E-Life Week 8-9

This week, you will be learning about mobile apps

I have links to online resources for research; please read the following articles and/or explore the following sites:

The fight gets technical: mobile apps vs. mobile sites
Mobile Web App vs. Native App? It's Complicated

Understanding Mobile Apps
Consumers Now Spending More Time on Mobile Apps Than the Web [STUDY]
TripWire: 80 Best iPad Apps
Mobile Apps for Education Evolving
Making It a Mobile Web App
Government apps for mobile devices could be on the way
How mobile devices and the cloud will converge

Then, create a blog post explaining:

• What an “app” is.
• What you need to download and use an app.
• What types of data apps can access.
• Why some apps collect location data.
• Why some apps are free.
• Why some apps have advertisements.
• How app makers are able to customize advertisements to your specific interests.
• Why you should keep your apps updated.
• Whether you can trust reviews about apps.

This post is due by 12:00 (noon) on Wednesday, November 14.

Next, we you will be building your own mobile app :)

First, do some research (as needed) in order to answer the following questions:

• What kind of mobile application am I building and why would people want to use it?
• Who are my specific users? 
• How are you going to keep and grow your user base?
• How will I get my app on to my customers?
• Will I be able to make money with my application?
• What activities do I need to complete to publish this application?
• What resources do I need to produce this application?

Post the answers to your blog by 12:00 (noon) on Friday, November 18.

Then, go to the appsbar website

This development environment is free and will allow you to publish your app to iTunes and Android Market. Explore this site as needed in order to become familiar with all of the possibilities it allows for.

Then, “Sign Up For Free”

Create any app you would like! Be creative!

Once you have created and your app, you will need to create a new post explaining your app; you will need to need to take screenshots of it so that we can see the UI in order for us to best understand how it works.

This is due by 12:00 (noon) on Wednesday, November 23.

Publish your app. When you receive notice that the app has been approved, you should include proof that it has been published on your blog. Include directions as to where we can find and download this app to our own smartphones.

Each of you is to comment on at least one other person’s app creation by 11:59pm on Sunday, November 27

Extra credit for those of you who download one of your fellow classmates’ apps to your smartphone :)

You can show this to me after we reconvene from Thanksgiving break on Monday, November 28

E-Life Week 7

This week, you will be learning about cloud computing and open source technologies.

I have links to online resources for research; please read the following articles and/or explore the following sites:

The Cloud:

• What Is Cloud Computing?
• Cloud Computing: The Layperson’s Guide to Distributed Networks 
• Apple’s iCloud 
• Amazon Cloud Drive 
• Microsoft’s Cloud Power 

 Open Source:

• Open Source Initiative
• An Open Letter From Steve Jobs Regarding Open Source
• Apple Open Source Development
• Google Open Source Program
• Android Open Source Project
• 20 Most Popular Open Source Software Ever
• Best Open Source Software for Web Designers and Developers

For your assignment, you are to create two blog posts containing the following:

1. An explanation, in your own words of what “cloud computing” is. Where is this cloud? Include examples of various cloud-based services. Next, select one cloud-based service of interest, research it and share your findings with us.
2. An explanation, in your own words what “open source” means. Be sure to include how open source technologies impact both developers and end-users. Explain the various open source initiatives currently being utilized. Next, select one open source application of interest, research it and share your findings with us. 

These posts are due by Sunday, November 13 at 12:00pm. 

Next, read each of your fellow classmates' postings in order to find out about which topics they chose to explore in-depth. Comment on at least one posting by Monday, November 14 at 12:00pm.

*Note: You are certainly not restricted to procuring information from only the links I have provided. Also, as usual, please do not forget to provide links back to the sources from which you obtain your information.