contest posts

Netflix Prize Contest ends after nearly three years

by Jay Hathaway Jul 26th 2009

The Netflix Prize Contest, a million-dollar challenge to improve the accuracy of the Netflix recommendation algorithm by 10%, has finally ended after close to three years. One team, BellKor's Pragmatic Chaos, claimed victory by showing a result of better than 10%, which kicked off a 30-day period where other teams would have a chance to top the leading score and win the million. That period has now ended, with another team, The Ensemble, apparently beating BellKor's Pragmatic Chaos by a fraction of a percentage point.

According to the leaderboard, the Ensemble submitted its potential winning entry just 20 minutes after BellKor's Pragmatic Chaos made its final test. The score is 10.10% for Ensemble and 10.09% for BKPC, but the results are now going to judges for testing and verification before the prize is awarded. As a condition of the contest, the teams agree to reveal their algorithms and make them available for Netflix to use in improving its recommendation system.

Tags: contest, netflix, prize, recommendation

Filed under: Video

Screencast4Cash contest ends on Monday, get your entry in soon!

by Grant Robertson May 27th 2009

Time is quickly running out for you to join the Screencast 4 Cash contest for a chance to win big by teaching others via screencast.

To be eligible, entries must be submitted by 11:59PM CST on Monday, June 1st. So far, creative contestants have uploaded screencasts on everything from using MAME to being a Google search ninja.

Just as before, entrants can submit an original screencast to be eligible to win a Grand Prize of $1000, plus a copy of Snagit/Camtasia Studio. There will also be a People's Choice Prize, determined by popular vote, and the winner will get $500 and a copy of Snagit. The grand prize will be determined by a panel of judges including some of your favorite Download Squad bloggers.

Even if you're not the teaching kind, there's no excuse not to put on your own critics hat and vote for your favorites! Every vote puts a dime in the pocket of the Youth for Technology Foundation, so every click goes a little bit further in support of the geeks of tomorrow.

Tags: contest, mindbites, screencasts, techsmith, tweet-this

Filed under: Internet, Security, Utilities, Windows, Commercial, Freeware, Troubleshooting, Windows x64

Wednesday giveaway: Comodo Internet Security Pro

by Lee Mathews Mar 11th 2009

I took Comodo's free Internet Security suite for a test drive when they released it last year, and was pleased with how it performed. The company has been a respected provider of firewall protection for years, so it was nice to see them develop a more complete desktop security solution. The free version is packed with great features, and is an excellent free antivirus/firewall/HIP product for Windows PCs.

Thanks to the good folks at Comodo, ten lucky commenters will get their hands on a product key for the Professional version.

Curious about what sets Pro apart from the free version? For starters, you'll be eligible for live 24-7, "remote hands-on" tech support. Our regular readers are all pretty tech savy and may not need this, but maybe there's a relative or two on your support list that might appreciate it? That way, you both get a prize - less phone calls for you, and CIS Pro for them!

You'll also get access to Comodo's TrustConnect service, which provides you a trusted VPN connection that's available everywhere - even on your iPhone or iPod Touch. It's a nice layer of protection to have available when you're stuck using untrusted wireless access on the road.

To enter, just leave a comment on this post before the clock strikes midnight EST on Sunday, March 15th. We'll announce the winners on Monday the 16th.

This contest is open to legal residents of the United States only. Foreign DS readers, fear not! We've got more giveaways coming up for other great apps that you'll be able to participate in!

Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
To enter leave a comment on this post.
The comment must be left before March 15, 11:59PM Eastern Time.
You may enter only once.
Ten winners will be selected in a random drawing.
Prize: Key code for one year of Comodo Internet Security Pro (US$39).
Click Here for complete Official Rules.

Tags: antivirus, comodo, contest, firewall, free, freebie, giveaway, internet-security, tech-support

Filed under: Fun, Google

iTunes Grammy contest: Pick the winners, win 10,000 iTunes songs

by Simon Kerbel Jan 16th 2008

Are you the one in your circle of friends who always picks the winners correctly on awards night? Well, now's your chance to really shine.

iTunes and iGoogle are giving away 10,000 iTunes songs to a select contestant who correctly predicts the Grammy award winners (or who gets the closest).

