Wednesday, April 13, 2011

GhanaGTUG Android warm-up event

Developers and students happy to learn Android
Android has a way of creating excitement among developer communities, and you needn't ask me why, because I am sure we all know about how that operating system from Google creates plenty opportunity for learning about mobile development quickly and the economic implications of that.

Last Thursday, some twenty-five GhanaGTUG members including Ashesi students and professors met at Ashesi University College to learn and share about Android. Dr Amanquah of Ashesi made a hands-on presentation on how to begin developing for the Android mobile platform. Find his presentation at SlideShare.

I followed up with a presentation to introduce Appcelerator's Titanium Mobile as an option for web developers to create Android applications.

Dr Amanquah showed a YouTube video of how to build Android apps with Google's App Inventor (you will need to sign in with your Google account).

As always, we had lots of fun while getting our hands dirty with Android. A few developers went home with GhanaGTUG t-shirts for shouting correct answers to Android questions. There was food too, and that helped to create even more fun ;)

A bigger Android event is scheduled for later this month. Check here for updates.

Written by Jojoo Imbeah, GhanaGTUG

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Northern Ghana GTUG Launch Event

Members of NGTUG getting to know each other

Google Technology User Groups are springing up everywhere in the world and Ghana has not been left out of the fun as we currently have three active groups, one new group and counting!

Last weekend, Fiifi Baidoo (GhanaGTUG) and I visited Tamale to assist Ken Kubuga and William Nsiah-Asare (Filla Consult) to set up Northern Google Technology User Group (NGTUG) at an event they organised. This first event focused on Google Maps. For me, the most exciting part of the five-hour marathon event, which twenty-five ICT trainers based in Northern Ghana attended, was the mapping party. Armed with Android devices, we went out to mark some important places in Tamale and put them on a map.

There is lots of excitement in Tamale, and we can expect good things from the NGTUG!

Written by Jojoo Imbeah, GhanaGTUG