Introducing MacRumors Giveaways: Win a Nomad Lightning Cable

[Analog Kid]

So it shouldn't let you enter. Also if competition law is that complex then maybe it would be better to do no competitions at all, least that way no one is pissed off.

Or they could do the give away and no one could be pissed off.

I really don't understand the hate-- they're giving away a couple hundred dollars worth of swag and you have a the smallest fraction of a percent chance of scoring one yet it is worth this much of your time to whinge about it?

Do you get like this when the news covers a Presidential election you can't vote in?

You get quality health care and decent beer, and we get a 50 in a million chance to hang a bit of plastic from our keychains. Remind me why you're complaining?

 

[jclo]

Can you detail the legal restrictions for the unwashed amongst us?

Here are just a few of the restrictions on giveaways in various countries:

-In Australia, you need a trade promotion permit to give away an item through a method with an element of chance.

-In Canada, you can't use luck to determine who wins a giveaway.

-In France, Argentina, and Mexico, giveaways have to be conducted in the local language.

-Brazil and Spain, if you do a giveaway you have to pay a tax and register.

-In Sweden, many giveaways are prohibited all together.

-If you run an online giveaway in Italy, the server collecting entries has to be physically located in Italy. You also need a permit. And only Italian companies can run giveaways in Italy. And a notary has to oversee the awarding of the prizes.

-In many EU countries, giveaway winnings will be subjected to customs taxes.

-A giveaway in China must be conducted through a Chinese company.

 

[iaymnu]

I think you just named two of the advantages to the Nomad

I mean its not game changing.....

 

[spacemanspifff]

If you live in the UK you can buy a short USB charge/sync cable from Amazon for less than £3!

Now, if MR were giving away something that was actually worth something, you would have a better reason to moan about not being able to join in.

 

[flyinmac]

There are actual LAWS in countries around the world. A real company (i.e. MacRumors) has to abide by these LAWS. An actual company can't just offer a contest like an independent person can.

Canada requires a skill question, and the contest in both English and French.

Taxes are different in different countries. Especially when sending something from one country to another.

There are lots of rules.... Google it.

Skill Question:

Which company makes the iPhone this cable plugs into?

Quelle entreprise fait l'iPhone ce câble se branche sur ?

Now we can handle Canada

 

[sparkie1984]

I can understand your position but it still makes it disappointing as a long time reader.

Didn't realise the UK had any rules like that though as I've won things through submitting an email address.

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Or they could do the give away and no one could be pissed off.

I really don't understand the hate-- they're giving away a couple hundred dollars worth of swag and you have a the smallest fraction of a percent chance of scoring one yet it is worth this much of your time to whinge about it?

Do you get like this when the news covers a Presidential election you can't vote in?

You get quality health care and decent beer, and we get a 50 in a million chance to hang a bit of plastic from our keychains. Remind me why you're complaining?

I think it's fantastic the two pros of your argument are health care and beer

 

[AndyUnderscoreR]

Our U.S.-only restriction has nothing to do with Kero. In fact, Kero Products was more than willing to ship internationally -- we had to restrict the contest to the United States for legal reasons, see this post: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/20733806/

My point still stands, regardless of the reasons. I don't like being treated unfairly, and I now view Kero in a negative light because i've been excluded.

If Kero are trying to boost their reputation and profile by doing this, then as they can see by the mass of negative comments on this article, it's backfired spectacularly.

The same goes for any other company that does one of these giveaways and treats a large part of the site's audience as second class people, it will damage their reputation, not boost it.

 

[Serban]

so with this cable can we put mp3 from mac to ipad/iphone directly?

 

[OS X Dude]

If you couldn't do them worldwide, then why bother at all? If they're going to be as regular as you claim, you'll constantly be ticking-off a large percentage of your reader-base.

Personally, I'm not fussed. It's not like I'm losing out on something by not being able to enter, but I think the site needs to focus on what it does best and not try to diversify too much.

Ironic, considering how often Apple themselves are often told to do the same by the public these days

 

[doctor-don]

So I can enter only one time since I don't have Facebook or Twitter accounts?

But I can get additional entries IF I provide my email address?

But they want my PASSWORD to my email account?

Are you serious?

Is this LinkedIn? Tagged? Shoppybag? PCH?

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Or they could do the give away and no one could be pissed off.

I really don't understand the hate-- they're giving away a couple hundred dollars worth of swag and you have a the smallest fraction of a percent chance of scoring one yet it is worth this much of your time to whinge about it?

Do you get like this when the news covers a Presidential election you can't vote in?

You get quality health care and decent beer, and we get a 50 in a million chance to hang a bit of plastic from our keychains. Remind me why you're complaining?

Smallest fraction of a per cent chance? This is NOT the Powerball lottery - 1 in 170 million. It's 1 in 20,000 or so right now.

 

[bassett700]

This app might comfort Macrumors members who cannot enter the contest: App Link

 

[wesk702]

Can I please ask why it's US residents only?

Probably the shipping costs

 

[Tiptizzle]

Do websites based in other countries get this kind of negativity when they offer giveaways? I can't even imagine going to a UK based site and then complaining that their giveaways don't include US residents.

 

[camsoft]

Or they could do the give away and no one could be pissed off.

I really don't understand the hate-- they're giving away a couple hundred dollars worth of swag and you have a the smallest fraction of a percent chance of scoring one yet it is worth this much of your time to whinge about it?

Do you get like this when the news covers a Presidential election you can't vote in?

You get quality health care and decent beer, and we get a 50 in a million chance to hang a bit of plastic from our keychains. Remind me why you're complaining?

Because I don't like US centric content/competitions are it's not relevant to probably a large majority of the readership. It was bad enough with all the end-less US centric ApplePay articles about every bank and shop in the US that takes ApplePay.

