story", Only, its not going to shoot my eye out, but Instead render me without food for approximately 50 days because of its cost (nuf said).
-Mac Bellingrath
ill trade my exclusive brazilian a815 samsung phone that was only released here....
Dear Engadget,
I have been a fan of your blog for some time now. I feel that I should win the HTC universal for a few reasons. The first, simply out of need. I am a working mechanical engineer in the industrial pump industry and my job function encompasses sales as well. I have just graduated from college and am making my way to becoming a successful business man. However I am also working in "other" fields. In addition to working in engineering sales, i am also a part time male model you can find links on my website (which is only 2 links to my online portfolios) www.pauloberle.com. The thing is my co-workers don't need to know what I do in my spare time and since I receive a large number of emails that are modeling related, I have been using my motorola mpx220 to keep up with the emails. When I am traveling, having the Internet helps to keep everything in line too. Its kind of difficult to balance engineering and modeling at the same time admittedly, however, being more of an engineer's mind, i am convinced that higher levels of technology (such as the HTC) will increase my productivity :)
That lengthy diatribe is the main reason, however the second reason may be much more appealing to you. You see, being in the industry that I am in, I have come to meet a large number of single women with relatively loose moral outlooks (not my type) (and some really nice wholesome women too) and I keep in touch with the girls who at the most are only marginally insane. I know for a fact that some of these girls do fall for the brainy nerdy type (they talk to me occasionally) and it would definitely be reasonable to setup an Engadget party in a city of your choosing and I could potentially gather any number of women (models) to your beck and call. I am talking most major cities as well as the smaller ones. Consider this your primary reason for helping me out here and I would love to help put together/hook you all up with some tasteful and intelligent models.
If you have any doubt simply search Paul Oberle on google or any other search engine for that matter. I have only been doing this for a year (started my senior year at Mizzou in mechanical engineering) but i have made a large number of contacts. And you'd be surprised some of these women are not nearly as shallow as you might think :)
Thanks for your consideration,
-Paul Oberle
HTC Universal + ME= my precious, my precious, my precious in a dark room with crazytrain playing softly in the background.
You should give it to me, because as I was scrolling down your page my phone died! And moments later I saw this great product, I have like no gadgets save for a mp3 player, you know a flash mp3 player..Besides that ill tell EVERYONE how great you are..err wait I already do, but no one understands my nerd stance :( Maybe they would if I had this!
Since I tend to get bored with my current cell phone 6 months after purchasing it, I pledge that if you endow me with the HTC Universal, I will use it gentlly for 6 months, and on July 1, 2006, I will auction it on ebay and donate the proceeds of the sale to the charity of Engadget's choice.
lovely htc
lovely endadget
lovely gadgets
lovely me holding lovely htc from lovely engadget...the end.
ps lovely
Dear Engadget,
A is for, A Universal that I want
B is for, Because I want to have a better electronics than my friends nice Clie
C is for, Crazy nice Universal
D is for, Dang I want won of these puppies
E is for, Everthing in the world couldn't beat getting on eof these
F is for, Fun things I could with it if I got it
G is for, Gareth thats my name
H is for, Hunter thats my last name
I is for, I need a Universal
J is for, Just like to have one
K is for, Kuz Santa Clause is coming to town
L is for, Little bit of this a lil bit of that
M is for, My little brother that died at birth
N is for, Niceness is really nice
O is for, Oh my gosh whats going on
P is for, Put some salami on my bread
Q is for, Quit reading and give me the Universal PLEASE
R is for, Ricardo Philipe Almunzo my best friend that moved Arizona
S is for, Send me the Universal cuz I want it and I'm in need of some love
T is for, Twice for me and Twice for you
U is for, Under the Christmas tree PLEASE
V is for, Very nice if I got a Universal
W is for, Why dont you send me a Universasl for Christmas?
X is for, Xterminate you if I dont get one
Y is for, You know I deserve one I've been a good boy
Z is for, Zip the Universal down to me house Thank You
HO HO HO HO HO HO, Happy Holidays
from, Gareth Hunter
P.S. Thanks for sending me the Universa
Dear Engadget,
A is for, A Universal that I want
B is for, Because I want to have a better electronics than my friends nice Clie
C is for, Crazy nice Universal
D is for, Dang I want won of these puppies
E is for, Everthing in the world couldn't beat getting on eof these
F is for, Fun things I could with it if I got it
G is for, Gareth thats my name
H is for, Hunter thats my last name
I is for, I need a Universal
J is for, Just like to have one
K is for, Kuz Santa Clause is coming to town
L is for, Little bit of this a lil bit of that
M is for, My little brother that died at birth
N is for, Niceness is really nice
O is for, Oh my gosh whats going on
P is for, Put some salami on my bread
Q is for, Quit reading and give me the Universal PLEASE
R is for, Ricardo Philipe Almunzo my best friend that moved Arizona
S is for, Send me the Universal cuz I want it and I'm in need of some love
T is for, Twice for me and Twice for you
U is for, Under the Christmas tree PLEASE
V is for, Very nice if I got a Universal
W is for, Why dont you send me a Universal for Xmas?
