Irish apps developers have a chance to fight it out with renowned developers like Gino Micacchi, creator of Mobnotes, Golden Gekko and Aperto Move in the Vodafone App Star Competition which closes in two weeks.
Vodafone has put out a last call for the competition, which closes in a fortnight, urging Irish developers to win a chance to claim their share of a €1m total prize fund.
Some of the mobile apps entered so far include pushing location-based services to find and share anything from new friends and upcoming music gigs to the nearest chemist and even your own car.
Ireland is one of eight markets where developers can choose to submit their app, along with the UK, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Transportation apps
Transportation has been a popular theme for recent entrants, with easycar allowing users to search and book a hire car quickly and simply, and Tussam Mobile providing up-to-the-minute information about local buses and trams in Seville, Spain.
Dutch developer Peter Manuel has developed CarFinder, an invaluable app for users who might forget where they parked their cars.
German Vodafone 360 users in need of a taxi will benefit from Aperto Move’s TAXI deutschlandweit – the first widely available taxi ordering system for more than 3,000 taxis across Germany. The German developer has also recently submitted its APOTHEKEN app, which helps users find local chemists that are on emergency service and stay open all night.
In the lifestyle and entertainment arena, and perfectly timed for the summer festival onslaught, Dutch developers Tribe of Noise have submitted The GigMap, a free service for musicians and music venues to keep their fans up-to-date about latest concerts.
Golden Gekko’s BioRhythm app also features in the entertainment category, providing users with a daily chart based on their date of birth which calculates their physical, emotional and intellectual levels.
“We’ve been really impressed by the quality of apps that have been submitted to our competition,” said Chris Handley, head of internet services, Vodafone Ireland.
“We’re still seeing some great entrants as developers across Europe continue to share their apps with us, right up to the deadline. It’s been particularly great to see so many local apps being created for specific markets.
“Cleary, there is a lot of talent out there among the Irish and international developer community – we want to showcase these great ideas and properly reward the very best players for their innovation and vision.”
App developer contest prizes
The best entry from each country, including Ireland, will receive €25,000. The second and third-best entries will receive €15,000 and €10,000. The winning entries from each market will then progress to a second round of the competition, where the top 8 apps will be put to the public vote.
The app with the highest number of public votes will win an additional €75,000, with the second-place app receiving €25,000. Developers can enter the Vodafone App Star competition online.
By John Kennedy
Photo: The Vodafone 360 smart phone
