Author: JT Smith
“Motorola
(NYSE: MOT) and Nextel Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTL) today
announced the winners of the Motorola/Nextel Developer Challenge.
The contest challenged software developers to create innovative
applications for Java(TM)2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME(TM))
technology-enabled handsets by Motorola that operate on the Nextel
National Network and other iDEN networks. More than sixty
developers competed to win the grand prize of a BMW Z3 2.5i
roadster and Motorola i85s phones with Nextel wireless voice and
data service.”
(NYSE: MOT) and Nextel Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTL) today
announced the winners of the Motorola/Nextel Developer Challenge.
The contest challenged software developers to create innovative
applications for Java(TM)2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME(TM))
technology-enabled handsets by Motorola that operate on the Nextel
National Network and other iDEN networks. More than sixty
developers competed to win the grand prize of a BMW Z3 2.5i
roadster and Motorola i85s phones with Nextel wireless voice and
data service.”
David Fox, a 28-year-old independent programmer from Brooklyn, New
York created Home Monitor, the winning application. This network-
aware application enables the Motorola i85s or i50sx wireless
phone to control home or office air conditioning and lighting
settings remotely, and to conduct remote surveillance of rooms
through web cams by streaming video directly to the handset. Eric
Brooks of Motorola and Ben Ho of Nextel presented the prizes in an
awards ceremony at San Francisco's Metreon on Wednesday evening,
June 6.
"As an application developer, I'm inspired by the possibilities
these J2ME technology-enabled handsets from Motorola are creating
for people everywhere," said David Fox. "The tools provided to
developers helped me approach the challenge from the perspective
of the user looking to get more information and control through
the phone."
The second-place winner, Dan Adamson of San Francisco, created an
international dictionary and spell check application and received
a pair of Motorola i85s wireless phones with one year of service
from Nextel and a portable DVD player.
The third-place winner, Anthony Oganesian of Los Angeles, created
an application that allows users to input personal health
information, including diet and exercise, to their wireless phones
and subsequently monitor personal progress. He received a pair of
Motorola i85s phones and one year of service from Nextel.
Developers participating in the contest, held June 4-6, during Sun
Microsystems' annual JavaOne(SM) Developer Conference, had the
opportunity to take advantage of free development tools, including
software developer kits (SDKs), integrated development
environments (IDEs), a phone emulator, and personalized on-site
technical support. Each contestant had six hours to develop an
application to run on the Motorola i50sx handset.
"Now that Motorola handsets with J2ME technology are commercially
available, we expect to see the development of many more
compelling applications," said Bill Werner, corporate vice
president of Motorola and general manager of the company's iDEN
Subscriber Group. "The judges reviewed the entries and selected
the Home Monitor application because it delivered most creatively
and effectively on J2ME's promise of providing wireless users with
more information and control than they've ever had before."
"This contest proves that Java developers can quickly create
incredible applications that people can access from a wireless
phone to make their business and personal lives more productive,"
said Greg Santoro, vice president of Internet and Wireless
Services for Nextel. "When combined with Nextel's nationwide,
Internet Protocol (IP) based, packet data network, Java
applications bring real life solutions to workers in the mobile
environment through a wireless device."
The source code for the winners' applications will be posted on
the Motorola developer website at www.motorola.com/idendev .
Developer Support Programs
Motorola's iDEN developer support program provides developers with
virtually everything they need to develop, deploy and
commercialize their applications for J2ME technology-enabled iDEN
handsets from Motorola, including tools, technical support,
marketing, and distribution. There are currently more than 10,000
registered developers in the program. For more information or to
obtain a free CD-ROM, visit www.motorola.com/idendev .
The Motorola Applications Global NETwork (MAGNET) program supports
the development and commercialization of wireless applications by
providing software application developers with the necessary
tools, training, resources and services to bring solutions to a
market-ready status. For information on free MAGNET membership,
please visit our web site at www.motorola.com/developers/wireless
The Nextel Developer Program facilitates the development of third
party Java, WAP (wireless application protocol) and SMS (short
message service) applications for the Nextel platform. Over 2,000
developers have registered to develop wireless applications for
vertical, horizontal and corporate markets, including such
industries as transportation and delivery, financial services, and
building and construction. The program offers significant joint
sales and marketing opportunities for developers with products
that complement Nextel's strategic direction. At the end of Q1
2001, Nextel had approximately 7.2 million domestic subscribers,
with 1.1 million of its customers having signed up for data
services. Developers interested in participating in the Nextel
Developer program should visit http://developer.nextel.com .
About Motorola and iDEN
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) is a global leader in providing
integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales
in 2000 were $37.6 billion. For more information visit
www.motorola.com .
iDEN handsets combine the capabilities of digital wireless phone
with "always on" Internet access, text messager, and two-way radio
to enable users to instantly communicate with one or hundreds of
individuals at the push of a button. For further information on
iDEN handsets, visit www.motorola.com/iden .
About Nextel
Nextel Communications Inc., based in Reston, Va., is the leading
provider of fully integrated wireless communications services and
has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in
the United States covering thousands of communities across the
United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc., currently serve
185 of the top 200 U.S. markets. Through recent market launches,
Nextel and Nextel Partners' service is available today in areas of
the U.S. where approximately 220 million people live or work. For
more information, visit www.nextel.com .
MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo and all other trademarks indicated
as such herein are trademarks of Motorola, Inc. (R) Reg. U.S. Pat.
& Tm. Off. Java, J2ME and JavaOne are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other
countries. All other product or service names are the property of
their respective owners. Nextel is a trademark of Nextel
Communications, Inc.
SOURCE Motorola
CONTACT: David Kurt of Motorola, 847-538-3113,
david.kurt@motorola.com ; or Audrey Schaefer of Nextel, 240-876-
1588, audrey.schaefer@nextel.com /
