Montreal Tech Watch

Google launching Android challenge — surprisingly, Québecers not allowed!

By Heri Nov 12th 2007 in Mobile

I would never blog about Silicon Valley initatives, because there are bloggers who are way more resourceful than I am in this game. However, Google’s Android SDK is interesting from a Québec perspective.

The whole story is that Google is moving into the mobile networking industry with a framework that allows any third-party developers to use a common toolset, accessing for the first time functions like messenging with SMS, touchscreen, video and audio, and even 3D functions. This is great from a developer’s perspective, making cell phones now as attractive as web or desktop software development. Compute into that the growth of mobile phones worldwide, in countries like China, India, Brazil where many of their citizens would only have access to a handset, and you have a whole new market opened for new innovatie applications. To raise the platform’s adoption rate, Google has also announced today a $10millions challenge, where they invite developers to create applications for cell phones, beginning early 2008.

I was thinking this would be great news for our upcoming blitzweekend, but after reading the fine-print, it turns out that residents of Québec cannot participate

While we seek to make the Challenge open worldwide, we cannot open the Challenge to residents of Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, and Myanmar (Burma) because of U.S. laws. In addition, the Challenge is not open to residents of Italy or Quebec because of local restrictions.

I don’t know about you, but it’s weird to see Quebec after Cuba, Iran, Syria … ! Is this because of the scandalous data rates? or maybe because they would have had to make a track in French? Well surely no, we are not there yet. After a little bit of digging and emailing, it’s because in Québec, if you want to launch a competition with a final prize, you have to pay the Québec governement 10% of the prize as a permit to host the competition, even if noone in the province wins. That means Google would have had to pay Quebec $1 million just to allow Quebecers to participate.

Oh well … today, i see this as a sign that there is way too much legistation in Quebec.

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Comments

  • Daniel Haran November 12, 2007

    I just wrote about the very same thing – this extends to Netflix and many other contests.
    http://www.danielharan.com/2007/11/12/contests-not-for-quebec-residents/

  • Heri November 12, 2007

    hey Daniel,

    I didn’t see your post, I got it from an email. i also just double-checked about the 10% and there was another mention on slashdot, which sorts of confirm the whole thing.

    sigh.

  • Mat November 13, 2007

    the weight of the ridiculous administration of the quebec government is just too heavy a load for a citizen to bear. combine that with the circus-like politics (yes even more circus-like than most other politics) and it’s just a down right difficult province in which to live.

  • A.P. November 13, 2007

    Jeff Fillion (aka the monster to a lot of people) have been denouncing this law for like 10 years and has called RACJ a number of times about it. It was supposed to get fixed….

  • stephdau November 13, 2007

    The best part, if you listen to the gov’s explanation around this law, is that they’re *selling it* as a way to ensure the contest aren’t fake, to protect poor little us from fraud…

    Thank you, nanny state, for protecting us against the evils of… scientific challenges.

    Of course, on the other hand, they’re the ones running the lotteries, casinos, poker machines, etc. So monopoly preservation would be more like it.

  • Martin Dufort November 13, 2007

    I always tought that this has to do with the Regie des Lotteries et Courses du Quebec who is asking for the rules to be sanctionned (yes) and published in both languages to ensure proper and equal chances to the population….but perhaps I’m wrong…

  • FrankLamontagne November 13, 2007

    This law is ridiculous… whatever the way we look at it.

  • A. P. November 13, 2007

    The author is right. The RACJ (Régie des alcools des courses et des jeux) asks for 10% of any contest prize. I’m going to write to my MP and a journalist about it. I don’t think it’ll change something but if each of us do the same, we nay have a chance.

  • Roberto November 13, 2007

    I’m looking at this today for the Montreal Gazette. If you know someone who wanted to participate in this challenge but clearly can’t, have him/her contact me.

    (use the contact form on my blog).

  • Carl Mercier November 13, 2007

    1. Incorporate in Delaware
    2. Build the most awesome Android app you can
    3. Google loves it
    4. Profit!

  • JBP November 13, 2007

    Hello folks

    I believe your “rate” are not exact… If you look at this document from the Quebec Government, the licence fees are 10% is the contest is only in Quebec.

    If the contest is across Canada, including Quebec, the rate is at 3%.

    And if it is an international contest, it is only 0,5%…

    For a “non profit organisation”, it is a fix rate of 25$.

    http://www.racj.gouv.qc.ca/documents/formulaires/francais/Avis_concours_pub.pdf

  • Daniel Haran November 13, 2007

    JBP – Thanks for digging figures. So that would be $50k for Google, or $5k for Netflix, on top of the hassle of registering.

    Scanning that document, there are specific rules in case the prize is a trip, a vehicle or a swimming pool. It’s shocking that this would also be applied to contests like the ones we’re discussing.

  • Fred Brunel November 13, 2007

    I think making an Android app for the Blitzweekend, is a great idea.

    Ok, we can’t win the $25,000 but I think there is more to win if the app is good.

    :)

  • Heri November 13, 2007

    @JBP: italy was excluded too because they had to go through a lot of bureaucratic hooks, and also deposit cash for the prize. i am sure Google lawyers went through all the documents, in any case, if they found Quebec hazardous, it’s not their fault.

    @Fred Brunel you are more than welcomed to make an android app for blitzweekend :-)

    will take about it later…

  • Jerome Paradis November 14, 2007

    Argh! I won’t talk about the RACJ. Every time I do, I become mad. Not good for my health…

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  • Charles November 12, 2008

    Well they are just scared that us québecers get a flawless victory.

  • Heri November 12, 2008

    Charles, so do you do Android applications?

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