We have added more than 1,000 app reviews for Android with this launch
Tyngsboro, MA (PRWEB) September 16, 2014
Balefire Labs (http://www.BalefireLabs.com), a leading education technology company, announces today the addition of support for the Android platform to its existing iOS educational app review service. With this expansion, teachers whose students use Android mobile devices and teachers of Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) classrooms can now take advantage of Balefire Labs' science-based, objective and expert reviews.
The addition of reviews of educational apps from the Google Play and Amazon stores brings the total number of preK-12 app reviews offered by Balefire Labs to over 3,000. "We have added more than 1,000 app reviews for Android with this launch" says Karen L. Mahon, Ed.D., President and Founder of Balefire Labs. "And because we are seeing more and more educational apps that are available for multiple platforms, we expect that we will be able to add substantially to our collections of reviews for both platforms over the coming months. With the new software tools that are now available, developers are more readily able to build cross-platform apps than ever before and we see an increasing number of them taking advantage of that."
In using the new 'search by store' feature of the Balefire Labs website interface, users may select one or more app stores to be included in a search. "It's as simple as clicking on the boxes next to the desired app stores: iTunes, Google Play or Amazon," Mahon says. "The search return will include only the apps that are available in all of the stores selected." The 'search by store' feature may be used in combination with the filter by age and subject functions.
The addition of the 'search by store' feature is expected to be of particular interest in BYOD classrooms. "We know that BYOD programs comprise the fastest-growing segment of mobile technology in public schools today," adds Mahon. "Many schools are opting to allow students to use their own mobile devices in class and teachers of those classes struggle to find high quality instructional apps that can be used by all of their students, regardless of the platform their devices use. We think this is a giant step toward helping those teachers more quickly and easily find the best resources for their learners, without having to search multiple websites."
The new cross-platform search function will be demonstrated for the first time at the Online Education Symposium for Independent Schools in Boston, October 2-3 (http://www.oesisgroup.com). The new functionality is live now on the Balefire Labs website.
Balefire Labs is running a free fall pilot for eligible elementary and middle schools. For more information, email Karen Mahon at karen(at)balefirelabs(dot)com.
About Balefire Labs
Based in Tyngsborough, Mass., Balefire Labs, Inc. is a provider of tools and services that foster a child's learning & achievement. Launched in 2013, the online service provides parents and teachers objective evaluations on PreK-12 educational apps, based on rigorous, scientifically-validated criteria, ensuring confidence that they are choosing the products that are most beneficial to their children. It is the only service available that uses objective criteria and makes its evaluation process transparent to parents and teachers. App reviews are also searchable according to Common Core State Standards and mobile platform. Balefire Labs, Inc. accepts no advertising dollars or third-party vendor payments for reviews. For a free trial of the Balefire Labs educational app review service, please visit http://www.balefirelabs.com. Balefire Labs can found on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BalefireLabs) and Twitter (@BalefireLabs).