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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:
- 2 NY Tech Meetup demo slots
- 2 TechStars finalist spots in its highly selective startup acceleration program
- Membership in the inaugural BigApps Founders Network, which provides mentorship, networking, and business support services to help winners launch or expand their startups
- A meeting with a representative of a startup whose API the “Best NYC Mashup Prize” winner used
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 -
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!
Feb 6 CommentsVersion 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
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San Diego Apps Challenge opens: $50,000 in prizes
Announcing the AT&T San Diego Apps Challenge: Mayor Jerry Sanders and the City of San Diego are challenging software developers to create apps that use city and partner data to enhance services and quality of life for San Diegans.
Developers of all levels and backgrounds are welcome to submit apps. If you’re not ready to build an app but have a great idea for one, submit it to the companion ideas challenge.
Budding entrepreneurs take note: this competition could be that something special you’re looking for. City app challenges come with a built-in city-sized user base!
Submission period: January 12 to April 11, 2012
What: Create an app that runs on the web, desktop computers, tablets, or smartphones. Or share an idea for an app.
Prizes: $50,000 in cash (13 prizes in 8 categories)
Enter the challenge: SDAppschallenge.com
Follow @SDAPPS on Twitter for competition updates, and use the hashtag #SDAPPS when you tweet.
By Samantha
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Jan 13 Comments
La Jolla Light: San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders Launches Apps Contest for City Services
NBC San Diego: Mayor Sanders’ State of the City Address -
NYC BigApps: Advice from past winner Abby Suckle
Reblog from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC):
Jan 11 CommentsMaking 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! -
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
- Portfolio.com: From Big Apple to Big APPle in New York
Follow @NYCBigApps and @ChallengePost on Twitter, and join us on Facebook. Use hashtag #NYCBigApps when you tweet.
Jan 11 Comments
By Samantha
