Google Android winners shun publicity

No, I don't want to be your 'friend'

By Gavin Clarke in San Francisco • Get more from this author

Posted in Applications, 13th May 2008 17:54 GMT

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Mystery surrounds the identity of four winners in Google's $10m Android mobile applications competition, announced last November.

The search giant Tuesday named 46 of 50 developers who've won the first round of its challenge to build mobile applications for the yet-to-materialize Android phone. The individuals will each get $25,000.

Google said on its site the four had "opted to continue their efforts in secret" meaning it couldn't list them with the rest of the winners. No doubt, the four are wary of "old friends" suddenly popping up and inviting them to their LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, along with their thousands of dollars.

You can view the full list here and here, with links. Silicon Alley Insider reports Google sifted through 1,800 programs.

While the first-round winners each get the tidy sum of $25,000, it's the second round of the competition where the real money kicks in. The next phase opens once Android handsets become available, expected in the second half of 2008. Today's 50 will be whittled down to 10 winners each getting $257,000 with 10 runners up each netting $100,000.

You can see how the Hive Mind is judging application winners, by reading Google's judging criteria here.®

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