Microsoft launched a new way for college students to pay for Windows PC purchases on Tuesday — a Kickstarter-style crowdfunding program.
The tech giant’s new “Chip In” program lets friends and family crowdsource donations toward purchasing a Windows PC for a college student.
The program works like this: A college student selects a new Windows PC device on the Chip In site, then creates a campaign page and shares it out to friends and family, asking for help funding the computer. Microsoft contributes 10% of the PC purchase as the first donation.
When the new computer is funded, the student receives a promotional coupon code to buy the device from MicrosoftStore.com. Though anyone can set up a crowdfunding profile (parents, relatives or students themselves), only a student with a .edu college e-mail address or international student identity card (ISIC) can redeem the coupon to buy a computer. The purchase also comes with a four-year subscription to Office 365 University.
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http://mashable.com/2013/06/04/microsoft-student-chip-in/