App to locate restaurant seats wins N.O. Super Bowl competition

A weekend spent furiously coding under the pressure of a ticking clock, broken up by the briefest of naps on floors and office furniture, came to a bleary-eyed close in New Orleans on Sunday for about four dozen software developers competing in the inaugural Codemakers Super Challenge, The Times-Picayune reports. Charged with creating Internet applications that will enhance the experiences of Super Bowl goers, competitors presented their products to a panel of judges and learned who were crowned winners of the contest affectionately called a “hackathon.” The grand prize—which includes donated business services, tickets to events, and meals at restaurants—went to a team that developed an app to help diners locate open seats at restaurants. Members of the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee had sought such a service, saying they hoped to avoid problems that unfolded around the NFL’s championship game in Indianapolis last year when some eateries became overcrowded as others waited for customers. Second place went to an app that helps people locate live music taking place around the city. Third place went to a digital tip jar that lets music fans tip performers through electronic payments. And the winner of a special prize, including $1,000 donated by the New Orleans 3D computer-modeling firm TurboSquid, went to an app that identifies activities and amenities in the city’s parks and playgrounds. Read the full story here.