Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Final – Day 3 – Competition Continue

The competition continue on day 3 of Imagine Cup 2011 at New York. Today we have a lot of activities going on around. The top 15 teams compete in second round of Embedded Development, top 18 teams compete in second round of Software Design, hand-on time for judges on Game Design, Windows Phone 7 competition and Interoperability Challenge competition while IT Challenge and Digital Media is going on.

The second round of Software Design and Embedded Development will be harder than first round as they will not have 6 judges instead of 4. I had a chance to sit in listen to the presentation of Team Cyber Knightz from Malaysia in Software Design and Team MACARA from Indonesia in Embedded Development, they are doing a great job impressing the judges with their solution. Be sure to check out Team Cyber Knightz story and Team MACARA story and vote for team in the People’s Choice Award if you like their projects.

How can you know a game is interesting or not without playing right? So judges for Game Design will have their time playing on the game designed by the competitors. They are enjoying it as if they are not here to give mark to the project but as a gamer who enjoying the game. All the fun laughing and satisfying face of the judges all over in the showcase hall. I’m going to get myself hand on those great games when the showcase is open!

Other then just competition, we also have a long list of learning sessions for students to learn about the latest technologies of Microsoft and startup information. To make the learning sessions even more exciting, Microsoft Imagine Cup will give away a XBox to a lucky student who attended the session in each of the session!

Building Apps for Windows Mobile 7
Internet Explorer 9: A More Beautiful Web
Windows Embedded and the Internet of Things: Opportunities for Tomorrow
Windows Azure: To the Cloud!
Learn how to apply for major grants from USAID for your ideas to solve the world’s toughest problems
Come discover Windows Embedded! Demos only!
Kinect App-a-Thon

Imagine Cup is a place where students can show the world what they had come out. Press around the world will be attending this great event and learn about the great projects that created by the students. The student really impress us with their great ideas and solutions like Japan Team in Embedded Development has amaze me with their solution call Sun Donation where it allow user to donate money without paying a single sen. Just by watching the video and I donating money to those who need it, sound amazing right! Too bad as I’m only have limited time else I would like to pay each booth a visit and listen to their stories and projects in detail.

After all the tough competition running on the afternoon, the result of the finalist in Software Design, Embedded Development and Game Design (Mobile, Web, XNA / Windows) were announced. Students were exciting as usual and singing their own country song with their country flag in hand! Each team was proud of the country they represent! Aren’t this look like an Olympic? Without any sport of course!

The finalist are:

Software Design (Finalist)

China, Care Everyone
Ireland, Team Hermes
Jordan, OaSys
New Zealand, OneBuzz
Romania, SIMPLEX
United States, Team Note-Taker

Embedded Development (Finalist)

Brazil, Embedded Brain
China, Harmonicare
France, Give Me 4
Romania, Endeavour_Design
Taiwan, NTHUCS
United Kingdom, Cycling into trees

Game Design – Mobile (Finalist)

France, Close World Mobile
France, Geekologic
US, Team Dragon

Game Design – Web (Finalist)

Philippines, Signum Fidei
Poland, Cellardoor
Slovakia, Quegee Team

Game Design – XNA/Windows

Brazil, Signum Games
Czech Republic, WickedTeam
Thailand, JubJub Team

Congratulation to all teams that successfully enter the finalist, but they need to rehearse tomorrow for the final presentation while all other teams can go out and fully enjoy culture day made by Imagine Cup. Imagine Cup is not only just about competition and technologies talk only, culture day is a day where students around the world can learn about the culture and history of the hosted country, which is a very meaningful activity. Let’s fully enjoy tomorrow culture day and left the competition aside first!