Microsoft offers $100 gift card to Windows XP users who buy new device

With Microsoft set to stop supporting Windows XP with security updates in just two weeks, the tech giant is now encouraging users of the 13-year-old operating system to buy new computers by offering them $100 in store credit.

The Redmond, Wash., company recently began offering Windows XP customers up to $100 in credit when they buy a new computer running Windows 8.1 from either its online store or its retail outlets. The deal includes 90 days of free technical support.

The $100 credit applies to computers and laptops ranging from $599 to $2,299. The promotion lasts through June 15 and is available only to customers who can verify that they are currently using a Windows XP machine.

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The Microsoft special appears to be part of the company’s strategy to lure Windows XP users into buying a more modern computer ahead of April 8, which is the date the company will issue its final security updates for the 2001 operating system.

After April 8, or the so-called Windows XP end-of-life, users of Windows XP will be exposed to security vulnerabilities that could put their machines and their files in harm’s way. Users are encouraged to either update the software on their computers to more recent versions of Windows, such as Windows 7, or to buy a newer machine.
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