Imagine Cup Kicks Off
Competition began on Monday in Seoul for the Imagine Cup 2007. The Kingdom is represented by the team “SmartPal” from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM). The Imagine Cup is a worldwide competition that allows university students to unlock their creative genius and develop software solutions with real-world applicability.
The theme of the 2007 Imagine Cup is “Imagine a world where technology enables a better education for all.” SmartPal has applied that theme to the development of their concept — an advanced artificial intelligence teacher that acquires information in any field via multiple sources including the Internet, and then answers any question or query in that field via normal human conversation (sound), video presentation (animation) or text representation (writing).
“These students demonstrate an amazing combination of passion and creativity for using technology to solve real world problems,” said Joe Wilson, Microsoft’s director of academic initiatives whose team manages the Imagine Cup. “Worldwide competitions like the Imagine Cup allow students to think past their boundaries.”
A total of 344 students from 112 teams representing 59 different countries will participate this week in the worldwide Imagine Cup finals in nine different categories: Software Design, Embedded Development, Web Development, Project Hoshimi (Programming Battle), IT Challenge, Algorithm, Photography, Short film and Interface Design. The student teams will be asked to undertake a series of challenges relating to multimedia and technology depending on the category. The winners will be announced on Friday, Aug. 10 as part of the Imagine Cup world festival closing ceremonies. Other events happening throughout the week beyond the competition include sailing on the Han River, a cultural tour of Seoul, and a formal dinner hosted by the mayor of Seoul.
The Imagine Cup, now in its fifth year, is an example of Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential commitment to create social and economic opportunity through programs and products that transform education, foster local innovation and enable jobs and opportunities worldwide.
“The creativity and innovation of the SmartPal team speaks volumes about the promise of technology to really make a difference in peoples’ lives and in the way we think, learn and communicate,” said Wael El-Senoussi , marketing director, Microsoft Saudi Arabia. “I wish the SmartPal team luck at the global finals this week in Seoul.”
Al-Deera Invests in Aiwa Gulf
According to Abdulwahab Ahmad Al-Nakib, chairman of Al-Deera Holding Co. (KSCC), Al-Deera International Communications Company, a subsidiary of Al-Deera Holding Co., has purchased 28 percent of Aiwa Gulf’s shares, equivalent in value to 2,628,040 Kuwaiti dinars.
Aiwa Gulf is an ICT company that produces mobile phone content that provides users with several telecommunication services, such as SMS and MMS, including songs, anthems, poems, humorous images and religious content.
Faisal Al-Essa, chairman and founder of Aiwa Gulf, stated that there are over 70,000 registered subscribers to the company’s services in the Middle East, which reflects the company’s successful strategies. The company is also the force behind Al-Efasy satellite channel and Smile TV.
