WOWZAPP 2012: Microsoft Kicks Off Worldwide Hackathon for Student Developers to Build Windows Apps

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Microsoft Corp. today kicked off WOWZAPP 2012: Worldwide Hackathon for Windows, the first simultaneous global hackathon for students, startups and professional developers in the company’s history. Following the recent Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 launches, more than 100 locations across five continents will hold weekend-long hackathons for students and other participants to create apps for the Windows ecosystem.

 

Microsoft has organized WOWZAPP 2012, in United States, India, Finland, Pakistan, Greece, Malaysia, Turkey, Brazil etc. In India, this event will be hosted in 14 cities with about 3500 students registered for this two day, action packed hackathon. Microsoft aims to excite the students and developer community who would be creating Windows Store apps for consumers to enjoy, building off the momentum of the release of Windows 8, which saw sales of more than 4 million upgrades in the three days following its launch.

 

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“With about 16500 students registered to participate, WOWZAPP 2012 will be the largest simultaneous hackathon of student developers ever, acting as a catalyst to bring a wealth of new, exciting and quality apps to the Windows Store,” said Moorthy Uppaluri, General Manager of Worldwide Academic Programs at Microsoft. “Microsoft is committed to empowering students with the tools and resources they need to showcase their creativity and make money through app development.”

According to the company press release, with the global youth unemployment rate at 12.7 percent — double the overall unemployment rate–students are seeking new ways to build their skills and start their careers. Microsoft offers students a variety of programs to help them learn new app development skills and differentiate themselves in a competitive job market. WOWZAPP 2012 is a chance for students to explore a different professional path, and is just one way that Microsoft is equipping students with free tools and resources to build apps.

Microsoft will provide students at each hackathon location with free software to create apps, such as Visual Studio Express for Windows 8, and with free Windows Store registration codes through Microsoft DreamSpark. Developer experts and trainers will be available around the clock to answer questions and Microsoft executives such as Uppaluri and Drew Robbins, director, Technical Evangelism, will be on hand at many locations to discuss what it takes to build great apps for the Windows ecosystem.

Dr. Tarita Shankar, Chairperson, Indira Group of Institutes said “Education is clearly seeing a quantum shift in terms of opportunities and the richness of resources available to students. Clearly IT and the waves Microsoft is making in leading this revolution are a great step in enabling and promoting the enormous potential of student–driven innovation and change in our economy and society.

WOWZAPP is just such an experience where the students, can be a part of the app revolution, learning, and growing by immersing themselves in the latest technology from Microsoft — such as Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. We At Indira Group of Institutes are proud to be a part of this event, where thousands of developers will participate across the world, and look forward to tremendous participation from our students ”.

Dr. B.S Yadav, Chairman, IES Group of Institutions also commented “At IES we feel the promotion of barrier free access to technical education in India will ensure our rich student brain–pool to contribute to the society and economy in a meaningful manner. WOWZAPP is an innovative platform from Microsoft, promoting a worldwide apps revolution among developers, with the right environment that drives creativity and passion. IES Group of Institutions – promoted by Infotech Education Society, is happy to be a part of the global event, where our students will get to tap into the enormous opportunity around Windows 8, even as it is just launched and makes waves in the markets across the world today.”

Students can also choose to enter the apps they create in Microsoft’s annual technology competition, Imagine Cup, where they will be eligible to compete for a total of $300,000 in prize money.

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