Microsoft Announced “Code7 Contest”, Win Free Tickets to PDC 2009 and up to $17,777 Cash

Microsoft has announced "Code7" contest for software developers. You have to develop a native Windows 7 application and you can win a free trip to LA for PDC09 and up to $17,777 in cash.

Microsoft announced about this contest on The Windows Blog:

Build an original, consumer-oriented client application prototype that runs natively on Windows 7 (for example Win32, WPF, MFC or WinForms – not an Air application or just a gadget) and addresses one or more of the following topic categories:

Simplify My Life
More Media, More Places
Gaming
Work From Anywhere
Safeguard Your Work
Applications for a Better Tomorrow

The application must use at least one of the following Windows 7 technology features; however, judging will give more weight to entries that take advantage of more than one of these features:

Libraries
Windows Touch
Shell Integration
DX11 (DirectX 11)
Sensor and Location Platform

The contest has several stages and few rules you need to be aware of:

To enter this contest you must create and submit a video in which you describe and demonstrate your application.
The first qualifying round starts at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on July 13, 2009, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on October 10, 2009 (“Entry Period”). You will be able to able to submit your video until midnight October 10, 2009. Your entry will be included in a pool with all eligible entries based on your geographical region.
Entries received by 11:59 p.m. PT on August 15, 2009, will be eligible to win an “Early Bird” prize described in the Winner Determination section below.
Following the close of the first qualifications, a panel of judges will select two runner-up winners and one Finalist from each Region.
Following judging, Microsoft will notify all winners and finalists and provide instructions for submitting their applications for evaluation.
Finalists will be invited to present their applications to a panel of judges at the Microsoft Partner Developer Conference 2009 (PDC09) in Los Angeles, CA, USA.