There’s a lot being written right now about Microsoft’s giving Vista PCs to bloggers, and the ethics of the bloggers taking them. If you’ve managed to miss it, there are a few links at the bottom of this post that you can read, but frankly, I’m already tired of the whole subject, and imagine that many other people are too.
But since I’m no longer averse to stealing good ideas (way too many of mine have been lifted), and since we’re trying to drum up more activity on this blog (both posts and comments), we’re going to start a monthly giveaway to people who comment on the posts.
Here’s how it will work:
- Around the first of each month, we’ll give away one of our titles (recipient’s choice, and you can choose one of our suites, so you’d essentially get 3 or 4 programs) to someone who has commented on any of the posts in the previous month. People who have all the software they want can instead get some of our swag, which right now is still just stylus pens, though I’m thinking hard about getting something else.
- We’ll pick the winner each month using a random number that we map to the comment IDs.
- To be eligible, comments just need to be legitimate, and somehow related to the original post.
To help this along, I’ll encourage everyone here to post a lot more, so there’s more content to respond to.
And, as promised, here are the links to a few of the articles about the Microsoft giveaway:
I Started Something
Jason Dunn
Ed Bott
Joel on Software
There’s a lot more that’s been written about this, but starting with the above will probably lead you there.
Twitter
After SBSH, Ilium is my favourite PPC software company. So I was happy that you had a blog anyway, and I’m really glad you guys want to do more with it!
I used to read evrything anyway, but since nobody commented I thought that this was one of the blogs where you “just didn’t do that”.
But no more!
Thanks, I always like contests/giveaways
As I mentioned on the site… here I am – being bribed to post by the offer of free stuff
Love it folks!!!
Please, please, please bribe me.
I thnk Just Another Mobile Monday has already posted positive reviews of everything Ilium has to offer. And I really want to hear more about this new swag you have. 
Great job on the blog and on the giveaway.
Doug
Thanks! Swag is a funny thing – I’ve gotten tons of it. For a while we were collecting the bad examples (maybe I’ll post the bad swag museum). I have so many t-shirts that I now turn them into rags rather than washing them. I liked the little 4-port USB hub, but it only worked a few months, and the branded memory sticks quickly got replaced by bigger ones once 1GB got priced under $20.
The most useful giveaways I ever got were the Microsoft Windows CE luggage tags – they’re big printed plastic ones that hold business cards, and make it VERY easy for me to recognize my luggage fast, and, I think, harder for other people to confuse mine with theirs. I’m thinking about getting some of those, to give away along with the stylus pens and software – any opinions?
I like the luggage tag idea. One other thing that might be good (though it could be cost prohibitive) would be cases. Not necessarily device cases, but maybe memory card cases or something small like that. Everyone has tons of memory cards and USB thumb drives or other accessories, so a nice Ilium case in which to keep them would be nice.
Doug
[...] Visit Ilium post HERE! Share:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
Guess it’s time to stop lurking and start posting…especially when Ilium software is giving away GREAT software. I don’t look at this as a bribe because I would have said positive things about Ilium’s software even without freebies…I once had the pleasure of meeting Ellen at a PocketPC owner group function in Ann Arbor. Very down-to-earth. Keep on “bribing”…errr…I mean showcasing your software Ilium. *laughs*
I just posted a comment about this on JAMM.
http://justanothermobilemonday.com/Wordpress/2007/01/03/ilium-software-is-giving-away-the-store/
Hope this helps increase traffic as well.
Doug
Yep. Found out about this from JAMM. I’ll be a regular now LOL. I do enjoy Illium Software’s wares. ::wink::
Wow, found this from JAMM as well. Certainly something to cheer for. Afterall Ilium developed some of the best softwares.
Thank you.
And feel free to comment on any of our blog posts! We’re pulling names from the entire blog and not just this item!
Bring it on!
I think it is a good initiative. It certainly made me look towards commenting here!
[...] and finally I really liked that Doug also tagged Julie from Ilium Software. Ilium is trying to get their blog to a higher level, and they are running a monthly contest to help with that. However, they also need posts on the blog! Just like Doug, I also had contact with Julie from Ilium Software on several occasions, I choose to give: [...]
