Switching students on to iPhone apps

As mobile devices soar in popularity, visiting ICT fellows at Swinburne University are committed to sharing the most up-to-date knowledge on the software driving them. The group will deliver a series of packed out presentations in August covering how to take an iPhone app from concept to development, using their own successful experience as an example.

The presenters, Mark Makdad, Ross Sharrott and Paul Chapman, co-founded Long Weekend, a mobile software venture after leaving executive jobs in Tokyo. Their first success was a language learning app called Japanese Flash, and they are now setting their sights on “location aware” applications.

Their insight into user-focused software represents a combination of ICT knowledge, university support and international experience. In an interesting twist, some of the material used is derived from research carried out 15 years ago by Swinburne Business researchers.

According to Chapman, making software for apps is very different to software for a PC.

"There isn't much memory on an iPhone, and they have a limited battery life. Developers need to be very thoughtful with their code - and this won't change. Your fingers aren’t going to get any smaller,” Chapman said.

Rajesh Vasa, a lecturer in Swinburne's faculty of ICT, is currently working with the team to develop a new subject on mobile device programming.

"The subject will cover how to design software specifically for mobiles. The visiting fellows are working with the faculty to make sure the subject is as relevant as it can be,” Vasa said.

Both the visiting fellows and Vasa are keen to give students a big-picture view of software for mobiles – the team has even taken on student interns from Swinburne so they can gain hands-on experience.

Long Weekend plan to continue investigating and creating apps that give the user the best possible experience.

“It’s about making technology that is complex under the hood so that it’s simple to use,” Sharrott said.

The first of three presentations on creating iPhone apps will be held on Wednesday 4 August from 5.30pm to 6.30pm in the Engineering building at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus. The session will be recorded and made available after the date on iTunesU and YouTube.

For more information on the presentation, see the event website at .

See the Long Weekend website for more information.