Make: Halloween Contest 2009, sponsored by Microchip Technology!

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner. Use a microcontroller to make anything from themed lawn decorations to creative costumes - the possibilities are endless. The Make: Halloween Contest will run for 8 weeks, and the Prizewinners will be announced on Friday, November 6th. Deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. PDT November 3, 2009. Each entry will be judged based on the following criteria: creativity of idea, use of Halloween theme, technical implementation using a microcontroller, execution and craftsmanship, and quality of documentation. Please see Official Rules for more information on the Winner selection.

To submit a project, you can either submit photos to the Make: Halloween Contest Flickr pool or upload a video and add it to the Make: Halloween Contest YouTube group. Please include a short description when you post images/videos. In addition to this, you must fill out our contest entry form.

Steve Struebing View Another

This promotion is intended for play and participation in the United States only and shall be construed and evaluated according to the laws of the United States. Please do not participate if you are not a legal resident of the United States and located in the United States at the time of entry.

Important: Please read these rules before entering the Make: Halloween Contest (the "Contest") sponsored by MAKE and Microchip Technology Inc. (the "Sponsors"). By filling out an online entry form, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. CONTEST OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHO ARE EITHER OF THE AGE OF MAJORITY IN THEIR STATE OF RESIDENCE AT THE TIME OF ENTRY (19 OR OLDER IN AL AND NE, 18 OR OLDER IN ALL OTHER STATES). VOID OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND WHERE OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Official Rules: Make: Halloween Contest.

1. How to Enter: To enter the Contest, submit your name, e-mail address, project and other required information - and check the box to opt-in to the Contest - via the online form at http://makezine.com/cs/user/create/f?x-t=halloween09.form, which together constitute your "entry."
   Contest begins at 12:01 a.m. PDT on September 9, 2009 and will end at 11:59 p.m. PDT on November 3, 2009 (the "Contest Period"). All entries must be received during the Contest Period to be eligible. You may enter as many times as you wish, but please do not submit duplicate projects. Sponsors are not responsible for retaining archives of any projects submitted. Email addresses obtained through the Contest will only be used by Sponsors to notify the winners and participants of the contest results. All entries must be in English. By submitting an entry, you grant Sponsors and its agents the irrevocable and perpetual nonexclusive right to print, publish, reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, promote, and provide access to any such Contest entry, in all media throughout the world, and without consideration to you. Projects: must be the original work of the entrant; may not have won previous awards; may not have been published previously; must not infringe third-party rights, and must be suitable for publication (i.e., may not be obscene or indecent). By submitting an entry, you represent and warrant: that you are the sole owner of all rights in and to the materials that constitute your entry; that your entry is your original work; and that your entry does not violate laws prohibiting copyright infringement, defamation, misuse of trade secrets, invasion of privacy, or other laws. You agree to confirm in writing your grant of rights to Sponsors and/or the above warranties as a condition to receiving a prize in the event you are eligible to receive a prize.

2. Winner Selection: Winner selection for the Grand Prize, and 3 (three) Runners-up will be based upon the following criteria:

• 20% Creativity of Idea
• 20% Technical implementation using a Microcontroller
• 20% Use of Halloween Theme
• 20% Execution and Craftsmanship
• 20% Quality of Documentation

In the event of a tie, tie breaker will be based upon the highest score in the first judging criteria, continuing thereafter to each judging criteria in order, as needed, to break the tie. The Grand Prize, and the Runners-up Prizewinners will be determined by a qualified panel of 5 judges from the MAKE editorial and marketing team. Their decisions will be issued no later than Friday, November 6, 2009. The decisions of the panel will be final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest. Limit one prize per household.

3. Prizes: One Grand Prize Winner three Runner-up Winners will be selected by the judges. The Grand Prize is a Microchip Starter Kit Bundle, valued at $600.00, which includes:

• PIC18 Starter Kit
• PIC24F Starter Kit
• dsPIC® DSC Starter Kit
• PIC32 Starter Kit
• Memory Starter Kit
• FI Evaluation Platform
• PICkit™ 3

The Runner-up Prizes are as follows:

• 1st Runner-up Prize: PICDEM™ Lab (valued at $124.99), plus a $50 Maker Shed gift certificate.
• 2nd Runner-up Prize: PICkit™ 3 (valued at $69.99), plus a $50 Maker Shed gift certificate.
• 3rd Runner-up Prize: F1 Starter Kit (valued at $39.99), plus a $50 Maker Shed gift certificate.

Estimated total value of all prizes: US $984.97. All prizes will be awarded, provided they are properly claimed.

4. Winner Notification: Prizewinners will be notified by e-mail by Friday, November 6, 2009. Sponsors are not responsible for any change of entrant's e-mail address. Any prize or prize notification returned as undeliverable or otherwise not claimed within seven (7) days after notification of prize award will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate prizewinner. Prizes are not transferable. No cash redemptions. No substitutions or exchanges of the prize will be permitted, except that Sponsors reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value for any prize that becomes unavailable. The prizes are awarded "AS IS" and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE). ACCEPTANCE OR USE OF PRIZE IS AT THE WINNER'S OWN RISK.

5. Sponsors and any of their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, professional advisors, employees, and agencies will not be responsible for (1) any late, lost, or misrouted entries or errors in transmission; (2) any disruptions to Internet connection, injuries, losses, or damages caused by events beyond the control of Sponsors; or (3) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Contest.

6. Sponsors and their agencies are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, or telephone malfunctions of any kind and shall not be liable for failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled, or delayed electronic communications utilized in this Contest which may limit the ability to participate in the Contest. If for any reason, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other cause beyond the control of Sponsors, which corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, the Contest is not capable of being conducted as described in these rules, Sponsors shall have the right, at their sole discretion, to modify and/or cancel the Contest.

7. Eligibility: Contest open to legal residents of the continental United States who are of the age of majority in their state of residence (19 or older in AL and NE, 18 or older in all other states) at the time of entry, or who are between 14 and the age of majority in their state of residence at the time of entry. Any minor who is eligible to receive a prize must submit a parental consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian prior to receiving a prize. Employees of Sponsors, MAKE and/or Microchip Technology Inc., their subsidiaries, divisions, and related companies, and their respective agencies and agents and immediate family members of such are not eligible.

8. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAXES ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRIZE WINNERS. Prizewinners may be required to execute and return an affidavit of eligibility and publicity, liability and other release (and a signed parental consent form, if entrant is an eligible minor) within fifteen (15) days of notification attempt or prize will be forfeited and an alternate prizewinner will be selected.

9. BY ENTERING THE CONTEST OR ACCEPTING A PRIZE, PARTICIPANTS RELEASE SPONSORS AND ANY OF THEIR PARENT COMPANIES, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENCIES (COLLECTIVELY, THE "RELEASED PARTIES") FROM ANY LIABILITY WHATSOEVER, AND WAIVE ANY AND ALL CAUSES OF ACTION, FOR ANY CLAIMS, COSTS, INJURIES, LOSSES, OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST OR ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE AND/OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS, COSTS, INJURIES, LOSSES, AND DAMAGES RELATED TO PERSONAL INJURIES, DEATH, DAMAGE TO OR DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, RIGHTS OF PUBLICITY OR PRIVACY, DEFAMATION OR PORTRAYAL IN A FALSE LIGHT, WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL) WHETHER UNDER A THEORY OF CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE, WHETHER ACTIVE, PASSIVE, OR IMPUTED), STRICT LIABILITY, PRODUCT LIABILITY, CONTRIBUTION, OR ANY OTHER THEORY.

10. Except where prohibited by law, entry into the Contest constitutes permission to use winner's name, likeness, contest submission materials, and/or prize information, without limitation, for any advertising, promotional, or any other purpose related to the Contest or to use of the entry by Sponsors or their agents, without further compensation to, or permission from, the Prizewinner.

11. Winner's List: A list of Prizewinners will be available at http://makezine.com/halloweencontest/ for at least 6 months after all prizes have been awarded.

12. The Contest will be governed, construed, and interpreted under the laws of the United States. Entrants who violate these Official Rules, tamper with the operation of the Contest, or engage in any conduct that is detrimental to Sponsors, the Contest, or any other entrant (as determined in Sponsors' sole discretion) are subject to disqualification. By entering, entrants agree that all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, participant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsors in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of State of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of California or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of California. By entering, entrants consent to the jurisdiction and venue of the federal, state and local courts located in San Francisco, California.

Sponsors

• Maker Media Division (MAKE), O'Reilly Media, Inc., 1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472.
• Microchip Technology Inc, 2355 W. Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85224.

The Contest and all accompanying materials are copyright © 2009 O'Reilly Media, Inc.

The MAKE logo is a registered trademark of O'Reilly Media, Inc., All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.