Vyrotek|Bridging the gap between code and wealth

If you haven’t heard already, Google wants to give me lots and lots of money! Why you ask? I’ll tell you!

Many people thought Google was secretly developing a ‘GPhone’ that was going to rock the cell phone market. Well, it turns out that they weren’t doing that at all. Instead, Google joined the Open Handset Alliance and just came out with their own Smart Phone OS called Android! And more specifically, Google wants to give away lots of money to Android developers in the form of a competition. This is how it works:

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.

I have been playing with the OS all this week and I must say that it is very easy to work with. Sadly, it’s in Java and the only phone emulator plugin is for Eclipse. But, other than that it was pretty simple to get a basic ‘Hello Android’ app up and running. They have all sorts of simple API’s to get images from the phone camera and even an API to get the phone unit’s current GPS location. Google is looking for many different kinds of applications ranging from Social Networking (ugh) to Games to Humanitarian benefits. A group of us have come up with an idea already and it will rock all the other entries… that’s assuming we actually find time to make it. Yay for free money!