Display of talent and creativity
This article first appeared in The Star Online, on May 15, 2015.
FOLLOWING its launch on Jan 21 this year, the AppAsia Mobile Challenge 2015 reached its finals recently.
Held at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar)’s Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, it was organised by the faculty and sponsored by AppAsia.
The mobile challenge was open to all Utar students to apply their knowledge and creativity to design original mobile applications.
During the three-month period, the challenge saw a total of 40 submissions from individuals and groups showcasing creative concepts and innovative ideas, which could potentially contribute as handy mobile applications to users.
Nine of the most outstanding submissions were subsequently hand-picked as finalists who then presented their application ideas during the finals.
The judges comprised AppAsia Chief Technical Officer Joekie Thong, faculty lecturers Yong Tien Fui and Lai Siew Cheng who judged and evaluated each application based on its creativity, originality, ease of use, visual appeal and other features.
Before the announcement of winners, the faculty’s dean Assoc Prof Dr Liew Soung Yue extended his appreciation to AppAsia for their generous sponsorship.
“This has been a fruitful journey for all and I hope that your products will materialise in the near future,” he said.
Organising Chairperson-cum-lecturer Tou Jing Yi said they were delighted to see that the submissions by Utar students are up to standard and innovative in terms of originality and commercial value.
“I also hope that AppAsia Mobile Challenge will motivate more students to design and develop mobile apps with good commercialisation values.
“This would further encourage people to join the mobile app development community,” she said.
Coming out tops was team Collective Mind whose application was inspired by Twitch Plays Pokemon, a social experiment and channel on the video streaming website named Twitch; consisting of a crowd sourced attempt to play Game Freak and Nintendo’s Pokemon video games by parsing commands sent by users via the channel’s chat room.
Team leader Khoo Koay Chin Yau said it was a surprise to be among the finalists.
“I believe it is our unique idea which allows us to emerge as the winner.
“But I am also impressed by the other finalists’ incredible application ideas,” he said.
Instead of playing Pokemon games, Khoo said they created stories.
“Our app relies on the community using it. The content would increase along with the number of users,” he said.
The third year Computer Science student and his team members Loh Sin Yew and Loo Chun Khee walked away with a trophy, a certificate each and RM5,000 cash.
Second place went to team Conawa comprising Ang Sinyee, Chan Yi Jie and Lee Chui Fong. They bagged RM2,000 while third place winners Lim Mong Sin, Lau Jun Hwa and See Chong En from the Faculty of Creative Industries received RM1,000 for their Lunch Hunter app.
Also available on:
http://www.thestar.com.my/Metro/Community/2015/05/15/Display-of-talent-and-creativity-AppAsia-Mobile-Challenge-motivates-students-in-development-and-desi/
