Apple launches 2011 Back to School promotion: $100 gift card

[Emil]

Apple has finally announced its 2011 Back to School promotion, which runs from June 16, 2011 to September 20, 2011. The deal comes with a significant change: instead of a free iPod touch with every Mac purchase, Cupertino is this year giving away a $100 iTunes gift card in the US and Canada (£65 iTunes gift cards in the UK, €75 in Europe) with a qualifying Mac purchase.

That means if you buy a MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac Pro with Apple education pricing, you'll get $100 to spend at the Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and/or the iBookstore. iTunes gift cards can be redeemed in iTunes and used for any content purchase: e-books, music, movies, television shows, and apps for Macs and iOS devices. The promotion applies to college students, students who have just been accepted to college, parents buying for college students, and faculty or staff members at any grade level.

If you'd like, you can read through the official US Back to School 2011 Terms and Conditions (PDF). For those less patient, here's the crux of how to get your free iTunes gift card:

When you buy a qualifying Mac at the Apple Retail Store or Apple Online Store, we'll include your Back to School Card with your order. If you buy at a campus store, you'll submit your claim online and get your code via email. Enter the code on your Back to School Card in your iTunes account and we'll automatically credit you with $100 to spend on the Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and the iBookstore.

This year's promotion may come as a shock to those hoped that Apple would continue its tradition of luring students with free Apple hardware. It appears that Microsoft may have chosen a great year to start its own deal for students looking to buy a new computer. Redmond is offering a free Xbox 360 console to students who buy a Windows 7 PC for over $700.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/44285-apple-launches-2011-back-to-school-promotion-100-gift-card.html

 

[Guest]

Other companies do this with a thing called a "sale".

 

[mario]

I actually think this promo is pretty clever. Everybody know about the iPod Touch and everybody know the iPod brand so there really is no incentive to market it/give it away with a new Mac if you have other products that may benefit from a similar exposure.

The Mac App Store is pretty new and not everyone is aware of it especially if you might compare it to the iOS App Store. It would be safe to assume that currently the Mac App Store sales are pretty low compared to their other online stores and Apple wants it to be the one-stop place for all OS X software.

In the consumer point of view of course I would prefer a free iPod Touch but for Apple this is great for business and a great way to get people to use the Mac App Store especially since they are also releasing all their software (Lion, iLife, iWork, etc.) through it.

 

[Guest]

I still think that M$ offer is better. Get a new computer and the XBox 360 for free.

 

[Wagan8r]

Guest said:
I still think that M$ offer is better. Get a new computer and the XBox 360 for free.

Plus you only have to spend $700, not $1000.

 

[Guest]

Why not spend $700 for a MS box and put dual boot with a copy of Mac OS (hackintosh) and you got the best of both worlds and a MUCH faster machine than even a $1000 Mac ever be.

P.S. Yes, I know that running a hackintosh it is in violation of Snow leopard EULA even if you purchased a retail DVD from the Apple store, which is a whole different discussion...

 

[Guest]

Have you ever tried to run a hackintosh? Its a pain in the *** on most systems. Only certain ones will have the best compatibility. Then you also have issues with updates etc. If you want the Apple product and OSX buy a Mac and run windows via bootcamp or if you want only windows then you get an xbox 360 along with it. Simple as that.

 

[slh28]

wagan8r said:

Guest said:
I still think that M$ offer is better. Get a new computer and the XBox 360 for free.

Plus you only have to spend $700, not $1000.

And you get a same or better spec computer for $700.

 

[tonylukac]

Game stop violates EULAs all the time. Also, most sale prices for laptops are $450 so you're not really getting anything when you get a "free" xbox 360.

 

[Panda218]

tonylukac said:
Game stop violates EULAs all the time. Also, most sale prices for laptops are $450 so you're not really getting anything when you get a "free" xbox 360.

LOL you gotta stop shopping at walmart

 

[captaincranky]

Oh s***, I new there wuz a reason I shoulda enrolled me in reform skool this year! A hole hunnerd dollers back frum Aphole...........:haha:

 

[example1013]

Guest said:
Why not spend $700 for a MS box and put dual boot with a copy of Mac OS (hackintosh) and you got the best of both worlds and a MUCH faster machine than even a $1000 Mac ever be.

P.S. Yes, I know that running a hackintosh it is in violation of Snow leopard EULA even if you purchased a retail DVD from the Apple store, which is a whole different discussion...

Good luck finding an OEM PC that's compatible with OSX. It's a pain in the *** even to build one, nevermind find a pre-built one that'll run it.

I don't mind the idea of using a hackintosh since I enjoy OSX. It's just a pain to do, though.

 

[Guest]

very nice center