1:10 PM Look, Ma! My first mobile app!

Sarah Thomas, Director, Women in Comms

May 3, 2010

1 Min Read
Nokia Ovi’s App Wizardry

1:10 PM -- Thanks to Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK)’s new Ovi App Wizard, there’s an app for me, and it only took 10 minutes to make it.

As a nice little extra for anyone with an RSS, Twitter Inc. , or Facebook feed, Nokia introduced Ovi App Wizard today, a seven-step process to create your own app and then deliver it across the 180 countries where Nokia has a presence. Simply enter your RSS field, pick some colors, choose whether or not to include ads and how to distribute it (including if you want to charge), and you’re on your way.

The beta software program, accessible at Ovi.com/appwizard, lets verified (meaning that you can prove you own the content) users aggregate their Web feed into a mobile-optimized app of sorts. Pending approval, which Nokia says takes around 24 hours, your app becomes available in whichever markets you choose.

It’s pretty slick, easy-to-use software, albeit one with lots of potential to go awry. It could lead to some less-than-desirable apps being made, although Ovi reserves the right to deny them. It also contributes to the general app overload thrust on consumers who often don’t even know where to start searching.

And for Nokia, it’s an easy way to say “we have 100,000 new apps” without having to mention that 10,000 of them are people’s Twitter feeds. This would never fly on Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL).

But, come on, you can app yourself and make your friends and family buy it. That’s pretty cool. I hope someone downloads me.

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile

About the Author(s)

Sarah Thomas

Director, Women in Comms

Sarah Thomas's love affair with communications began in 2003 when she bought her first cellphone, a pink RAZR, which she duly "bedazzled" with the help of superglue and her dad.

She joined the editorial staff at Light Reading in 2010 and has been covering mobile technologies ever since. Sarah got her start covering telecom in 2007 at Telephony, later Connected Planet, may it rest in peace. Her non-telecom work experience includes a brief foray into public relations at Fleishman-Hillard (her cussin' upset the clients) and a hodge-podge of internships, including spells at Ingram's (Kansas City's business magazine), American Spa magazine (where she was Chief Hot-Tub Correspondent), and the tweens' quiz bible, QuizFest, in NYC.

As Editorial Operations Director, a role she took on in January 2015, Sarah is responsible for the day-to-day management of the non-news content elements on Light Reading.

Sarah received her Bachelor's in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She lives in Chicago with her 3DTV, her iPad and a drawer full of smartphone cords.

Away from the world of telecom journalism, Sarah likes to dabble in monster truck racing, becoming part of Team Bigfoot in 2009.

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