VISUG is the Belgian usergroup for Visual Studio developers. With more than 1000 members, they are the biggest .NET community in Belgium. They have launched a Windows 8 Contest, and of course, all students and lecturers (member or non-VISUG member) can participate. Interested ? Continue reading….
Do you have the vision and touch to come up with a brilliant idea and to polish it to a fancy Windows 8 Metro Style App? Deliver your apps for review and VISUG will make sure that the best apps will be rewarded with some excellent prizes. The top apps will be eligible for a formal review process! .

What?

• Build your Windows 8 Metro Style App on top of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview
• Get Inspired by the Metro Design Principles
  • Show pride in craftmanship
  • Be fast and fluid
  • Be authentically digital
  • Do more with less
  • Win as one
• Minimal App Requirements
  • Metro Style App only
  • Language to use: C++, C#, VB or JavaScript
  • Touch Optimized
  • Use of at least 1 Windows Azure Service
  • App must past validation with the Windows App Certification Kit 

When?

• Submit your apps to VISUG until May 27, 2012 : core@visug.be
• All apps will be reviewed by a selected community judging team as from May 28, 2012 until June 6, 2012
• June 7: official announcement of winners
• June 21: Honoring & showcasing winning apps at the Community Day

Judging process?

• VISUG will select a judging team to go through all the delivered apps
• Criteria for judging
  • Creativity
  • Architecture
  • Usage of Windows Azure service(s)
  • Metro Design Principles Windows 8 features: Contracts, Settings, Share, ...
  • Performance

Prizes?

• The winner will receive a Windows 8 ready Ultrabook
• A Nokia Lumia Windows Phone will be the prize for number 2 and number 3 in the contest
• Every participant that sends us an app that meets all minimal requirements will receive a Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse!

How to prepare for this challenge ?

• STEP 1 : Access to Software  --- Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview via DreamSpark
• STEP 2 : Attend the special Academic Windows 8 Development Day – more details here : http://blogs.msdn.com/b/academicbelux/archive/2012/03/22/april-20-2012-book-this-date-now-for-the-academic-special-of-windows-8-developer-day-amp-night.aspx,  read some of the White Papers for Metro Style Apps 
• STEP 3: Build your Metro Style App
• STEP 4 : Certify your Metro Style App
• STEP 5 : Send your Metro Style App to core@visug.be

Join the VISUG Devices & Services App Contest right now and inform VISUG about your plans and progress. Send a mail at core@visug.be and/or broadcast your experiences on twitter with hashtags #visug #win8.

Rules
Contest is open to residents of Belgium (a Belgian address is required).
Visug has the right to remove apps from the contest.
All participants are required to let Visug know about their participation by sending an email to core@visug.be.

Good luck and let the Eastern holidays inspire you to get into action !

** Source of information : VISUG website  - http://www.visug.be/Windows8Contest/tabid/113/Default.aspx