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Buy Star Trek: TOS HD DVD and a Toshiba HD DVD player, get an uber-rare Phaser remote
If you somehow managed to hold off on picking up a Toshiba HD DVD player along with eight free titles, and you eat, sleep, and breathe Star Trek, we've got a feeling your resistance is futile. In an admittedly interesting promotional move, Toshiba has teamed with CBS to offer those who purchase Star Trek: The Original Series HD DVD box set and any Toshiba HD DVD player a "limited edition Star Trek Phaser remote" that will operate Tosh's HD DVD players. Regrettably, there's no mention as to how many of these things will actually be handed out, but if you're even remotely (ahem) interested, we'd be on the ball as soon as the set lands.
Advergaming hits Indian movie industry
ZDNet is reporting on Bollywood3D, a new company set up to release promotional games for India's famously prolific film industry. Unlike movie-based games in the States, which count on a box office bump from the film's premiere, Bollywood3D games will come out ahead of the movie to create early buzz, including built-in contests for merchandise and premiere tickets.Bollywood's famous musicals won't be adapted to start -- early games will instead let you take control of big Bollywood action stars like Emran Hashmi and Salman Kahn. With budgets of $100,000 and and a development cycle of two months, the games aren't likely to be AAA blockbusters in their own right. But as a marketing promotion aimed at India's millions of computer owners, it might just work. Hey, if they can sell two million Burger King games, anything is possible.
Blu-ray fencesitters: five free movies sound good?
It's not like we haven't seen this card played already in the HD DVD camp, but now it's (almost) time for the Blu-ray ponderers to feel the grip of temptation (again). Starting on July 1st (just hold out a few more hours) and lasting through September 30th of this year, customers who purchase a qualifying Blu-ray player will be eligible to receive five flicks gratis through the mail. Among the options of players are Sony's BDP-S1, BDP-S300, or 60GB PlayStation 3, Panasonic's DMP-BD10K or DMP-BD10KA, Philips' BDP9000, Pioneer's BDP-94HD, or Samsung's BD-P1000 / BD-P1200. As for the free movies, you'll be able to choose five from a library of 21 titles, and while we can't really argue with the upside in this deal, be absolutely sure you don't mind receiving "notices and information from the Blu-ray Disc Association" before mailing in your claim.[Via Blu-ray]
Pimp your vehicle Forza 2 promo style
You too can customize your real life vehicle with Forza 2 promotional items that are making their way to retailers and eBay. The Xbox Collector discovered a few Forza 2 goodies on eBay including a refreshing Forza 2 air-freshener, button, and sporty license plate frame. Can't you just Imagine cruising the neighborhood, sniffing your Forza 2 air-freshener while speeding past all the wannabes who'll be drooling over your pimped out license plate frame? Yeah, Forza 2 promotional items ... you'll get all the girls.
Coke runs out of DS, Wii rewards in four days
Coke drinkers love them some Nintendo, it seems. The newest phase of the My Coke Rewards customer loyalty program, which began on April 16, was sold out of all available Nintendo merchandise by April 20, according to the deal-watchers on slickdeals.net.Yes, that means that at least a few people managed to redeem the 3250 reward points needed for a Nintendo DS and the 6250 points for a Wii in less than four days. For those keeping score at home, that translates to 1084 bottles of Coke for the DS or 2084 bottles for the Wii. In four days. Are these people buying drinks for Army battalions or something?Slower drinkers needn't worry, though -- the DS and Wii reappeared on the rewards site yesterday afternoon, meaning that more people can pursue obesity and tooth decay as they pursue their Nintendo system of choice. God bless America.
Sony promoting DS games
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Sony_promoting_DS_games'; We have a shameful confession: sometimes we play games on other systems. Yes, there is a Playstation 2 in our stately Fanboy Manor, and it occasionally has a game in it. But our DS Fanboy Power is such that even the least Nintendo-like task we can think of-- buying a PS2 game-- becomes more Nintendo-centric in our presence. We recently ordered a copy of Soul Calibur III from Sony's own online store, and were surprised by what we received today. The game was in there as expected, but there was a large glossy piece of paper in the package with it. Upon unfolding the paper, we found ... a Spectrobes poster? Why on Earth would Sony send people promotional posters for a DS game? Have they given up on their own little project? Just in case there was some Spectrobes-Sony connection in the companies involved or something, we checked the fine print on the poster, and found only Disney and Nintendo copyright information-- nothing about Sony.
