
Yes. At least that is what we got - an **iPad** - for creating a product within 24 hours during the Hackathon event held @ PayPal.

To give you the context, **Hackathon** is an event organized internally at PayPal to bring up new products developed around [PayPal APIs][1]. If you can develop a useful application within 24 hours, then you'll get amazing prizes including iPads, Kindles, iPods and lots of recognition with in the company.

[1]: https://www.x.com/community/ppx/dev-tools

In the last event, I was part of the team **FooBar **who came at the first place to win the amazing iPads! We developed a consumer focused solution to enable mobile digital meal coupons/vouchers. I developed the mobile app to download/scan the digital coupons, using [Zxing][2] in Android platform. Rest of my team took care of the PHP website that will be used to acquire merchants/users, carry out PayPal transactions and distribute digital coupons to users.

[2]: http://code.google.com/p/zxing/

Overall, it was amazing experience. One day before the event, we were at zero, having only the idea in our hand. But, at the end of the event, we were having a product running on the server and a mobile application ready for the demo. We couldn't believe ourselves, when our team name was announced on the stage!

And, btw, if you are an Android developer and wants to get **$25,000**, then don't miss to participate in [PayPal X Developer Challenge!][4]

[4]: https://www.x.com/people/BaldGeek/blog/third-paypal-x-developer-challenge-google-android-apps

Here are some photographs taken during the event.

_FooBar team:_(from left) Sam, Elankeeran, Koushik, Veera and Venkatesh.
![][5]

[5]: https://veerasundar.com/img/2011/03/hackathon-1.jpg

Our team, explaining our product to PayPal VP _Nik Sathe_.
![][7]

[7]: https://veerasundar.com/img/2011/03/hackathon-2.jpg

and finally, the winners are:
![][8]

[8]: https://veerasundar.com/img/2011/03/hackathon-3.jpg


#celebration (1)