Round 5 Winners! Lifehacker And Microsoft’s Developer Challenge

OK developers, it’s time to go crazy. No more themes. Just your great app ideas, and the opportunity for exclusive help and feedback from Microsoft Australia’s developer brain trust. Register in our comp, and Microsoft’s team will help you publish your app to the Windows Store! One lucky dev will also be chosen to present their app at TechEd Australia 2013 on the Gold Coast. Speaking of fame and fortune, we’re also giving away HP laptops every week. It’s easy to get started. What better way to debut your app on the Windows Store and even port one over from Android or iOS.

How are your developer chops?

We have plenty of rounds and prizes to go — there has never been a better time to finally work on that new tablet or phone app idea, or port your existing app over from Android or iOS. So long as it’s the first time the submitted app has been published to Windows Store.

Get started at Lifehacker’s registration page!

Happy developer image: Shutterstock

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Round 5 Winner: Fair Football Coach


Jared Homes’ Fair Football Coach is a Windows 8 app designed to take the hassle out of managing a soccer team. It gives you a visual representation of the team on the field and allows you to drag-and-drop players to new positions, make substitutions and record goals. The app can also be used to record and monitor substitution timings to facilitate fair game-time for the whole team when unlimited substitutions are permitted.
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[Free; download from the Windows Store]

Our judges were impressed by the app’s clean design and easy-to-use controls — fans of the video game Football Manager will feel right at home. The ability to keep all your team members’ contact info in one place is also very handy; including their favoured nicknames. Jared wins an awesome HP ENVY X2 convertible ultrabook valued at $999 RRP and an $80 RRP Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse.

Jared also moves into final judging for the major prize where one representative could win a trip to TechEd Australia 2013, including the opportunity to present the winning app! We’re talking conference ticket, accommodation for 5 nights, and airfare (economy) up to the combined value of $4000!




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Round 5 Runner-Up: Drawboard PDF


Alistair Michener’s Drawboard PDF is a Windows 8 app that allows you to make significant alterations and annotations to PDF documents. The app comes with an impressive array of editing tools ranging from text highlighters to simple shape creation. You can upload an existing PDF or create one from inside the app.

[$2.99; Download from the Windows Store]

Our judges found it very easy to get to grips with the app’s radial tool menu which can be dragged and dropped anywhere on the screen. The inclusion of touch controls was also a nice er, touch.

Alistair wins an Xbox 360 4GB Kinect bundle (worth $300 RRP), an Arc Touch Mouse, plus a Microsoft Wedge Mobile keyboard valued at $100 RRP.

Round 5 Runner-Up #2: Visuals

Deepak Kapoor’s Visuals is a deceptively simple Windows Phone app for augmentative and alternative communication. It allows the user to construct visual messages by selecting pictures from different categories (emotions, food, etc.) The app is chiefly aimed at children with autism or who are otherwise non-verbal.

[Free; Download from the Windows Store]

The judges felt the Visuals app could significantly benefit children with communication issues, with the simple pictures and easy-to-use interface suiting almost any age group.

Deepak wins an Xbox 360 4GB Kinect bundle (worth $300 RRP), an Arc Touch Mouse, plus a Microsoft Wedge Mobile keyboard valued at $100 RRP.


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