Microsoft has begun to test a new rewards program on XBox Live, offering participants in the beta digital currency in return for filling out surveys, paying for Live subscriptions and purchasing downloadable content.
Three different levels of rewards have been revealed in the test program (thanks to Gaming Target) which is scheduled for a six-month trial period. A breakdown of each program and the rewards it offers are as follows:
[ Find out the latest craziness in the world of technology: Read InfoWorld's Notes from the Field blog or newsletter by our man on the street, Robert X. Cringely. ]
Gray Program
-- Continue to maintain an XBox Live Gold account (and make purchases on the Marketplace) to receive up to 5 percent rewards on all Marketplace purchases.
-- Silver or Gold members can earn 100 MS points for taking surveys.
Green Program
-- Gold or Silver members receive 100 points for making their first Marketplace purchase or participating in a survey.
-- Renew with a 1-month Gold membership for 10 points, a 3-month membership for 30 points or a 12-month Gold membership for 200 MS points.
-- Subscribe to Netflix on a Gold account to score another 200 points.
Orange Program
-- The broadest program, Orange participants can earn rewards by meeting the criteria of either the Gray or Green programs (taking surveys, renewing memberships etc.)
The program is invite-only (the strange emails we previously reported) and will run for at least six months (though participants cannot begin cashing in rewards until the three month mark,) after which we can expect to see the most profitable aspects integrated into the XBox Live service.
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect businesscritical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive InfoWorld Resource Alerts
Like any valuable resource, IT is a terrible thing to waste. But by applying the same lean techniques that have been used to streamline manufacturing processes, IT departments can reduce costs, improve performance and better manage resources.
Download now! »Stephen Elliot, vice president of strategy for CA's Infrastructure Management and Data Center Automation business unit, explains why difficult economic times drive the need for simplified management capabilities and advanced automation tools.
Listen now! »According to a recent study CA conducted with 300 CIOs and top IT executives, 64 percent of respondents say they've already invested in virtualization, and the other 36 percent reported that they plan to invest in virtualization.
Download now! »In this video learn about process automation in a virtualized world. How CA and VMware are enabling enterprise datacenter automation.
View now! »