When you have the kind of bankroll that Google carries around in their back pocket, it’s not hard to seed the entire free world with gratis smartphones like the Google Nexus One or Motorola Droid. Granted, Google isn’t about to hand out free high-end Google phones to the entire world, but they’re going to do eligible Android developers a “solid” with a program that will distribute either an N1 or Droid to devs that have proven their coding chops in the Android Market. If you’re an Android dev and you have an app in the Market with at least 3.5 stars across 5,000 downloads, Google will soon be sending out a new phone as part of its “Device Seeding Program.”
The announcement came through emails sent from Google to devs, putting them on notice that they qualify to get a free Nexus One or Droid. If you’re in that group, you already know what we’re talking about. If not, you might want to look into getting started with Android development in hopes of getting a free phone. This is what the email says:
Due to your contribution to the success of Android Market, we would like to present you with a brand new Android device as part of our developer device seeding program. You are receiving this message because you’re one of the top developers in Android Market with one or more of your applications having a 3.5 star or higher rating and more than 5,000 unique downloads.
In order to receive this device, you must click through to this site read the terms and conditions of the offer and fill out the registration form to give us your current mailing address so that we can ship your device.
You will receive either a Verizon Droid by Motorola or a Nexus One. Developers with mailing addresses in the US will receive either a Droid or Nexus one, based on random distribution. Developers from Canada, EU, and the EEA states (Norway, Lichtenstein), Switzerland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore will receive a Nexus One. Developers with mailing addresses in countries not listed above will not receive a phone since these phones are not certified to be used in other countries.
We hope that you will enjoy your new device and continue to build more insanely popular apps for Android!
So, it looks like Americans are going to get an N1 or Droid at random. The choice is apparently Google’s. Any Android devs in Canada, EU, Norway, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Singapore automatically get a Nexus One. For all the rest of you, sorry, you get nothing.
So, are there any developers out there expecting some freebies from Google? Kudos!
[Via: TechCrunch]