Research in Motion (RIM), makers of the BlackBerry smartphone, held its first ever Super Hackathon Jam session event in Kenya last weekend, with applications developed and presented for possible consideration on the imminent BlackBerry 10 platform set for release in January next year.
The event, at the 88mph Garage in Nairobi, saw more than 40 developers attend the intense 10-hour programming session where they planned, designed and developed their apps and their business models for BlackBerry 10 smartphones.
At the end of the programming session, the developers presented their apps to a panel of judges for a chance to win prizes, including BlackBerry Jam Session badges, trophies, developer kits, BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and more.
The overall winning team took home a cash prize of KSh60,000 (US$730). The winners included:
- Best App – Tech Echo, an app that provides a networking platform for developers allowing them to communicate, share ideas as well as collaborate in their day to day lives, developed by Kweli Mukeli.
- Best Game – Konnekt4Wild, a game that allows users to align objects on a grid with some animals. Future milestones will allow one to play via Bluetooth or online, developed by Konnekt4.
- Best Idea – Check it, an app that addresses the issue of counterfeit pharmaceuticals. It allows users to check if a product is genuine by entering the product code into a text box and checking it against a database, developed by Check IT.
-Best Design – Travelous, an app that offers a social travelling experience that compares a traveler’s life back home and the place they are visiting. The app compares user information on the user side and matches it to life back at home, developed by League of Extra Ordinary Gentlemen.
