Text Messages That Teach: A Great Example of Entrepreneurship in the Mobile Device Market

When Steve Jobs unveiled iPad 2 yesterday, I felt Apple deserves some credits for its contributions to today’s vivid mobile device market. Because Apple allows people to transform their ideas into cell phone apps (followed by Google’s Android), mobile devices become smarter and more personalized; many app developers also become entrepreneurs and/or millionaires.

Gabrielle Blue (2011) reported another great example of starting a business in the mobile device market. Breanden Beneschott, a Princeton senior, started a “text-message test-prep subscription service” after he helped his sister study organic chemistry by answering her questions via text messages. It turned out that text-messaging became a very effective tutoring method for his sister. Then, he founded smsPREP, where students pay $19.99 a month and receive interactive study questions according to the students’ busy schedule. At this point, smsPREP provide text-messaging tutoring service of SAT, ACT, GRE, and MCAT. Breanden plans to include GMAT questions and games soon, with an ultimate goal to open up this system for people who want to create their own exams.

I like Breanden’s idea and feel he responds to the mobile trend really well. However, I don’t see a huge difference between this text-message test-prep service and those text-prep apps on smart phones. I noticed that Corporate America has introduced cell phone apps in employee training. I wonder if schools should start developing tutoring tools or teaching students with text messages and/or cell phone apps. If you are student, how do you like the idea of learning via text-messaging or playing games? If you are asked to create a wish list for new cell phone apps, what do you wish for?

References:
Blue, G. (2011, March 1). Text messages that teach. Inc.com. Retrieved on March 3, 2011 from http://tinyurl.com/LinchiKwok03032011
Picture was downloaded from http://www.thetechbrief.com/ via http://tinyurl.com/LinchiKwok03032011P

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