The Bluetooth Special Interest Group today announced an Application Developers’ Contest to promote open source collaboration.
The Bluetooth SIG hopes to encourage developers to discover original and innovate applications of Bluetooth technology in mobile phones and PCs. Contest finalists will be selected by a panel of industry experts who will judge the applications based on creativity, overall functionality, and user appeal.
The Application Developers’ Contest will remain open for the next six months. A total prize package of more than $23,000 will be divided amongst the top finalists. Additional prize support will be provided by Frontline Test Equipment – a year lease to its FTS4BT protocol analyzer.
The Bluetooth SIG completed Bluetooth Version 4.0 this month. The new Version includes Bluetooth low energy technology. Using as little as 10 percent of the energy used by Classic Bluetooth devices Bluetooth 4.0 is expected to enable new devices such as
- Fitness monitors, that record your levels, heart rate, weight and more
- Health sensors, that collect pulse, temperature, and blood glucose level, then automatically send the information to your doctor.
- Watches, that let you control wireless headsets, mobile phones, and other portable devices.
“Many PCs and smart phones have the potential to enhance their wireless features with the use of Bluetooth technology, yet we see these key features being crippled time and time again,” said Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.
The Tour de France, running from Saturday July 3rd to Sunday July 25th 2010, is one of the most interesting events to track for wireless technology.
This year’s race marks the first time that fans can follow a riders’s progress online with near real-time tracking updates and animated replay videos, says Telematics Magazine. The 97th Tour de France is made up of 20 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,642 kilometres.
Google’s tracking site enabled by HTC’s team which makes several Android phones, uses a special version of an app called My Tracks to get real-time data on each member’s speed, power and heart rate, in addition to their location and elevation.
The 2010 Tour de France in Google Earth has several great sources of KML files and associated content.
Cyclocomputers can display the current speed, average speed, maximum speed, trip distance, trip time, total distance traveled, altitude, incline, heart rate, power output, temperature, pedaling cadence and GPS position.
VeloComputer, for Android phones, incorporates Wheel and Pedal sensors for $199. It accurately measures distance, cadence, spot speed and acceleration within 1 second and can map to Google Earth.
Dailywireless has more on Tracking Tour de France, In-Motion Satellite Connectivity, MobileTV Cup, Google Mobile Bike Maps, Tour de France 2009, Tracking Tour de California, Bike Sharing Gets an App , FaceTime Works, Flickr Bike, Geocoding Content & Telemetry, Marathon Woman, World Cup 2010, World Cup 2006.
