SONY'S WELCOME BACK PROMOTION ENDS TODAY!

Sony’s “Welcome Back” promotion, billed as an attempt by the company to win back disaffected gamers after the PlayStation Network hack and subsequent month-long outage, is ending this weekend. If you haven’t downloaded your free games and content, now is the time to do it.

The PlayStation Network returned at he beginning of June to fanfare and free games from Sony for all of the gamers who had been knocked offline. Players returning to the PlayStation Network are eligible for two free games from a list that includes Dead Nation, inFAMOUS, LittleBigPlanet, Super Stardust HD, and Wipeout HD + Fury. PSP owners can select any two free games from LittleBigPlanet, ModNation Racers, Pursuit Force, and Killzone Liberation.

Additionally, PSN members have access to 30 free days of PlayStation Plus which will expire automatically, unless they sign up for a subscription account and monthly paid membership.PlayStation Plus members got 60 additional free days added to their memberships, and subscribers to the Sony Music Unlimited Service got an extra 30 days added to that service for free as well – but for both groups to get the benefit, they had to sign up through the Welcome Back program.

To be eligible for the program, PSN members have to have accounts older than the April 20th PSN hack. Gamers who have been wary of turning their PlayStation 3 consoles back on because the pace of game company hacks hasn’t slowed over the past month may want to get back online this weekend if only to grab their free games. The promotion ends on July 3rd, and gamers who haven’t redeemed their free titles by then will no longer be eligible for the promotion.

APPLE TEASES TOMORROW 'JUST ANOTHER DAY YOU WILL NEVER FORGET'

Apple just updated its homepage with a new screen with "Tomorrow is just another day. That you'll never forget" and an "exicting announcement from iTunes" at 10am tomorrow. There are lots of rumors swirling around about what it could be from streaming subscription services to apps for Apple TV.  We will keep you posted on what the event has in store. [Engadget]

AT&T AND MICROSOFT OFFER PERKS TO WINDOWS PHONE 7 BUYERS

Microsoft and AT&T have started to promote the upcoming Windows Phone 7 (WP7).  Microsoft started the balling rolling by offering people who signed up for the pre-order notification and then placed a pre-order a free 3-month Zune Pass.

Not be left out AT&T is offering an "Entertainment Pack" with each WP7 device purchase consisting of a 1-month Zune Pass with 10 free song downloads, a month of U-Verse Mobile service (you must cancel within the 30 days or you will be charged $10/month) and a free copy of ilomilo, a 3-D puzzle game. [BGR]

BEST BUY "FREE PHONE FRIDAY" COMING

Best Buy will launch a new promotion starting Oct. 1st named "Free Phone Friday".  Every Friday in October they will give away free phones, one from each carrier.  Best Buy explains "Beginning Friday, Oct. 1 and running every Friday in October, Best Buy Mobile will feature four free mobile phones (one from each carrier) in all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores, as well as online at BestBuy.com/Mobile. Each week this new promotion will feature at least one high-end, in-demand smart phone. The free promotion phones require a new two-year activation.” “The specific weekly deals will be announced in stores and online, including Best Buy Mobile’s Facebook page and Twitter account, at 1 p.m. central time on the Thursday prior to that Friday’s one-day specials.”

The phones aren't dumb phones either.  The October 1 phones include Samsung Fascinate (Verizon); Blackberry Curve (Sprint), HTC Aria (AT&T) and Samsung Gravity (T-Mobile). [BGR]

BING GOES OLD SCHOOL TO GET USERS

Microsoft thinks not enough people are using it's search engine Bing.  So, to get interest they have decided to dust off an old promotion used during the bubble period of late 90's early 00's...Rewards!  That's right you can now get reward points good on Xbox Live or Zune.

Download and install the Bing bar (that is now stuck in my head btw)...bing, 250 points, do 16 searches with Bing, bing that's 8 points.  Get enough points and you get video games, Bing merchandise, gift cards and other dust collectors. [Gizmodo]

WIN A CHANCE TO SEE MEGAMIND AT IMAX

Dreamworks will be releasing it's newest animated movie soon.  Megamind is the story of good vs evil and what happens when evil wins and something even more evil comes along.  With the release of the movie, Dreamworks is having a promotion where you and your friends get a free IMAX 3D screening of Megamind.  Click the image below to enter.

*Teh Gay Geek is not affiliated nor endorsed by Dreamworks, Megamind or any of its subsidiaries.  The drawing and promotion are exclusive domains of Dreamworks.  Teh Gay Geek takes no responsibility for any content or rules of the promotion.

BEST BUY TESTING SHOPKICK REWARDS SYSTEM

Best Buy announced they are testing the Shopkick location based consumer offers and rewards. The “shopkick” app is due to launch over the coming weeks in several U. S. Best Buy markets.

Shopkick offers the first location-based mobile application that promises consumer offers and rewards not only for shopping, but also for just walking into a retail location. Unlike traditional GPS location-based services that require a shopper to “check in,” and offer an accuracy radius of 100 to 1,000 yards (within a block or two), “shopkick Signal” technology requires no consumer check in and can guarantee that a user is truly present in the retail location.

Consumers choose to download the free “shopkick” mobile application for their smart phones. (The “shopkick” app for iPhone will be available in the coming weeks on the App Store, followed by apps for additional smart phones.) When the “shopkick” app is open on the smart phone, it detects the “shopkick Signal” technology installed in the retail location as the consumer walks through the door, and the shopper instantly receives rewards, called “kickbucks.” Because the detection occurs on the consumer’s phone, the privacy of presence information is completely under the user’s control.

“kickbucks” can be immediately redeemed for Facebook credits, songs from Napster, immediate in-store cash-back rewards at shopkick partner stores, magazine subscriptions, even donations to charities. Retailers like Best Buy that support the “shopkick” app also will deliver consumers special in-store deals, and/or added bonuses for scanning barcodes of specific products. [Best Buy]

T-MOBILE LAUNCHES "KIDS ARE FREE" PROMOTION

T-Mobile announced today they are launching a new, cost-saving feature for those with family plans and children, called "Kids are Free".  T-Mobile states "With Kids Are Free, new and existing T-Mobile customers who sign up for a qualifying family plan through Nov. 2, 2010, receive free add-a-line service on up to three lines of their plan until 2012." and "The Kids Are Free promotion is the latest effort from T-Mobile to ensure families are united with compelling and affordable mobile services,”

The promotion is good until November 2nd and customers are responsible for all taxes, fees and activation charges on the free lines. [T-Mobile]