Hope you are in good health and managing as well as possible during these unprecedented challenging times.
I am writing to let you know that we just launched a major Computational Action initiative: MIT App Inventor Coronavirus App Challenge to encourage our app building community to contribute to the effort to stop the spread of coronavirus and aid our local communities. We also provide links to curricula (beginner to advanced level) that can help anyone become expert mobile app developers in a matter of a few days.
Would you be so kind to share this with your colleagues and students?
You can follow us and contribute in social media under the hashtag #AppInventorCoronavirusChallenge
Can we please be careful with these kind of apps or opinions. It can put users in danger because they could think they are protected from infection. I flagged and unlisted your post.
If you have wanted to build something to spread information about COVID-19, here's a great place to start! This free API sources its data from Johns Hopkins CSSE. You can make a difference!
Hi @Selim_Tezel, hope all is well. Very appreciative that you and your team are putting on the contest. Was wondering the following about the challenge: 1. prize or reward for winner 2. when the app is due by 3. when the winner is selected. Thank you!
Greetings again,
The Coronavirus App Challenge is an ongoing contest that is part of the App of the Month (AOTM) contest. You submit your app via the page: http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/app-month-gallery
At the end of every month best submissions will be posted on our web site as well as being exhibited in our social media under the hashtag: #AppInventorCoronavirusChallenge
PS: On the issue of prize: there is currently no prize offered other than the usual App of the Month winners badges and the publicity/exposure you will get on our sites. We have been contacted by some magazines about our App Challenge and you may be requested an interview. If your app is indeed of great societal value, you may chose the publish it on Google Play store and monetize it. Of course, needless to say, the greatest prize will be your knowing that you have put your technical knowledge to good use to do something of lasting value to ease the pain of your fellow human beings during this uncommonly difficult period in human history.
A tip for those who want to publish on Google Play - be sure that COVID-19 related apps do not have ads (no monetization) nor promote any business. Google & Apple are both rapidly removing any apps that take advantage of the world situation to make money. When searching on Google Play Store, users can not even find existing apps related to COVID-19 (instead Google Play shows a message about best reliable resources to find information). Google seems to have blocked search results of COVID-19 apps, so related apps can only be shared manually to friends & family or on social media via link right now.
Other developers say that Google is taking more time that usual in approving such apps (over a week) & many are getting denied to publish on Google Play.
Taifun.
