Launch of the Boar app for smart phones and tablets

The Boar released its very own android app for smartphones and tablets on Monday 13 October.

The app has been in development over the course of the past year and a half, thanks to the work of Snehil Bhushan, George Matau, and Michael Clapham – all Computer Science students.

The project was overseen by Kate Mant, the Boar’s acting head of marketing and publicity.

The Boar is currently one of only two student newspapers in the UK’s top ten universities to have undertaken such an endeavour – creating a slick, easy-to-use platform that works on a wide range of devices.

photo: Boar App Development team

An iOS application for Apple devices is also due for release after Christmas.

According to the team, staggering the release is intended to ease any strain on the website server that is expected from the influx of activity.

When asked about the new app, Kant Mant remarked: “When looking at our website statistics – we noticed that almost 40 percent of our website views were accessed from a phone or tablet device.

“So many Warwick students spend time commuting, it made sense to look into creating a platform that students could access – wherever they were.”

Rebecca Myers, the Boar’s editor-in-chief, added: “Student journalism has a unique role within the British press: a duty to innovate faster and better, and the constant freedom to do so.

“We are working in an environment where everyone is a digital journalist, and the university is brimming with brilliantly talented coders. This project has been a fantastic union of those communities.”

News editor Ann Yip was equally excited: “I am so excited for the launch of the Boar app! I am a great advocate of digital media so am really proud that our student newspaper has such a forward-looking vision.

“It does mean however that I need to also think about how articles will work on phones and tablets.”

Sian Elvin, Deputy Editor, said, “This has been such an innovative move, especially considering that a lot of national newspapers are increasingly relying on digital means to reach readers.”

April Roach, deputy News editor, also commented: “I am really looking forward to the launch of the Boar app. I like, many other people am always on my phone, checking twitter and reading articles. I think it will be great for the Boar to have another way of reaching our readers.

“I look forward to seeing how the app might change and enhance the way we publish content.”