Oscars guests to get tech goodies

Looking to get your hands on one of those hot new Razr phones from Motorola? No problem - if you'll be attending this year's Academy Awards ceremony.

Motorola said on Wednesday that a limited-edition version of the ultra-thin, wildly popular phones would be included in the lavish gift baskets handed out to presenters and winners at the show, which airs on Sunday, 27 February. The special edition phones will be black, instead of the metal finish on the regular phones, a Motorola representative said.

A representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the organisation does not comment on the gift baskets.

But details invariably leak out in gossip columns and trade publications. And the perceived bonus of seeing stars toting their products prompts some companies to issue press releases about the giveaways.

Tech goodies in previous year's baskets included a Samsung high-definition television set with one-year subscription to satellite HDTV provider Voom and a TAZ I personal video and media player from Tight Systems.

The freebies aren't limited to the Oscars. According to published reports, presenters and performers at last year's Teen Choice Awards received a Sprint PCS Vision phone from Samsung; and TiVos were given out at last year's Independent Spirit Awards.

Past Grammy gift bags have reportedly included a 20GB iPod from Apple, a Siemens mobile phone and a Logitech digital camera. Last year's American Music Awards bag included a Sirius satellite radio. And Hewlett-Packard gave away cameras in the goody bags handed out to some attendees at last year's MTV Video Music Awards.

Margaret Kane writes for CNET News.com.