Forum Nokia has announced Calling All Innovators, a global contest for developers to create mobile applications. Calling All Innovators challenges developers to think big about the opportunity to impact the quality of human life with mobile applications. Nokia will award up to USD 150 000 in cash and prizes, in addition to helping the winning developers distribute their mobile applications.


Dean Kamen, the global technology pioneer best known for inventing the Segway PT and for founding FIRST, (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization which inspires high school students worldwide to study science and technology, has endorsed Calling All Innovators.

“For over 15 years, I’ve been focused on sparking the curiosity of up-and-coming inventors, especially kids, by showing them that science, technology and problem solving is rewarding, and important,” said Kamen. “Now that mobile devices are becoming as powerful as personal computers and more ubiquitous, challenging mobile developers and young inventors to develop the right applications can take the device simply known as a cellular phone and transform it into a catalyst to help society in many different ways.”

Calling All Innovators challenges mobile application developers worldwide to create applications that will enhance the use of mobile devices in real world scenarios, in one of the three following categories:

* ECO-Challenge: Make a difference by submitting an application that will work to minimize mobility’s global environmental impact and develop ways to offer mobile solutions that help consumers make sustainable choices such as reducing their energy consumption or carbon footprint.
* Emerging Markets: This category opens up new opportunities for developers to imagine the possibilities of pioneering applications and services impacting the daily lives of millions in developing nations, which could include solutions for education, health data access, infotainment, rural agriculture, or any other application that improves lives in emerging markets.
* Technology Showcase: This is an opportunity to create and showcase compelling, experience driven applications, using any technology that runs on Series 40 or S60 devices, such as Flash Lite, Java, Python, or open source. From a single-purpose application to completely community driven, this developer’s showdown will help open consumers’ minds about what an application can do.

First place winners in each category will receive USD 25 000, a trip to Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona, and distribution of their application for free through a variety of Nokia channels. Second place winners in each category will receive USD 10 000 and third place winners will receive USD 5 000. The contest opens on September 16, 2008 and all entries are due by December 15, 2008. Finalists will be selected and notified in January 2009.

More information about Forum Nokia’s Calling All Innovators, including how to submit an application and complete contest rules and requirements, can be found online at www.callingallinnovators.com.

Labels: Nokia

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