It is widely known that the Nokia N900 is a "geek first" phone (as of now, at least). Each time I've voiced my concerns to Nokia about Maemo's lack of intuitiveness, I've been told that general consumers aren't Maemo's focus just yet - they're gearing it towards geeks.
To that end, Nokia has announced the second PUSH modder program (and the first in the USA). Here's how it works: Three teams will be chosen based on inventiveness, demonstration of N900 capabilities, feasibility and conversation generation. These teams will receive Nokia N900s, along with funding and support so they can build the hack. When Nokia goes to Las Vegas in March, a member of each team will travel along to demo their hack to the judges for a chance to win cash prizes.
For more information on the program, visit Nokia's website.
The full press release is below. For the N900 users, modders, and hackers out there, a $10,000 cash prize and trip to Las Vegas sounds like a nice little treat to do something you already love to do - so why not take advantage of the program?
Nokia competition challenges US tweekers and modders to imagine new possibilities for Nokia N900
January 22, 2010 - NokiaPressServices
“Nokia PUSH N900 MOD IN THE USA” Call for Entries - Now through February 15, 2010
Nokia invites US tweekers and modders to submit their ideas for morphing the Nokia N900 into something entirely new. Whether it’s turning the Nokia N900 into a TV remote control or the brain of a fully functioning robot, the only limit is the contestants’ imagination. The Nokia N900, which became available in the US this past November, is a powerful mobile computer that uses the open source, Linux-based Maemo Software to deliver a PC-like experience on a handset-sized device.
The top three ideas will be chosen from the ideas submitted by a panel of judges, after which the finalist teams will be provided with a Nokia N900 and some support to actually build their mod. In March, Nokia will bring a representative (and guest) from each of the three PUSH N900 MOD IN THE USA finalists to CTIA in Las Vegas, where each representative will have the chance to demonstrate their creativity for final judging and the chance to win cash prizes ranging from USD 3,000 to USD 10,000.
A global PUSH N900 competition held in October 2009 drew hundreds of entries and resulted in the construction of five widely varying mods, including a skateboard that tracks your tricks and lets you compete against friends with their own Nokia N900s, an N900-equipped kite that lets you control the camera from the ground, a spray can that brings light graffiti to the N900, a Nokia N900-outfitted belt that vibrates to navigate you in the right direction, and a Nokia N900 with arms that will draw what you photograph on an Etch-a-Sketch.
For more information or to submit an entry for the PUSH N900 MOD IN THE USA challenge, please visit www.blogs.nokia.com/pushn900/usa.
