Research Triangle Park, NC -- StrikeIron Inc., the leading provider of live data and business functionality over the web and O'Reilly Media, Inc. today announced the first ever Telephony Mashup Contest to take place during the O'Reilly Emerging Telephony Conference (ETel). This new contest provides a stage for developers to demonstrate their creative skills using emerging telephony technologies such as VoiceXML, SIP phones, VoIP, hosted PBX & IVR services, and Web Services. In addition to StrikeIron and O'Reilly, Tellme Networks, Inc. and Sylantro are sponsoring this contest with $3,000 of prizes to winning entries. For more on this contest, please visit www.strikeiron.com/developers/contest.aspx.
A telephony mashup is a voice, Web, or mobile application (VoiceXML, PBX, IVR, VOIP, SMS, Text Messaging, etc.) that combines content from more than one source to create a new user experience. Qualifying entries must demonstrate how an application can use one or more sources of content in an inventive way to benefit users. Any application that combines content with telephony services (ex: VOIP, SMS, Text Messaging, PBX, IVR) to create a mashup is qualified for submission.
The first round of the contest is open to all developers. To enter the contest, go to www.strikeiron.com/developers/contest.aspx; research the tools, services and APIs; come up with an idea and build your telephony mashup. Next, submit your mashup to developer@strikeiron.com by February 21, 2007 at 5 pm PST. The top three finalists will demonstrate their mashups to ETel conference attendees on the last day of the conference, March 1, 2007. Attendees will choose the winning mashup immediately following the presentations.
"We’re excited to empower developers to create new applications for the telephony market," said Bob Brauer, president and CEO of StrikeIron. "By tapping into the vast marketplace of content and services leveraging our online data distribution platform, developers can help empower a new set of services for users. We look forward to seeing some really extraordinary applications."
For more information about ETel, visit: http://conferences.oreillynet.com/etel2007/.
About O'Reilly Conferences
O'Reilly conferences bring together forward-thinking business and technology leaders, shaping ideas and influencing industries around the globe. For over 25 years, O'Reilly has facilitated the adoption of new and important technologies by the enterprise, putting emerging technologies on the map. For more information about O'Reilly conferences, visit: http://conferences.oreillynet.com.
About StrikeIron
StrikeIron is the leader in the commercialization of Web Services, providing the world's largest library of externally available plug-and-play Web services. Built on top of a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use Web Services Commerce Platform, the Marketplace serves as a place for providers and consumers of XML-based Web services to publish, subscribe to, and build applications and Web sites using a diverse set of Web services.
Enabling a business model for the Programmable Web, the core technology provides self-service publishing and consumption of Web services, micro-transactions and usage-based billing, software infrastructure, multiple productivity tools, seamless integration for both individual customers and software technology partners, and a consistency of usage from multiple Web services across multiple vendors. The Aurora Funds, Inc. and NC IDEA provided funding for StrikeIron after recognizing the significant opportunity to invest in a technology firm leading innovation of the Programmable Web and Web 2.0. For more information, visit: http://www.strikeiron.com/.
About Tellme
Tellme improves how people use their phone to search for everyday answers--from finding a business, getting a sports score or hearing the latest weather update. By bringing voice access to Internet information, Tellme is making it quick and easy to find what you need when you’re on-the-go.
Today the company powers hundreds of phone services used by more than 40 million people every month. In addition to providing a consumer mobile search service, Tellme also uses it’s platform to power phone applications such as directory assistance (411) for Cingular and Verizon, customer service for Merrill Lynch, E*TRADE Financial and American Airlines, and e-commerce services for Amazon.com and Fandango. Tellme is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
About Sylantro
Sylantro Systems provides the premier software platform for business, consumer, and mobile hosted VoIP solutions. Sylantro allows network operators to rapidly deliver high value, high margin managed telephony services without the cost and complexity of today's in house PBX and key systems, giving users new flexibility in their communication services. Sylantro customers include AT&T, Bandwidth.com, China Netcom, China Unicom, Covad, StarHub, SunRocket, and Swisscom.
About O’Reilly
O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.