Simply download the iTunes Grammy contest iGoogle gadget, add it to your iGoogle home page, and make your prognostications. You'll automatically be entered in the contest. For you gadget haters, there's even a printable sweepstakes form to fill out and mail.

iTunes is also holding a daily Grammy trivia sweepstakes; the winners will receive iTunes store credit redeemable for 10 songs.

The 50th Annual Grammy Awards takes place on February 10th, 2008 (but you need to get your predictions in by February 8th to avoid missing out).

Tags: contest, google, Grammy, Grammy's, iTunes

Filed under: Audio, Internet, Social Software, web 2.0

Jamendo: Download and Share Music Legally

by Simon Kerbel Dec 22nd 2007

Who likes music by a wide variety of up and coming artists in many differing and unique genres? Who would like to be able to legally download that music to your computer and portable device? Who thought Spiderman 3 was the best of the trilogy?

If you answered in the affirmative to all three of those questions, we're afraid there's no hope for you, my friend. If you said yes to the above two, then read on!

Jamendo is one of the hottest places to legally download music, and they've just released a refreshed website. Updates include direct music downloads in http, more intuitive navigation, easier saving of tracks, albums, and playlists, and more.

All of the music on Jamendo is licensed by the Creative Commons license, meaning you can download, listen, burn, share, and talk about the songs as much as your heart desires. And though all the music is free, you can donate to the bands who have given you particular joy or satisfaction. Jamendo even shares 50% of its advertising revenue with artists who choose the "Revenue Sharing" program.

Jamendo also has a great community aspect; you can build customized playlists and share them with your friends and family.

Jamendo is currently running a contest in celebration of the release of their new version. The top 5 user playlists, as voted on by the users, will receive a free iPod Nano.

How sweet is that?

You can listen to free music, share what you like with your friends, and maybe win an iPod Nano. That's not just having your cake and eating it too. That's mixing the dough, putting it in the oven, frosting it, cutting it into pieces, and eating more than your fair share, all with a glass of ice cold milk.

So get cracking. Register for Jamendo if you haven't already and broaden those horizons.

Tags: contest, creative commons, CreativeCommons, free, iPod, iPod Nano, IpodNano, Jamendo, mp3, music

Filed under: Business, Design, Developer, Fun, Internet, Web services

The next great web innovation, a Firefox Add-on contest

by Chris Gilmer Oct 19th 2007

The next great web innovation, a Firefox contest

Put those thinking hats on and grab those browser based ideas you have been storing in your head, the Firefox add-on contest is open.

Firefox's annual Firefox Extension Contest, Extend Firefox, will give developers the chance to win the Ultimate Firefox Developer Kit which will include a trip to anywhere in the world, a Macbook Pro, bags and tshirts. Judges are looking for the next great web innovation that can really affect the live of many people and their online experience through a Firefox Add-on.

The contest runs up until December 31st 2007, after which a panel of judges will base their decisions on user experience, creativity, innovativeness and use of open standards to award 3 grand prizes, and 21 runner up prices. Winners will be announced on January 15th 2008. So fuel up, and get going! And don't forget to drop Download Squad some info on your Firefox Add-on creation! Check out the rules and criteria on the official website.

Tags: add-on, addon, browser, contest, extension, firefox, web

Filed under: Fun, Productivity, Web services

Ahoy, mateys! Win a license for CallBurner

by Lisa Hoover Sep 19th 2007

Ahoy, mateys! Gather 'round the poopdeck for an important message from yer captains.

Today, in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, we be givin' away a full license for CallBurner, a call recorder for Skype that we think is better than a chest full of pirate booty. To enter, all you landlubbers have to do is leave us a note in t' comment section. T' contest ends at 11:59 ET on September 21 (which gives us time to get our peg legs sanded and stained).

Enter now or we'll make ye walk the plank!

