학내 스마트폰 사용과 유용한 어플소개
<#308 Special Report>
Do You Have a Smart Life with Apps on Campus?
By Kang Min-hee, Student Editor
Jang Keun-won, Tribune Reporter
Korea’s smartphone users number more than 10,000,000 and the number will continue to increase. The smartphone is now an important everyday item. Look around you! How many students use smart phones? How do they use their smartphones on campus? In this issue, the Chonnam Tribune examined the ways that Chonnam National University (CNU) students have been using their smartphones and applications, including CNU applications, around the campus.
Are You a Smartphone User?
The Chonnam Tribune conducted an informal survey among 208 CNU students from March 21st to 23rd to find out how they use their smartphone in their daily life. Of those 208 students, 44.9 percent of respondents use a smart phone, and among the respondents who do not have a smartphone, 50.5 percent of students answered that they really wanted to get a smartphone, 39.3 percent thought that it did not matter whether they got one or not, and 10.2 percent said that they did not need a smartphone. Wang Ho-bin, (Freshman, Division of Earth System and Environmental Science) said, “I think the smartphone is not a device of transition but a trend, so I do not feel the need to change my cell phone”. But many students agreed that the smartphone allows them to get more information and because of its various applications it has more useful functions than other regular phones. Furthermore, 58.1 percent of respondents using a smartphone answered that the smartphone has had a positive influence on their school life, but the remaining percentage of smartphone users thought that the smartphone was a distraction because they do not fully focus on their study, but use it for other reasons.
Do You Use CNU Smartphone Apps?
Useful applications make smartphones better than regular phones. Applications are software programs designed for small devices, and it allows you to enjoy mobile games or social network services more easily. The most popular applications that CNU students use are Kakao Talk, Gwangju Bus and Naver. Kakao Talk, a free instant message application, lets you send free instant messages to smartphone users in place of a short message service. Also, Gwangju Bus is popular for many smartphone users because many university students can check their bus schedules when they go to school or come back home. Naver is the most powerful portal site in Korea.
So what about CNU applications? CNU applications are very useful for many students because they have many functions: News at CNU, the Academic Calendar, the Library, just to name a few. If you use these applications, you can get more information about our school. Unfortunately, only 16.8 percent of respondents answered they have been using the CNU applications. About half the smartphone users who participated in the survey were not aware of the CNU applications. Even though some students were aware of the applications, they did not use them because they thought they were not very useful for them or could not use them because their smartphone OS is Android-based. Some students answered that they needed E-class function for classes or the applications could be operated in the Android-based system.
Some Problems with Using a Smartphone at CNU
As the number of smartphone users on campus is increasing, CNU needs to improve its telecommunications and to make wireless Internet service more convenient and more efficient for all users. CNU applications cannot be operated in Android system, even though 55 percent of smartphone users who participated in the survey had an Android-based smartphone. Yoo Eun-gyung (Freshman, Division of Earth System and Environmental Science) said, “I know there are more Android phone users than iPhone users at CNU. I feel betrayed by the university even though I am not particularly interested in the applications”. It is also very difficult for smartphone users to access E-class, a class support system for faculty and students at CNU. In addition, smartphone users may use wireless internet on campus, but the signal is too weak in some places or their call plan is limited now.
To solve these problems, CNU has plans to improve its communication environment, but it is too expensive to install wireless internet networks all over campus. It costs a total 1.3 billion won, but only 300 million won is available for improving our network. Therefore, CNU has lobbied for financial investments from three telecommunication companies in order to install a wireless internet network, and this is expected to have a positive result. The E-class will be accessible by smartphone in the first half of this year, according to the Information and Computing Institute (ICI) of CNU. The ICI plans to create a mobile web page to improve its network service on campus because the authorities think it is better than making mobile applications. Kim Sung-kuk, a staff member at ICI, said, “Our smartphone situation is not behind the other universities. It is, of course, inconvenient and unsatisfying sometimes, but we are trying to create a much better environment for students.”
