Office 2003 beta gift

[Groovedude]

LOL... free gift thats cool. :D something groovey i think... i got a certificate in the mail when i finished beta testing SP4 of windows 2000

[xWeston]

Receive date / shipping company?

I got it in the mail today (11/24/03).

It came through USPS (the mail) in a brown padded envelope.

[Hypercube]

ty for the data.

[malebolgia Veteran]

The gift sucks. Here is a picture of it. It is a plastic caribeaner that doubles as an FM radio (it comes with ear buds) and a compass. It has a little volume knob and a button that sequentially scans when you click it. The reception isnt very good at all. There is also a small red light on it that doesnt give off enough light to be useful for anything.

That's a rip :angry: but something is better than nothing.

[null_]

*rolls around the floor laughing uncontrollably* :rofl:

[dougkinzinger]

Oh man. You know, I really don't care about the gift, but that's gotta be the gheyest thing I have ever seen, and, more importantly, I'll never use it.

Oh well, at least the sticker will be cool.

[I8PP]

Now did that come with batteries, or do you need to supply your own? :rofl:

[Redmondian]

:) So it that the gift? Cool.. I can actually use it when I go on walks etc.. I like it, although mine has not arrived yet.

[malebolgia Veteran]

If I can get my rock station I'll use it

[Chris123NT]

What a rip, i tested Office XP and got the full version as the gift. What is this? :p

[thebigl3bowski]

If neowin had awards this would be the most anti-climactic post ever. rotfl i honestly believe some people expected software.

[mlerner]

lol probably costed them $500 for all of them in bulk and it's the cheapest gift you can give to a beta tester.

[nomis_nehc]

I got it today too. Damnit, mine is red too! at least your color looks cooler.

[Offspring]

I got mine today too, only mine was green. I was wondering what was up with the headphones (that was the first thing I saw). Does anyone know how to actually SET the radio to a specific station?

[Makki]

I have been blessed to have tested for Microsoft for many years now including Office XP and 2003 among other great programs and hardware. I like the idea of contributing to a product to be sold worldwide.

However i must confess and state here and now in no uncertain terms that after all the work i and others put into testing Office 2003 that the gift which btw is shipping a month late is nothing less then a slap in the face.

I will go on record here and say if they send me that thing whatever it is i will mail it back to them accompanied by a letter stating how embarrassed i am to get a useless piece of junk for testing a great app.

Thats all i have to say.

Makki

[lardiop Veteran]

All ya who got the crappy radio... were you beta 1 or 2 testers... usually only the beta 1 guys get the full version for free

[JonathanVP]

I got my gift today. Contrary to what many have expressed, I think the radio is pretty nifty. Reception in my area is good. Too bad it aint a MP3 player, now, that would be an excellent gift for Xmas!

[Redmondian]

I have been blessed to have tested for Microsoft for many years now including Office XP and 2003 among other great programs and hardware. I like the idea of contributing to a product to be sold worldwide.

However i must confess and state here and now in no uncertain terms that after all the work i and others put into testing Office 2003 that the gift which btw is shipping a month late is nothing less then a slap in the face.

I will go on record here and say if they send me that thing whatever it is i will mail it back to them accompanied by a letter stating how embarrassed i am to get a useless piece of junk for testing a great app.

Thats all i have to say.

Makki

I'm dissapointed too. I too put well over 350 hours of solid testing and use of Office 2003 Beta 1 -> Beta2 -> Refresh and logged many bugs and feature requests, a few feature requests even made it into the final product so a $20 tuner is dissapointing.

Luckily I enjoy and relish the chance to beta test microsoft products, if I was only doing it for the gifts I would really be ****ed.

But addiction is what I have. ;)

[malebolgia Veteran]

Does it at least come with batteries? If not what kind does it take?

[Redmondian]

@ malebolgia

I am only guessing here, but I would think it doesn't come with batteries.

Judging by it's size I'd guess it takes 2x AA or 2x AAA batteries.

[lardiop Veteran]

@Redmondian

I was in beta 1 with you... they're not shipping retail like usual to us?????

[malebolgia Veteran]

@ malebolgia

I am only guessing here, but I would think it doesn't come with batteries.

Judging by it's size I'd guess it takes 2x AA or 2x AAA batteries.

Thanks I'm really brain dead right now. I hope I get mine tonight when I get home after work/school.

[Redmondian]

@ lardiop

You know me? ;)

I've not received my gift yet, but when I bought this up with the beta manager 2 months ago the word was "full version" of office 2003 to selected (beta1?) beta sites as reward.

I would be dissapointed but not surprised if all we get it that tuner, but gifts are not the most important thing to me. :)

[DigitalFreedom]

lol, what a useless gift, and ot: lol, at your sig :D "The difference between Windows Longhorn and Windows 2000 is like the difference between shooting a bullet...and throwing it.", now to change it "The difference between the Office 2003 gift and Office 2000/XP gift is like the difference between shooting a bullet...and throwing it."

[xWeston]

All ya who got the crappy radio... were you beta 1 or 2 testers... usually only the beta 1 guys get the full version for free

I was a beta 1 (and 2) tester and I got the radio. I participated, submitted bugs, posted messages on the board, etc etc.

It does come with the batteries. They are little watch sized batteries. They are already installed and you just have to pull out a small plastic strip so that they touch the contacts.