Android Developer Challenge 2 (ADC2)

by Rob Jackson on May 27th, 2009 at 1:54 pm

adc2We just learned that the second Android Developer Challenge has been announced and folks are already clamoring for details. Of course, with Google IO in progress, the only thing exceeding the clamoring is the amount of awesome information being simultaneously bestowed upon developers.

Here is what you need to know about ADC 2:

  • Submissions begin in August
  • There are 10 categories to which you can submit your application and you can ONLY submit it to ONE category:
  1. Education/Reference
  2. Games: Casual/Puzzle
  3. Games: Arcade/Action
  4. Social Networking
  5. Lifestyle
  6. Productivity/Tools
  7. Media
  8. Entertainment
  9. Travel
  10. Misc
  • Users will decide the finalists by downloading an Android Application and rating randomly downloaded entries/applications
  • 200 total (10 from each category) will make the final rounds
  • Winners will also be chosen using consumer ratings with the Android Judging App but this time they will only make up 45% of the vote. The other 55% will be decided by Google selected judges.
  • Only new applications that have NEVER been released in any way/shape/form are eligible and applications from ADC1 cannot be re-entered.
  • Entries must be in English and work on Android 1.5 cupcake

Prizes:

  • Every Category: 1st prize: $100,000
  • Every Category: 2nd prize: $50,000
  • Every Category: 3rd prize: $25,000
  • Overall 1st prize: $150,000 (meaning the overall winner will receive $250,000)
  • Overall 2nd prize: $50,000 (meaning the 2nd prize winner will receive up to $150,000)
  • Overall 3rd prize: $25,000 (meaning the 3rd prize winner will receive up to $125,000)

Tentative Timeline (stressing tentative ahem ahem):

  • May 27 – Google I/O: ADC 2 announced
  • June: Full Terms and Conditions made available
  • August: submission site opens, developers submit apps
  • 2 weeks later: submission site closes
  • ADC2 client/scoring app goes up on Market; users begin reviewing apps
  • Mid October: first-round judging ends
  • Mid November: final judging ends, winners announced

One thing that is NOT addressed as of now – it will probably be made clear when the official rules are released – is whether developer’s can enter multiple applications into the contest. I would assume the answer is “Yes” as you would want to create an incentive for developer’s to develop and limiting them is counter productive. Although, I can see how focusing on quality rather than quantity might be a good thing.

We’ll let you know when the full terms and conditions come out but for now, I’ve covered pretty much everything in Google’s ADC2 announcement.

  • Peter

    Who were the winners of the previous challenge?

  • http://blog.herbert.groot.jebbink.nl Herbert

    Peter you can find the previous winners at http://code.google.com/android/adc/adc_gallery/

  • ahmed

    some of was
    locale
    diggin
    that app 4 barcode scanning not sure wich one exactly

    any way cant wait
    but i wthink this will cause a major set back in releases of apps until the end of this thing
    cause sumbeted apps must not be released

  • Albert

    I agree with Ahmed. Who wants to give game or app that can be downloaded 500 000 times and sold on Android Market for “possible” prize ?

    Many Android devices will show this year and downloads we have today are just small procent of future dl/salse.

  • Maff

    “There are 10 categories to which you can submit your application”

    “200 total (10 from each category) will make the final rounds”

    hmmm, 10 categories, 10 winners in each, to me that doesn’t equal 200

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  • Fredrik

    Maff, I think final rounds is not the same as winners of the category, at least not prize winners.

    My guess is that they take the 20 (not 10) top applications from each category, that would at least make it 200. Then it is the top three applications that winns in each category, which makes it 30 (or up to 32 with overall winners included perhaps? that is at least what my head tells me) applications that will receive prize money.

    I guess we will find out in June, when Full Terms and Conditions are made available.

  • http://www.planetandroid.com Ed Burnette

    I want to know if an application ported from another platform would qualify. In other words, one that has never appeared on Android but has appeared on another phone, console, or PC.

  • d.q.

    Wonder wonder… when they say app should run on android 1.5 cupcake do they mean a regular user-level java app, or anything that cupcake can possibly run?

    Basically, are kernel-level hacks allowed?

  • mastinno

    Hi all,
    can someone answer for – can a developer submit MORE than one application?

  • Hans

    This is only good for free apps. If you have a good paid app, you will need to create a free trial version that will not expire for 4 months. I wonder how many developers with winning paid apps, will enter in this competition.

  • CertifiedAndroidLover

    Hello,

    It is says that those who have already published an app on the Android Market cannot enter. But, what if that app was re-modeled and remarketed (and renamed) – would that be possible?

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  • ptarick

    i’m asking if moroccan pepole can also participate in the adc2. if that how can i subscribe to the chalenge and do i have to pay anything to submmit my app ?

  • http://www.cellsoul.com Qirfiraz Siddiqui

    Is there any explanation for categories? Like what type of applications fall into Lifestyle category. Or some examples of Productivity/Tools applications. And of course there are applications which may fall into multiple categories. I think it will be better if judges re-categorize the applications. Because, some application may score high merely because there were not enough submissions in that category.



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