Windows^® Marketplace for Mobile is Now Available in Hong Kong

Showcase of Brand New Service and Features

“Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest” Results Announcement

Proactively Promote Local Creative Industry and

Offer Software Developers an Invaluable Business Opportunity

(Hong Kong, 10^th December 2009)     The Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest Prize Presentation Ceremony and Windows Marketplace for Mobile Press Conference were officially held today. Being the first-ever “Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest” in Hong Kong and having Microsoft’s proud support as its Platinum Sponsor, Pocket PC Channel and Cyberport IncuTrain Centre have joined together to launch this new local design contest. During the event, Microsoft announced the availability of “Windows Marketplace for Mobile” in Hong Kong, and also showcased the latest service and content of this platform, which offers Windows Phone users an online open channel to browse, shop, download and install useful applications to their handsets.

Windows Marketplace for Mobile is a recently launched one-stop online shop and service that offers Windows Phone users rich and useful applications with which to enhance their everyday lives. Windows Marketplace for Mobile also allows software developers to upload their own applications for public downloading, making it a good platform to showcase creativity and for business development. With Microsoft generously supporting the Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest, it is helping to support the same cause of the government and industry players in fostering the development of creative industries in Hong Kong.

Windows Marketplace for Mobile now has nearly 1,000 applications available for download on the global platform, which has grown 4 folds compared to 246 applications since its launch in early October 2009. This has shown how well-received it has been by the public. Moreover, there are now almost 1,000 registered ISVs who have become software developers of Windows Marketplace for Mobile. This shows that there is a huge demand for a mobile application store. To provide further enhanced service, Windows Marketplace for Mobile is undertaking the wave 2 upgrade. With a Windows Live account, users can access the webpage of Windows Marketplace for Mobile (http://marketplace.windowsphone.com) on their PCs. They can browse, download and purchase local Windows Phone applications. After completing the selection process, the system will automatically download the chosen applications to users’ registered handsets through the Cloud Computing technology, which is convenient and time-saving. In the near future, users can also download applications from different countries and regions from the website. To strive for excellence in the upgraded Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Microsoft collects opinions from different parties to improve the technology and support of the developer portal and registration experience. The upgraded Windows Marketplace for Mobile also provides developers a more advanced anti-piracy solution by encrypting their successfully registered applications in order to protect them from any hackers’ piracy. It offers ISVs a more secure and more convenient channel in which to develop their business. In addition, users of Windows Phone 6.0 and 6.1 can also now enjoy the service of Windows Marketplace for Mobile. They can simply download the Marketplace application at http://marketplace.windowsphone.com  and then download and purchase mobile applications anywhere and anytime.

Ms. Joelle Woo, Director of the Business and Marketing Organization of Microsoft Hong Kong Limited, said, “Microsoft is committed to develop continuous innovative initiatives for market players. The launch of Windows Marketplace for Mobile will definitely open a convenient new exchange channel for both users and software developers. For users, they can easily download different types of Windows Phone applications to their handsets at their fingertips. For developers, they can monetize their creativity through Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Microsoft cooperated with different partners and launched over 50 models of Windows Phones last year. By the end of this year, there will be over 30 Windows Phones available and all users will be able to enjoy using Windows Marketplace for Mobile. We believe that the Windows Marketplace for Mobile will continue to expand. In addition, Microsoft always makes a great effort to promote local creative industry. Apart from supporting the ‘Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest’, Microsoft also plans to introduce this kind of software design contest to the academia through supporting the ‘Windows/Mobile Programming Design Competition’, organized by ‘Association of Mobile Technology and Education’ which aims to encourage teenagers to utilize their talents and express their creativity.”

Any developer who wants to upload applications to the Windows Marketplace for Mobile will only need to have a valid identity card and a Windows Live account, and pay USD99 to apply for the identity as an Application Provider. They can upload their applications and allow users to download either for free or with a service charge. Providers can obtain 70% of the sales revenue generated from their own applications, while sharing their masterpieces with users. Furthermore, Windows Marketplace for Mobile offers a free platform for software developers to showcase their creativity and offers them an invaluable opportunity for business development. Window Marketplace for Mobile is also the first and only application store with self-serve refunds of certified applications. Within 24 hours after downloading, users can remove the application and get a refund by completing specific instructions. Each user will be allowed to do this for a maximum of 1 application per calendar month.

The Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest was well received by the public and over 100 contest applications were collected. The professional jury panel selected 15 finalist works. Among those 15 works, 5 winners where chosen for their outstanding work and 6 awards were given: The Champion, 1st Runner-up, 2nd Runner-up, Creativity Award, Usability Award and the Best Entertainment Award.

