Title: Why Windows 8 Embraces Three Groundbreaking Health Apps
The Greatist Take:
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[Image Source]https://www.eatfindr.com
Sometimes, good things are worth the wait. In November, Microsoft kicked off a contest for developers to build the best social good app out there. You might be wondering, do people even use Microsoft phones? This contest is part of a strategy to position Windows as the top choice for social good apps, aiming to outshine the likes of Apple and Android.
So, what did the winning entries reveal? More than anything, they showed that health is on everyone's mind and we're all yearning for personalized solutions to our unique needs. Can this contest shed light on how tech companies, specifically Windows, prioritize health and fitness? Will these brand-new apps become part of a broader connection between tech giants and healthy living?
What's Happening?
From November to March, Microsoft challenged tech enthusiasts and coding geniuses to develop an app that could change the world for the better – be it promoting clean water, advocating literacy, or simply facilitating a healthy lifestyle. After submitting, publishing, and registering their apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone, developers had a chance to compete for the coveted “Windows 8 Apps for Social Good Contest” title.
Out of the 21 contenders, the panel of judges voted for the top three ideas focusing on personal health.
- Windows 8 Award: Eatfindr
The Eatfindr app addresses the struggle of finding healthy restaurants in unfamiliar cities, especially for those with complex food allergies. Co-founded by Cameron Preston, Ludo Antonov, and Hayder Casey, Eatfindr filters nearby health-conscious restaurants by distance, popularity, and allergy or dietary restriction. At the moment, the app caters primarily to major West Coast cities, but the developers hope to expand through user input and feedback.
- Windows Phone 8 Award: Health Center
In the Windows Phone category, Health Center secured the top spot. This app simplifies the process of finding cheaper prescription medications on-the-go by comparing name-brand and generic drugs. While searching for discounted medication options on a computer is straightforward, doing so on a smartphone can be challenging. Health Center addresses this need by allowing users to find cheaper meds right from their phones.
- People's Choice Award: YumvY
YumvY snagged the People's Choice Award for making homemade cooking feel less like a chore and more like a joy. The app offers step-by-step recipe guides to make home cooking easier, faster, and more enjoyable. By highlighting helpful features like division of labor, simultaneous cooking steps, and timers, YumvY aims to inspire more people to whip up nutritious meals at home.
Why Does It Matter?
Although the iconic 4-box logo still reminds many of Bill Gates and The Oregon Trail, Windows is making a concerted effort to stay relevant in the 21st century. Their latest operating system, Windows 8, debuted in the fall of 2012, positioning itself among the newest platforms available. Although Microsoft is still finding its place in the tech market, it hasn't overlooked the app boom – a significant aspect of modern technology.
Cameron Preston from Eatfindr shared that Microsoft has strict aesthetic requirements for apps, ensuring that the entire device shares the same clean layout, regardless of whether it's a PC, tablet, or smartphone. Despite the broad category of “Social Good,” all successful entrants chose to focus on personal health issues. With one app ensuring accessible dining for those with food allergies, another simplifying medication procurement, and the last making healthy cooking enjoyable at home, it's clear that developers and software execs have wellness on their minds. According to Preston, ideas for health-related apps often stem from real-life struggles. “People recognize the opportunity to create an app that solves personal problems, and this will make it more accessible to individuals facing the same issues,” he said. Could this signal the future of tech and health?
Enrichment Data
Overall:
The Windows 8 Apps for Social Good Contest showcased several apps prioritizing health and fitness by offering innovative ways to track and manage well-being. Although the specific entries from the contest aren't detailed in the provided sources, we can infer from the descriptions of various health and fitness apps how they prioritize health and fitness:
- Weightmania: Weightmania is an all-encompassing app for tracking health and fitness metrics, such as workouts, meals, nutrients, and medical data. It supports multiple types of cardio and weight training, providing users with the ability to track detailed workout, meal, and progress data. Customizable features allow users to add new foods and track various health metrics.
- 1st Phorm App: This app offers personalized nutrition guidance and a user-friendly macro tracker. It helps users follow their macros for weight loss, gain, or maintenance. Additionally, the app offers workout programs for different fitness levels and goals, as well as access to certified personal trainers and registered dietitians for personalized advice.
- MyFitnessPal: MyFitnessPal is a powerful nutrition tracking tool that allows users to track their meals, workouts, and progress towards health goals. It offers a massive food database, barcode scanner, and the ability to customize goals. Community engagement features, like fitness challenges and cash prizes, foster a sense of accountability and motivation among users.
These apps showcase how Windows apps prioritize health and fitness by offering comprehensive tracking tools, personalized advice, and community support. By providing detailed analytics, customizable plans, and social engagement features, they empower users to manage their well-being and achieve their health goals.
- The winning entries in the Microsoft contest highlighted the growing trend of prioritizing personalized health solutions, showcasing apps like Eatfindr, which uses technology to help people with complex food allergies find healthy restaurants.
- In the realm of health and fitness apps, Microsoft is aiming to position Windows as the top choice, as demonstrated by the winning entries of the "Windows 8 Apps for Social Good Contest", such as Health Center, which helps users find cheaper prescription medications.
- The contest also revealed the impact of technology on nutrition, with apps like YumvY using step-by-step recipe guides to make homemade cooking more enjoyable and accessible, promoting a healthier lifestyle.
- The news of these fitness and health trends, along with the Microsoft contest, is being circulated widely in technology and health news outlets, sparking interest in the role of apps in promoting good nutrition and fitness.
- In the social media sphere, there are discussions about the impact of these apps on other nutrition and fitness trends, with users sharing their experiences and offering feedback, contributing to the broader conversation about health and technology.
