Handango Champion Award Winners Announced

Posted By: Ryan Tuesday, July 29, 2003 12:17:07 PM

Handango has announced the winners of the annual Handango Champion Awards. The awards recognize outstanding applications in the burgeoning mobile software market. Finalists were chosen by votes from software developers, members of the media and other industry experts, including PalmInfocenter.

“The Handango Champion Awards is a rare opportunity to shine a spotlight on the exceptional developers and outstanding applications in the mobile software market,” said Laura Rippy, chief executive officer of Handango. “We're thrilled to be able to recognize their achievement. We're also honored that such an elite panel of judges agreed to give their time to help recognize these companies whose work has made our lives more productive, portable and fun."

Awards were presented for Palm OS®, Pocket PC, Symbian OS™, Java™, Windows® Mobile Smartphone and Linux platforms, a full list of the winners is available here. Each winner received a generous awards package including promotional opportunities and a $5,000 marketing stipend. The Award winners for the Palm OS are as follows:

  • Best Productivity Application - DateBk5 by Pimlico Software
  • Best Business Application - Quickoffice Premier by Cutting Edge Software
  • Best Game - Bejeweled by Astraware
  • Best Lifestyle Application - SplashPhoto by SplashData
  • Best Medical Application - PatientKeeper Personal 2.33 by PatientKeeper
  • Best Education & Reference Application - DictionaryToGo by LearningToGo
  • Best Travel Application - Rand McNally StreetFinder by Handmark

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This is odd

mikecane @ 7/29/2003 2:45:28 PM #
Top productivity winners for both PalmOS and PPCOS are replacements of theri built-in calendars.

Is that the only way to be productive?

wtf

helf @ 7/29/2003 3:02:12 PM #
Bejeweled AGAIN!?! my god, this is like what,3 times in a row? The game isnt THAT good.

RE: wtf
mikecane @ 7/29/2003 3:15:12 PM #
I haven't played it once.

Can I get an award for that?

RE: wtf
abosco @ 7/29/2003 3:15:51 PM #
Best Game - Bejeweled by Astraware
Best Lifestyle Application - SplashPhoto by SplashData

So how much did they pay Handango for this injustice? Quarter million a piece? AcidImage creams SplashPhoto. Bejeweled gets creamed by anything UNDRE FOUR YEARS OLD. Sure, it's a fun game, but God, there are loads of better ones. MT3D, TT3D, GTS Racing, Insaniquarium, Billiards, etc.

It makes me wonder if they even own a Palm. Maybe PIC should start a "Software of the Year" poll to rival these jokes. It might even be a way to boost site revenue from the bribes. ;)

-Bosco

RE: wtf
Saxtus @ 7/29/2003 3:36:58 PM #
Hmmm maybe they don't update their software ...pool, and just pick some of their non-updated list each year! lol

BTW, what is MT3D & TT3D?

Saxtus

RE: wtf
abosco @ 7/29/2003 3:44:48 PM #
MT3D is Master Theif 3D. Great FPS at a reasonable price.

http://www.mobilewizardry.com/palm/mt3d/

TT3D is TableTennis 3D. This one gets my vote for best software. It is hard to beat, hard to master, awesome graphics with full screen on a hi-res+ device, you can customize it to have your picture, say your name and the score, and you can customize, create, and add pictures to your opponents. And it's cheap at $10.

http://www.viex.org/?page=tabletennis3D&here

-Bosco

RE: wtf
helf @ 7/29/2003 3:51:46 PM #
mt3d = master thief 3D, its a sweet game, check out cascatagames.com

tt3d = table tennis 3d, its also pretty good. I forget its homepage tho..


I'd of picked fantasy realms 2 over bejeweled..

RE: wtf
DanielMorais @ 7/29/2003 3:59:19 PM #
The homepage of TT3D is http://www.viex.org/?page=tabletennis3D

RE: wtf
rsc1000 @ 7/29/2003 6:44:42 PM #
Bejeweled??? Again? This is getting insane! Its like some strange parady of pda gaming. This is the game that most big, important (worn out) mags like PCWorld seem to think is the only game ever made for a PDA. Its like some PDA version of 'Groundhog Day' - completely nuts.

