14 DAY TRIAL // Sunnyvale-based mobile phone maker Palm announced a few weeks ago the launch of a new competition for webOS developers, the Hot Apps Program, and now has opened the contest officially. What the program is all about includes the rewarding of the developers of the most downloaded free and paid apps (one in each category) between February 1, 2010, and May 31, 2010. Each one of the two developers will receive $100,000 at the end of the competition, the company added.
The Palm Hot Apps Program will reward developers of the hottest webOS applications with a total of $1 million. The top rewards of $100,000 will go to developers as follows: - The developer of the free webOS application that’s downloaded the most between February 1, 2010, and May 31, 2010 will receive a $100,000. - The developer of the paid-for webOS app that generates the most revenue during the same period will also receive $100,000. Developers of other top free and paid apps will also receive cash awards, as follows: - The next 20 apps in each category: $10,000 each - The next 200 apps in each category: $1,000 each
There are a series of criteria that apply to the applications involved in the competition, including the fact that all software solutions “must be available to webOS users via Palm distribution programs between February 1, 2010, and May 31, 2010.” At the same time, the company also says that the apps need to be built using the Palm webOS Software Development Kit or the Ares Integrated Development Environment, that they have to be available for download via an official Palm webOS distribution program, and that they won't be included if coming from Palm employees or their direct relations.
“Only downloads made between 12:00 midnight, February 1, 2010, and 11:59 p.m., May 31, 2010, will be considered for the awards. Developers will receive their bonus payments in June 2010. Palm will verify that there has been no manipulation of download counts to assure fairness. Winners must provide information to Palm so that a U.S. 1099 form can be issued for tax purposes; all rewards are subject to U.S. and local tax laws,” Palm says. “If you don’t have an app in the catalog today, you have plenty of time to get going and get one published and in contention for the prizes. If you haven’t programmed in webOS yet, getting started is easy. Download the SDK, check out the tutorial and get yourself going!,” the company concludes.