Winner of BlackBerry's student contest designs case for bike-riding Priv users

BlackBerry recently ran a contest to see which student could come up with the best idea for an accessory or case for the Android flavored BlackBerry Priv. The contest, dubbed the The Priv Carrying Solution Design Competition, has produced a winning entry that might actually get turned into a new accessory for BlackBerry Priv users to buy.

Benjamin Miller of Ottawa's Carleton University was the winner of the contest with his "Priv + Ride," which is essentially a carrying case that allows bicyclists to use the smartphone while they pedal down the road. The Priv + Ride carrying case is attached to a jersey worn by the bicycle rider. The phone rests inside a rubberized, waterproof container on the back of the jersey, while buttons located on the front of the jersey control volume, call and music playback on the Priv.

The judges looked at four qualities of each entry, the aesthetics, innovation, features and function. One of the judges was Cortez Corley, Senior Industrial Designer at BlackBerry. According to Corley, the student designers also had to "leverage the unique form factor and functionality of the Priv to create thoughtfully designed product solutions."


For the award-winning design, Miller received $1000 from BlackBerry along with a Priv. But that is all he will get. If the Priv + Ride becomes a real product, all of the proceeds will be donated to Carleton U. in Miller's name.

The runner-up was Koji Tokushige of North Carolina State University. He received $500 and a Priv for his Priv Aluminum Bumper Case that protects the phone without covering it up. Third place belonged to Ervin Yalung of Toronto's Humber College. He designed the Koi camera lens case which comes with interchangeable lens.


source: BlackBerry via Crackberry