Smart helps prepare schools for Android

MANILA, Philippines- Can Filipinos create a global mobile application blockbuster hit like Angry Birds?

That at least is the Holy Grail of a new program recently launched by Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) to train Filipino engineering and IT students how to create mobile apps on the Android operating system.

Smart recently tapped Novare-Global Quality Education Partners (GQEP) to conduct an Android developers’ training for over 170 Information Technology (IT) and Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) teachers from partner schools under its Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP) and Applied Developers Intro School (ADIS).

The training was held to enable the teachers, chosen from 52 school partners nationwide, to teach Android applications development as an elective to their students.

Ramon Isberto, Smart public affairs group head, said the training is part of Smart’s commitment to set up a program that would help schools develop applications for smartphones, particularly Android phones like the Smart Netphone.

“Schools can play a significant role in the growing acceptance and usage of the Android software and the increasing demand for skilled Android developers in the country,” he said.

Android, an open-source platform developed by Google to power mobile devices, is the fastest growing mobile development platform in the world.

During the Google I/O 2011 Developer Conference held earlier this month, the Android team led by Vic Gundotra, senior vice president for social of Google, and Hugo Barra, product management director for Android, shared that thanks to the ecosystem of manufacturers, developers and carriers, the Android platform has grown exponentially.

In just over two and a half years since the launch of Android, there are now 100 million activated Android devices, 400,000 new Android devices activated every day, 200,000 free and paid applications available in the Android Market, and 4.5 billion applications installed from the Android Market.

Their background in Java programming comes in handy for teachers participating in the Android developers’ training.

An April 2011 release from Gartner Inc., the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company, also said that worldwide smartphone sales will reach 468 million units in 2011, a 57.7 percent increase from 2010. 

The same release said Android will become the most popular operating system (OS) worldwide by the end of 2011, accounting for 49 percent of the projected 630 million units in smartphone sales in 2012.

Smart’s move to equip its partner schools in mobile applications development is aligned with its thrust to take the lead in promoting the shift to smartphones.

Early this year, Smart announced the introduction of a mobile phone application category in the SWEEP Awards, its annual search for innovative wireless applications development by partner schools.

The leading wireless services provider was also the first to introduce to the country the Huawei Ideos billed as “the world’s first affordable Android-powered smartphone,” shortly followed by the unveiling of the Smart NetPhone during the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Spain last February.

Called “a path-breaking smartphone created for emerging markets,” and also powered by Android, the Smart NetPhone is expected to further revolutionize smartphone and app use in the country with more localized and relevant applications and content.

Teachers participating in the Smart-sponsored Android develvopers’ training are expected to attain a solid foundation on the entire Android software cycle, from development to deployment on an actual Android smartphone provided by Smart.

They are also encouraged to take the certification examination on the last day of the training for free.  

Norman Guiao of FEATI University said he would endorse the creation of an Android elective for the school since it would give students the skills to develop applications for Android phones, making them globally competitive.

Gaudencio Bansil Jr. of the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP)-Manila also does not see any difficulty for students with Java programming experience to make the transition to Android applications development. “Definitely, it will prove interesting to students who are technologically savvy,” he said.

Participants who wish to pursue the offering of Android as an elective in their respective schools can make further inquiries on the full course material and license that will be provided by Novare-GQEP for a fee.