X is for, Xterminate you if I dont get one
Y is for, You know I deserve one I've been a good boy
Z is for, Zip the Universal down to me house Thank You
HO HO HO HO HO HO, Happy Holidays
from, Gareth Hunter
P.S. Thanks for sending me the Universal
64 and 65 are hackers!
i want to win because i can smile goodly
i can fly when nobody's looking
i'm goot at watchign movies
i'll be able to drive in march
i have a cellphone
my dog plays with it's food
my mom is in india =
i need a girlfriend
on my computer i have stickers
christmas is only fun when you get stuff
fin.
i should win because i'm an oxymoron, im half indian...but half british
to the people at engadget
I hope i get that phone
Mine is a old motorola piece of crap
that i just leave at home
I think i deserve this HTC
because i think you guys are cool
i've seen alot of other weblogs
but we know they all drool
I go to your website everyday
i see so many things i want to get
but my mom wont let me buy anything
that involves using the internet
my friends think that i wont win the prize
i want to prove them wrong
cause i know You will choose me
after you read this song
there are only 9 days till christmas
im not getting anything this year
so i just want this phone for me
not getting it is the only thing i fear
You might find this a waste a time
i think its nice for all you guys do
whether i win or not just to let you know
i will still love you guys and thats true
this is the lamest thing i've ever written
but i guess its worth a try
Im trying not to suck up to Whoever is reading this
BUT I THHINK YOU ARE THE COOLEST GUY
Am I the only who realizes that you have to EMAIL, REPEAT EMAIL your entry? And to the people who wrote the sob stories: how exactly is your "entry" creative?
I'm with number 69...
Did anyone even read that you need to send an email?
I'm a kid and I still figured it out...
I sent in a cool creative thing as well, not just a story of my life...
If you want to make a sob story (which you shouldn't), at least somehow relate it engadget and at make it creative....
Thanks,
Souvey
Hate to break it to everyone who posted their entry here, but if you don't follow the directions and EMAIL your entry to us you're not going to be eligible to win. I wouldn't want to give this amazing gadget to someone who isn't intelligent enough to read and follow simple instructions.
There is a man with a ski mask here. He is demanding an HTC Universal. I don't have an HTC Universal. He has a gun. Please Engadget, save me! I am a loyal reader! If I die the blood will be on your hands! On your hands!
wait am i supposed to send it to
engadget at gmail dot com
or
engadget@gmail.com
because if it is the first one it is not working with yahoo or hotmail
You should give it to me... because i asked for it.
all right, no sob story or pathetic begging.
all im saying is i want the phone.
please and thank you.
and i'm not going to auction it, i'll use it.
I wrote you guys at Engadget a story. I hope you like it.
this is what i wrote to them. you can all tell me what yu think about the creative aspect of this contest.
One day there was this boy named Engadget. Now little Engadget was having the most horrible time of it. As it so happens little Engadget was never ever able to go see the incredible Universal. He oh so very much wanted to go see the Universal, but alas was too small to ever push open the doors. Then one day a new little kid , in a baseball cap, moved into the same building as him. Engadget thought to himself, 'Hey maybe he kows the secret of getting the doors open?' So he set off to make friends with this new boy. He left his appartment and went through the long dark halways and up the creaking stairs, to the Superintendents Office, to find out where the new boy lived. He lightly rapped on the Soopa's , as he called him, door. From across the room, on the other side of the door, he heard loud thumps. Each one getting louder as it got closer and closer. He was getting really afraid of the loud sounding steps and backed up a couple of feet. Then, with a mighty gush of wind, the door swang open. He asked, " Soopa oh Mr. Soopa, where does the new boy in the cap lived?' The superintendant told him which halls and what stairs would lead him to the new boys appartment. So off set litte Engadget, to find this boy that he thinks could help him. So down the stairs and through the dark hallways to the door of the new boys appartment. He lifted up his head at the big yellow door before him, stretched out his arm and gave two good knocks. There was a rush of steps and an even bigger rush of wind sucking in as the door swung open. There standing happily before him was the new kid in the baseball cap. Little Engadget took a big gulp and told the new kid his story. His story about the Universal and all the things it could do, and how it means so much to him. Well the new boy said to Engadget" Why my uncle works for the Universal. I bet he could get you in to see it. So the new boy said to Engadget to come back the next day and he will have asked his Uncle to take them both to the Universal. Leittle Engadget was so happy, he told the new boy that he would be back the next day at the same time. He couldn't believe that he would finally get to see the Universal.
Just then His alarm clock went off. It was just a dream. Little Engadget was so sad.
He would never in person get to see the Universal.
I would really like to win this, as it is too technologically advanced for my caveman family! I am from the Future and can handle the perks this would give me (like being able to try and program in my time machine co-ordinates so I can leave this drab life behind)
Umm... Maybe I just skipped to the end of the Podcast and missed it, but who won?
So what's the word with this contest? Will we ever see one of these great entries people sent.. I thought Mine was Quite Clever!
I'm more interested to see what the mystery prize on Day Four was. Perhaps they're waiting for xmas day to make the announcements?