RE: wtf
amin @ 7/29/2003 10:04:22 PM #
yeah that is some bullsh*t for real! bejeweled winning again is an insult to Palm OS and all the great games out there. they probably do it based on sales.

e740 and T|T
RE: wtf
a @ 7/29/2003 10:25:52 PM #
".....Each winner received a generous awards package including promotional opportunities and a $5,000 marketing stipend...."

Gotta keep the only people who pay to advertise on handango happy :P

this is outragous, or a conspiracy, your pick.

RE: wtf
maven @ 7/29/2003 10:32:38 PM #
I agree. Bejeweled is cool, but it (and some of the other winners) have been out for a few years.

I think they ought to limit the nominations to software released in the previous 12 months. Otherwise it is pointless.

RE: wtf
ardiri @ 7/30/2003 4:04:54 AM #
> Gotta keep the only people who pay to advertise on handango happy :P

you'll find, that if you dont list your software on handango for sale - they wont promote it. and, the awards are based on user feedback from memory. if your product is not promoted; you dont get much user feedback. unfortunately, the equation is:

- pay money to handango to market your app
- users see your app more, more chances to vote
- get awards based on user voting

see the pattern? i think these type of 'awards' are utter and total crap. it doesn't reflect the true 'good quality' software out there - its a marketing ploy, supported by someone who is trying to make money out of promoting software.

the best 'awards' normally come from handheld computing et al - where, they dont have a bias towards developers. they have nothing to gain from a specific developer due to the fact they pay marketing/advertising costs.

its sad. very sad. bejewelled winning for the last few years just clarifies the fact that this is how it works. as others have said, there are much better games out there - and, the awards should be for products released (not updated) in the last 12 months. keep the list new guys.

// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/
http://www.mobilewizardry.com/

RE: wtf
a3 @ 7/30/2003 8:10:11 AM #
Bejeweled is quite good but my vote goes for medieval heroes!

_______________________________________
Already a Tapwave's Helix fan.
RE: wtf
htomlinson @ 7/30/2003 1:16:22 PM #

Its very nice that so many people here (oops!) remember Bejeweled as having won this award before - but this is actually the first Handango award it has won! (Bejeweled has now been out for only just over 2 years, and the hi-res audio enhanced version was released in the last year.)

For everyone's interest and comparison, last years' results are at:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=3692
(Perhaps you could add this to the related stories, Ryan?)

I too agree that it would be nice for there to be awards to consider new products within the last 12 months as well. A suggestion for next year - I think "Best Newcomer" would be a great award to encourage new developers.

How about PIC awards that can represent the latest and most cutting edge hardware and software developments - because the PIC readership is a very different niche audience than Handango's!

Howard.

RE: wtf
rsc1000 @ 7/30/2003 4:58:01 PM #
Ardiri - they list judges at the bottom of the page:

http://www.handango.com/Awards2003.htm

..so are u sure that user feedback even has anything to do with this crap? where do they list the 'rules'?

Can anybody think of many other annual awards that pull this kind of whorish crap? If u have an annual award - shouldn't you pick from titles that were actually released this year??? Can you imagin if...

"And the Academy award for best motion picture for 2003 goes to - for the 7th year in a row - Titanic!!!"

*shudder*!!

This is what they have done with Bejewelled - what a complete load. Oh - who cares if they updated the damned thing - that doesnt count.


RE: wtf
sr @ 7/31/2003 3:36:40 AM #
This thread at least highlighted TableTennis 3D which I haven't tried before so I gave it a whirl - I am so impressed by that game! I'm not sure if there is another game that actually takes advantage of the PDA form factor and the input method (stylus) as much as this game. This game would not work on a PC at all, which makes it a great PDA game. The awards should help highlight games like these, not perpetuate market domination by a few.

RE: wtf
G M Fude @ 7/31/2003 4:14:21 AM #
Yes, wtf indeed. Splashphoto is a nice piece of software like all the Splashdata suite (I use SplashID daily), but it just doesn't stack up against AcidImage as viewing software.

