Student 1 of 3 to win Microsoft contest

When junior A.J. Moir left a Microsoft promotional campaign at Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union this fall, he didn’t know he would soon be one of three across the United States to win the “Digital Dorm Room Makeover” sweepstakes and end up with a $5,000 entertainment system.

And when Moir received an e-mail in October saying he was a winner, he never thought he would soon update his entire entertainment lifestyle, which was soon to include high-speed Internet access on his new Media Center PC with a TV tuner, Zune media player, Xbox 360 console and brand-new 42-inch 1080p LCD HDTV.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Moir said, as he looked at his new entertainment system complete with surround sound. “I’m one of those guys that says, ‘Work hard, play hard.’”

The contest was sponsored by Microsoft in a campaign titled “See for Yourself,” aimed at raising awareness of Microsoft’s products and services with Windows Media Player.
 
At the campaigns, students engaged in Windows demonstrations, played Rock Band and received Best Buy giveaways. Moir was one of thousands who entered the sweepstakes offered at 14 universities.

“The reason why we did this whole contest in the first place was because we really feel that Windows Media Center is really the coolest and best way to experience TV on a PC,” said Joel Berman, the marketing manager of Microsoft Windows Media.

Windows Media Player allows Internet TV access on computers, Berman said. Xbox 360 allows users to convert recordings of pictures, music and television programs from computers to TVs.

Berman said the device is similar to products like TiVo, but instead of paying a monthly fee, an inexpensive TV tuner can allow the user to play and record things right on the computer using the free software in Windows Media Center. Things like free TV episodes, Super Bowl content, music concerts, sports news and updates can also be used with the device.

“I had TiVo before, but this system is much faster and easier,” Moir said.

The other two winners of the “Digital Dorm Room Makeover” also received entertainment systems, but Microsoft worked with the winners to customize their systems based on their special needs and desires.

Berman said he found it surprising that none of the winners actually lived in dorms.

One winner lived in a communal house at the University of California-Berkeley, and the other, a student at North Shore Community College in Massachusetts, in an apartment with her family, . While the gaming system was important to Moir, the student who won in Boston, a commuter, preferred a laptop.

Regardless of whether a student lives in an apartment or in the dorms, Berman said students anywhere can now save room and watch TV on their computer.

“Someone like A.J. doesn’t need to win a contest to be able to take advantage of Windows Media Center,” Berman said.

He said many students are unaware that if they have Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Ultimate, they already have the media center devices on their computers.

Moir said he has an answer for people doubtful of sweepstakes.

“Just remember that somebody has to win it,” Moir said.