1. A record number of apps in NYC BigApps 3.0

    NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunication Commissioner Carole Post kicked off Social Media Week yesterday with the opening of public voting for NYC BigApps 3.0. Nearly 100 eligible apps were submitted this year — a record high in the history of BigApps competitions.

    “NYC BigApps continues to be a success because of the strong ecosystem of software developers, NYC residents, judges, sponsors, and the City. This ecosystem, plus the Ideas challenge which gathered feedback from non-developers, the multiple hackathons, and the continually-improving data all were responsible for this year’s record number of apps. ChallengePost is honored to have been a part of this effort since the beginning.”

    - Brandon Kessler, ChallengePost CEO

    Check out the innovative apps at 2011.NYCBigApps.com and vote daily for your favorites! 

    NYC BigApps 3.0 fun facts:

    • Every application is built using NYC Open Data
    • More than half the apps integrated APIs from a BigApps API partner
    • Developers had access to nearly 750 datasets
    • 230 of the datasets were brand new, made available by more than 60 City agencies, Commissions, and Business Improvement Districts
    • All apps are free!

    Enhanced prizes & business opportunities:

    Eligible apps will be reviewed by an all-star judging panel of leading investors and entrepreneurs, and winners will take home 11 cash prizes totaling $50,000. In addition, these amazing non-monetary prizes will be awarded:

    NYC BigApps is part of New York City’s ongoing efforts to increase transparency in government, as well as improve quality of life for New Yorkers and visitors. We invite you to follow @NYCBigApps and @ChallengePost on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.

    More NYC BigApps 3.0 News:
    Official Press Release [NYCEDC] 
    Early Leader in BigApps Competition: Foursquare [Gigaom] 
    Vote for Your Favorite App in NYC’s BigApps 3.0 Competition [The Next Web]

    By Samantha

    Feb 10 Comments

  2. New Roadify app shines

    NYC BigApps 2.0 Grand Prize winner Roadify has been hard at work at Version 2.0 of their popular iPhone app, adding new cities, new features, and integrating more relevant information to make it easier to find out when the next train, subway, bus, or ferry is coming.

    Initial response of the updated app has been overwhelmingly positive. One user raved about replacing 11 existing apps on his iPhone (6 of which were paid) with Roadify (free!), another enthusiastically praised its new Twitter integration. This fan sums up the improvements nicely:

    “Whoever makes this app deserves a medal of honor. I’ve been so angry waiting for subways that I’ve actually screamed. The new design is beautiful and the app allows me to find out when my next train is coming in seconds. It’s a simple concept but no one else but Roadify has gotten it right somehow. Plus now I can use it when I go visit my cousins in the Bay Area!! Thank you thank you thank you!”

    - Louisaida262, iTunes App Store, Feb 3, 2012

    Download the app for free today, and tell us what you think in the Comments below!

    Version 2.0 Highlights:

    • More cities, more data! In addition to the New York City metropolitan area, Roadify now also works in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle
    • Real-time arrival/departure info for NYC buses, SF Bart, and SF Municipal
    • More personalization with the new “Nearby” and “Recent” feature; search function for subway, bus, train and ferry lines; easy toggle between List and Map views; and ability to see arrival times at all stops/stations for each departure
    • More user-generated content such as curated Twitter comments organized by route, ability to write comments while underground, and fast access to give comments and track replies
    • Better, faster, sleeker — Overall improved performance in speed and ease-of-use

    More on Roadify:
    Roadify V2 [Roadify Blog]
    Roadify Reflects on Winning NYC BigApps 2.0 [NYCEDC Blog]
    Where Are They Now? A Look at Past BigApps Winners [NY Convergence]
    Favorite free NYC apps [Time Out New York]
    Transportation app Roadify wins BigApps contest [Crain’s New York]

    Follow @NYCBigApps and @ChallengePost on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.

    By Samantha

    Feb 6 Comments

  3. NYC BigApps infographic

    From the nycedc:

    How do you like them apps? Check out our infographic to see how past NYC BigApps winners branched out to serve the different needs of New Yorkers.

    BigApps by the numbers:

    • 60 agencies, commissions and bids
    • 750 city datasets tapped
    • 140+ apps generated
    • Nearly 14,000 voters and 5,000 followers
    • Over $100,000 awarded in prizes

    The benefits of the BigApps challenge? Improved citizen and city life; publicity and a chance to meet Mayor Bloomberg; and access to leading tech entrepreneurs and investors.

    Submit your entry for this year’s challenge by January 25, 2012 at 5 p.m. EST.

    Jan 12 Comments

  4. NYC BigApps: Advice from past winner Abby Suckle

    Reblog from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC):

    Making progress on your BigApps submission? The deadline for NYC BigApps 3.0 is January 25th! For inspiration, we checked in with previous BigApps winners for words of wisdom for this year’s competitors. Read on for insights from Abby Suckle, President of CultureNOW, whose Museum Without Walls app took Honorable Mention last year. The app allows users to experience public art and architecture in Downtown Manhattan using location maps, self-guided tours, and podcasts.

    Abby displays CultureNOW’s map of Manhattan after accepting award from Mayor Bloomberg.

    What advice would you give new BigApps applicants?
    Have big goals. It’s not enough to just make another transit app. Instead teams need to focus on exploring NYC’s rich, diverse facets to create really interesting, useful apps.

    How has your app, company, or career evolved since winning BigApps?
    CultureNOW has worked closely with the City and other cultural/academic partners to greatly expand our app content. We’ve also become an increasingly national platform for cultural guide information in many cities throughout the US. Additionally, we’ve released an Android version of our app.

    What are your future goals for your app, company, or self?
    CultureNOW plans to continue to improve our app and grow our user base. As a non-profit with a strong mission, we are always looking for ideas on how to take our app to a new level.

    What are the most important aspects of winning BigApps for you?
    BigApps was a coming of age for CultureNOW and a great way to meet people. But, we’re still waiting on BMW to give us a car!

    Jan 11
    NYC BigApps,  inspiration,  winners,  advice,  tips,  apps,  
    Comments

  5. A full house at NYC BigApps 3.0 Developer Day

    Nearly 100 software developers, designers, and innovators joined us for NYC BigApps 3.0 Developer Day on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Pivotal Labs in Union Square.

    NYC BigApps 3.0 participants coded, met new teammates, chowed down, and had a blast. Some were just getting started on their BigApps submissions (due Jan. 25!), while others shot their submission videos. One developer showed up with 3 tablets for testing. Another told me “the next Mark Zuckerberg is in the room.” (And judging by past BigApps winners’ successes, he might be right about that!)

    Special thanks to Andrew Nicklin, Director of Enterprise Architecture at NYC DoITT, who gave a tour of NYC Open Data offerings and took questions and feedback throughout the day. And to API partners CartoDB, Etsy, The New York Times, and StreetEasy, who were on hand to answer questions.

    Dev Day coverage

    Follow @NYCBigApps and @ChallengePost on Twitter, and join us on Facebook. Use hashtag #NYCBigApps when you tweet.

    By Samantha

    Jan 11 Comments
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