Guest post: Mobile challenge in Europe
I’m happy to announce the official launch of a contest for EU residents: The Adobe Mobile Challenge. Adobe are challenging you to build a great AIR app and publish it into the Apple Store, the Android Marketplace and the BlackBerry App World for a chance to win a trip to Adobe MAX in Los Angeles, California this October. The first prize includes a flight, hotel accommodation and entry to Adobe MAX. Runner up prizes include Creative Suite 5.5 and Flash Builder Premium 4.5.1.
This is your chance to show us and the world what you can do. Using AS3 or Adobe Flex you can now develop advanced mobile applications and run them on iOS, Android and on the BlackBerry PlayBook. So what are you waiting for? Get coding. That said, you don’t have to build a new or exclusive application for this contest; if you’ve already published an application, feel free to submit it.
This challenge is managed by Adobe Europe, that’s why the competition is open to EU residents only :Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden & United Kingdom.
The submissions end on the 1st of September. Then the members of the jury will elect the best applications.You just need to develop an AIR mobile application with or without the Flex framework. It can be a game, a pure artistic experience, a lifestyle application, or even a productivity application… there’s no restriction except that it be a useful and interesting app. If you have already developed an application, you can submit that as well. You are not forced to create a new exclusive AIR application for this challenge.
Visit the dedicated website of this contest to discover its rules, the prizes and members of the jury: www.adobemobilechallenge.com
Flash Lite Developer Challenge deadline is getting closer
A shopping trip to New York City, a few new phones for testing purposes and a new home cinema setup. That’s probably how I would spend $30.000 ;-) I really wish I could enter an app in the Flash Lite Developer Challenge and maybe win up to $30.000 but sadly I’m not allowed to enter one as an Adobe employee ;-).
However, it’s not too late to enter your mobile Flash application. You have until May 31st to submit it on http://flashlitedeveloperchallenge.com.
Make money with Flash Lite development
Today, over 27 million users can install Flash applications on their mobile devices hassle-free. With the mobile packager and distributable player that we announced yesterday, you package your swf app together with a Flash version checker. The result is one SIS (for S60) or one CAB (for Windows Mobile) file. This is the type of file that people are used to installing on their mobile device. When the user installs the app and launches it, the Flash version checker will check if the correct version of Flash Lite is installed. If not, it will prompt the user to download and install Flash Lite. This is very similar to the seamless experience people are used to on the web!
Monetizing your Flash Lite applications has also become a lot easier. Not only did we announce partnerships with various aggregating partners like ZED, Thumbplay and GetJar, but you can now also distribute your applications through the Nokia Ovi Store and the Windows Mobile application store.
We have also announced the Flash Lite Developer Challenge at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. With $100.000 in cash prizes, why wouldn’t you try your luck?!
The things people do to win a MAX award…
If you haven’t heard this, the Belgian based agency Boulevart won a MAX award at MAX Europe earlier this week. When the finalists were announced a few weeks ago, Boulevart’s Wim Vanhenden promised to shave his head if they actually won the award… Today, all his colleagues took turns cutting pieces from his hair before shaving it all off. I think he learned his lesson ;-)
Create a skin to win a ticket to MAX, a MacBook Air and a bundle of software
Earlier today, ScaleNine.com launched the “Skin To Win Challenge” sponsored by EffectiveUI and Adobe.
Juan Sanchez‘ website ScaleNine.com has an impressive collection of CSS skins for Flex applications. With this contest, he’s looking for new additions to this collection and the top three entries win some really cool prizes including a MacBook Air (with SSD!), tickets to MAX, CS3 Master Collection and Flex Builder.
The contest website has everything you need to get started, even if you’re completely new to Flex skinning! Andrew Shorten created a couple of tutorial videos to help you on your way to create your winning Flex skin!
I’m really looking forward to see the skins that come out of this contest. You have until October 10th to submit your entry so you better start now!
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