To say we had a good time at MoDevTablet last Friday would be like saying we think enterprise mobile apps might have some impact on performance, productivity and profitability. True to form, Pete Erickson and his pals know how to throw an outstanding app-centric bash. The venue, Rosslyn’s Artisphere, was a sensational space genuinely conducive to interaction and conversation. Our CTO Andy Glover and I were able to (we hope) add to the constant state of knowledge sharing through our respective presentations on native/hybrid app development and enterprise mobile app stores. We also participated in some very cool forums on industry-specific enterprise app impact, as well as the intersection of mobile apps and public policy.
We’ll talk about that soon, but what’s top of mind today took place the day after MoDevTablet. The Saturday Hackathon was a real showcase of app innovation and creativity. It proved to be the largest MoDevDC has facilitated, with two dozen app presentations. With teams of between two and five each, more than 80 people were there just to advocate apps.
App47 joined in the fun by sponsoring a prize for the app we deemed would be Most Likely to Succeed. In sizing up the offerings, I kept my criteria pretty straightforward. At App47, we work with clients who strive to keep their apps focused on simple, essential factors that will fuel an app’s success. Things like clean UI, intuitive use, obvious immediate value or just genuine, infectious fun go a long way toward taking a mobile app to that “must have” status. That’s what I kept in mind as I sized up the Hackathon entrants.
Cutting to the chase, here are, in no particular order, my three favorite apps from the MoDevTablet Hackathon:
3D Data Browser
A very slick way to view/visualize medical info. Just using hand gestures, a physician could zoom, pan, and scan an image. But they can also drill down or layer up on medical images, adding or removing skin, muscle, etc. The implications for being able to scrutinize and MRI, for example, are profound. The days of your doctor holding up an x-ray to the light might be over.
Gravity Bomb
While I’m not a devoted game player, the guys at Red Apocalypse might make me a convert. This is a simple, addictive game that combines the physics-based appeal of Angry Birds with the urgent decision-making of Tower Defense. It’s easy to play, and with additional refinement it will add plenty of levels, offer tons of vehicles and weaponry — just the stuff gamers can’t get enough of.
QuickAid
CHN Aid Enterprises has worked up a quick yet fulfilling way for the socially conscious user to make micropayments to NGOs. But it’s not just philanthropic facilitation; it’s also awareness. QuickAid serves up global crisis alerts, letting you know when something catastrophic has taken place. You can cross-check that with responding agencies and charities on the ground, and make a micropayment with just a couple taps. It feels very empowering in the same way iKiva expedites global microloans.
And the for Most Likely to Succeed is……………Gravity Bomb!! Again, nice job and congratulations!
FYI: Don’t Miss our Next What’s ‘Appening Podcast
Later this week, we’re posting a conversation with our friend Richard Mendis, CMO at AnyPresence, about the impact of the iPhone 5 on enterprise mobility.