Tags: call, callburner, contest, record, skype

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Security

Win $10,000 by looking like an emoticon

by Brad Linder Aug 17th 2007

This is a little bit twisted. Emoticons started out their lives as text-based characters designed to resemble human expressions. They've evolved into cartoon smiley faces and in some cases, even 3D figures. Now Symantec wants to take things full circle by finding people who can emulate emoticons with... facial expressions.

Symantec is holding a contest allowing you to submit a photo with a facial expression. Looking at the demonstrations, we have to say, it's a lot easier to replicate a pissed off, winking, or tongue-out emoticon than a smiling one. You know, because people are always smiling in photos.

You can submit your photo up until September 30th for the chance to win a variety of prizes including $10,000 in cash. Just entering the contest will get you a 15% off coupon for Norton 360 or Norton Save and Restore, so don't go thinking this is an altruistic contest and not just a publicity stunt. The logic behind the contest is a bit baffling though, as emoticons are somehow supposed to remind you that it's important to back up your data.

Tags: contest, emoticon, norton

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

Vista Ultimate Giveaway winners speak their minds

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Mar 19th 2007

Earlier this year we had a little contest where we gave away 3 shiny copies of Vista Ultimate. Our three lucky winners have had some time to bathe in the cooling waters of Vista, and this past week we heard back from two of them: AJ and Shannon. How did they feel about Vista?

AJ wrote:
I must say, that eye candy just added another definition in the form of the snazzy aero effect and other visual goodies. But that's just where the sadness begins for me as I honestly couldn't find anything truly worth a "wow" factor in the functionality of the operating system compared to my MCE 2005. So much so that those totally in-your-face (or shall I say in Microsoft's face) TV commercials where one dude is the Vista and other Apple look like Simon Cowell-ish "brutally honest" 30 second reality shows. I got a kick out of the one where this Matrix-y bodyguard acts out Vista's new "Allow or Deny" function which truly starts treating your every move, pretty much, like you just poked a finger into a bubble boy's shell.

So for me, I give it lightning fast two thumbs down.

Shannon broke it down:
Pros
Eye candy-- in my opinion Windows Vista has a great look and feel, everything from the redesigned start button to the sidebar to the glass-like windows of the aero.

Integrated and instant search-- the redesigned start menu offers an instant search that allows you to find applications and files instantly I've found this to be an invaluable addition to windows.

More of Shannon's review after the jump...

Tags: contest, review, vista, vista giveaway, VistaGiveaway, winners

Filed under: Internet, Web services, Google

Get free stuff using Google Blog Search

by Brad Linder Mar 1st 2007

I discovered something interesting when I was in college. If you want to win free tickets to a concert, it's not much use trying to be the 95th caller to the local Morning Zoo-style radio station. Just be the first or second caller to the local college radio station.

In fact, once I remember the deejay saying that the third caller would get free concert tickets. I walked over the phone, picked it up and dialed. I was the first caller. So I hung up, waited a moment, dialed again, and I was the third caller.

What does this have to do with Google Blog Search? Well, with radio stations, there are big well-known web sites with huge audiences, and there are small college stations. On the web, there are A-list blogs and web sites that have thousands or entries every time they give away prizes as part of a contest. And then there are small blogs trying to build traffic for their sites.

Tags: contest, contests, google blog search, GoogleBlogSearch

Filed under: Internet, Video, Social Software

Zooppa launches - user generated advertising goes social

by David Chartier Mar 1st 2007

For those who have mastered their narrative skills with a camera and don't feel like waiting for YouTube to start sharing revenue, Zooppa (pronounced: zoo-pa) just might be your ticket to fame and fortune. As a new startup that's been stirring some buzz for a little while now, Zooppa melds user generated video with advertising for a unique business model. Businesses supply advertising briefs - what their product is, who they're targeting, any brand-specific design elements, etc. - and users create advertisements for the company, uploading them for Zooppa users to vote on. After voting closes, the winning video scores a cash prize, though we aren't sure exactly how large of a prize that is just yet.

This looks like a fantastic idea for both aspiring marketers and small businesses on little to nonexistent budgets. Who knows: could we see one of next year's Super Bowl ads come out of a Zooppa contest later this year?

