Our buddies over at Data Robotics, makers of the Drobo and DroboPro storage devices, were so happy with the results of a recent promotion that we ran with our DroboPro review that they're giving TUAW readers another chance to join in on the fun.

If you go to the Drobo Store at http://www.drobostore.com and order a DroboPro, be sure to enter in the super-secret promo code TUAW2X100SS to get $200 off the price of one of these storage wonders. There's only one catch -- you have to purchase your DroboPro before October 1, 2009 and this offer is only good for the first 100 people who take advantage of the discount.

Did you purchase a DroboPro with our previous promo code? We'd love to hear from you about your setup experience and what you're storing in all those terabytes of space.

Videro is one of those silent-but-cool application suites you've probably never heard of, but you may see it being used every day. I met some of the Videro team at WWDC, and they were happy to demo a little of what the tools do: electronic signage and interactive kiosks. If you happen to need an animated in-store (or museum) display, fed from a server, easy to set up and deploy, complete with iPhone access to check on the servers (so they say), then Videro is an impressive tool.

To start, Videro has a composition tool that allows you to drag and drop your animations, complete with images, video and audio. In fact, Videro has extensive in-app tools for cropping, rotating and otherwise "fixing" your assets for display. But wait, there's more! This isn't just Keynote all gussied up. Videro is designed for business, and a server application makes sure mission-critical displays are functioning properly. There's solid asset management support both in the client and the server applications, making sure your displays never fire off with a dreaded "black box of nothing" where a product shot should be.

Videro mentioned an iPhone app in the video but I have been unable to locate it in the store and a search on their website revealed nothing. Still, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to provide some baseline stats via password-protected web app. We weren't able to get Wi-Fi at our location, so some features weren't visible and this might have been one of them.

Unfortunately Videro's site mentions nothing about price. In my experience that means we're talking about an expensive solution, and likely a custom one for the high-end customers. If you're looking for something simpler, don't miss Dave's excellent post about using Keynote and Dropbox to create an updating and easy presentation solution that would work in a pinch.

Apple announced the details of its back to school promotion today, and it looks almost the same as its deal last year: A free iPod touch with the purchase of a qualifying Mac.

Every Mac except the Mac mini qualifies for the deal. Parents now can qualify for the promotion when buying for their children, as well.

Education pricing can save you up to $200, depending on the model you choose, which you can use to fill that iPod with tunes or put toward AppleCare. According to MacNN, qualified students can opt for other iPods as well with varying rebate amounts for each.

Apple is also running a similar promotion in Canada, and will probably offer the program in other countries later in the year, according to MacRumors' Eric Slivka.

Last year's promotion was the "largest ever," and expectations were high for this year, too. One rumor claimed Apple would offer free iPhones with a qualifying Mac purchase. Yet again, the Internet made promises that Apple couldn't keep.

This also starts the rumor mill going about what Apple is trying to clear out of inventory before the end of the fiscal year. New products are always just over the horizon: What's coming next?

The promotion ends September 8.

Thanks, Nicholas!

Last week we told you about the promo codes that Apple was allowing developers to pass out to anyone. These codes allowed people to get a free copy of an application, and we mentioned this was a welcomed feature for many app reviewers.

One iPhone developer has some creative ideas when it comes to using their promo codes. Hexy [iTunes link] will be giving away 20 of their 50 promo codes to purchasers of their iPhone game. This is the first that we've heard of iPhone developers doing this type of "buy one get one" promotion. Plus, it's completely in line with Apple's regulations on the promo codes.

You will need to send a screenshot of your iTunes Receipt to the developer to redeem your code. Details about this promotion can be found on 148apps.com.

[via Ars Technica]

Last year, the Give Good Food to Your Mac promo offered discounts on apps exclusively from Indie developers in Europe. This year the promo is back, and they've opened the doors to developers from around the world. There are some 60 apps available, and the deal is this: buy 3 apps and get a 20% discount on the total price, buy more apps and the discount increases up to 50% for 5 apps or more. Last year you could get a 70% discount at 10 apps or more, but that doesn't look like it's on the cutting board any more. The application lineup, however, is impressive. All of those Indie apps you were interested in but knew they would be part of a bundle sooner or later ... you'll probably find them here.

