14 DAY TRIAL // A new contest from Microsoft designed to celebrate the recent launch of Windows Live 2011, asks users to come up with inventions designed to save time.
As the name implies, Hotmail's Ultimate Timesaver Competition is focused on the Hotmail component of Windows Live Wave 4, and if anything, the £10,000 grand prize should be a clue that the contest is only opened to users in the United Kingdom.
In addition to being an UK citizen, users will also need to be on Facebook in order to submit entries that can be considered by the software giant.
“Not enough hours in the day? Spinning hundreds of plates when it comes to work and play?” Microsoft asks.
“Enter the Hotmail Ultimate Timesaver Competition with ideas that you dream about to save time and you could win £10,000 if you are the Expert’s Choice or £2,000 if you are the People’s Choice. Spend it on something you want!”
Of course, Microsoft is using the competition to illustrate just how users will be able to save time using its email service.
A number of enhancements delivered to Windows Live Hotmail 2011 are designed to simplify common tasks and allow users to expedite mundane mail-related activities. “With Hotmail, it's easy to send photos. From October, you can send, via a link, up to 200 photos in one email with no attachments,” the software giant notes.
“Set up Sweep to have Hotmail sort and delete emails automatically.
“Hotmail's ActiveView feature allows you to view videos from YouTube™ without leaving your inbox.”
Microsoft is looking for competition entries of 350 characters or less of text. But it is also allowing participants to provide additional content.
“Entrants may also link to a video they have uploaded to www.youtube.com as part of their entry, such video to last a minimum of 30 seconds and up to a maximum of 3 minutes,” the company said.
The Hotmail's Ultimate Timesaver Competition has gone live on Monday 4th October 2010, and participants will have until Monday 8th November 2010 (inclusive) to submit their entries.
“We are working with a panel of esteemed experts to judge the Expert’s Choice and the winner will receive £10,000 plus a team of designers will develop a prototype of the invention to showcase.
“Experts will be looking for original significant time saving ideas that are entered with creativity and clarity, while being realistic within current technology,” the company said.
But in addition to the £10,000 grand prize, there will also be a £2,000 prize that users get to select themselves by voting.
“Increase your chances of winning by asking your friends to ‘like’ your entry via Facebook.
“The entry with the most ‘likes’ wins! It’s really simple to share your idea during the entry process online. So, get creative and enter the time saving inventions that will wow your friends,” Microsoft said.