Tags: advertisement, advertising, brief, briefs, business, community, contest, contests, marketing, sharing, UGC, video, zooppa

Filed under: Fun, OS Updates, News, Windows, Microsoft

Last chance to win a copy of Vista Ultimate

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Feb 2nd 2007

Just a quick reminder: our giveaway contest where you can win a totally free copy of Windows Vista ends at midnight (Eastern Standard Time) tonight, February 2. After the clock strikes midnight, we'll do our magical gee-whiz randomizing business, remove the duplicate entries (you didn't think that was going to work did you?), and pick not one, but THREE lucky winners. We'll contact those winners via the emails provided, gather the appropriate meatspace info, and ship out shiny black boxes of Microsoft goodness. Of course, we'd like to check back after a few weeks and see how Vista is working out for these lucky folks, but we certainly won't require it.

As you can see, you can't leave comments on this post to enter. You'll have to go to our official post and add a comment. Good luck!

Tags: contest, giveaway, vista, vista ultimate, VistaUltimate

Filed under: OS Updates, News, Windows, Microsoft, Commercial

Win a copy of Vista Ultimate

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Jan 29th 2007

We have three hot copies of Vista, sealed and ready, and we're just itching to give them away. These aren't hot as in stolen, but hot as in fresh. While Engadget has been putting Vista through the paces (and then some), we're willing to send off these three little boxes of
newness to three lucky individuals... Of course, we'd love to hear back from you, and we're even willing to do a little interview in a couple of weeks, just to see what you've been doing with this shiny OS from Redmond.

So all you have to do to enter? Leave a comment here on Download Squad, on this post you're reading right now. Naturally, there's a lot of rule business to cover. You can read all the details (legal mumbo jumbo) after the jump, but key points include: you must be 18 or older, contest valid in 50 U.S. states only, void where prohibited, leave only one comment per household, and no, you cannot bribe us. Since we're only giving away 3 copies, we'll only pick 3 winners. The contest closes on Friday, Feb. 2, just before midnight Eastern Standard Time. We'll contact you by the email (the one you use to either confirm comments or activate your password, so make sure you check it!), and get the mailing info once we verify you aren't a robot from the Apple people.

Tags: contest, giveaway, ultimate, vista

Filed under: Windows, Google

Google Desktop Gadget winners announced

by Jordan Running Sep 6th 2006

Day/Night World Clock for Google Desktop

Back in July I posted about the Google Desktop Gadget Designer and a contest sponsored by Google for makers of gadgets, a.k.a. widgets. Yesterday, at long last, Google announced the contest's winners. The supreme ultimate winners, who will take home $5,000, are Marius and Yannick Stucki, who created diGGGadget, which is of course for keeping track of Digg. Second place went to Turhan Aydin for Multiplayer Reversi Game, and third went to Day/Night World Clock by Beatrix Gottanka, which is my personal favorite. Aydin and Gottanka will get $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. The announcement also identifies some runners-up that are worth a look.

Tags: contest, desktop, gadgets, google, googledesktop, widgets

Filed under: Open Source

VMware Ultimate Virtual Appliance winners announced

by Jordan Running Aug 16th 2006

VMware Ultimate Virtual Appliance Challenge

VMware has announced the winners of its Ultimate Virtual Appliance Challenge, a contest which challenged teams to build preconfigured open source virtual machine images for VMware. I posted earlier this month about some of the very cool "Virtual Appliances" available at the VMware web site, and VMware's chosen winners are impressive indeed. The first prize winner is HowNetWorks, "a network analyzer that works at a higher level than more traditional network analyzers like tcpdump or ethereal." The team from Finland that created it will take home $100,000. The second place team, which will take home $50,000, built Trellis NAS Bridge, which "makes it easier to access files from one location (i.e., a client) even though the files may be stored on different computers, different file servers, and different operating systems," and the third place team's entry, which netted them $25,000, is Sieve Firewall, "a virtual machine that runs an extremely small Linux kernel to create a transparent bridging firewall." VMware also gave away prizes in Collegiate, Consumer, Developer, Server, and Community Choice categories.

Tags: challenge, contest, uvac, virtualappliance, virtualization, virtualmachine, vm, vmware, winners

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

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