My iPod Shuffle for under $10.00
I just signed off at Amazon.com, where my checkout total was $5.78 before I switched to super savers shipping, which made my total $0.00. And what, might you ask, was in my shopping cart?? A brand new 1 Gig iPod Shuffle. “How on earth”, I hear you all asking, “did you get a shuffle for free”?
Well, like many of you, (admit it…. you too have been seduced by the idea of free stuff), I’ve been all over the internet chasing those “instant win” claims that “somebody knew somebody who won”, and gotten nothing for my trouble but a bunch of SPAM in my inbox. Then one day last month I was surfing around one of my bookmark sites, Clipmarks , when I came across a bit of news about an online entrepreneur by the name of Jerry Kaplan. What piqued my interest was a blurb about a game being based on anthropological studies showing that women in hunter/gatherer societies worked together for the common good.
Now, I can be as competitive as the next person I suppose; but this concept intrigued me- a game where people cooperate to win prizes??? --so I hopped over to Winster to check it out.
When I got there I was pleasantly surprised to find that the free trial was indeed a free trial, and the it was set up in such a way that it was not only possible but truly probable that I could win free movie tickets playing for free.
My big surprise was still to come as I logged in and waited for my game to load. The surprise was a 5 player room of friendly people who were practically falling all over themselves to help me! The surprise was a live chat board where other players explained the games and how to make trading and sharing work best for everyone.
The surprises were just beginning. Although the games are quite simple, the trading and sharing and social aspects are so much fun that the site quickly becomes addictive! Points are awarded for completing the puzzles, and although the totals required for various prizes (like my new iPod Shuffle) seem very high, they add up very quickly with all the trading.
Okay, so I was hooked. I decided to join. With 3 levels of membership topping at a whopping $9.99 per month, I figured I didn’t have much to lose; the game was fun, there was no long term commitment required, no “catches” or “hidden clauses” I could see, so it seemed worth a try.
Another surprise is the prompt and friendly customer service. Almost immediate, in fact. I made a little mistake when I joined and somehow my “spins” got misplaced. (Because I joined at a lower level and then immediately upgraded… I suppose I confused the system!!) Of course as my usual timing would have it, it was a weekend evening. So there I sat wanting to play, almost out of spins with which to play. I emailed customer support. The big surprise was when I ran out of spins and told the other gamers I was leaving they insisted that I stay! Why? So they could share all their unwanted puzzle pieces with me and keep me earning points. I was amazed. I played for about 2 hours before customer service got back with me. Two hours. On a weekend. I was immediately awarded 1000 spins so that I could play, and refunded 1/2 the cost of my first month’s membership due to the inadvertent loss of my trial period.
So here’s the bottom line. I’ve played an average of maybe 2-3 hours a day, for less than a month – actually 17 days – and have already won my iPod. No gimmicks, no catches, no BS. Just lots of fun, lots of nice people (and a few stray grumps, of course!!), and great prizes to be had for next to nothing.
I’m a host there now, because I like to help people get the hang of trading and sharing, and in support of this wonderful idea. I’m including the press release from Jerry at Winster, although it’s a little out of date. There are 6 games now. If you come by, look for me in the evening in chain gang, poker pals or picture magic; my favorites.
Terese I Hartjoy 2007
PRESS CONTACT:
Angela Lorusso
847-415-9343
alorusso@sspr.com
Play for Prizes at Winster.com --- Where Gamers Help Each Other Win
New Game Concept Lets Players Cooperate to Solve Puzzles for Faster Point Buildup
SAN MATEO, CA (January __, 2007) --- If you enjoy the social aspects of playing games in a group but dislike the competitive pressures of slaying monsters or completing quests, get in the game at Winster (www.winster.com), a new online game site where players cooperate to solve puzzles. The more you help each other, the faster the points pile up, and the faster you can earn prizes ranging from movie tickets to kitchen gear.
Teamwork Pays Off
Winster currently offers three puzzle games: Picture Magic, where players assemble complete pictures out of pieces; Chain Gang, where players build chains out of separate links; and Facets, where players make smiley faces by arranging colored tiles. Up to five players sit side by side in a ‘room’ where they can see each other’s puzzle boards. This sets the stage for working together to get faster results.
