Blackboard, a dealer in enterprise technology, announced that it has unveiled a new native application for Android (News - Alert) smartphones for the Northwestern University with the intention to bring the company’s campus life and services app to one of the fastest growing mobile platforms.

With the addition of the Android application, Blackboard Mobile Central is available in native applications for all major mobile platforms including iOS which supports the Apple (News - Alert) iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and BlackBerry. The application is also available in a mobile Web version to support a broader range of Web-enabled phones and devices. 

Launched in 2009, Blackboard (News - Alert) Mobile Central brings the campus experience to the mobile device in an institution-branded application on the Apple iPhone & iPod Touch and BlackBerry devices. Services supported include the Campus Directory, Campus Maps, News, Athletics, Course Catalog, Events, and Media. Once enabled, the application is free to students, faculty, prospective students, parents, alumni and anyone else interested in staying connected to an institution, and can be downloaded from smartphone app stores.    

Blackboard Mobile Central also enables users to navigate campus maps and course catalogs, event calendars, campus news, sports schedules, and even a campus directory that allows users to call or email professors and classmates directly from the app.

Officials with the Northwestern University stated that most of their incoming students arrive with smartphones, and a growing number of these phones are Android devices. The ability for them to reach students through smartphones is a key to the overall experience and efficiency of their university. They are looking forward to exploring the ability to customize the app to meet the needs of individual schools and departments.  

Blackboard Mobile Central was launched on the iOS platform by Northwestern, the first institution to expand access to Android smartphones and also enable access to Blackboard Mobile Learn on selected devices that enables students and faculties to access their online course information on their smartphones.  

Developed as a native application exclusive to the Android platform, Blackboard Mobile Central for the Android leverages the device's unique features to provide an engaging user experience, including Widgets, an Android-specific feature that allows users to quickly and easily access important information from Blackboard Mobile Central at a glance from their home screen.