Participating runners or fans can obtain a variety of information on the marathon ranging from checking real-time runner status through the abMarathon app, downloading photos through the abPhoto service, to joining the marathon chat rooms.

“Acer's Build Your Own Cloud (BYOC) platform is an integrated software and hardware service that brings together a variety of devices and cross-platform cloud technology," said Jason Chen, corporate president and CEO of Acer.

“With Acer BYOC supporting the Wan Jin Shi marathon, participants' and family can check runners’ route and latest status through the app, while also seeing runners’ photos in real-time. This publicly available app is a perfect demonstration of Acer’s ability to integrate cloud technology and applications on mobile devices.”

The abMarathon app combines information obtained from the runner’s timing chip through the sensor mats with the BYOC platform and the internet. Runners or their friends and family can join as a member through the abSportsfun sports platform, download the app and login with the same account, enter the runner’s bib number and individually check each runner’s real-time status, with access to their location, race time, and average running speed on smartphones or tablets.

Photos of all participants will be recorded through cameras and Acer smartphones and provided free-of-charge to runners. Event photos provided by Acer can be viewed on the abSportsfun platform, and runners who have joined as a BYOC member can receive their personal photos directly in their abPhoto folder on their smartphone or tablet.

All of these services are provided by Acer and connected through the cloud so that runners can put their focus on the race, while friends, family, and fans can gain access to event-related information of the runner without physically being on-site.

abSportsfun also hosted the marathon’s registration website in November 2014 and successfully achieved its goal of offering a smooth online registration process. In just a little over 4 minutes all 12,000 spots available for registration were filled and completed via the website created by Acer.