[...] Thanks ever so much to Julie and Ilium Software for running this great contest with us. Please go check out their blog – HERE – for details on a great new monthly giveaway contest they’ve got going. [...]
Ich nutze ewallet nun schon seit vielen Jahren. Zuerst auf div. Pocket-PC-Geräten und nun seit etwa einem Jahr auf einem Palm. Ich verwalte damit unzählige Paswörter, sämtliche Bankverbindungen und Personalausweise meiner gesamten Familie u.a. mehr. Bei Neuanschaffung eines Gerätes war und ist immer der erste Softwarekauf ewallet.
Ich würde dieses Produkt jederzeit weiterempfehlen!
Andreas Weß
I am busy working out and I have a few (ha!) new memberships to sites that I belong to with passwords. I think I might be interested in upgrading my ewallet. Of course, getting free stuff might even be better! Pick me! Pick me!
Just got your offer of the latest version of ewallet. I bought the entire suite back in the summer and the listpro is good and so is the keeptrack. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to utilize the ewallet the way I would like. My wallets just seem to disappear??? I have both the PC and the IPAQ version, so I don’t know if they have gotten together and are just having fun hiding my files or what…
Anyway, your software is great, and it is fun dealing with folks with a sense of humor and a personality for a change. I will probably upgrade to version 5.0 on the ewallet, IF you will tell my PC and IPAQ to quit ganging up on me AND to return my wallet files……
Hi art….drop out folks at tech support a line. support@iliumsoft.com or 888-632-5388. The problem you are having is NOT something we typically see (although I’m guessing you are using ActiveSync’s FileSync and not SyncPro.) Anyhow, I’m sure we can help you to solve the problem!
Yes, luggage tags, sound like a great idea – a way to spread the Ilium message of great software even farther. Keep up the good work!
Ilium is one of my favs! I’ve had serveral Pocket PC’s and always need to have ewallet and list pro running. Tech support has been very helpful whenever I’ve run into a problem These are great programs!
Great idea! I normally don’t post but getting the chance to win free stuff is the incentive I need. I’ve owned just about every PDA out there. So much in fact that I think it’s an obsession. My PDA’s may come and go, but it’s eWallet and ListPro that I always use.
Just upgraded my old PalmV to a Treo 650 (yes i know – late bloomer) and have had eWallet ever since i bought the PalmV new (1998?). Actually it was one of the reasons i upgraded. A phone with eWallet. How cool. BTW eWallet v2.1 still works great. Although a free upgrade to 5.0 would be even better.
I’ve purchased copies of eWallet for every tech in our department. I’ve also owned just about every Palm & MS PDA, Smart cell phone, PDA cell phone there is and with every device I’ve used, I always pop out to Handago and purchase eWallet. There is no better product out there protecting data that you need to be private for these devices. Keep your give-a-way stuff, just make sure this product is always there, in every flavor as you have done in the past. Once again, about to get a new cell phone – Hello Handago and Hello new version 5!
I have just upgraded to eWallet 5.0 and it looks great. I don’t know where I would be without it, or without ListPro which is about my favourite siftware ever. I have the full suite and the apps are in constant use. Fun, easy to use and essential to keep track of ever more frantic lifestyles. Not only that but It’s all so easy to instal. Thank you Handango!
I have been using a PDA since 1990, when HP announced the LX100. I have gone through various devices since, upgrading as new models with new features arrive. With new devices, ususally new software pieces get introduced, often making previously installed programs obsolete.
The only piece of software that has been constant on my devices for over a decade is eWallet. I wouldn’t know what to do without it.
I tested the eWallet 5.0 and then upgraded as soon as I noticed the actual release came out. eWallet has saved my bacon more times than I can count. I work for a Fortune 100 company and I must have 200+ passwords that would be impossible to remember as every system has different criteria.
