American Idol For Mobile Apps?

"At Microsoft's Silicon Valley campus this week, the company held a talent show for mobile software developers that it called Mobile Incubation Week. A group of six finalists demonstrated a variety of programs that run on Windows Mobile, Microsoft's operating system for smartphones. The finalists included an application called VoiceMuffler, described as a "real-time two-way speech-to-speech translation designed for foreign military personnel and civilian travelers," according to the blog of Brian Hoskins, a senior development manager at Microsoft involved in the competition."

Code competitions sponsored by Microsoft are nothing new, but it's nice to see one with a mobile bent. The winner gets early placement in the Windows Mobile Marketplace, and a nice shiny Zune. Let's hope Microsoft continues to promote developers in this way - maybe even making it easier for novices to step into developing without a hefty price tag attached.