Microsoft offers students free 360s with Windows 7 PCs

If you were one of the biggest manufacturers of gaming hardware in the world, and your rival was recovering from a spell of terrible luck, how might you consider capitalizing on the situation? If you're Microsoft, you could tacitly advance the notion that your hardware's so damn ubiquitous that the would-be learners of the next generation don't even have to pay for it.

The dream of a 'Box in every home continues with the announcement that students who(se parents) spend more than $700 on a Windows 7 PC will be eligible for a free 4GB Xbox 360. Those worried that their student experience might involve immersion in new ideas or the opportunity to go outside and physically meet new people can dodge both bullets in one fell swoop by following the steps detailed on the Windows Team Blog.


Above: A player takes a reluctant break from Team Fortress 2 for some obligation of some sort(Ed. note: possibly an 80s stock photo shoot? -Tyler)

Any US students (and soon, French and Canadian students too) with a student ID or .edu email address will be eligible for the deal from May 22, with the length of the offer varying between retailers – who've missed a trick by not offering course-specific package deals to further distract students from their reading lists. Just think how many students of US History (Red Dead Redemption), Art History (Assassin's Creed 2) or modern warfare (Modern Warfare) could be learning while they avoid learning!

(Ed. note: Sort of ruined your joke up there with that note. Sorry about that, Tom. I'd delete it, but my 'Backspace' key is broken. -Tyler)

(Secret ed. note: My 'Backspace' key isn't really broken. -Tyler)

May 19, 2011