The lineup includes apps from Aquafadas, Houdah Software, Devon Technologies and many more. Some of my favorite software is included, such as Reinvented Software's Together (recently mentioned) and ShareTool (a recent Friday Favorite). The Hydra Aperture plugin, which we've also covered before, Cheetah 3D, Voice Candy ... it's quite a list. Stop by the Give Good Food to your Mac page and see if there's not something there to whet your appetite. The promo is running now and goes until December 1st.

College

Just a reminder: We told you in June about Apple's education promotion where you can get a free 8GB iPod touch (worth $299) to college students who buy a MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac Pro. The promotion ends in just over a month, on September 15.

If you haven't placed your order yet, it's probably a good time to get your act in gear.

Note also that from the reports we've seen, iPod touch is not shipping with the 2.0 software update pre-loaded yet. So you'll have to shell out ten bucks for the software update.

Qualified students can also opt for an 8GB iPod nano.

On Sunday's talkcast, we figured it was all-but-certain that new iPod touch models and possibly laptops will drop right after this promotion ends. Keep that in mind, too.

Apple is launching its back-to-school promotion today, and according to MacRumors it's expected to be its largest promotion ever.

Apple is offering "a free 8GB iPod touch ($299) to college students who buy a qualifying Mac (MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Pro)."

VentureBeat goes further, contending that putting Apple's mobile platform in the hands of students practically ensures its dominance in the marketplace. "You can kiss the desktop computer goodbye," MG Siegler writes. "It's time to start training the young minds of today about the future of computing: mobile."

Instead of an iPod touch, students can opt for an 8GB iPod nano, but it's hard to see why anybody would want to do this with the soon-to-be-launched App Store.

The promotion ends September 15.

Thanks Eliot, Chris, Bert, Matt, and everyone who sent this in!

If you want to "cash-in" on all of those after holiday sales, look no further than your Mac's desktop. Apple is starting a new winter promotion for iPhoto books and calendars. By using two promotional codes you can save 20% on books and calendars through February 29, 2008. Apple says that the book code will also work in Aperture.

For calendars, use code: NAWinterCal08
For photo books, use code: NAWinterBook08


Thanks to everyone who sent this in!


Update: a recent commenter shared with us the codes for the UK iPhoto:

For calendars, use code: EUWinterCal08
For photo books, use code: EUWinterBook08

Wanna buy an iPhone for 99 cents? You probably missed your chance. Apparently 99 Cent Only stores in California are having a big 25th anniversary party, and this morning, at their store in Westchester, CA, they sold 9 iPhones to the first 9 customers for only 99 cents each.

That can't quite be legal, considering that Apple and AT&T have paid a lot of money to make sure you get the iPhone from them, but of course it's just a fun contest to promote the store's anniversary. Unfortunately, if you missed your chance this morning, the prizes go downhill fast-- a Friends VHS set and cordless powered scissors are among the options for Friday. Wait a minute, "cordless powered scissors"? That sounds pretty cool, actually.

Of course, the 99 cent store isn't the only place you can find good deals-- Adam dropped us a heads up that Nanos are being sold in Apple's refurbished store for only 99... ok, well, dollars. But a 2gb Nano for 99 bucks is as cheap as you'll find it.

Thanks, Matt and Adam!

Last week I wrote about something brewing over on the MacHeist pages, and this week it looks like the project has come to fruition-- it's called Skunk Works, and in addition to the giveaways they're doing with the MacUpdate promo, they're now giving away software.

Yes, signing up on that page is supposed to give you a free copy of Linkinus (up to an including 1.1, not including 1.2, so read the fine print), the IRC client we mentioned earlier this year. The app is also now included in the MacHeist version of the MacUpdate bundle (so if you already bought that, save the free copies for someone else), and MacHeist recommends that even if you get it for free, you go ahead and purchase it anyway (to support the developers). Plus, a purchase will clear you until the next major version, not just 1.1.

