Microsoft has teamed up with several online services to promote the arrival of Internet Explorer 9. Folks running the latest iteration of IE will be able to take advantage of deals from Hulu, Groupon, eBay, Slacker and Gilt Groupe. In addition to attracting new users, Microsoft says the partnerships will show other sites how they can customize their web experience to take advantage of IE9's new features.
Some of the deals are available immediately while others will go live over the coming months. All of them require Windows 7's new taskbar, so it seems Vista and XP users are out of luck. Starting March 28, IE9 users will receive a free month of Hulu Plus by pinning and accessing the promotion through the Jump List. Hulu Plus usually costs $7.99 a month and includes higher quality videos and more content.
You can earn $5 in Groupon Bucks by pinning Groupon to your taskbar and clicking on a deal. We don't see a specific date when this offer will be active, so we assume it's available now. Likewise, from March 28-30 (or while supplies last) you'll be awarded a free Xbox 360, Xbox 360 Kinect bundle or a Samsung Focus WP7 handset by pinning Gilt to your taskbar and making a purchase of $250 or higher.
Internet radio service Slacker has a deal "coming soon" that will give IE9 users a free month of premium radio (a $4.99 value, removes ads on top of other features). Two deals are planned for eBay. In April you'll be able to earn 8% extra eBay bucks when you make purchases by clicking through the Jump List, and in May you'll get a $5 discount on the first thing you buy when coming from the Jump List.