UbiEst wins overall prize in application developers' contest
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NAVTEQ (NYSE: NVT),
a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and
location-based solutions, announced today at Mobile World Congress 2008
that UbiEst is the European grand prize winner of this year's Global LBS
Challenge.
The winning application, UbiSafe, is an exciting new LBS service that
gives families the peace of mind of always knowing the location of loved
ones. Users can set preferences or get notifications via their mobile phone
to know instantly that a child has left school or a user defined safety
zone.
Three runners-up were also selected by the judging panel and include:
Senda: Chronomove
Chronomove reduces the daily stress of commuting by taking the mystery
out of travel times. Drivers get fastest route options based on real time
traffic conditions and highly accurate travel time estimates with this
always on solution. Chronomove is powered by AtlasCT.
Oxford Softworks: Nearme
Nearme is a highly portable LBS application that enables advanced POI
searches based on user location and preferences. Branded and trusted
content such as reviews, pricing and photos are delivered to cell phones to
empower users to explore their surroundings and make informed decisions.
Nearme is powered by deCarta.
GyPSii:
GyPSii is an integrated web and wireless application that connects
user-generated content (such as restaurant reviews) to people and places.
Find friends, view shared videos and photos in real time, or explore the
environment around you.
This year the global prize pool is valued at around an unprecedented
euro 1.5 million with UbiEst receiving euro 35,000 in cash and euro 225,000
worth of NAVTEQ Map licenses for up to one year. Each runner-up will
receive euro 7,500 in cash and a three-year NAVTEQ territory license valued
at euro 150,000. In addition, many of the sponsors are also providing
prizes.
The worldwide contest, which has established a reputation as the
premier event in the location-based services (LBS) industry, challenges
application developers to build innovative location-based services which
work with mobile phones and/or wireless handheld devices using dynamic
positioning technology and NAVTEQ maps.
This is the third year for the Challenge in the Europe, Middle East and
African Region, the fifth year in the Americas Region and this year it has
also been expanded to include the Asia-Pacific Region. There are five
solution categories in which to submit applications, including: Content,
Enterprise, Entertainment, Navigation and Social Networking.
Judges and sponsors
Over 316 companies registered for this year's Challenge globally, of
which twelve advanced to the final judging in the European division. The
finalists represented a broad spectrum of wireless applications and were
selected based on commercial feasibility, functionality, ease of use and
design. The final judging panel, which included executives from Autodesk,
Deutsche Telekom, GPS and Co, Innovacom, Nokia, O2, Telecom Italia, Truffle
Ventures, Vodafone, and WebMobility, based their decisions on the same key
criteria.
Nokia is globally sponsoring the Challenge for the third consecutive
year together with Autodesk for 2008. Joining them, are deCarta, and PTV as
Platinum sponsors, Telefonica (Movistar) and Orange as Gold sponsors and
GPS World as a media sponsor. Both sponsors and partners offered the
European applicants free access to tools and platforms.
"Nokia is once again proud to sponsor this important global program,
and supports NAVTEQ in its commitment to encourage the development and
emergence of innovative location-aware solutions," said Rick Witham, Forum
Nokia. "The Global LBS Challenge creates an outlet for the developer
community to gain unique industry access and exposure, and its success can
be seen in the prevalence of wireless location and navigation services. The
innovation seen in the applications demonstrated today has been motivating
-- Congratulations to all of the winners."
"The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge provides a showcase for developers to
demonstrate their latest innovations to leading mobile operators,"
commented Joe Astroth, Executive Vice President, Autodesk Locations
Services. "As a leading solution and platform provider to both mobile
operators and LBS application developers, the event supports Autodesk's
mission to bring profitable, ground-breaking location-based services to
market."
"In the last twelve months location-based content has become a hot
topic and this was reflected at Mobile World in the number of wireless LBS
solutions on show," commented Jeff Mize, Executive Vice President, NAVTEQ
Global Sales. "The Global LBS Challenge is designed to create momentum for
more innovation by providing a forum for key industry players to
collaborate with application developers, and this year we were once again
impressed by the ingenuity of the entries. None of this would, of course,
be possible without the continuing support of the sponsors and judges."
About NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge
First launched in North America in October 2003, the Global LBS
Challenge is focused on driving the development and visibility of
innovative navigation solutions for wireless devices. From wireless
business applications to sports, travel and security, integrating the
accuracy and richness of NAVTEQ digital map data facilitates the timely
evolution of the next wave LBS using global positioning satellite (GPS)
technology. Industry validation of the Global LBS Challenge for the
category overall encouraged NAVTEQ to host the judging and presentations
for the first time in Europe, North America and Asia this year.
For more information about the Challenge, see the official contest
rules at http://www.LBSChallenge.com
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information
for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices,
Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions.
NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and
location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based
company was founded in 1985 and has over 3,300 employees located in 167
offices in 31 countries.
NAVTEQ and the Global LBS Challenge are trademarks in the U.S. and
other countries. (C) 2008 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved.
This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans,
objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in
this press release that are not historical facts and statements identified
by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"seeks," "estimates" or words of similar meaning. The statements are based
on our current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to
various risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under "Item 1A.
Risk Factors" in each of the Company's most recent Annual and Quarterly
Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to
changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and
regulatory factors. NAVTEQ does not undertake any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements contained in this document.
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SOURCE NAVTEQ
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Related links:
http://www.LBSChallenge.com
http://www.navteq.com
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AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Jennifer Schuh of NAVTEQ, +1-312-894-3913,
jennifer.schuh@navteq.com; or Bob Richter, +1-212-802-8588,
bob@richtermedia.com, for NAVTEQ
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