Mr. Nicholas Yang, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, added, “It is a great pleasure to join hands with Microsoft for this ’Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest’ and we are delighted to see the participants’ enthusiasm. This shows that industry players are supportive towards measures promoting software development. As an industry player, Cyberport has always worked hard and will continue to promote the local digital creative industry, to help make this new industry a major thrust for Hong Kong’s future economic development, as well as to bring out the best potential in young entrepreneurs who are passionate to venture in the creative industry.  As announced by the HKSAR Government in 2009, the creative industry is among the six industries to be promoted to spearhead economic growth, and I personally believe that the creative industry will inject new life into Hong Kong’s economy.”

Mr. Derrick Ngan, Manager of PocketPC Channel, said, “Many experts and corporations in related industries have participated in this contest. Many creative and inspiring Windows Phone software and games are designed and showcased. We believe this can bring a brand new picture to the creative software industry. The development of the overall creative industry will also be stimulated. Therefore, industry players strongly support this contest. We hope that in the future, this contest will become an annual big buzz in the industry.”

The standard of the winning projects in this Contest is extremely high. The software and game are innovative, entertaining, and yet practical. They can surely fulfill the needs of Window Phone users. The project “Leisure Guide” itself won 2 awards, the Champion Award and the Usability Award. This software enables users to search shops and facilities nearby. Winner Mr. Leo To said, “We are very glad and honored to receive these 2 awards. We would like to thank the organizers for offering this precious opportunity for us to develop our creativity and display our work. The software we designed includes the location of different ‘Hot Spots (shops and facilities such as supermarkets, coffee shops, etc.) in Hong Kong. It can be used together with the embedded GPS function of mobile phones. We hope this software can make users’ lives easier.”

“Traffic Advisor”, the 1^st Runner-up winning project, is an application which provides real-time updates on traffic conditions through GPRS or 3G/3.5G. It provides reports to users on the current traffic conditions of key highways and the location of speed enforcement cameras. This application is highly praised by the jury panel. For the 2nd Runner-up, the winning project is called “Chinese Dimension”, which allows foreigners to learn Chinese words and phrases. Users can choose different sections according to their levels. They can check the meanings, symbols and pronunciations of Chinese words by entering the “Learning” section. They can also test their knowledge on Chinese words and phrases by answering questions in the “Game” section.

As for the Special Awards, the application “Make up Your Mind” stands out from all other projects and won the Creativity Award. This application is very unique and is designed to help users make their choice during indecisive situations. It offers 3 interesting decision making methods: “Toss a coin”, “Counting petals” and “Choose the Best One”, which allow users to handle difficult situations in a relaxing way. Last but not least, the winning project of the Best Entertainment Award is named “Tian Jiu”. It is an application deriving its inspiration from the traditional Chinese dominoes game “Tian Jiu” from the Song Dynasty. This application offers instructions in English so that foreigners who do not know the Chinese language can also enjoy this game.

With the warm support of different parties, Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest comes to a fruitful end and the objectives of the Contest are well achieved. The participation of such large number of contestants and their high quality works boost the development of Windows Phone applications. It also enhances the development of the overall creative industries in Hong Kong and creates more job opportunities.

“Windows Phone Software & Game Design Contest” Prize Winners List

For more information and photos of the winning projects and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, please visit www.creativegp.com/WMC/Screencap.zip

For event photo, please visit www.creativegp.com/WMC/EventPhoto.zip

Prize Winning Project

Project: Leisure Guide Prize: Champion & Special Awards – Usability Award

Project: Traffic Advisor Prize: 1st Runner-up

Project: Chinese Dimension Prize: 2nd Runner-up

Project: Make up Your Mind Prize: Special Awards – Creativity Award

Project: Tian Jiu Prize: Special Awards – Best Entertainment Award

For more details of the Contest, please visit: www.windowsmobilecontest.com.  

For more details on Microsoft Windows Marketplace, please visit:

http://developer.windowsmobile.com/   .

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.  The Microsoft Hong Kong office was established in 1991.

About The Pocket PC Channel

Founded in 2002, The Pocket PC Channel is currently Hong Kong’s largest online portal with comprehensive information about Windows Phone. The portal offers latest local and overseas’ information, software and data about Windows Phone and currently has over 180,000 members. Representatives from the Channel have been invited to participate in various industry events including television and print media interviews, seminars, online academy, indoor and outdoor practical courses. The portal is supported and recognized by various brands and enterprises. Software and publications published by the Channel are all highly-valued by the industry. The Channel has also participated in the Microsoft Mobius event and was awarded with the Microsoft “Most-Valued Professional” (MVP) Prize.

About Cyberport IncuTrain Centre
Funded by the Innovation and Technology Fund, Cyberport established Hong Kong's first and only incubation and training centre for the digital entertainment industry, dubbed "IncuTrain Centre". The aims of setting up the Centre are to build and promote entrepreneurship and competence for commercialization success in the digital entertainment industry of Hong Kong, to create a cluster for potential and creative small-to-medium size companies to develop their business, and to generate a pool of creative business talents for the industry. The Centre gained totally 25 million funding from the government again in 2009, which will be used for facilitating the development of local digital entertainment and creative lifestyle content.

For more information, please visit http://www.incutrain.hk.

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