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ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï's Jodrey School of Computer Science Launches iÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï

ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï first Nova Scotia university to create 'app' to meet growing demand for products for mobile devices

Two students in ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï's Jodrey School of Computer Science have developed and launched a mobile 'app' for use on Apple Computer's iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Fourth-year students Ryan Wooden of Canaan, NS and Alex Sanford of North Alton, NS, uploaded iÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï to Apple's App Store on September 30.

Wooden and Sanford began working on iÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï in 2009, under the direction of computer science associate professor, Dr. Darcy Benoit.  Benoit wanted to use the research as preparatory work for his new course in mobile and ubiquitous computing now being offered at ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï.

"Mobile computing is exploding worldwide, particularly amongst young people, and it's important that we work in the same space as our students," said Benoit. "There were more than 1.2 billion mobile phones sold around the world last year, so this is where innovation is taking place. Our students text more than they email, so what better way to develop an app than to have it done by the students themselves? I saw my job as setting them up, asking a few questions and getting out of the way. The result has been phenomenal. To our knowledge, this is the only app that has been entirely developed by students."

iÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï has a number of useful features for prospective and current students, faculty, staff, and alumni. From iÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï, a user can:

  • download and play university videos;
  • receive news stories and updates as well as varsity sports scores and information;
  • look up phone numbers and email addresses and call or email directly from your device;
  • connect to ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï's searchable, expandable campus map;
  • look up daily updated course information including its description, time, location via the campus map, labs and professors;
  • call campus security directly from the app with your iPhone; and,
  • connect to news feeds from ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï, the ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï Students' Union, and ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï's student newspaper, the Athenaeum.

"Alex and I were looking at Stanford University's app and we just decided we could do it better," said Wooden. "Stanford's app was developed by an outside vendor that has done a few others that all look the same, but we wanted ours to be different. We had a great deal of freedom to develop our own app, but we also had to do all the work. I think if I've learned anything, it's that I'd like to see if I can do this for a living."

Since being launched quietly last week, the app has already been downloaded more than 500 times. The app can be downloaded for free at .

ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï

ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, has long been recognized as one of Canada's premier post-secondary institutions. With its nationally and internationally recognized undergraduate and graduate research initiatives, small classes, and technology-rich teaching and learning environment, ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï offers students an experience that includes academic achievement combined with personal growth and development. ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï also offers distance learning, certificate programs, language training and other university extension programs through Open ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï. For more information about ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï, visit our website at .

 

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