Do you know that it is possible to get a free iPad online? The Apple iPad is advertised everywhere right now, but by following a few simple instructions you can get one for free. It's not a competition that you could use, but involves participation in other offers.

These offers could be of various types, some examples being:

* Join a photoprint service at a discount rate. * Take up a specific cell phone offer. * Take a trial with an online video rental company. * Join an online survey group and get the chance to make some money online. * Try a specific credit card: these include regular or 'bad credit' credit cards.

This last offer would be of great benefit to people that cannot get a regular credit card, and as long as you don't go over your limit these cards work exactly the same as a regular Visa or MasterCard.

There are many more offers that you could be asked to choose from, and you won't get your free iPad for taking only one of them. You will likely have to take up several. However, if you do the math, even if you participated in all the offers that you could then would it be worthwhile or not?

The answer is, remarkably, that you would still get your Apple iPad at a fraction of the price you would have to pay for it in an Apple store or even in your nearest outlet that sells iPads. Taking the cost of participation in all of the offers and surveys, you would not spend anything like the price of a new iPad.

In fact, you will obviously gain, because not only have you got a free iPad online but you also have what you paid for! You will basically be hiring all these videos free (which you will anyway if you take up the offer of a free trial). You will have a new cell phone that you can cancel once you get your iPad, and you will have your brand new Visa credit card that you can either keep, or simply not use.

So why are these offers made and why is it that people can afford to give you a free iPad for participating in offers that don't cost anything like the price of the iPad? Simples!

Businesses make such offers because on average it is worth their while doing so. Many people keep their cell phones and credit cards, and many find that they like that online video rental system. Some find they are actually making money by participating in offers and surveys (some make more than the price of an iPad every week), and others simply enjoy taking part.

Ultimately the businesses make more than they spend, and you get your free iPad, even if you cancel all your participations after receiving your free iPad. And, yes, it does happen - you do get the iPad or the laptop or whatever else is offered in return for your participation.

It is not a scam and is perfectly legal, and you do benefit from taking up such offers. There are no strings attached and once you have received your free iPad it belongs to you. It is not rented or leased, and you have no contract to keep to as you would have with a cell phone.

So next time you see an offer for a free iPad online, you don't have to take it but you can be sure that it is a genuine offer and not a scam.