Ericsson announce the winners of Mobile Application Awards 2004

Business Wire, Dec 2, 2004

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERICY) rewarded yesterday, at a ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, the winners of this year's best mobile applications in its annual Mobile Application Awards. The winning companies are Gavitec AG, Wayfinder Systems AB, Artificial Life Inc. and Softhouse Nordic AB.

The Ericsson Mobile Application Awards is an international competition organized and run by Ericsson. The purpose of the Awards is to find the best, market-ready mobile applications focusing on services that add value, create convenience and make daily life and work easier and more efficient.

Over two hundred applications from 34 countries where submitted for the 2004 Awards. Twelve finalists where selected in four categories, based on criteria such as professionalism, market potential, innovation, consumer friendliness and ease-of-implementation by the operators and the media industry.

The finalists came from Australia, Germany, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Hong Kong, Austria, USA, and the UK.

The four winning applications are:

"Best Mobile Enterprise" - Gavitec AG from Germany with Lavasphere, a very convenient barcode reader solution that can be used for all kinds of solutions e.g. mobile ticketing or product information.

"Best Information Application" - Wayfinder Systems AB from Sweden with Wayfinder EuroNavigator that turns the mobile or smartphone into a GPS-based voice guided fully-fledged navigation system.

"Best Mobile Gaming" - Artificial Life Inc. from Hong Kong with V-girl, an interactive 3D role playing real life simulation for 3G.

"Best Mobile Entertainment" - Softhouse Nordic AB from Sweden with Twin Factor, a fun application that lets your mobile tell you whom you resemble and to which degree.

The finalists got the unique opportunity to present their services live to an exclusive audience comprising of executives from mobile network operators, venture capitalists and other industry players.

The winners were selected by the audience through live SMS voting.

"With 3G commercially launched in many parts of Europe and Asia attractive applications are of great importance for not only the consumers but also for operators, vendors and the content industry," said Carl-Henric Svanberg, Ericsson President and CEO. "The Ericsson Mobile Application Awards proves that developers worldwide provide incredible creativity that will result in real business opportunities ready for market launch."

Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world.

Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/press

Best Mobile Enterprise Application

Lavasphere by Gavitec AG (Germany). Gavitec AG presented with Lavashpere a very convenient mobile ticketing and barcode reader solution. Instead of receiving a ticket or print out a bar code after ordering on the Internet, you receive it on your mobile phone. The bar code or 2D code can then easily be scanned at the venue entrance.

Best Mobile Information Application

Wayfinder EuroNavigator by Wayfinder Systems AB (Sweden) turns a mobile or smartphone into a GPS-based voice guided fully-fledged navigation system. The already available product possesses GPS as well as cell positioning and draws from an extensive content and map database including post offices, parking areas, hotels, Tourist information etc. Unlike many navigation systems on CDs it is always actual and provides even traffic information. So why using a PDA or an expensive inbuilt navigation system, if you have your mobile with you anyway?

Best Mobile Gaming Application

V-girl by Artificial Life Inc. (Hong Kong) demonstrates that role playing games such as The Sims are not only successful on PC and Game Console but have a real potential on mobile phones as well. Especially if you can combine real time elements like live chats with the gameplay and merge your daily life with that of the daily progressing virtual characters. The Hong Kong company brings the virtual girl on almost any 3G phone.

Best Mobile Entertainment Application

Twin Factor by Softhouse Nordic AB (Sweden): Didn't you know you look like Charlize Theron? Well, soon you will know. Your mobile will tell you whom you resemble and to which degree. Twin Factor from Swedish Softhouse Nordic AB measures your face from a photo and matches it via MMS with a celebrity database. The service has already been successfully launched in Norway. Within six months 115.000 of the country's 4 million mobile phone subscribers had it in use. Now the question remains: if you look like Charlize Theron, then in which of her roles?