A little over a year ago I developed an iPhone application for RIT. At the time it was just what we needed – an app that could pinpoint buildings on a map, show me customizable events, and allow me to look up people in the directory. It’s proven to be incredibly useful for both myself, my friends, and students.

I’ve been giving it away for free for over a year.

During the fall of 2010 I was approached by a few of RIT’s faculty to join in on a weekly meeting about RIT’s mobile application strategy. Naturally, during the first meeting, we broke the ice and everyone described themselves and why they are there. I mentioned that I built an iPhone application for RIT.

I had knowledge that most of the people in the room did not. I created a mobile application that thousands of students have been using since its launch. I know what works and what doesn’t based on experience.

After many long meetings (could have been handled through email) I discovered that they were going to choose a vendor to build a mobile application.

RIT recognizes me as an entrepreneur, student advocate, and one who gives back to the community frequently. I’ve spoken at events, held events, and spread publicity throughout Rochester and the internet that always points back to RIT. Instinctively I said, “Why don’t you consider me a vendor? My price is unbeatable and what you’re looking for is 80% there. It’s in the market and thousands of students are already using it.”

They pushed me through the formalities. A set of paperwork in order to apply as a vendor which every company had months to complete. When I received the paperwork the deadline was tomorrow, so I did it in one night.

RIT performed a survey asking students what features they would want in a mobile application. The items that ranked 1,2, and 3 existed in the application that I built. I said I’d hire RIT students to make the app better. This would allow us to focus on the app – it would no longer be a side project.

They didn’t choose us.

Inexperience? I don’t think so. Price? Definitely not.

But RIT missed something important. They missed one of the biggest publicity and marketing opportunities of a lifetime.

We didn’t get the job. Not only would the time to market be immediate, but RIT students would be known as the vendor/developer. It would show that RIT practices what it preaches, that it believes in its students. That the ever-increasing $37,000 tuition means something.

When you painfully pay insane amounts to study at a university that claims it is one of the best, shouldn’t they believe in their students?

Practice what you preach.

Update: I would love to meet with any of the administration, faculty or staff at RIT about this. I know many of you are reading thinking that I am negatively portraying RIT. I am not. I want to facilitate change and to provoke thought. This is not the first time something like this has happened. Many people feel the same way.

Similarly, here’s how Android devices have changed after the iPhone: via Andrew Warner and via Daring Fireball.

The credit-card company has made an unspecified investment in Square, a two-year-old service that helps businesses and consumers pay with credit cards on a mobile phone or Apple Inc iPhone, both companies said in a statement.

I’ve been using the Square with my iPhone since it was in beta and I love it.

For me personally, it comes down to the fact that I want to simplify my life when it comes to my smartphone. I prefer the hardware and the OS to be created by the same company because logically the performance should be better. I also prefer not to have to wait for applications to come out–I’d like to get them on the iPhone first.

Via geek.com.

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer.

2. Open iTunes and click on your iPhone in the devices list.

3. Click check for updates.

4. Install the new update.

5. When the install and syncing finishes, reboot your iPhone.

6. Tap on Messages. Your iPhone will now have a small camera icon next to the text field. Viola, You’re done!

This project details a small & simple, but very powerful USB charger for your mp3 player, camera, cell phone, and just about any other gadget you can plug into a USB port to charge! (See below for compatibility tests)
The charger circuitry and 2 AA batteries fit into an Altoids gum tin, and will run your iPod for hours!

I plan on making mine sometime this week. How about you?

MintyBoost

The 2007 launch iPhone identifies itself as iPhone 1,1, while the current iPhone 3G lists as iPhone 1,2, indicating that it’s a minor revision of a similar design. As with similar practices for Macs, Apple’s choice of 2,1 implies a major update for the handset; the second-generation iPod touch is listed as iPod 2,1 and includes slightly faster internal hardware as well as a significant external redesign. [Aidian Malley of AppleInsider]

Why would Apple do such a thing!?

Something tells me that this won’t be the last word.

Read more.

We put in a call to Apple to find out the reason why, but unless you’re new to this whole scene you won’t exactly be flabbergasted to hear that the company was about as communicative as your average sullen teenager. The company’s approach appears to be pretending that the system was never announced in the first place—you won’t find any notice of it on Apple’s site, save for the plaintive cries of users wondering what happened to it. [Dan Moren of Macworld]

It’s a very interesting point. What happened to the iPhone push notifications? My only guess is as good as the next guys.

Read more at Macworld.com.