Breaking News: Your chance to get a $20 Microsoft Store coupon, and maybe win a laptop!

Well.. in a sense. We’re announcing today an opportunity for a limited (roughly 5,000) number of people to get a $20 coupon for the Microsoft Store, simply by doing two things:

1. Download the Private Cloud evaluation software. (System Center 2012 Release Candidate, and Windows Server 2008 R2 w/SP1 evaluation).  If prompted for a Promo Code, enter “CLOUD”.
2. Sign-up for and go through a Virtual Lab entitled “Explore Microsoft’s Private Cloud”.

And once those two items are completed, Microsoft will e-mail you (and the other first 4,999 people that complete it) a code redeemable for $20 off at the Microsoft Store.

NOTE: It is VERY important that you provide valid information with your Live ID sign in, because that’s how we will be able to reward you, and it’s to that e-mail address that we will send the code to retrieve your $20 coupon for use at the Online Store.

“Hey Kevin, what about that ‘slick laptop’ you mentioned?”

How slick is this?…

A Lenovo W520 15.6”

Check out these specs:

• 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2760QM Processor ( 2.40GHz 1333MHz 6MB )
• 15.6″ HD AntiGlare 1920×1080
• NVIDIA Quadro 2000M 2GB
• 32 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
• 160GB SSD SATA
• DVD R/W
• Bluetooth
• Intel 6300
• Webcam
• Smart Card
• TPM
• Fingerprint Reader
• 9cell battery
• Windows 7

Important: Remember – There are a limited number of $20 coupons available (about 5,000) and are given out on a first come first serve basis; and only one per person.  This promotional offer is only valid in the United States.  Whether you get a $20 coupon or not, you will still be entered into the drawing for the W520. You can enter multiple times for the raffle – you just have to complete the two steps each time. Please read the full Rules on the Microsoft Private Cloud Offer Site, as my disclaimer only has a portion of the full rules.

So.. what are you waiting for? 

1. Download the software (Promo code: CLOUD, if asked)
2. Do the Virtual Lab,
3. Get your $20 coupon (while supplies last), and
4. Maybe win a laptop!

For the full scoop, check out the main site.