Free Microsoft Points

And other diversions from Amazon. Recently, after getting a shiny 250gb Xbox 360 I've been attempting to find ways to collect Microsoft points without having to buy cards or from the dashboard.

The easiest way I have found is through Points2Shop (this link takes you via my referral, It would help me a great deal if you signed up from this as I would get bonus points. Why not sign up through me and then get your friends to use your referral link?), Points2shop operates by having you take surveys, watch videos and complete offers all in order to earn points. These points can be redeemed with Amazon allowing you to buy books etc... including Xbox game cards preloaded with points.

At the minute due to level restrictions (I'm currently 'New', you will have to be 'Bronze' level or above in order to order an email of the Microsoft points code) I need to verify a home address, This is done by ordering a shipped item. Currently I'm waiting on delivery of two books and once there dispatched I should be able to continue with ordering as much MS Points as I need.

To give you and idea of how much points etc.. things cost, MS Points are 1800 for 800ms, 1950 for 1200ms and 2900 for 2100ms, roughly, it can fluctuate. So far I have earned close to the 1800 point mark after only having it for a few days.

The best way I have found to make points is by downloading the app (25pts right there) and then using flurry from the app to download further apps, these mostly require you to install and open the app and can range from 3pts to 50pts. The other method I like to use is completing reoccurring tasks, these mainly take the form of checking questions and answers, seeing that they are spelled correctly etc... these are mostly worth around $0.13 which can be exchange into 13pts.

You can complete surveys which can earn you around the 100pt mark, however i found that i was disqualified from most of these (around 70% of the time) due to my profile not matching what they needed.

Overall it is money for free and its hard to moan about that. If your considering joining please use my referral link. Thank you.

Paper Geek

Boredom in the office and access to the internet leads to terrible things, terrible but creative. Today I came across this, a paper iPod dock, which i thought was pretty cool indeed. I rustled up a quick version, however paper doesn't really work quite as well as card should. Very collapsible.

Template for the paper dock, A PDF is available Here

 This got me looking for other alternative paper docks, the German website DATENSTRUDEL offers this take on a paper dock. I really like this version, though it requires a digital clock app to get the full on effect, no free PDF's for this either.

I found a few, different lo-tech variations on the docking theme, including this rather cool Lego creation and an ingenious new use for the iPhone box itself,

But the master and king of all DIY iPhone docks has to be without doubt this, a classic NES controller upcycled into a docking station, instructions can be found here, It really genuinely doesn't look to complex to create and it almost looks like it was made with this in mind. This is one project that I think I'm going to have a serious go at re-creating.

Also worth mentioning because in the future I really want to have a crack at it is this bad boy,

Yeah that's totally a Gameboy external hardrive, how to do this unbelivable act you ask? Go here.

Pix'n Love Rush

I am very enamoured with an iOS game at the minute. It's called pix'n rush and it is simply the most addictive thing since gamefreak invited you to catch them all.
The game offers you four different modes of play, several awesome plinky plonk tunes and graphics and a whole lot of pixels. Though it must be said I only really play the 'rainbow rush', a neat little timed game. You have one minute to collect as many pick ups as possible running back and two across a stage, suns during day and moons during night, the nice little mechanic being that when you hit a stage wall the day switches to night. You gain extra time and points by picking up the symbols, every ten or so netting you five more seconds. It is absolute zen bliss. Frankly there's no other reason to own an iPhone over than to play this game.

It's made by pastagames and is in the app store now. And it's free.