QUALCOMM Announces Wireless Reach BREW Application Funding Winners
- Five BREW Developers Selected to Receive Grants Totaling USD 500,000 -
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), a leading developer and innovator of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and other advanced wireless technologies, today announced the selection of winners for the Company's Wireless Reach(TM) BREW(R) Application Funding Program. As part of QUALCOMM's Wireless Reach initiative, the USD 1 million fund is designed to increase the availability of useful wireless applications in countries around the world.
QUALCOMM's Wireless Reach BREW Application Funding Program challenged developers to create the most innovative BREW public service application in one of five areas: healthcare, education, public safety, governance and the environment. QUALCOMM is awarding grants to the most innovative proposals for BREW applications.
The grand prize winner, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) of India, is a leading IT services, business solutions and outsourcing organization. TCS will receive a grant for USD 100,000 for development of its proposed application. The application development team, led by TCS' head of advanced technology and applications, Dr. Arun Pande, will demonstrate how CDMA networks can help provide specific and useful advice to farmers and spread the benefits of technology deep into rural India at an affordable cost. For the grand prize, QUALCOMM will also apply additional funds to put TCS' proposal into action through a new or existing Wireless Reach project.
The other grant recipients, each receiving USD 100,000, plan to develop a variety of advanced BREW applications with the support of QUALCOMM's funding program.
They are (in alphabetical order):
* Bandung Institute of Technology -- Ria L. Moedomo, Ph.D. student
(Bandung, Indonesia). The application provides a system to assist in
processing and analyzing the poultry sales and distribution process to
track and combat against Avian Influenza (Bird Flu).
* Beijing InfoQuick SinoVoice Speech Technology Corp. -- Lenny Zhang,
chief executive officer (Beijing). The application, called
Sbikit, uses text-to-speech and automatic speech recognition
technologies to assist visually impaired persons in communication.
* BeWell Mobile Technology Inc. -- Shahin Bakhshandeh and Chris Ungson,
co-founders; Sarah De Young, director (Walnut Creek, Calif., U.S.A.).
The applications, entitled Asthma Assistant and Diabetes Assistant,
are part of a flexible platform solution for patient engagement
software that can be adapted to a broad range of uses in the areas of
health and wellness, education, research, preventive care and chronic
disease management.
* University of California, Berkeley -- Dr. John Canny, professor,
computer science division (Berkeley, Calif., U.S.A.). The application,
called MILLEE for Mobile and Immersive Learning for Literacy in
Emerging Economies, uses game-like learning on cell phones to improve
literacy.
"QUALCOMM is very proud to recognize these organizations and their creative efforts to develop BREW applications that will serve the public interest," said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, CEO of QUALCOMM. "The innovative applications they'll design hold great potential to enhance the quality of life for all who use them. As mobile broadband services expand into underserved communities, we're pleased to support these developers in our shared commitment to improve the way people communicate and access information around the world."
Winners were selected based on a careful review of their proposals by an external panel of judges chosen for their expertise in global telecommunications and economic development.
They are (in alphabetical order):
* Dr. Gerry Chan, who has been vice president of terrestrial wireless
systems for the Communications Research Centre (CRC), Canada since
April 1998. This research branch is responsible for the research and
development of a wide range of state-of-the-art wireless technologies.
Prior to joining CRC, Dr. Chan was director of terrestrial engineering,
spectrum engineering branch, for Industry Canada, taught at Nanyang
Technological University of Singapore and worked in industry.
* Dr. Peter Cowhey is associate vice chancellor for international affairs
and dean of the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific
Studies at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Cowhey is an
expert on U.S. international economic and technology policy, with
special expertise in the international communications and information
industries. He has served as a leader in development and
communications technology in both the government and non-profit
sectors.
* Tim Wood is technical project manager for the Grameen Foundation. He
specializes in applying information technology to address the problems
of poverty and health in developing countries. With the Grameen
Technology Center, he pioneered replication of the Grameen Village
Phone program and co-authored the Village Phone Replication Manual.
Wood has also worked in software development and as a consultant
focusing on the intersection of information technology and global
health.
QUALCOMM is driven by the belief that access to advanced wireless voice and data services improves people's lives. The Company's Wireless Reach initiative is designed to support programs and solutions that bring the benefits of connectivity to developing communities around the world. By working with BREW application developers, QUALCOMM's Wireless Reach projects create new ways for people to communicate, learn, access healthcare and reach global markets.
"The grant winners in QUALCOMM's Wireless Reach BREW Application Funding Program have shown an exceptional understanding of the challenges faced by developing regions and have offered solutions that clearly impressed the judges," said Shawn A. Covell, senior director of international affairs for QUALCOMM and head of the Wireless Reach initiative. "We're excited to work with these forward-thinking organizations in providing communities with new technologies and capabilities that reinforce their long-term economic and social development."
"BREW is designed to accelerate wireless data worldwide, making it particularly well suited for developers targeting new markets as part of QUALCOMM's Wireless Reach initiative," said Peggy Johnson, president of QUALCOMM Internet Services and executive vice president of QUALCOMM. "We'll certainly be tracking the progress of grant recipients as they bring their proposed applications to fruition and make them available in 2007."
BREW solutions change the way people relate to wireless data services. By enabling discovery and delivery of high-value content, BREW creates opportunities for the wireless industry to enhance consumers' mobile data experience. QUALCOMM's comprehensive and targeted BREW Signature Solutions offer reduced time to market and lower capital investment for companies providing mobile products and services. Customers can also benefit from several modular BREW offerings, including uiOne(TM), deliveryOne(TM) and QPoint(TM), which provide the foundation for customer-differentiated wireless data capabilities.
QUALCOMM Incorporated (www.qualcomm.com) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on CDMA and other advanced technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., QUALCOMM is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2006 FORTUNE 500(R) company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market(R)
QUALCOMM and BREW are registered trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Wireless Reach, uiOne, deliveryOne and marketOne are registered trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
QUALCOMM Contacts:
Kristin Atkins, Corporate Communications
Phone: 1-858-845-5959
Email: corpcomm@qualcomm.com
John Gilbert, Investor Relations
Phone: 1-858-658-4813
Email: ir@qualcomm.com
SOURCE QUALCOMM Incorporated
Released February 26, 2007