Like some of you guys, I'm getting a little tired of all the hype around these Mac software bundles, so I've been trying to cut back on this kind of news. Still, free software is hard to pass up. If you've been looking for a substitute for Colloquy, this might be just what you need at a price you can't pass up.

A recent update to iGTD brought some significant enhancements, one of which is very, very rich integration with Scott Morrison's MailTags 2.0. With v1.4.3, iGTD can process most of the MailTags 2 information attached to an Apple Mail message. For example: keywords in MailTags prefixed with @ will get translated into contexts, while your other tags will simply become regular tags in iGTD. Same with projects, deadlines, priorities and even notes added to Apple Mail messages with MailTags: they'll all effortlessly transfer over into iGTD when importing messages with an F-key.

If this is all getting your productivity and GTD gears turning but you haven't purchased MailTags yet, Scott Morrison and Bartlomiej Bargiel (iGTD's developer) have just offered a partner promotion that should do the trick: for a limited time, when users donate to iGTD, they can contact the author and receive a $5 coupon off the $29.95 retail price of MailTags 2.0. I say 'limited time' because, as of this writing, they have 35 coupons left, though Scott said he's definitely willing to whip up more coupons depending on how much interest spawns from this promotion (I know, I know: I warned them about the TUAW effect, so we'll see).

As an extremely happy and paid user of MailTags and a budding GTD user for whom iGTD finally made sense, this sounds like a great deal for anyone looking to get more productive with their email. MailTags and iGTD: two great tastes that taste great together.

I guess the times certainly are a changin', as the man Bob Dylan himself has hopped on board with Apple and the iTunes Music Store to offer an exclusive pre-order ($13.99) of his upcoming new album, Modern Times, which lands on August 29th. Ticketmaster has even tossed their hat in, just like with the Red Hot Chili Peppers promo back in April, and is offering a pre-sale ticket opportunity for select dates on Mr. Dylan's tour to fans who pre-order the album.

Now if that isn't enough Bob for you, Apple has also created a digital box set simply called 'The Collection' which boasts 800 songs, but be careful using that one-click purchase option: it's $199, and also lands on the 29th. "Bob Dylan is one of the most respected poets and musicians of our time, and he is a personal hero of mine," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, calling this opportunity a "a real thrill for us."

Modern Times (iTMS link) is available for pre-order today, and fans who purchase it will receive a Ticketmaster code by email which can be used to get in on that pre-sale at Ticketmaster.com starting August 30th, while the tickets go on sale to the public September 9th. More information can be found at bobdylan.com, as well as ticketmaster.com/bobdylan.

That Apple + Coca Cola promo we mentioned in June has been made a reality, but only in Europe - at least for now. MSNBC is reporting that iTunes has launched "the deepest alliance of its kind" to promote the iTMS on Coke's website in the UK and Germany, as the company will also be giving away 70 million songs on its products in a promo that sounds just like the Pepsi partnership of a year or so ago. Interestingly, Apple declined to comment on whether shaking hands with Coke meant that they had to stop drinking from the Pepsi fountain.

It sounds like all you TUAW readers in the UK and Germany can keep your eyes out for the promotion to hit Coke's website and products sometime this month. Happy downloading!

[via iLounge]

Facebook, the MySpace of the EDU world (and the 7th most trafficked site in the US), has announced a back-to-school promotion involving the iTMS and 10 million music samplers. They will be giving away 1 million 25-song samplers each week for the next 10 weeks, with genres including Alternative, Rock, Hip-Hop and Electronica.

It appears that one only needs to visit Facebook to see banners like this, which are linked to the download at Apple's site, so go forth and download, iTunes and Facebook users.
[via iLounge]

We don't know how legit this is, or whether there's an Apple Store out there actually using this, but it appears as though some Apple Store employees have created a ProCare promotional video in the spirit of South Park. It features short, animated kids in a few quick scenarios of customers entering the store and requesting Procare support, as well as another customer pimping some of the various features that ProCare offers, such as personalized support and training. It probably won't make the Apple.com homepage any time soon, but it's an interesting effort from some enthusiastic employees (who probably didn't even get paid for their efforts).