I would prefer more international coverage and maybe a comp outside the US one day.

It's funny how all the people complaining about me complaining are probably from the US.

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Do websites based in other countries get this kind of negativity when they offer giveaways? I can't even imagine going to a UK based site and then complaining that their giveaways don't include US residents.

This is not a US based site it's a site for English speakers and people that are interested in Apple, where does it say in the tag line "news and rumours you care about unless you're from outside the USA"

 

[Tiptizzle]

Because I don't like US centric content/competitions are it's not relevant to probably a large majority of the readership. It was bad enough with all the end-less US centric ApplePay articles about every bank and shop in the US that takes ApplePay.

I would prefer more international coverage and maybe a comp outside the US one day.

It's funny how all the people complaining about me complaining are probably from the US.

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This is not a US based site it's a site for English speakers and people that are interested in Apple, where does it say in the tag line "news and rumours you care about unless you're from outside the USA"

Maybe someone in your country can offer Apple news and contests then? I prefer to not read about contests or news in other countries, so I come here.

ETA: And by your own admission, it is US based (hence the US centric news and contests).

 

[Serban]

so with this cable can we put mp3 from mac to ipad/iphone directly? no one knows?

 

[OS X Dude]

so with this cable can we put mp3 from mac to ipad/iphone directly? no one knows?

Yeah, with iTunes. It's just a short Lightning cable on a keychain.

 

[CyBeRino]

Here are just a few of the restrictions on giveaways in various countries:

-In Australia, you need a trade promotion permit to give away an item through a method with an element of chance.

-In Canada, you can't use luck to determine who wins a giveaway.

-In France, Argentina, and Mexico, giveaways have to be conducted in the local language.

-Brazil and Spain, if you do a giveaway you have to pay a tax and register.

-In Sweden, many giveaways are prohibited all together.

-If you run an online giveaway in Italy, the server collecting entries has to be physically located in Italy. You also need a permit. And only Italian companies can run giveaways in Italy. And a notary has to oversee the awarding of the prizes.

-In many EU countries, giveaway winnings will be subjected to customs taxes.

-A giveaway in China must be conducted through a Chinese company.

MacRumors isn't located in any of those countries, so none of those laws apply. Any taxes are to be paid by the receiver of the goods.

Unlike a certain north-american country, we aren't in the habit of forcing our laws upon foreign companies.

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Do websites based in other countries get this kind of negativity when they offer giveaways? I can't even imagine going to a UK based site and then complaining that their giveaways don't include US residents.

If they have an international audience, they sure as **** do.

It's a very anti-internet thing to do. The internet knows no borders.

 

[macpeach55]

I did see the message regarding US only until after I entered, how many people read every word of an article, I scanned it and then only after I entered did I see the bit about US only which rattled by cage. I don't think that's an unreasonable reaction.

Then maybe you should slow down & read an article properly, instead of seeing just the key words & diving in. "How many people read every word of an article"? Most people, that is how many! What a pathetic attempt at justifying your own faults by pretending that everyone does the same as you.
Oh, & you cannot dry your Dog in a microwave, in case you also forgot to read those instructions

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so with this cable can we put mp3 from mac to ipad/iphone directly? no one knows?

Yes, the cable is physically bound to a No Disclosure Clause; if it is captured, whatever they do to it, it can NEVER give away your secrets, or what you used it for!

 

[Tiptizzle]

MacRumors isn't located in any of those countries, so none of those laws apply. Any taxes are to be paid by the receiver of the goods.

Unlike a certain north-american country, we aren't in the habit of forcing our laws upon foreign companies.

----------



If they have an international audience, they sure as **** do.

It's a very anti-internet thing to do. The internet knows no borders.

It would cost more to make sure you are in compliance with the laws of every country than the product even costs. You'd have to possibly find a lawyer familiar with the laws in each country or send hours researching these laws yourself. Not to mention shipping and taxes could cost more than the product as well.

I'm not familiar with the laws of other countries, but I've read on here several times where Apple has had to change their product to meet the laws of other countries even though they are US based. Anything from the connector to the warranty they provide.

 

[Analog Kid]

[...]you have a the smallest fraction of a percent chance of scoring one
[...]
we get a 50 in a million chance to hang a bit of plastic from our keychains. [...]

Smallest fraction of a per cent chance? This is NOT the Powerball lottery - 1 in 170 million. It's 1 in 20,000 or so right now.

Let's see: 1 in 20,000 == 50 in a million.
1/20,000 is 0.005%

I suppose calling that the smallest fraction of a percent may have been the slightest of hyperboles...

 

[Tech198]

What's the deal and Apple with so short cables ? They do it to all of their eithernet-to-Mini adapters.

 

[CyBeRino]

It would cost more to make sure you are in compliance with the laws of every country than the product even costs. You'd have to possibly find a lawyer familiar with the laws in each country or send hours researching these laws yourself. Not to mention shipping and taxes could cost more than the product as well.

I highly doubt this actually went past an actual lawyer.

I'm not familiar with the laws of other countries, but I've read on here several times where Apple has had to change their product to meet the laws of other countries even though they are US based. Anything from the connector to the warranty they provide.

That is because they are importing their products into a country and thus doing business there. If Apple doesn't sell their product in a country, they don't have to abide by its laws (regarding that product). Whoever imports the product for resale, however, does.

 

[myvoip07]

Those looks cool

 

[Tiptizzle]

I highly doubt this actually went past an actual lawyer.



That is because they are importing their products into a country and thus doing business there. If Apple doesn't sell their product in a country, they don't have to abide by its laws (regarding that product). Whoever imports the product for resale, however, does.

Right. The comment was in regards to the comment about other countries not forcing their laws onto foreign businesses. Obviously, if they don't sell there, they don't abide by their laws.