Launching the contest on writing gamees and applications for mobile devices

Mobile Labs 2007 does not only encourage the movement in which student combine studying with entertainment but also aims at turning applicant products into goods in the market; finding human resource for Content managemenr and embedded software. This is what makes Mobile Labs different.

Vietnamese living in the country and overseas (except staffs working for FPT) are eligible to participate in the contest. More detail information on the contest Mobile Labs 2007, criteria to assess a product as well as prize structure can be found on website www.mobilelabs.com.vn

Applicant products are to be received from August 1 to September 30, 2007. The Organization Board will announce the products which will be considered in the final round, planned to be on October 30, 2007. Candidates whose products come to the final round will give presentation before the Board of Judges in November 2007. The awarding ceremony will be broadcast live at 20h of December 1, 2007 on VTV1 Channel of Vietnam Television.

Planned prizes structure:

01 First prize : VND50 million + 01 Mobile phone worth 700USD

02 Second prizes : VND30 million + 01 Mobile phone worth 500USD/ each

03 Third prizes : VND20 million + 01 01 Mobile phone worth 300 USD/each

05 Consolation prizes: 01 mobile phone worth 300 USD + 1 Mobifone Card worth VND 1.000.000 /each

Beside Mobile Labs 2007, the Organization Board also mobilized the contest called “Mobile Ideas”. Every Vietnamese citizens can take part in the contest even if they don not know programming. One just need to have an idea on games for mobile devices (the contest does not consider technique factor when assessing applicant products). Prizes will be granted by Mobile Ideals weekly, from August 15, 2007 to November 15, 2007. the special prize of Mobile Ideas is one mobile phone worth US$600, planned to be awarded on Decemer 1, 2007. More detail information on Mobile Ideas can be found at the website: www.mobilelabs.com.vn/mobileideas

“In recent years, the market for mobile devices in Vietnam has developed at the highest rate worldwide. With the popularization of more than 20 millions mobile devices (exceeding the number of computer), demand for applications on these devices is quite high. FPT Corporation and Vietnam Television co-operate to organize the contest Mobile Labs 2007 with the hope to help creat a chance for Vietnam to go shoulder to shoulder with other countries in the world, as well as pave the way for a new industry which is know as mobile content management,” said Hoang Minh Chau, Deputy General Director of FPT Corporation.

“VTV believes that Mobile Labs is a new useful playground for Vietnamese which can create a brigde between technology and the market. If the contest is successful, it will be launched annually to creat a games and applications system for mobile devices, which is updated regularly and attracts consumers,” said Nguyen Quang Thang, Deputy Head of the Programming Department of Vietnam Television.

“ FPT Mobile is deeply concerned about Mobile Labs 2007. Products that win prizes in the contest will be applied on mobile devices distributed by FPT Mobile”, said Bui Ngoc Khanh, Deputy General Director of FPT Mobile.

More information on mobile devices market

According to the estimation of European Information Technology Observatory, by the end of 2007, there will be more than 3 billion subscribers of mobile phones worldwide. In Vietnam, in the end of 2006, there were 11.8 million mobile phone subscribers and it is expected that by 2001 there will be 27.4 mobile subscribers per 100 people. Demand for mobile content service will increase day by day, particularly when Vietnam has become the official member of WTO. Currently, enterprises operating in mobile content service are only supplying customers with games, music and image loading. Production process, especially products that target at the taste of consumers, has not been paid much attention.

In 2004 and 2005, FPT co-operated with PC World Magazine and Tuoi tre Magazine of Ho Chi Minh City in organizing a contest on writing games for mobile devices, Mobile Games, aiming at creating a playground for new ideas in information technology sector, developing applications for mobile devices written by Vietnamese and bridging technology applications and the market.

Information on sponsor organizations:

Technology sponsor : Technology Application Center – FPT Mobile

Regular Sponsor: VMS Mobile Fone

Information Sponsor: PC World, VNexpress

For more information, please contact:

Ta Ngoc Diep

Communication Board

FPT Corporation

Mobile: 0904120979

Email: [email protected]