It’s already a known fact that Google I/O sold out faster than Green Day, but that doesn’t mean you have to mope about it. You’re a developer – you can do so much good in the world with your skills. You can also win a ticket to next year’s Google I/O if being a swell guy isn’t enough for you.
Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the company, announced a collaboration with the I/O Extended team to host the “Develop for Good” hackathon. The event is looking for hackers to become the Batman of the Internet with their coding skills. It’s open to anybody as long as they’re at a Google I/O Extended event. If you don’t have one near you, start your own and become a Batman in your own right.
So what problems will you, the hacker Batman, be tackling during this hackathon? Google has selected three problem areas where they want developers to focus on:
Google Ideas: Conflict reporting for blackout situations in repressive regimes.
Google Politics & Elections: Citizen Engagement for Politics & Elections.
Google Green: Help us all be a little bit greener!
The nice thing about this hackathon is that it isn’t restricted to the event itself. Developers can start coding away now on projects to bring to their respective I/O Extended events. The only stipulation is that each entry has to be submitted to this Web site by 11:59 p.m. on June 29.
After the event concludes, Google will select one winner from each challenge. The winning teams from each challenge will each receive up to five Google I/O 2013 tickets alongside the honorary title of Batman of the Internet Google Developer for Good 2012.
But wait, there’s more. Google will select an additional winner that had the best Web app across all three challenges. Every member on that team will get a new Chromebook. I assume it will be one of the Samsung models, but it could be the Acer as well.
If you feel like doing some good in the world, you can sign up for the hackathon by contacting one of the I/O Extended events. Here’s hoping that somebody makes an app that recycles all those cardboard pizza boxes stacking up by my door. I’m too lazy to carry them down to the recycling bin.