Sony Ericsson Co-sponsors 2009 NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge

(Business News & Technology News, 22 Sep 2008)

Sony Ericsson will be sponsoring the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge for the 2009 edition. As a Global Device Sponsor, Sony Ericsson will provide qualifying contestants with both devices and software tools to enable the development of applications based on either Sony Ericsson Java SDK or the new and innovative Project Capuchin technology—a Java API which defines a bridge between Flash and Java. The company will also of course, be closely involved in the judging process for all three regions of the contest: Europe, the Americas and APAC.

"At Sony Ericsson we are always expanding our developer relationship and looking for new applications and interesting partners to enrich our user experience," says Christopher David, Head of Java Strategy Planning at Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. "Our co-sponsorship with NAVTEQ for the Global LBS Challenge 2009 allows us to put our new Capuchin technology into the hands of developers with the intention of creating and exploring rich, innovative LBS applications."

Originally launched in North America in 2003 and followed by launches in Europe in 2005 and in Asia-Pacific in 2008, the Global LBS Challenge focuses on driving the development and visibility of creative location-aware solutions for wireless devices—from business to sports, travel and security. It invites developers to build and submit original applications using dynamic positioning technology and NAVTEQ maps. There are five categories for entries—content, enterprise, entertainment & leisure, navigation, social networking.

The prize pool for 2009 is over $5.25 million dollars in cash; tool and data licences; and devices, making the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge one of the industry's most rewarding developer competitions. In addition to the prizes, developers also receive coveted industry exposure provided by the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge. The best entries in each region are closely reviewed in every detail by decision makers from the world's leading operators, device manufacturers and investment firms, as well as industry journalists. The judging process and the networking events drive industry success for the finalists in each region, with over 25 percent having received funding or commercial contracts as a direct result of participation in the competition.

For more information on entries, eligibility, timelines in the three different regions and the official contest rules, please go to www.LBSChallenge.com. Registration is already open for Europe—to be followed by the Americas in September and APAC at the end of October.

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