Tom Doyle :: TALK

So there’s no such thing as the gPhone (http://code.google.com/android/) - ah well it was fun specualting that there was. But it looks like there is something special coming from Google for the mobile phone industry. Google have released a software stack for mobile phones called Android. It includes an operating system, middleware and some basic applications.

In order to entice developers to develop amazing applications - they have created the Android Developer Challenge and are offering up to $10 million in awards for the most promising applications.

According to the Android Developer Challenge website (http://code.google.com/android/adc.html): 

“The award money will be distributed equally between two Android Developer Challenges:

• Android Developer Challenge I: We will accept submissions from January 2 through March 3, 2008
• Android Developer Challenge II: This part will launch after the first handsets built on the platform become available in the second half of 2008

In the Android Developer Challenge I, the 50 most promising entries received by March 3 will each receive a $25,000 award to fund further development. Those selected will then be eligible for even greater recognition via ten $275,000 awards and ten $100,000 awards.”

Some of the basic applications look impressive already, but I’m not sure why Google are going down the award route? For me it’s a cheap way of buying great ideas, it’s verging on Microsoft mentality!