I also just received the upgrade letter that mentioned this blog. I didn’t know it existed, but will now become a frequent visitor. On top of that, if i am lucky, I may get some “Stuff”!!
eWallet is the best and essential product for any PDA and PC. I totally rely on mine and have over 100 passwords and financial details in there. I wouldn’t live without it. Thanks Ilium for producing such a great applications.
I have been using eWallet for a number of years and now I can’t live without it. Best product I ever bought for my PDA.
I have eWallet on my home machine, my PDA and my office machine. It is great to hear that version 5 will be more efficient at Synchronizing them. I can’t wait to try it.
Illium c’est le “Summum”
I’m in. Just discovered this site. Have a good day.
eWallet and Pocket Informant are my most used PPC products. Both are indispensible to me. I work in IT and have so many account IDs and passwords it’s enough to make a crazy person crazy! eWallet helps me stay cool and get in where I need to w/o worrying about forgetting the account info. Thanks
Cool! It’s a good news. I have used the good softwares when I bought my first PDA for a long while.
Great! A blog from the guys behind E-Wallet!
This software has sure been a lifesaver for me many times
You can hand out the prize now, thanks
Great you’re back guys! eWallet is part of my everyday life and I can’t live without it!
Which takes me to another point, I’ll be migrating to Mac OS X in a few months… do you have plans to make a desktop version for OS X? I’d really appreciate it, and I’m certain many others will…
Speaking of winning software– I have both purchased and won (at ppct) Ilium software. Even when it seems too simple, it really is possible to win stuff. Other swag is good too; I recently lost my first pda stylus in nearly ten years of pda use.
Anyway, I hope the chance of winning does improve avtivity on this site and hopefully have a significant affect on Ilium developers and software.
thanks guys,
m.
Sorry Mario….we don’t have plans for a Mac version at the moment. You might want to read this article though: http://blog.iliumsoft.com/?p=50 as it explains why!
I’ve been using both ListPro and eWallet for quite some time, on several PDA’s, and love both programs! I’ve never had a problem with either one except for unlocking when I had hard drive issues. Tech support has been great!
Been a user of e-wallet for LONG
Been a user of e-wallet for long time and looking forward to 5.0 new features.
Would love to see eWallet running on a BlackBerry
I’ve been using your products since 1989, and on every upgrade HP has made to its handheld computers — and now on my iPaq. On balance, ListPro is more important to me than eWallet, but I really can’t live without both. They’re my auxiliary brain, and more reliable than the main brain!
GREAT SOFTWARE!!
KEEP IT COMING!!
THANK YOU!!
PAUL
Really great stuff here. I have been using the ewallet for 3 years now and cannot imagine not having it.
Keep up the good work.
After the calendar, eWallet is THE most used app on my phone/PDA
Aye! I’m another who would love to see my favorite little app, eWallet, running on my new Blackberry.
I, too, have been using ewallet for 3 years now and cannot imagine not having it. (Sorry Matt, I though we were supposed to lift people’s ideas.) (How many NOTs can one use in one sentence?)
One little niggle. $16.95 for an upgrade is too rich for me. As I assume my version 4 won’t self destruct, I am going to have to soldier on with my steam-driven version.
Unless I win this lottery – yea!
Thanks for your awesome product. I’m active duty military and often deployed. I use my personal handheld to maintain finances and home issues from around the globe. The tools you provide are invaluable! Thank you again!
SSgt Kevin Pike
NCOIC, Chapel Operations
I just purchased the ewallet 5.0 after having used the 4.0 and 4.1 versions for over a year. I appreciate the security aspects of the software as well as the ease of use. I have it with me all the time so I can keep all my valuable account information at hand any time I need it. Thank you.
Hello, is anyone there?
Is this where I order my blog? Where does my blog plug into (can I have a usb one) and do I need the new Windows Vespa system to run it?
Just kidding! I know that blogs don’t come in usb versions – I’m an old techie and know they plog in to COM1 9600 baud!
Steve
Used last two versions across PDA and PC – got me out a tricky corner many times, especially when speaking to call centres and they ask you the dreaded ‘what’s your password’ question!!!!
ewallet seems to the only piece of software I use that doesn’t cause me any problems.
Keep up the good work.