Windows Phone Thoughts: Bridges.org and HP Donating iPAQs to South African Organizations

According to their website, the mission of Bridges.org is to "to promote the effective use of information and communications technology (ICT) in developing countries to improve people's lives. We work at the policy level -- by promoting policies and laws that foster widespread ICT use -- and at the grassroots level -- to help people understand ICT and its practical utility.". Recently they have had a competition to "support innovative ground level initiatives in South Africa that want to use handheld devices (handhelds) to improve people's lives. A total of 120 Hewlett Packard H4150 iPAQs will be given to up to ten winning organisations that demonstrate a clear strategy to harness the power of handhelds for social or economic development. The devices were donated by Hewlett Packard (HP) after being used by delegates at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos earlier this year. Bridges.org is looking for projects that use handhelds to fulfil local needs in local ways. Winners will be used as case study examples to illustrate how these devices can open the door for Africans to gain the benefits offered by ICT.". And on October 29, six winners were announced. The winners that were selected by the jury will apply the iPAQs in medical environments, to be used in teaching and in the crop-breeding industry. Kudos to HP for donating the iPAQs that were used in the high profiled Davos meeting, and to Bridges.org to make sure these iPAQs will be put to good use in a needing environment.