Specialised Microsoft and mobile application development company, 3fifteen played a central role in the development of a Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 application that allowed golfing fans to stay on top of the latest news and scores during the Dimension Data Pro-Am golf tournament.
The project marks the first time a major sporting event in South Africa had its own dedicated Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 app. The app allowed spectators to track players, keep abreast of scores, watch IP video footage, view player profiles and leaderboards, and interact with live social media feeds - all in real time.
"The application development project was a complex endeavour that involved collaboration between several stakeholders working together to meet an immovable deadline, while working with cutting-edge Microsoft technologies," says Managing Director of the 3fifteen Solutions Division, Jimi Lutz. "It also involved the technical challenge of developing multiple integration points to handle a flow of real-time data during the tournament."
3fifteen led the software development effort, but also worked closely with the following organisations to bring the app to life: Dimension Data, Internet Solutions, Microsoft, Scope Technologies, The Sunshine Tour and Samsung.
"This project has brought together a range of the latest technologies to deliver a seamless, unified user experience through a Windows 8 or Windows Phone interface," says Lutz. "But there was a staggering amount of complexity involved in the integration in the backend."
The app offered a live tournament score feed by tracking both amateur and professional players during the tournament. Sunshine Tour scorers are equipped with the necessary technology to capture scores on all three golf courses simultaneously. Scope Technologies' GeoPins GPS tracking devices were used to track players, with an accuracy level of up to two metres.
The data fed into an Azure database, hosted by 3fifteen. Azure is Microsoft's cloud-based hosting solution and enabled the development teams to quickly deploy the app to production servers without investment in hardware. The database provided the data for live feeds to the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 application.
Lutz says the attractive and intuitive menu- and gesture-driven user interface designed by the 3fifteen design team is another aspect of the project of which the company is proud. It used the Windows 8 user interface to provide a tablet full-screen experience with contextual menus and charms that ensure the same experience on other Windows mobile devices.
The Dimension Data Pro-Am, now in its 17th year, is a four-day entry on the Sunshine Tour calendar and also included European Tour players. The tournament is held on the Montagu, Outeniqua and The Links golf courses, at the Fancourt Golf Estate, in George. The Pro-Am Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 application was made available for download from the Windows Store and Windows Marketplace.
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