Players pick the prize they want before they start to play, then accumulate points toward that prize as they complete portions of each puzzle. When players get an extra or unwanted puzzle piece, they can trade it or simply give it away to another player who may need it to fill in a missing piece on their own game board.
This collaborative strategy speeds the process of finishing puzzles, building point totals, and winning prizes. Earned points carry over between games and play sessions, enabling players to drop in and out as their schedules permit without having to start over each time they sign on.
The friendly atmosphere is reinforced with on-screen messages that describe the action in the room as it happens --- from “Tanya and Debbie have traded pieces!” to “Becky scored 1,540 points with a 6-piece chain!”
First-time visitors can earn a free prize in about 30 minutes of play by signing up for a free two-week trial membership. After the trial, monthly memberships are available for $4.99, $6.99 or $9.99, depending on the amount of play desired per day.
Creative Inspiration
Winster was created by Michelle and Jerry Kaplan, a California couple with a mutual interest in both games and technology. Like many women, Michelle enjoys playing online games in a group but was able to find few options that didn’t require aggressive gameplay against either human or imaginary opponents. She saw an opportunity to fill the void with a new kind of group game that would replicate the friends-helping-friends spirit of quilting bees, babysitting co-ops and coffee klatches. Jerry, a serial technology entrepreneur, then hired a team to build the games and the web site.
“I wanted games that people would play with each other rather than against each other, the ability to drop in and out for short sessions, and a relaxing, friendly environment that was conducive to socializing,” Michelle Kaplan says. “Then I realized that players could help each other win prizes. That’s when it all came together.”
Winster’s roots with an avid female game player reflect the popularity of Internet gaming among women. A 2006 survey by Nielsen Entertainment found that 64% of all online gamers are female, while a 2004 study by AOL revealed that U.S. women over the age of 40 spend nearly 50 percent more time than men each week playing online games and are more frequent daily players than either men or teenagers.
“A lot of online gamers, both male and female, are motivated by a desire to make friends and build social relationships,” says Jerry Kaplan. “Winster taps into that desire with a fresh gaming format that encourages cooperation instead of competition. This sets Winster apart from other online game communities.”
About Winster
Winster, Inc. operates a new type of Internet game site that caters to people who play online games as a social outlet rather than a competitive one. The site offers innovative games designed to foster a sense of community and promote positive social interaction by enabling players to help each other win prizes. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California.
Well, like many of you, (admit it…. you too have been seduced by the idea of free stuff), I’ve been all over the internet chasing those “instant win” claims that “somebody knew somebody who won”, and gotten nothing for my trouble but a bunch of SPAM in my inbox. Then one day last month I was surfing around one of my bookmark sites, Clipmarks , when I came across a bit of news about an online entrepreneur by the name of Jerry Kaplan. What piqued my interest was a blurb about a game being based on anthropological studies showing that women in hunter/gatherer societies worked together for the common good.
Now, I can be as competitive as the next person I suppose; but this concept intrigued me- a game where people cooperate to win prizes??? --so I hopped over to Winster to check it out.
When I got there I was pleasantly surprised to find that the free trial was indeed a free trial, and the it was set up in such a way that it was not only possible but truly probable that I could win free movie tickets playing for free.
My big surprise was still to come as I logged in and waited for my game to load. The surprise was a 5 player room of friendly people who were practically falling all over themselves to help me! The surprise was a live chat board where other players explained the games and how to make trading and sharing work best for everyone.
The surprises were just beginning. Although the games are quite simple, the trading and sharing and social aspects are so much fun that the site quickly becomes addictive! Points are awarded for completing the puzzles, and although the totals required for various prizes (like my new iPod Shuffle) seem very high, they add up very quickly with all the trading.
Okay, so I was hooked. I decided to join. With 3 levels of membership topping at a whopping $9.99 per month, I figured I didn’t have much to lose; the game was fun, there was no long term commitment required, no “catches” or “hidden clauses” I could see, so it seemed worth a try.
Another surprise is the prompt and friendly customer service. Almost immediate, in fact. I made a little mistake when I joined and somehow my “spins” got misplaced. (Because I joined at a lower level and then immediately upgraded… I suppose I confused the system!!) Of course as my usual timing would have it, it was a weekend evening. So there I sat wanting to play, almost out of spins with which to play. I emailed customer support. The big surprise was when I ran out of spins and told the other gamers I was leaving they insisted that I stay! Why? So they could share all their unwanted puzzle pieces with me and keep me earning points. I was amazed. I played for about 2 hours before customer service got back with me. Two hours. On a weekend. I was immediately awarded 1000 spins so that I could play, and refunded 1/2 the cost of my first month’s membership due to the inadvertent loss of my trial period.
