Blackboard BlackBerry application for students

[cellinator]

The bad news about BlackBoard Mobile is that your college must adopt it as a new "service". It's not a standalone app that you can download and install on your berry. This is really what we truly want. However, Blackboard has decided to make the functionality a "service" that must be paid for to use.

Also, the features offered in this mobile product don't address some of the key requests. Students (and faculty I might add) want an app or "portal" that is part of the same adopted version of BB that is mobile friendly. They don't want different areas of features (e.g., a map function, class list, etc.) they simply want to be able to access the current Blackboard platform in a Blackberry friendly app. To be quite honest, I would simply be happy with a WAP version of the site. I guess I would use the Facebook app as an example (granted it has had some issues as of late). With the Facebook app, you can virtually do everything you would if you were using a PC (aside from missing Flash compatibility!). Most of the time I reply to messages, post pictures, comments on status updates, etc. right from my Blackberry. NOT from the website via a PC. In fact, I haven't logged into my account on a PC in MONTHS! lol.

THAT IS THE KIND OF APP WE WANT BLACKBOARD! Stop gouging your users with additional fees for something that should be part of your platform by default. This should be true no matter what iteration of the product was adopted.

The app should allow users to access discussion boards, reply to posts, upload attachments, subscribe to threads, complete assignments and exams, etc. The app should allow users to add new content (e.g., folders, items, etc.) from the app. The app should allow users to email the class, email the instructor, email groups, have a live (real time) chat option, etc. THIS is what the users want.

The mobile market is large now. Later, it will be HUGE. This will make support for it essential, necessary and unavoidable. Developers will have to develop ALL functionality with mobile in mind along with normal web users. If they don't they will miss the mark miserably.

I think making mobile compatibility a "service" to be purchased is wrong on so many levels.

[Sandlotje]

Okay, so I am no longer at a college that uses BlackBoard, but we use Angel. A similar program, but is not nearly as nice an interface as BlackBoard; fortunately though, BlackBoard owns Angel as well, so there is hope for Angel students. I sent BlackBoard yet another email and hopefully this time they will respond. If I get a response, I'll be sure to let you all know. It's not fair that there is an iPhone app and not a BlackBerry one. Hopefully they'll be interested.

[eyecon82]

arghh..so i guess individual schools have to pay for this blackberry add-on...with the crappy economy..do you think schools are willing to pay extra for this?

[JPD217]

Yeah, your school has to subscribe to Blackboard mobile, mine doesn't. I emailed Blackboard and said what we really need is a system as described above by cellinator. A mobile site that anyone authorized to use blackboard could access, or just a WAP version of their site. I'll post their response, if I get one.



JPD217

[eyecon82]

yea..why does blackboard have to make things more complicated?

just have a wap site we can access...why is that so hard to do?

[cellinator]

Originally Posted by eyecon82

yea..why does blackboard have to make things more complicated?

just have a wap site we can access...why is that so hard to do?

This is exactly my point. From a business standpoint (meaning Blackboard) addressing mobile needs as a service diversifies your offerings to your market (drawing more blood from the same body.....oh...I mean maximizing your revenue!)

I applaud their desire to maximize revenue. However, I'm not a shareholder, I'm a Blackboard user, and trying to extract MORE money from me for services that should already be included pisses me off.

Everything with Blackboard is not "easy". It takes them forever to address problems in a supposedly "finished" version of Blackboard (Blackboard 9 is a great example).

I guess the only way around this is to have a web browser robust enough to access Blackboard in a manner similar to a PC. I do pretty well with Bolt and Opera although it's cumbersome. I'm waiting for that webkit wonder coming to a new berry near you.

Maybe they will get smart and think about their users for once. They SAY they do but their actions speak otherwise.

[twester65]

Originally Posted by eyecon82

arghh..so i guess individual schools have to pay for this blackberry add-on...with the crappy economy..do you think schools are willing to pay extra for this?

My school will probably adopt it and add a new fee to the tuition bill.

[unlimited90]

whats with the additional fee for mobile application? aren't our universities paying blackboard yet? i think universities should shop around and find another service that is blackboard alike and just switch. i for one doesn't see anything special about blackboard anyway.