Hackathon
AT&T Hackathon - October 2013
An AT&T hackathon is designed for students and community members alike to come and learn how to make a mobile app, regardless of previous experience. Personally, I had never made any type of mobile app before this event. The goal of the hackathon was to create a functioning app in a span of 18 hours, start to finish. Winning teams would be awarded prizes totaling over $10,000.
I went into the event with nothing but an idea and a laptop. That night we presented our ideas and were tasked with finding a team to produce an app. I teamed up with two other ND students to create my idea: a GPS locator for tailgating or other social events. Users would be able to share, only for a short time, thier location to close friends and family. Once the event is over all location data would be destroyed.
The first night was mainly outlining the app and brainstorming. The next day we hit the computers early and by the end of the day we had fully functioning android and iPhone apps.
A panel of judges evaluated each app and decided our app, Beacon, was worthy of the top prize: a trip to Dallas to visit the AT&T world headquarters and foundry.
Following the hackathon I still continue to work on iOS projects, and my internship the following summer was even based around making an iPad application for AT&T.
