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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Navigation Technologies and SiRF Technology Launch LBS Wireless Contest
CHICAGO -- Navigation Technologies, a leading provider of digital maps, for vehicle navigation, Internet/wireless, government and business solutions, and SiRF Technology, Inc., a leader in GPS- enabled silicon and software location platforms, today announce the Wireless LBS Challenge: a call to the location-based services (LBS) industry to develop interesting, useful LBS applications that will work with cell phones or wireless handheld devices using global positioning satellite (GPS) technology and NAVTECH maps. Navigation Technologies and SiRF Technology, Inc. initiated this effort in hopes of igniting interest in, and awareness of, the growing market for LBS applications.
Contestants can register for the contest at www.lbschallenge.com .* All LBS applications must use NAVTECH Maps. NAVTECH Maps are available on the contest web site in six different formats (SIF+, GDF, ArcView, ArcInfo, MapInfo, and Oracle Spatial) along with guidelines to help contestants select the most appropriate format for each specific programming language. The suggested solution areas include, but are not limited, to: enterprise, mapping services, navigation, tourist information, traffic, field services, friend finders, inventory tracking, location-based advertising, location-based gaming, emergency services, and points-of-interest look-ups. See details, below.
The official contest kick-off event will take place at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment Show on October 21 at 2:00 p.m. in Las Vegas, NV in rooms
502 and 503 of the Venetian Congress Center. The 90-minute contest kick-off event will include presentations on the latest LBS research and panel discussion with key players in the wireless industry. On October 22, Navigation Technologies and SiRF Technology will host a training session for application developers to learn more about working with NAVTECH Maps from Navigation Technologies' Technical Customer Support and Professional Services groups. The training session will be held in room 2502 of the Venetian Congress Center.
Contest Guidelines
Contest registration closes on November 14th, 2003. All solutions must be submitted by February 3rd, 2004 and received by February 10th, 2004.
Selected Navigation Technologies and SiRF Technology's employees will complete the first round of judging by February 27th, 2004. This round of judging is based on the following criteria: applicability, functionality, design, and solution overview. Contest semi-finalists will be notified no later than March 1st and will be invited to attend the CTIA Wireless 2004 Expo to demonstrate their solutions. Final judging will take place in March 2004 at the spring CTIA show in Atlanta, GA. Executives from wireless carriers, hardware and device manufacturers, and industry analyst organizations will judge the semi-finalists' solutions and select a winner at the show. The judges will base their final decision on two criteria: usability and utility.
* Both individuals and companies can enter the contest. Individuals must be legal United States residents and at least 21 years of age. Companies must be legal entities.
Grand prize winners receive $100,000 worth of NAVTECH Map licenses for up to one year and an advertising package from Mobile Media valued at $20,000.
Second runners-up will receive extended development and demonstration rights to further their product development efforts.
"Navigation Technologies is proud to take a leadership role in promoting wireless location-based services. The Wireless LBS Challenge creates an opportunity for location application developers by building awareness of the many unique ways to use location information. The support we have received from wireless carries, device manufacturers and industry experts solidifies the interest in and potential for location-based services. We are excited to see and experience the winning application," said Winston Guillory, senior vice president of North American sales for Navigation Technologies.
"The location-based services market is burgeoning because they deliver value-added revenues for wireless carriers, and an endless array of useful applications for consumers and enterprises alike," according to Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "We hope that initiatives such as this challenge serve to inspire the creativity of developers to ultimately deliver convenient applications to consumers, and productivity- enhancing applications to businesses."
About Navigation Technologies
Navigation Technologies creates the digital maps that power navigation and location-based services around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and is privately held. The company's approximately 1,300 employees are in over 100 offices in 17 countries. For more information, visit www.navtech.com .
NAVTECH is a registered trademark or trademark of Navigation Technologies Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved.
About SiRF Technology, Inc.
SiRF Technology, Inc. is the leading provider of GPS enabled silicon and software location platforms that enable location awareness in high-volume mobile consumer devices and commercial applications. Location awareness refers to the ability of a device to determine and make use of the information regarding its location. SiRF's products enable a range of devices to utilize GPS to detect location.
These have been integrated into mobile consumer devices, such as automobile navigation systems, cellular phones, GPS-based mobile computing peripherals and handheld GPS navigation devices, as well as into commercial applications, such as property tracking devices and fleet management systems.
SiRF markets and sells its products in four target markets: wireless handheld, automotive, mobile computing, and embedded consumer applications.
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