Staff Writer
The Baylor Campus Navigator app is soon to release new updates that allow users to access Baylor sports rosters and buy tickets.
Created by Cypress senior Kyle Martin, the app was originally intended to help students find their way around campus.
Between the updates made on April 18 and the updates soon to be released, the app is evolving into more than a physical navigator.
“The updates are just to add more value,” Martin said. “There’s a little bit of value for freshmen and people that live on campus, but that’s why I’m adding the sports stuff because it applies to more people.”
Manor senior Bryson Reynolds is one of 40 people beta-testing the app to help work out some of the bugs.
“The rosters, the third party outsourcing for tickets are all just incredibly brilliant additions,” Reynolds said. “The technology behind it and the code are just genius. It’s really cool how he is building it all out.”
With the updates, the home screen has a sports section. Within that section is “sport schedules” and “sport rosters.”
Upon selecting either section, there is a list of every sport at Baylor.
The app user can then select a sport and access the roster or schedule. Under the “sport schedules” portion, the user can also purchase tickets to the event.
“It’s fun to make something and then put it out there and see what the response is, good or bad,” Martin said. “I’ve had terrible ratings sometimes. I still learn from that, so that’s a blessing in itself.”
When going over his process behind making an app, Martin said he draws his idea on paper first. From there, he designs it on Photoshop and then works on code.
“It’s just like a painting,” Martin said. “You sketch first, figure out the colors and color palette and then you paint it.”
Baylor Campus Navigator, when first released, had directions to buildings on and off campus, phone numbers to residence halls and other faculty and a “Baylor Tips” section.
The tips section, integrated through Twitter, is no longer part of the app. Though Martin has invested money into this project, he has not asked for any in return. The app is free for everyone.
“I have made zero money off of this so far,” Martin said. “It’s free for students. It will always be free for students.”
Since the app was launched last fall, Martin said he estimates about 37,000 people have downloaded it. According to the iTunes app store website, it requires iOS 6.1 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
The update made in April also has a Lariat portion. Users can access articles and photos posted on baylorlariat.com through the app.
“You can read this story about the app through the app,” Martin said. “It’s like app-ception.”
Martin said he has plans to expand the app even further but, he would not disclose his full intention for the app.
