AMD "Connecting the World" Design Contest Generates Innovative Product Ideas
- Students from throughout Latin America compete to connect people in high-growth markets to the Internet -
São Paulo, Brazil -- Dec. 14, 2006 -- AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the winning teams of the inaugural "Connecting the World" product design contest. The team from the University of Chile received the Chairman's Award for GOTA, an affordable Internet connectivity solution that local water utility companies would commercialize for rural populations. The team from UnicenP, a university in Brazil, received the Judges' Award for E-Cipó, an Internet access terminal that utilizes GPRS wireless technology to connect to television sets via UHF signals thus eliminating the need for a computer monitor.
"The concept behind this contest is that innovative thinkers who reside within the high-growth nations of Latin America best know the features, form factors and functionality of Internet connectivity devices that would be best suited for local citizens," said Billy Edwards, AMD chief innovation officer and senior vice president.
The Chairman's Award was selected by AMD CEO Hector Ruiz and will receive a cash prize of US$30,000 total, US$10,000 of which will be given to their university. The Judges' Award was selected by the panel of judges and will also receive a prize of US$30,000, US$10,000 of which will be given to their university.
The five finalists groups - Fly Tech, GOTA, Eco Red, Interaction in Movement and E-Cipó - presented their nonworking prototypes to the judges' commission, in São Paulo, Brazil. The commission is composed of Hector Ruiz, AMD chairman of the board and chief executive officer; Billy Edwards, AMD chief innovation officer and senior vice president; Gustavo Arenas, AMD corporate vice president of High-Growth Markets & Innovations; Rob Enderle, chief analyst of the Enderle Group; Judith Várhelyi, director of the Hungarian Design Council; and Guillermo Winnicki, Buenos Aires City Hall Metropolitan Center manager for the Interactive Design brand.
The winning projects were selected from among 30 entries submitted by university student teams from throughout Latin America. The projects were judged based on how well they met the criteria user experience, affordability, aesthetics and ecological responsibility.
"Connecting the World" Contest
In support of AMD's 50x15 Initiative, to enable 50 percent of the world's population with Internet access and computing capability by the year 2015, AMD challenged university students to develop Internet access devices based on AMD processing technology. In addition to stimulating creativity, the "Connecting the World" contest promotes integration among multiple student disciplines to create product prototypes and business models aimed at accelerating the digital inclusion process throughout the region.
"The development of local ecosystems that foster indigenous design is one of the core tenets of the 50x15 Initiative, so we're tapping into the creativity and enthusiasm of student thinkers to gain their perspective on innovative designs," Edwards said.
Students from all over Latin America have submitted their proposals for providing technology access to populations located in regions where Internet access is limited. Project submissions included a product description, a business plan detailing the strategies for successfully implementing the program, the commercial feasibility of the project, and its overall compatibility with the social and economic realities of the target market.
About 50x15
AMD's 50x15 initiative is a bold and far-reaching effort to develop new technology and solutions that will help enable affordable Internet access and computing capability for 50 percent of the world's population by the year 2015. Based on this initiative, AMD has recently opened two computer labs at Associação Meninos do Morumbi, a nongovernmental organization composed of over 4,000 children and teenagers in the city of Sao Paulo. It also has contributed with the E-Poupatempo implementation, which offers public services for the population in São Paulo through Internet access. For more information, visit www.50x15.com.
About AMD
Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is a leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer electronics markets. AMD is dedicated to driving open innovation, choice and industry growth by delivering superior customer-centric solutions that empower consumers and businesses worldwide. For more information, visit www.amd.com.
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