Samsung backs Youth Olympics Games

MANILA, Philippines - Samsung will be the chief backer of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games as worldwide partner and presenter of the Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010 slated Aug. 14-26 in Singapore.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd committed its sponsorship the other day with the leading electronics firm providing over 5,000 sets of Samsung OmniaLITE (B7300) mobile phones to athletes and team officials during the 13-day sports conclave among the world’s top youth athletes.

The advanced Samsung smart phone will be preloaded with the “Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010” application that will enable users to obtain Singapore 2010-related content and services anytime, anywhere.

Development of the “Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010” application is a partnership between the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (SYOGOC) with Samsung, and in collaboration with SingTel. SingTel, the official multimedia services partner of the YOG, is sponsoring the mobile subscription and software for the “Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010.”

“Samsung is giving our full support in ensuring the success of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore’s sporting history,” said Gregory Lee, president and chief executive officer of Samsung Asia Pte Ltd. “We are delighted to offer the OmniaLITE blending stylish design and cutting edge features for youths from around the world to communicate and connect with one another. Through the provision of our handsets for the Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010 application, we hope to bring timely, accurate and interesting information to the Games.”

Through the application, athletes and key team officials will be able to obtain personalized schedules on competition events and map content. They will also be able to find out the latest results and get updates on culture and education program activities. Fun and interactive mobile services such as a one-stop mobile social networking feature will also let YOG participants stay engaged throughout the meet.

Key content on the “Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010” will be available in English and French. To cater to the diverse languages spoken by the YOG participants, a multi-lingual dictionary will be included in the application to enable real-time translation in seven languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish) supported by the mobile phones.

“The Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010 project was conceptualized, planned and developed within a year. This is short given that preparation for the inaugural YOG is only about two and a half years. The development of this application is coming to fruition through the hard work of multiple dedicated parties. I am confident that athletes and officials will find the Digital Concierge for Singapore 2010 a practical and useful tool during the Games,” said Goh Kee Nguan, chief executive officer of SYOGOC.