Time is up! The Gmail Firefox Challenge deadline has passed and the challenge is closed.   For our first official challenge we asked OpenAmplify community members to build a Firefox Gmail add-on that creatively used OpenAmplify’s rich data output to create a better user experience for email users: i.e. filtering of content, organization of emails, etc.

Now it’s time for us to review the results.  Come back soon and we will have a great Gmail OpenAmplify example Gmail application to share with you.   Also, keep an eye out for information about our next challenge, which is launching soon.  Until then, thanks for your interest in OpenAmplify and go forth and build something.

WHAT?
Build a Firefox Gmail add-on using OpenAmplify. We believe that the rich data that OpenAmplify provides can create a better user experience for email users: filtering of content, organization of emails, etc. We challenge the membership to create a Gmail add-on that proves us right.

Are you interested in extending your application by integrating the latest release of OpenAmplify, Version 1.1? Read the new Documentation [http://community.openamplify.com/content/comp_docs.aspx] and Migration Guide [http://community.openamplify.com/content/MigrationGuide.aspx].

WHEN?
Challenge will last for 1 month beginning June 16, 2009, and ending July 17, 2009 at 8PM Eastern Time (GMT-5).

EXTENDED to August 30th at 11:59pm Eastern Time (GMT-5).

No entries received after that time will be accepted.

IDEAS:
By no means do you need to follow these ideas.  They are here only to jog your imagination. Implementing any of these ideas will neither help nor hinder your chances of winning. Be creative!

• Sentiment based icons that indicate whether a message is positive, negative, seeks or offers advice or otherwise makes use of any of OpenAmplify’s signals;
• Organization of emails into folders by topics;
• Stylistic, topical or other anysis that detects possible spam;
• Analysis of mail that determines the most significant, polarized or otherwise noteworthy emails as they are received.

CRITERIA:
We will judge entries by numerous criteria, among them:

• Creativity of the base concept underpinning the submission;
• Impact of the add-on on the user experience;
• Mass appeal of the submission;
• Demonstrated value of the OpenAmplify service;
• Elegance and usability of the add-on;
• Code and documentation quality;
• Performance, efficiency, reliability and maintainability of the submission.

PRIZES:
Winners will be paid the following awards:

• First Prize: $1,000 and an increased API transaction allowance of 10,000/day.
• Second Prize: $500 and an increased API transaction allowance of 10,000/day.
• Honorable Mentions (up to 10): increased API transaction allowance of 5,000/day.
• All winners will join a list of "inner circle" community members, who will be accorded special access to OpenAmplify resources.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

• Add-ons should be submitted via email to challenge@openamplify.com as properly packaged XPI files. See Mozilla.org's Extension Packaging for information about accomplishing this. https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Extension_Packaging
• When submitting your Add-on, make sure you take out any personal information used during development, like your Gmail username and password.
• You must email your submission as a single file and it should be finalized, not a work in progress.
• You may submit as many times as you'd like during the submission phase, but there will only be one winning application per person/team.

TERMS OF ENTRY:

• All entries must prominently display the OpenAmplify logo. If the application does not have a UI component, OpenAmplify must be clearly acknowledged in the textual output, help text, and in the code documentation;
• Entries must be your original work, and must not infringe on the copyright or licenses of others. Code snippets, design elements or examples from other sources are prohibited where not in the public domain or otherwise licensed for inclusion;
• All entries must meet and operate under the OpenAmplify Terms and Conditions;
• Winners consent to having their identities and submissions used in OpenAmplify marketing efforts and materials. Winners agree to cooperate with OpenAmplify in such efforts and in the creation of such materials;
• Prizes may be considered taxable income under IRS regulations. Winners are solely responsible for meeting their obligations under the tax code. OpenAmplify will generate a 1099 in cases where monetary prizes are made;
• Other terms and conditions may apply.

WINNER SELECTION:
Submissions go through an internal screening process once the submission phase has closed. Winners are selected by OpenAmplify and are chosen solely at OpenAmplify’s discretion.

PRIZE PAYMENT:
The payment will be distributed in one full installment once the final version of the winning submission has been accepted and reviewed by the OpenAmplify. As noted under Terms oF Entry, any and all applicable taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the prizewinner(s).   In order for winners to claim their prize, winners will have to submit their social security number to OpenAmplify and expect a 1099 form.

ELIGIBILITY:
In order to submit and win, you must be an OpenAmplify Community member with a valid API key. Community members of at least 18 years of age, meeting all of the membership requirements, are eligible.Employees, their families and business affiliates, and any person demonstrably having access to preferential knowledge of OpenAmplify may neither enter the competition nor advise others who enter.

To keep administration simple for this first challenge, we will restrict entrants to those residing in the United States and who are one of the following:

• A US Citizen
• A Lawful Permanent Resident of the US
• A temporary resident, asylee, refugee of the U.S., or have a lawfully issued work authorization card permitting unrestricted employment in the U.S.

Future challenges will encourage international submissions.