The offer is being advertised on the Microsoft TechEd blog, which says "We are giving each paid delegate an HP 2140 Mini Notebook with Windows 7 pre-installed." But if you're a sponsored guest, you've been given a free ticket, you're an exhibiter, or volunteer, then sorry, you're missing out.
While it's not exactly the cheapest netbook on the market, nor the most expensive, the HP 2140 is nothing to sneeze at. The machine is perhaps an ideal conference accessory, weighing 1.2Kg with a 10.2in screen and 160GB HDD.
If your'e in the market for a cheap, portable laptop, the market has undergone a refresh in the last few months, with MSI, Samsung, Acer, and ASUS, among others bringing out a range of new models.