The DS gets its first promotional sewing machine
Oshare Majo Love and Berry, the arcade-game-interfacing, rhythm-actioning, dressing-up smash from Sega, is popular enough to support even the most tenuous promotional items, as evidenced by the Janome sewing machine seen above. When Japanese gamers buy Love and Berry DS Collection stuff, they'll receive postcards they can send in for a chance to win this Love and Berry DS Collection sewing machine, as well as a Love and Berry DS Collection jewelry box. Oddly enough, this is not the first time the worlds of Nintendo handhelds and sewing machines have collided.No matter what you think of it now, we guarantee you'll be pining for one of these machines when it goes up on eBay in five years. Or are we the only ones like that?
Friday Video: Ultimate secrets edition
This week, we here at DS Fanboy are going to offer you a special treat for our featured video. We're going to reveal a concrete way to realize your dreams of being an international wo/man of mystery, racking up hangers-on and piles of glittering jewels. Oh yes. It's all inside. Awecat will look at you as though you are a giant slab of raw tuna rolled in catnip.The One Who Got Away will call you and want your hot body. F'realz.You will crush your enemies in Mario Kart DS this weekend and make them weep like little girls.If you're ready for your close-up, hit the jump.
DirecTV HD Promo
Now this is the type of tip we like to hear about. A DirecTV employee just dropped us a note indicating that anyone can get four months of their high-def package for free as long as they speak up and ask for it. We don't know how long that promo is going for but the key here is that you must ask for it. From our little bit of calling DirecTV, (and a lot of sitting on hold) it seems that this is for existing non-HD customers that have high-def equipment just laying around. According to our tipster, and one out of the three DirecTV representative we spoke with, there isn't the normal 1-year obligation and this promo will work with your existing equipment. Two of the reps. indicated that there is a two-year commitment so we guess the moral here is if you don't get the right answer the first time, hang up and call back. Chances are that DirecTV is not going to honor this offer to existing HD customers though, but it might be worth a try. DirecTV: 1-888-777-2454.Many service providers have better deals then what they are advertising so do not be afraid to haggle a bit. It won't hurt.[Thanks, ****] Name hidden to protect his job
Columbia Records & Apple offer exclusive pre-order of Bob Dylan's new album, ticket promo
I guess the times certainly are a changin', as the man Bob Dylan himself has hopped on board with Apple and the iTunes Music Store to offer an exclusive pre-order ($13.99) of his upcoming new album, Modern Times, which lands on August 29th. Ticketmaster has even tossed their hat in, just like with the Red Hot Chili Peppers promo back in April, and is offering a pre-sale ticket opportunity for select dates on Mr. Dylan's tour to fans who pre-order the album.Now if that isn't enough Bob for you, Apple has also created a digital box set simply called 'The Collection' which boasts 800 songs, but be careful using that one-click purchase option: it's $199, and also lands on the 29th. "Bob Dylan is one of the most respected poets and musicians of our time, and he is a personal hero of mine," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, calling this opportunity a "a real thrill for us."Modern Times (iTMS link) is available for pre-order today, and fans who purchase it will receive a Ticketmaster code by email which can be used to get in on that pre-sale at Ticketmaster.com starting August 30th, while the tickets go on sale to the public September 9th. More information can be found at bobdylan.com, as well as ticketmaster.com/bobdylan.
