ACU Optimist first student newspaper on the iPad

A day after Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad, Dr. Cheryl Bacon, chair of Abilene Christian University's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication vowed that the student newspaper would be the first to make it to the iPad. This week, ACU has accomplished that goal.

The Optimist is a nearly century-old student newspaper publication of the JMC Network, the student media operation at Abilene Christian University. The iPad edition of The Optimist is a dynamically updating version of the print edition with multi-touch photo slide shows, content selectors, updated ACU Wildcat sports scores, and coolest of all, access to five years worth of Optimist archives all right from the iPad.

The Optimist for iPad is part of ACU's Mobile Learning Initiative which explores the ways people are using mobile devices to enhance learning.

ACU Optimist for iPad is a free download on the App Store.

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Source: http://blogs.acu.edu/acuapps/mobile-apps/theoptimist/

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A day after Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad, Dr. Cheryl Bacon, chair of Abilene Christian University's Department of Journalism and Mass...

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ausurfer

Very impressive. I have a friend working in a journalism dept at a University here in Australia, and I know they are looking at doing something similar. Just another reason why the iPad will be successful.

April 10 2010 at 6:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

George

Makes you wonder where the other schools are.

April 08 2010 at 3:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

largelandmammal

I, too, am an ACU JMC grad and worked on the Optimist for several years in the late '80s/early '90s, and this is merely the latest in a long line of technology developments the department and the university has attempted. I don't have an iPad (yet), but looking forward to seeing what this multi-departmental initiative came up with.

April 08 2010 at 11:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to largelandmammal's comment

Andrew

The app looks very nice, it does resemble a WordPress blog. I like it :)

April 09 2010 at 3:01 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tezgno

I graduated from that department. From the design, it actually looks pretty interesting. I will know more once I grab the app later on today.

April 08 2010 at 11:32 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

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Dan

Interesting to see. I didn't go to ACU (unless you count having traffic school on campus to erase a traffic ticket a few years ago), but did live in Abilene for several years and graduated from high school there. Nice to see some innovation going on in my old home town.

April 08 2010 at 3:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply