A useful tool with a twist.
Written: Feb 27 '01 (Updated Jun 14 '01)
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The Bottom Line
Use Iwon for your search and information needs. It has an excellent search engine, and useful links. The winning undertone is not overbearing, but fun at the same time.
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| Full Review |
Iwon's method of spreading word about its service was to have people who were "in the know" send recommendation emails about the site. This is how I discovered it. Of course, there was some mention about FREE MONEY, which I, as a frequent user of the internet, have come to ignore. I, like anyone else, would love a new Mercedes (hold on, I'm not implying that I have one, yet), but I believe that short of saving for years, this won't happen. What interested me was the claim that the site was a practical tool that could be used everyday for my internet browsing and research needs. I was skeptical, but visited the site.
The first items to catch my attention were the games and the prizes that they offered. This in itself did not set this site apart from other gaming sites that I tend to avoid. What made me realize that I could actually use iWon in the manor that it was described was when I noticed how similar the features were to the search site that I was previously a user of, Yahoo. iWon has most of the same services in one form or another. The search engine itself is powered by Inktomi, the same that powers Yahoo!, MSN, and AOL. This made me realize that changing to iWon for search needs would not be a difficult transaction.
Next, I took note of the headline section. At first I thought it might be annoying to be faced with this information every time I launched my browser (assuming that iWon was my homepage, which it now is). Upon further investigation, I learned that just about every aspect of the page can be configured for my own use. As an example, I currently have my iWon homepage set up to display the prices of the stocks in my portfolio, as well as the industrial averages of the markets. I have a bar of quick clicks for searches and maps, and under that are the day's headlines, which I decided are a nice thing to monitor from time to time. The user can select areas of coverage in the news section depending on the relevance of sports, business news, or entertainment, etc. to the user.
The extensive features of the site make it a legitimate tool for day to day information searching, as well as links for entertainment such as chatting, hobbies, and gaming.
The feature that most certainly sets iWon apart from other search and homepage sites, however, are the prize lotteries that the site runs. iWon lottery allows you to pick 7 numbers for a chance to win prizes. In addition to this, there are weekly, monthly, and yearly drawings for very large cash prizes, and although I have never won any of these, it doesn't seem to hurt to dream. Since iWon does not cost the user anything, I gain from playing, if nothing else, a minute or two to ponder on what I would do with $10 million.
I should probably mention iWon cash points, although they are not currently (02/26/01) usable. Through the process of using and recommending iWon, the user earns iWon cash points. Sometime during the first half of 2001, they plan to introduce the iWon store to allow the user to use these points toward purchases of CDs, Videos, DVDs, Gift Certificates, Vacations, and other merchandise. They are not U.S. dollars, but will be able to be used in conjunction with money for these purchases as a kind of discount.
For the most part, I can find few flaws with this site, because it has provided me with a collection of tools that I can use to find information, as well as an OPPORTUNITY to win prizes, which is nice! If I was forced to say something bad about iWon, it would be that the gaming atmosphere might draw compulsive gamers into a web of games and casinos that would consume all of their time and resources, making them slaves to the iWon site. This is about as likely, however, as buying a presidential pardon, or slightly less likely!
iWon is currently my homepage at home, AND at work. I use it every day as a work tool and as a play tool. I'm still waiting for my 10 million dollars, especially when I look to the right side of my screen to see the state of my stock holdings!
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: Quincy, MA
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me: 33 year old software engineer in Quincy, MA.
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