By Senior Editor – Kris Smith (@croncast)

The New York City Big Apps winners were announced this evening and release by Center Networks.

The winners were selected from contest entrants that developed applications to best transmit information about city and add to transparency. That information took on all kinds of shapes with this contest with apps for direction, city visualization, taxi ratings and feedback to apps for picking a library book or finding something interesting to do at any park in the city.

Without further ado this is from Center Networks (full awards list):

Best Overall Application:

• Grand Prize: WayFinder NYC – an application that allows users to find the nearest and best directions to New York City subway and New Jersey PATH stations on Android phones. It was also selected as the Grand Prize winner for the “Data Visualization Award.” Team members: Victor Sima and Steven Lao.
• Second Prize: Taxihack – an application that allows users to post live comments on New York City taxis and their drivers via email (alert@taxihack.com) or Twitter (@taxihack). Users send messages to the system, which are then posted on the appropriate pages for public viewing. Team members: Randy Meech and Sam Cole.
• Third Prize: Big Apple Ed – an education application that provide residents with an easy-to-use guide to schools in the City, including school searches, top ten lists, analyses, comparison charts, and detailed school profiles. Team members: Adda Birnir, Jonathan Soma, and Kate Reyes.
• Five Honorable Mentions were also awarded for Best Overall Application including: Actuatr, UpNext 3D NYC, Trees Near You, PushPin Web, and NYC Way.

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