Ball State Launches New Android App for Students
Ball State University has launched bConnected, a new student-focused mobile application for Android and Google TV. Released this fall, the new application enables students to access information about course schedules, grades, financial aid awards, and student organizations right from their smartphones and tablets.
bConnected is the product of a collaborative effort by Ball State's technology departments. Led by the university's senior software engineer for developing technologies, Kyle Parker, the team worked to create a mobile application that would put information that students routinely need at their fingertips.
"It's designed for the students," Parker said in a prepared statement. "We're looking for creative and innovative ideas on different ways we can incorporate the application and Google TV into places where students live, work, and play."
Philip Repp, vice president of information technology at Ball State, sees the new app as a way to improve service to their student community. "Through the development of bConnected and other initiatives, the university is pursuing meaningful mobile self-service apps for our students," said Repp. "This is an app that helps students conduct important day-to-day transactions and reduces the hassle factor so they can focus more on learning."
bConnected was created exclusively for Ball State students, but the university is hoping other campuses will follow their example. Institutions can download bConnected for free from the Google Code project hosting site and customize it to suit their needs.
Ball State recently launched version 2.0 of bConnected and is planning to release the iPhone version soon. Students, faculty, and staff can access the app on Google TV at the Unified Technology Support Center in the university's Bracken Library. Android users can download the free app at the Android market.
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Kanoe Namahoe is online editor for 1105 Media's Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].