Apple and Coke team up for European iTMS promotion
That Apple + Coca Cola promo we mentioned in June has been made a reality, but only in Europe - at least for now. MSNBC is reporting that iTunes has launched "the deepest alliance of its kind" to promote the iTMS on Coke's website in the UK and Germany, as the company will also be giving away 70 million songs on its products in a promo that sounds just like the Pepsi partnership of a year or so ago. Interestingly, Apple declined to comment on whether shaking hands with Coke meant that they had to stop drinking from the Pepsi fountain.It sounds like all you TUAW readers in the UK and Germany can keep your eyes out for the promotion to hit Coke's website and products sometime this month. Happy downloading![via iLounge]
Facebook begins iTunes promotion, giving away 10 million samplers
Facebook, the MySpace of the EDU world (and the 7th most trafficked site in the US), has announced a back-to-school promotion involving the iTMS and 10 million music samplers. They will be giving away 1 million 25-song samplers each week for the next 10 weeks, with genres including Alternative, Rock, Hip-Hop and Electronica. It appears that one only needs to visit Facebook to see banners like this, which are linked to the download at Apple's site, so go forth and download, iTunes and Facebook users.[via iLounge]
ProCare promo video inspired by South Park, created by Apple Store employees
We don't know how legit this is, or whether there's an Apple Store out there actually using this, but it appears as though some Apple Store employees have created a ProCare promotional video in the spirit of South Park. It features short, animated kids in a few quick scenarios of customers entering the store and requesting Procare support, as well as another customer pimping some of the various features that ProCare offers, such as personalized support and training. It probably won't make the Apple.com homepage any time soon, but it's an interesting effort from some enthusiastic employees (who probably didn't even get paid for their efforts).
Mysterious Thief Rousseau trailer excites
The odds of this game hitting the US are fairly slim, but nonetheless it has managed to stir large amounts of excitement in a few of us. This rather lengthy promo trailer shows some of the wide range of masks available to Rousseau, along with how they would be used in the game.
Firefox commercial pokes fun at the competition
A viral Firefox commercial poking fun at its browser competition features the anthropomorphized icons of Internet Explorer, Netscape and Apple's own Safari acting, well - somewhat silly. No matter which browser you're a fan of, it's a pretty funny spot and one of the better offerings I've seen from the Firefox Flicks campaign.[via Netscape]
Dell's XPS goes $10k (again) and X-Men
Looks like Dell wasn't too displeased with the result of that limited run $10,000 XPS 600 Renegade series of theirs, since they're busting that move again with their new XPS: X-Men box based on the new system they were showing off at E3. It's just too bad you can't buy it though, since they're giving away the apparently one-of-a-kind quad NVIDIA carded and Intel Pentium 965 Extreme Edition equipped machine as a tie-in with this month's launch of that new X-Men movie. Ah well, you'll get yours built to order soon enough, but you're going to have to pay for it your damn self.
What's in the Engadget swag bag?
Ever wonder what kind of swag Engadget writers tend to get attending all those press conferences, media revues, and promo cocktail parties? Well, you'd be surprised by the fact that it's not often good -- but we do tend to amass a huge amount of promo stuff (including the occasional real product). Since we can't give away all this stuff one at a time, we're giving away a collection of it.First person to guess one of the goodies in the Engadget swag bag wins it and its, uh, "bounty" of contents. It's kind of like the grand prize winner going home with a fat load of crappy parting gifts -- about 25 pounds by our rough estimate. It's big and heavy, so we ask only US residents to enter -- and you can only enter once (i.e. one guess), no cheating! (Yes, we're checking thoroughly to ensure fairness -- members of the press are not allowed to win!) You have to be specific -- you can't just say "a press kit!" or "a flash drive!" and expect to take this wretched abomination of media relations home. If no one can guess something that's inside it by noon EST tomorrow we're going to pick a someone at random who entered, and ship it to 'em anyway, whether they want it or not.Ready? Start guessing what's inside the bag, and be prepared to be underwhelmed by the swagginess of it all.
Aperture 1.1 released with improvements, price drop, $200 coupon for early adopters
When was the last time you heard of a .1 upgrade to an application putting $200 in your pocket? It looks like pushing the Aperture update back to April did some good after all: This morning, Apple released Aperture 1.1 with a host of upgrades and new features, the most notable being Universal Binary status, RAW image rendering speed boosts and new fine tuning controls, as well as a price reduction to $299 and - get this - a $200 coupon for Aperture 1.0 'early adopters,' redeemable at the online Apple Store (make your claim here).General performance has dramatically increased on both PPC and Intel-based Macs, with Apple's press release boasting that "common repetitive workflow tasks such as Lift and Stamp and searching are processed up to 4x faster on a MacBook Pro (2.16 GHz) than on a PowerBook(R) G4."The Aperture 1.1 upgrade is available for existing customers now through Software Update, and fresh $299 copies are also available now through the Apple Store.
