It worked before, so they’re doing it again: Webware is launching its second Webware 100 Awards, honoring the people’s choice for the best Web 2.0 apps and services. There are 10 categories for awards in the Webware 100 including audio, browsing, video, publishing and photography, communications and more. Each category will have 10 winners in it.

The first stage in this contest is a nomination phase, so if you know of a site that you want people to vote on, nominate it now. Nominations will close on 25 January 2008.

As a warning, there’s no need to nominate a site more than once or to encourage friends to nominate an application or site that you’ve already nominated. Save those efforts for the voting phase, which will be announced after Webware has processed the nominations. Visit the site to learn more.

Every year PhotoshopCAFE’s biggest event is the design challenge. This year will be no exception (They already had to move the site to a dedicated server because of the contest traffic). Join creative minds from around the planet and battle for over $10,000 in prizes and R-E-S-P-E-C-T. As always, there is no cost to enter. This year, they are designing a cover for a Video Game. It’s a Photoshop theme and even if you don’t enter, the entries are a ton of fun to look at!

All entries must be posted no later than midnight PST 31 January 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

When American designers work with Italian materials great things happen. This competition, now in its 15th year, celebrates exceptional examples of contemporary American design featuring fabulous Italian ceramic tiles.

In order to select from a large pool of outstanding installations, an international jury looks at the overall design of the space as well as how the tiles meet their functional and technical requirements.

Deadline for this competition is 31 January 2008. Visit the site to learn more about elegible projects, rules, awards, and more.

Cool Hunting is sponsoring a skateboard design contest with their new friends over at Popdeck. The Threadless of skateboard design, Popdeck is a website that allows users submit and vote on designs with the winner getting a cash prize and their entry made into a limited-edition board.

Since Cool Hunting is a bit obsessive compulsive, and since they enjoy design that manifests elements of the orderly disorder, they decided to go with the theme of OCD. Interpret it anyway you’d like, but keep in mind that designs will be assessed both based on this concept as well as originality. The contest will run for three weeks (21 January?), giving you plenty of time to think up your best. In addition to having their design made into a board, the winner will get $200 cash, a free board and be entered into Cool Hunting Hall of Fame.

Create an account at Popdeck, enter the “Cool Hunting Contest,” download a submission kit, and start drafting your design now. Of the top five rated designs, they’ll choose their favorite from the finalists.

Via: Cool Hunting

MAILMeArt has finally had enough work sent via the post. A deadline has been set for 30 January to allow the compilers to start preparing for the MAiLmeART Exhibition and to allow them more time to compile the MAiLmeART Book which will be being published by HOW books. Their website will no longer be being maintained or updated until the Exhibition, and I’ve removed their ‘permanent’ link from the ongoing contests in the middle column. Visit the site to learn more.

Inhabitat and Core77 invite designers to explore the concept of “Greener Gadgets.” Designs should seek to minimize the environmental impact of consumer electronic devices at any stage in the product lifecycle. Areas of sustainability to consider include:

1. Energy
2. Materials / Lifecycle / Recycling
3. Social & educational development

Participants are encouraged to consider their designs as part of the entire product ecosystem, and should think as holistically as possible. Designers may choose to focus their entries on a particular area of human enterprise (learning, playing, communicating, etc.), or a particular context (work, home, school, etc.), a particular material, or a specific device. Entries may also seek to create new paradigms for products and services.

Deadline closes at 11:59 pm EST on 27 January 2008. Visit the Greener Gadgets site for details!