Wire: Winners Announced from the Victorian App My State Competition

Melbourne, Victoria (Inquisitr Wire): Victoria’s budding tech experts have been rewarded for coming up with innovative solutions to everyday problems using web and mobile applications as part of the Victorian Government’s App My State competition.

Presenting the awards at the State Library of Victoria, Premier John Brumby said he was impressed with the quality and diversity of the entries received in the competition, demonstrating Victoria’s strong ICT talent base.

“App My State, the world’s biggest government apps competition, received 170 entries including 74 application entries and 96 application ideas from Victoria’s IT experts and novices alike,” Mr Brumby said.

“The competition more than delivered on its objectives, not only promoting open government and increased community involvement in ICT but also providing an estimated $1 million worth of web and mobile tools for Victorians to use.

“Victorian innovators won a share in $100,000 worth of prizes, with Jason Smale taking out the $35,000 first prize for his app Which Bin?

“Many Victorians are unsure what household items can be recycled and Jason’s innovative app gives people a quick answer to a common problem.

“Users simply hold the iPhone over the barcode of an item, such as a food packet or carton, which is then matched against a database. The app responds by displaying a picture of the correct bin used in that council area and a message explaining whether it can be recycled or not.

“Second prize was awarded to Transportle, developed by a group of friends from Brunswick, which gives users suggestions for possible transport routes based on carbon, financial and health costs. ”

Other innovative solutions awarded prizes include:
· Youth: First prize – Stop Crime – iPhone app that securely communicates with Crime Stoppers ($10,000 plus hi-tech pack worth $5,000);
· Youth: Second prize – Metropolitan Trains – Windows Mobile app to help commuters manage their train commute (hi-tech pack worth $5,000);
· Open category: Third prize – myMarketsVic – provides information on Victoria’s markets including opening times, contact details, location and map information, while also allowing users to share their market experiences ($10,000);
· Sustainability Victoria Award – myEnviroHouse – allows users to add sustainable products to their homes to calculate how much they can save money, water or reduce carbon emissions ($10,000);
· Popular choice – Remind Anyway – mobile and web tools to help users remember their to-do list based on GPS location and an alert system ($10,000);
· Overall idea winner – Disability Access Information Victoria – tool that brings together information regarding disability access to buildings, transport systems and tourism areas ($1,000).

Mr Brumby said the App My State competition encouraged Victorians to be innovative in using government information and develop services that help improve Victoria.

“The competition wasn’t limited to those with tech skills, with the ideas category receiving almost 100 entries with a range of great ideas for technological solutions to help Victorians,” Mr Brumby said.

“The Victorian Government continues to explore ways to improve the lives of Victorians and the results of the App My State competition will provide tangible online services that all Victorians can use everyday.”

The competition received 17 iPhone and four Google Android apps, amongst the 74 valid application entries.

The applications or application ideas submitted to App My State may be developed or used by the owner or by the Victorian Government.