Hello Everyone.
I have been using open data for a while, I am also a software developer.
I created a mobile app to help software developers, researchers, data enthusiasts etc get a hold of more open data (including open data from IATI). The app is also designed to provide portal administrators with an effective mobile channel to promote data portals.
Please download Open Data Companion , use it extensively and give me feedback. Plus, if you like it, rate it and also help spread the word. Open Data Companion has effective and easy feedback channels within the app, so I’m really looking forward to hearing more from the open data community on where this app can improve.
If you’ll like to know more about Open Data Companion before you download (using the link provided above), read below.
SYNOPSIS: Following the signing of the Open Data Charter on June 18, 2013 by the G8 leaders, open data and open data portals have experienced a huge growth. There are alot of open data portals across the World Wide Web which provide free access to a vast amount of datasets.
THE PROBLEMS: With the growth of open data, alot of open data technocrats, enthusiasts, academia have become interested in its use (especially in such cases as datasets on city spending, development and health). However, many of these interested individuals and organisations are NOT aware of the existence of the relevant portals where these datasets can be accessed and only stumble across these portals after many hours of rigorous searching.
A second challenge is that mobile and mobile app usage is ever increasing. Research has shown that people now spend more time on mobile devices than watching television; and this number keeps increasing at a rapid rate. This means that mobile devices are now one of the easiest and fastest means of accessing data and information; mobile devices are now the first access point. Therefore, if more people are to become aware of open data and use it, it has to have a mobile presence coupled with mobile features and the mobile experience users have come to expect.
THE SOLUTION: Create an open data mobile app/platform that contains a repository of available open data portals.
The Mobile App should act as a bridge between mobile users and the actual open data portals; providing access to all datasets available on the portals.
The Mobile App should provide mobile-optimised features and design as opposed to just presenting a Responsive Web Design (RWD).
MOBILE APP NAME: Open Data Companion (ODC)
APP DESCRIPTION: Open Data Companion provides a unified access point to over 90 open data portals (including IATI) and thousands of datasets from around the world; right from your mobile device. Crafted with mobile-optimised features and design, this is an easy and convenient way to find, access and share open data.
Open Data Companion provides a framework for all State, Regional, National and Worldwide CKAN open data portals to deliver open data to all mobile users.
APP FEATURES:
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Browse datasets from over 90 data portals around the world by categories
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Receive push notifications when new datasets are available from your selected data portals
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Download and view data records (resources) on your mobile device
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Preview dataset records in-app before download (as supported by portal)
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Bookmark/save datasets for later viewing
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“Favourite” your data portals for future easy access
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Share links to datasets on social media, email, sms etc. right from the app.
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In-app tutorial videos designed to help you quickly get productive with the app. Tutorial videos are available offline once downloaded
More features on the way!
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