Towards a More Enjoyable Mobile Campus
The number of students who have a smartphone will increase rapidly, though it might not reach complete saturation. CNU has to prepare for this situation by increasing the wireless network and creating a more accessible homepage system to provide better support to its students. If the opportunities for using a smartphone improve, CNUians’ would enjoy a richer university experience with their smartphones. So what do we have to do to prepare for this new change? The answer depends on both CNUians and the university authorities.
Sub1: CNU Applications>
Do you know any CNU-related applications? Let’s look into the various functions of the applications.
News at CNU
If you want to know more news about our university, this tab would be useful. The “News at CNU” tab is linked to the web bulletin board, marketplace, loss centers, and job information board, all available from the CNU homepage.
Academic Calendar
“Academic Calendar” is available for monthly view. It is very useful because there is exact and abundant information about our school calendar. If you may forget the calendar, you could face disaster! Please check it regularly so that you do not forget events like registering for classes.
Library
The “Library” tab has various features: library news, recommended books, book search, book locations and information about reading rooms. The most useful function of the tab is checking reading room seats. You can check the seats of Library Ⅱ. As the mid-term exams approach, this function is becoming more necessary for CNU students.
Student Restaurant
The “Student Restaurant” tab provides the menus at BTL and old dorms. If you live in the dormitories, it is very useful. Unfortunately the menu of the Student Union restaurant is not provided.
Campus Map
As many buildings on our campus look similar, sometimes you may have a difficult time locating a particular building. Do not worry about it. The “Campus Map” tab shows its exact location and where you are on campus using GPS. It sounds cool for freshmen that are not familiar with the campus.
Community
The “Community” tab makes it possibly to chat online in conjunction with CNU Twitter. You can have a meeting using this real-time chat.
I-Enjoy
Do not hang around campus with younger classmates to decide where to buy lunch for them. The “I-Enjoy” tab, made by restaurant owners, provides information about the good food and restaurants around CNU campus.
Cinus
If you want to watch a movie during your time in-between classes, the “Cinus” tab could be helpful for you. “Cinus” is associated with a theater near campus. You can check film schedules, remaining seats and what films are on now with this function.
Bus
The “Bus” tab gives you information about bus stops and schedules around campus. You can check the arrival time of buses according to bus stop.
<Sub2: Useful Applications>
Are you considering which applications you should download? Here are some applications that may be useful for you.
Wapedia
Have you ever been confused because you were unable to understand a professor in a lecture or terms in your textbooks? If you have this application, that is no problem. When others go online to search, you can retrieve information more quickly by using this application. This application is Wikipedia’s mobile service. Wikipedia’s search engine provides information written and uploaded by many people. The professor will be surprised by your answer, and you can the chance to get a better grade.
English Odyssey
As English becomes more necessary, it is no longer a choice for university students. This application will help you to learn English words and phrases for 50 days. It provides 1,500 vocabulary terms, sentences, and collocations -- the words which go together. If you start learning English, or you simply want to memorize vocabulary which may appeal to the ear, you cannot help but feel cool with it.
Hello Body
People want to look good. So exercise and go on a diet! “Hello Body” can help you exercise. It contains over 110 pictures and videos of various physical movements. It shows sequential pictures and you can see the movements in detail. Setting goals and reaching a variety of sports courses are available at a glance because there are over 250 kinds of foods listed with a calorie count. Girls on a diet and boys who want great abdominal muscles should use the application.
Photo Wonder
“Photo Wonder” is a photo correction application. If you know Photoshop, it is easy to understand this one. No matter how much smartphones have increased image capture quality, not every product can have the quality of a real camera. This application can help you by correcting the photos taken by your smartphone! It also has a lot of funny sticker images as well as a tool to correct or decorate pictures. It may make you more satisfied with the products of your camera after the corrections.
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