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.
Get the independent advice and expertise you need to support a virtual workforce.
The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Read this 2 page white paper now to learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.
Download now »
Ensuring acceptable application delivery will become even more difficult over the next few years. As a result, IT organizations need to ensure that the approach that they take to resolving the current application delivery challenges can scale to support the emerging challenges. This handbook elaborates on the key tasks associated with planning, optimization, management and control and provides decision criteria to help IT organizations choose appropriate solutions.
Download now »
A common misconception is that mid-range storage requirements are dramatically different than that of a larger enterprise. Mid-range storage users may require less capacity, but they have similar functionality and management requirements. This ESG paper examines mid-range storage needs and reviews a new solution that adjusts size while retaining value, performance and functionality.
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! »
Recommend This