So here’s the bottom line. I’ve played an average of maybe 2-3 hours a day, for less than a month – actually 17 days – and have already won my iPod. No gimmicks, no catches, no BS. Just lots of fun, lots of nice people (and a few stray grumps, of course!!), and great prizes to be had for next to nothing.
I’m a host there now, because I like to help people get the hang of trading and sharing, and in support of this wonderful idea. I’m including the press release from Jerry at Winster, although it’s a little out of date. There are 6 games now. If you come by, look for me in the evening in chain gang, poker pals or picture magic; my favorites.
Terese I Hartjoy 2007
PRESS CONTACT:
Angela Lorusso
847-415-9343
alorusso@sspr.com
Play for Prizes at Winster.com --- Where Gamers Help Each Other Win
New Game Concept Lets Players Cooperate to Solve Puzzles for Faster Point Buildup
SAN MATEO, CA (January __, 2007) --- If you enjoy the social aspects of playing games in a group but dislike the competitive pressures of slaying monsters or completing quests, get in the game at Winster (www.winster.com), a new online game site where players cooperate to solve puzzles. The more you help each other, the faster the points pile up, and the faster you can earn prizes ranging from movie tickets to kitchen gear.
Teamwork Pays Off
Winster currently offers three puzzle games: Picture Magic, where players assemble complete pictures out of pieces; Chain Gang, where players build chains out of separate links; and Facets, where players make smiley faces by arranging colored tiles. Up to five players sit side by side in a ‘room’ where they can see each other’s puzzle boards. This sets the stage for working together to get faster results.
Players pick the prize they want before they start to play, then accumulate points toward that prize as they complete portions of each puzzle. When players get an extra or unwanted puzzle piece, they can trade it or simply give it away to another player who may need it to fill in a missing piece on their own game board.
This collaborative strategy speeds the process of finishing puzzles, building point totals, and winning prizes. Earned points carry over between games and play sessions, enabling players to drop in and out as their schedules permit without having to start over each time they sign on.
The friendly atmosphere is reinforced with on-screen messages that describe the action in the room as it happens --- from “Tanya and Debbie have traded pieces!” to “Becky scored 1,540 points with a 6-piece chain!”
First-time visitors can earn a free prize in about 30 minutes of play by signing up for a free two-week trial membership. After the trial, monthly memberships are available for $4.99, $6.99 or $9.99, depending on the amount of play desired per day.
Creative Inspiration
Winster was created by Michelle and Jerry Kaplan, a California couple with a mutual interest in both games and technology. Like many women, Michelle enjoys playing online games in a group but was able to find few options that didn’t require aggressive gameplay against either human or imaginary opponents. She saw an opportunity to fill the void with a new kind of group game that would replicate the friends-helping-friends spirit of quilting bees, babysitting co-ops and coffee klatches. Jerry, a serial technology entrepreneur, then hired a team to build the games and the web site.
“I wanted games that people would play with each other rather than against each other, the ability to drop in and out for short sessions, and a relaxing, friendly environment that was conducive to socializing,” Michelle Kaplan says. “Then I realized that players could help each other win prizes. That’s when it all came together.”
Winster’s roots with an avid female game player reflect the popularity of Internet gaming among women. A 2006 survey by Nielsen Entertainment found that 64% of all online gamers are female, while a 2004 study by AOL revealed that U.S. women over the age of 40 spend nearly 50 percent more time than men each week playing online games and are more frequent daily players than either men or teenagers.
“A lot of online gamers, both male and female, are motivated by a desire to make friends and build social relationships,” says Jerry Kaplan. “Winster taps into that desire with a fresh gaming format that encourages cooperation instead of competition. This sets Winster apart from other online game communities.”
About Winster
Winster, Inc. operates a new type of Internet game site that caters to people who play online games as a social outlet rather than a competitive one. The site offers innovative games designed to foster a sense of community and promote positive social interaction by enabling players to help each other win prizes. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California.
Labels: cooperation, games, iPod, Jerry Kaplan, press release, winster
