The Manila Bulletin Android application was designed and developed by UP Computer Science students, with support from Manila Bulletin's TechNews editor, Mr. Art Samaniego.

The MB app provides a quick view of Manila Bulletin's News Updates, Top Stories and Popular News that are found on the front-page of the website. This provides you with a glimpse of the fastest and most popular news articles available on the site, without going to the website from the browser.

Designing the app was rather challenging, considering that the students needed to de-construct the website so they can scrape the necessary info off of the rendered pages. Unfortunately, there is no public API or web service available (and I doubt if the other local news dailies provide it). I wish that Manila Bulletin considers re-engineering their website and provide these services for free. :D

Anyway, the development is pretty straightforward. The testing, however, was something else. It was a challenge considering that the students needed access to devices with Android versions 1.5, 1.6, 2.1 and 2.2! Fortunately, our devices have 1.5 and 1.6 readily available. Android OS 2.2 runs on my Nexus One, so I cover that version for testing. I used to have 2.1 running on another device, but I sold it. :P

Development on the Android platform allows applications to be side-loaded, i.e., do not need to go through the Market (very much unlike Apple's iOS - either you load application via the Store or as Adhoc Distribution). Sending the application from the development machine to other testers was as simple as uploading it to Dropbox.com and sending the URL for direct download to the device. One just needs to enable "Unknown Sources" on the device's Application Settings.

You can ask the Manila Bulletin TechNews editor, Mr. Art Samaniego, if you wish to beta test the application. :D

This is just the first taste of Android application development from the UP Diliman Computer Science team. The students are currently developing other applications, which we hope to launch soon. Watch this space.

Now, it is time to do the iPhone/iPad application for Manila Bulletin - wonder what my editor has in mind for this particular app.