Filed under: iTS, Software, Widget Watch
So, you
want win the iTunes 1 billion downloads
contest? Don't we all. You can
increase your chances with iTMS Estimator, a
Dashboard widget that estimates the number of songs sold, preparing you for that crucial mouse click.To get an instant map to any address, just go to your Address Book and right click on the address field of any one of your contacts and select "Map Of." The address will then be revealed in Google Maps on Safari. You can do the same if a data detector determines there is an address in an e-mail in Mail.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mickey Herman said 8:14PM on 2-07-2006
WHere does it get the estimate from? It is not the same as the Apple Counter, so I have no idea where it comes from. It is off.
Reply
doug said 9:10PM on 2-07-2006
i hate dashboard and advertising widgets do not make me like it any better...what's next a coke widget?
Reply
SpacePirate said 12:41AM on 2-08-2006
I'm almost positive the public counter is delayed by a few minutes. These are worthless. Your best bet would be to buy an album or two. Those, at least, will net you an entire block of downloads as opposed to a single one.
Reply
superjeff said 10:19AM on 2-08-2006
umm... doesn't the fact that you can enter this contest without actually buying a song suggest that anybody who buys a song (or fills out the form) between now and then has a chance to win the big prize? It seems that it's not the person who actually buys the 1,000,000,000th song. They'll just pick a name "out of a hat" after the 1,000,000,000th song is sold.
Reply
Anatoli Papirovski said 11:46AM on 2-08-2006
In my opinion, the way the form work is that when you submit it, it's as if you just bought a song (read the rules ;) ). But no, it's not random
Reply
Chris Dolan said 5:35PM on 2-08-2006
I created a Firefox Greasemonkey user script that makes it dramatically easier to submit entries to this contest. I explain how to install and use it in my blog:
http://www.chrisdolan.net/talk/index.php/2006/02/07/firefox-extensions-greasemonkey/
Reply
Jonathan Ellis said 11:07PM on 2-09-2006
As far as I can tell from reading the rules, the person to win will be the first person to either buy a song or submit an entry via the form after iTunes has sold their 1,000,000,000th song. So, like #5 said, its not random.
And I wasn't able to see the page that #6 linked to, got a 404 error. But the rules state "The use of any automated launching or entry software or any other mechanical or electronic means that permits the entrant to automatically enter repeatedly or in excess of twenty-five (25) Entries per day, per person is prohibited. Mechanically generated entries will be discarded and may result in total and permanent disqualification from the Promotion." So you may not want to advertise, if thats what you've created. Not accusing, just informing.
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Photobiker said 9:50PM on 2-20-2006
(I posted the same comment under the other thread but it could be useful here too...)
To win an iPod or the Grand Prize for the billionth song, you must buy a song each time the counter turns 100,000. The problem is: you can't rely on Apple's counter. It doesn't display the real-time count, it makes a projection based on a snapshot of the sales data over a period of 5 minutes, and that projection is always underestimated so that the counter doesn't go up and down each time the new data is released. With their method, it always goes up - but it's not accurate.
The Apple counter also relies on a 100ms timer to keep running, but if your machine is blocked doing something (like dragging a scrollbar in your browser or whatever), it stops and loses count.
I quickly fixed that over the weekend. Here is my page:
http://www.billiontunescounter.com/
It ain't pretty but so far today, it works. That should bring you one step closer to the 10 iPods and the $10,000 gift certificate. Good luck!
Reply