With a tiny display like a PDA, you gotta have a zoom function for images, or it's just novelty value only.

------------------------------
- Steve Smith
A physicist is the atoms' way of thinking about atoms.

Quickoffice??

Smoother @ 7/29/2003 3:47:28 PM #
OH, QuickOffice.

I guess they excluded Quicksheet then because it takes forever to open sheets over 60 kb and when its open you cant see anything... I cant get it that this app won, its crazy. I rather like DocsToGo or TinySheet. MUCH faster.

Bejeweled? Does anyone still play this game?


My votes goes to JackFlash, McFile, DocsToGo, MobileDB and ChessGenius. (just some of good programs)

Smoother

Patient Keeper 2.33 is also old as hell

amin @ 7/29/2003 10:08:38 PM #
Isn't it time they gave some credit to some of the more recent stuff out there? Is PDA software that dead?

I like all of the following, and none seem to win ever: 3nity, Repligo, Table Tennis 3D, the new AvantGo, funBOOK/funSMS 3, NetChaser (should've won something)...

I also love some of the oldies like Agendus, but they have won enough already goddamnit!

e740 and T|T

RE: Patient Keeper 2.33 is also old as hell
ardiri @ 7/30/2003 4:10:19 AM #
> Patient Keeper 2.33

maybe when this:

http://www.drcompanion.com/

finally comes to the USA market (it is currently Sweden, UK released next month) we'll start seeing old software like this get its act together. patient keeper/epocrates just dont cut it for the real medical market - but, its all that is available; right now :)


// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/
http://www.mobilewizardry.com/

Rand McNally best travel app?

chilimost @ 7/30/2003 12:23:43 AM #
Seriously? Mapopolis is soooooo much better than this program. Wow. I guess to each his own...

>Best Travel Application - Rand McNally StreetFinder by Handmark

RE: Rand McNally best travel app?
chilimost @ 7/30/2003 12:27:03 AM #
Okay, I guess RMN does have review info integrated also, but as a mapping app (especially when you consider rounting & navigation), there is no comparison.

Consider the Source...

Miss Clie @ 7/30/2003 8:43:40 AM #
Look, you're all indignant about the software chosen, but consider this:

1) Handango is like training wheels for newbie PDA users; Palm & Sony point right to it, and it's pitched hard.

2) The titles, for the most part, also have shiny little boxes down at the brick & mortar stores, making them a comfort buy for most generic users.

3) Things like Bejeweled apply to most generic users; it's not an involved game, it's pretty, and it can be played during meetings or in 5 seconds. It's easy.

4) Basically, if people see it a lot, then it gets more attention/votes, both at Handango, and at local stores. And remember, it's majority counting here, and the majority are NOT power users (especially at Handango), they're hesitant about adding anything to their Palm.

Really, I'm just impressed that DateBk is on the list. It's certainly the most productive, and it's not marketed to the hilt like the other winners.

RE: Consider the Source...
maven @ 7/30/2003 10:27:02 AM #
I understand what you are saying, and I agree with your comments. My problem is with the criteria for software nominations.

If you are going to have an annual award, it should be for products released in the previous year. Otherwise, it's like if the Oscars picked from the entire list of movies ever made every year. Doesn't make sense, does it?

"And now, winning the award for the 27th time, Citizen Kane!"

RE: Consider the Source...
rsc1000 @ 7/30/2003 5:05:40 PM #
>>"And now, winning the award for the 27th time, Citizen Kane!"

Oops! I just read yr post - funny enough - i thought the exact same thing (almost) and posted a similar thing about the movie 'Titanic' above. But i guess the analogy is obvious. How the hell can Handango claim this as an annual award. And to people to defending them - is this bit of obviousness to complex to grasp? Or do you just love the taste of corporate kak?

Rand McNally StreetFinder is dead and unsupported.

Altema @ 7/30/2003 1:13:25 PM #
No upgrades, and will not even run on current hardware.

It was bad enough that you needed a desktop computer and a live internet connection to find the house next door... I paid for this product as part of a package deal and was abandoned.

And it wins an award?

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