As more Blackberry, iPhones, and other smartphones are sold around the world, more apps are being created for those phones and the user.  Phone applications are meant for convenience, and who doesn’t enjoy something as convenient as pressing a button for instant satisfaction? Even better, winning a prize for developing that application?

Opportunities for software developers this fall will be a competition called the NYC Big Apps, which will invite software developers and others to develop applications to help users navigate the Internet more efficiently in areas such as citywide  events and the nyc.gov website.  In a NY Times blog, City officials are particularly interested in receiving suggestions about how the information could be used and how it could be presented electronically.  The winner of the Big Apps competition will recieve a cash prize, dinner with the mayor, and marketing opportunities.

People are attracted to the notion of “prize economics” which help to motivate new innovations to benefit the company and the team or inidividual.  After the $1 million dollar prize competition for NetFlix, other companies are catching on.

  The mayor also announced a type of search engine called, 311 Online, which will be available on the nyc.gov website.  What is really cool is that users can use their Skype or Twitter accounts for the 311 city hotline, how personal and convenient is that?!

Soon, your company and ours will have a software app conveniently available to the public and on every smartphone sold around the world.  Let the opportunities keep coming!