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SFU Executive MBA Student a Winner in Wireless Innovation Contest
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Contact: Geoff Fawkes, 604-671-9245
April 11, 2005
Need the name of a good hotel in Sydney, Australia or the key to defeating the devil wizard in your favourite video game? SFU Executive MBA student Geoff Fawkes' clever idea for a mobile service that uses text messaging to provide the correct answer to simple questions recently won the student prize in the 2005 WINBC Wireless Innovation Contest's 'Leapfrog' category. The Leapfrog category recognizes wireless innovations with promising potential for commercial success.
Fawkes, a North Vancouver resident, came up with the idea for www.WirelessFriend.com last year and developed it further during a New Ventures course that is part of his studies at SFU.
Users receive initial 'question credits' entitling them to ask questions. To get more credits to use the service, they must earn them by answering other users' questions, which are posted by email through text messaging to the WirelessFriend.com website. Users visit the site to answer questions in their area of 'expertise' such as 'fashion' or 'hockey'. To assist them, WirelessFriend posts 'keyword' advertisers willing to help them with answers. The business model, says Fawkes, requires advertisers to pay WirelessFriend.com a small fee for each user who clicks on their keyword for assistance.
Fawkes' idea, one of three selected in the leapfrog category, was judged the best of many submitted from around North America.
For further information about the WINBC Wireless Innovation Contest and award winners visit www.winbc.org/contest.
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Fawkes, a North Vancouver resident, came up with the idea for www.WirelessFriend.com last year and developed it further during a New Ventures course that is part of his studies at SFU.
Users receive initial 'question credits' entitling them to ask questions. To get more credits to use the service, they must earn them by answering other users' questions, which are posted by email through text messaging to the WirelessFriend.com website. Users visit the site to answer questions in their area of 'expertise' such as 'fashion' or 'hockey'. To assist them, WirelessFriend posts 'keyword' advertisers willing to help them with answers. The business model, says Fawkes, requires advertisers to pay WirelessFriend.com a small fee for each user who clicks on their keyword for assistance.
Fawkes' idea, one of three selected in the leapfrog category, was judged the best of many submitted from around North America.
For further information about the WINBC Wireless Innovation Contest and award winners visit www.winbc.org/contest.
-30-