Mobile Computing | News

Indigo Rose Promotes Creation of School Android Apps

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 10/31/12

A software development company has updated a service that allows schools to create a customized Google Android app to connect to the school community and keep it informed about activities and resources. Andromo App Maker for Android from Indigo Rose Software requires no coding. To create the app, users mix and match features, such as interactive maps, photo galleries, news feeds, "phone us" and "email us," Twitter, Facebook, and other functions. The Andromo app generates native code for Android devices.

"Apps are the perfect way for schools to keep everyone informed, and they can also be a fun way to showcase school community events," said company founder Colin Adams.

In addition to display of Facebook, Twitter, PDF files, and contact information, the app also includes a way to stream broadcasts from school Internet radio stations through podcast and SHOUTcast Radio functions.

Although users can "kick the tires" for free, the service charges a monthly or annual fee to generate the code and build the Android app. Pricing is $25 a month or $129 per year (until November 30, 2012) for an unlimited number of apps. A professional version is available for $895 per year, which eliminates Andromo branding from the About screen, offers priority queuing for build jobs, and allows the developer to customize the app's internal Java package name.

Among the schools that have used the service are DeLand High School in Florida and Our Mother Of Sorrows Catholic School in Tucson, AZ.