Last modified: Thursday, September 2, 2010
Apple iTunes App Store now loaded with latest IU assets; Oncourse, OneStart on the way
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 2, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- All things Indiana University are now at your fingertips with the announcement by IU officials that you can now use your smart phone or other mobile device to view an array of services designed to benefit students, faculty and staff. An iPhone and iPod Touch friendly version is available through the iTunes store, while users with other smart phones and devices can find many of the same tools and functions at m.iu.edu on their mobile browser.
Expect frequent upgrades to the new IU Mobile App now available at the Apple iTunes App Store, including Oncourse features and OneStart.
Providing real-time, GPS-enabled information about bus routes, campus and sports news, and the location of open seats in computer labs, the new service is expected to benefit students, faculty, and staff, as well as alumni, parents, and even prospective students, according to Tara Bazler, manager of the University Information Technology Services unit responsible for mobile service delivery at IU.
"This new, free app for Apple smart phones is a way to quickly access information about the university, whether it's something as simple as a lunch menu, the exact location of a bus or a real time score update from an IU football game, " Bazler said.
While the new IU Mobile App is designed for the Apple iOS, Brian McGough, director of Enterprise Services Integration and Delivery at UITS, said other platforms will also soon be supported.
"We understand the need to support mobile platforms such as Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile etc., and are committed to providing platform-friendly versions of mobile services in the coming months," McGough said. "Users can also expect frequent upgrades throughout the year as new functions are added."
"We take feedback seriously, and we want to improve and evolve the app in ways that users want. In particular, students have already indicated an interest in seeing more features from Oncourse," Bazler added, referring to IU's online learning management system.
The IU mobile service is the product of a broadly collaborative effort among UITS, PAGR (Public Affairs and Government Relations), IUSA, Campus Bus, IU Athletics and campus executives at several IU campuses. The contributions from PAGR were particularly significant, according to Barry Walsh, associate vice president for Enterprise Software at UITS.
"Valerie Pena and her organization were catalysts in enabling mobile services through direct commitments, marketing and the provision of content for the service such as alert, calendar, and news information and services," Walsh said.
A number of campus-specific functions are currently in place -- Jaguar athletics from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, dining service information from IU Southeast, and class cancellation functions at IU Northwest. Other campus specific services will be introduced in the future.
Also in the works for the IU Mobile app are an IU Bloomington athletics function that will provide sports-related news, team rosters, schedules, and scores; an IU Bloomington Residential Programs and Services function that will provide residence hall menus and iBucks information; and an app from Recreational Sports that will provide information on facilities and activities.
For more information, please contact Steve Chaplin, University Communications, at 812-856-1896 or stjchap@indiana.edu.
