API Mashup Developer Contest: A Rube Goldberg Holiday

December 19, 2011
Written by
Meghan Murphy
Contributor
Opinions expressed by Twilio contributors are their own

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The holidays are upon us! This means lots of napping, big meals, more napping, and too

 much time with family. The best part? Extra time for hacking. So we thought an extra special API mashup developer challenge would be perfect over the extended holidays, with just a smidge of holiday cheer.

The Challenge: Build a Digital Rube Goldberg machine

This would be an hyper-engineered machine that accomplishes a simple task, such as this beauty from Back to the Future or this favorite from Goonies. Create a Twilio app with multiple APIs, stringing together as many as possible to effect a very simple result.  Bonus points for using multiple Twilio capabilities and double extra bonus points for a holiday theme.  Holiday hilarity powered by a comically complex demonstration of API prowess – a Twilio kind of holiday.


How the Twilio Rube Goldberg Contest Works

We’ll be judging on the best use of multiple APIs and Twilio capabilities, the more the better, along with the most creative implementation. Maybe use this time to dig into Twilio Client or try out a TwiML verb you’ve never used before. Use of holiday theme for extra bonus points.

Looking for some new APIs to play with? Here’s a few of our favorites:

If you’re looking for inspiration take a look at last year’s holiday contest, where anything goes. A hacked doorbell, Blizzalert for the snow and a translation app just to name a few.

What’s at stake for this contest, aside from the epic glory of mashing the most API’s ever mashed before with Twilio?  We’re giving away a Mac Book Air *and* a full-sized Christmas Story Leg Lamp.

Contest Rules

  • Entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM PST Sunday January 1st
  • Entries must use Twilio API
  • Entry cannot be an app that has previously won a Twilio Developer Contest
  • Bonus points for submission to the Twilio App Gallery
  • Extra bonus points for use of Twilio Client

What’s This Developer Contest About?

Every two weeks, we encourage developers to build something awesome with a Twilio-powered contest. As a language agnostic platform for cloud communications, we want developers of every shape, size and stripe to solve problems and grab a little glory using Twilio. To kickstart the creative process, we’ve run these developer contests for over a year.

How To Get Involved

Submissions are accepted via this handy-dandy form. If you need any help or want to bounce some ideas off of other Twilio coders, join us on our forums or just drop a note to help@twilio.com.