Globe launches new Globe Labs Challenge for application developers August 7, 2008

Globe Labs launches a new competition that will bring together application development companies, freelance software developers and members of the academe to build applications for the everyday communication needs of customers.

The new Globe Labs Challenge kicks off today at Edsa Shangri-La, Manila which marks the beginning of the two-month long development period for participants, who will create applications relevant to telecom services. The competition is open to members of the Globe Labs developer community.

To start off the Globe Labs Challenge, participants will be introduced to Globe Labs and two Globe APIs (Application Programming Interface) - SMS and MMS - will be presented to help developers build their applications. Globe is one of the few operators in the world who started sharing APIs to the public which will greatly increase the ease of building new applications utilizing telecommunication enablers.

Globe will give tips to participants on how to build applications with varying user interfaces across different markets and devices, while Adobe, Forum Nokia, Microsoft and Sun will give talks about their developer tools that can be used to build telco applications.

The Globe Labs Challenge has six Competition Categories: Location Based and Location Dependent Services; Media Sharing/Storage; Graphical User Interface to Services; Server-based Enhanced SMS/MMS Applications; Mobile Social Networking; and Shopping on the Phone.

A winner will be chosen for each category and four finalists will be awarded. In addition, applications built may be introduced in the market to serve the country’s millions of mobile users and presented to Globe’s Bridge Alliance Partners.

The members of the Bridge Alliance are Airtel (India), AIS (Thailand), CSL (Hong Kong), CTM (Macau), Globe Telecom (Philippines), Maxis ( Malaysia), SK Telecom (Korea), SingTel Mobile (Singapore), SingTel Optus (Australia), Taiwan Mobile (Taiwan) and Telkomsel (Indonesia).

"By engaging our developers, Globe Labs provides them exposure to Globe’s pioneering services for customers, allows them access to learn future technologies, and at the same time enables them to explore business opportunities," said Fernando P. Teodoro, Innovations Development Division Head at Globe.

He added, "Globe Labs involves the Philippine developer community in building applications relevant to the needs of consumers, as we aim to enrich lives through innovative communications. In addition to this, we play a role in boosting the competitiveness of the products and services that Filipinos produce."

Globe Labs is tasked to bring in the latest information and communications technologies at the earliest market-relevant time to customers. It is focused on immersing Globe and its different partners with future technologies to identify and develop applications across fixed and wireless networks that can be commercially introduced.

Globe Labs is designed to build future technology development test beds in a creative and secure environment. It establishes partnerships with developers to build and showcase these new applications. Also, Globe Labs provides technical support to mash-up new services using both old and new technologies.

As members of its developer community, Globe Labs offers them exclusive invites to its events and competitions, opens opportunities for them to participate in its technology projects, and gives them a chance to attend trainings and workshops on new technologies.

To join the new Globe Labs Challenge and to know more about the competition, register with Globe Labs through www.globelabs.com.ph. Visit this website for more information on Globe Labs.

To view the Globe Labs Launch Presentation Materials, click here.