Teen app-lies himself in the real world
SMARTPHONES can do much more than send emails and run complicated apps, they can also make 17-year-olds a fair amount of pocket money.
SMARTPHONES can do much more than send emails and run complicated apps, they can also make 17-year-olds a fair amount of pocket money.
Year 12 student Brandon Cowan purchased an iPhone last year and immediately became interested in creating an app of his own.
Only a few months later, the Masada College student built “I Parked Here”, an app to help users find their car when it is parked on the street or in a car park.
It has been sold to users in more than 50 countries and gives directions via nearby landmarks, as well as alerting drivers when their parking metre or time allowance is going to expire.
“As it notifies you when you need to return to your car, you’ll never have to pay extra car park fees or fines again, so it saves time, frustration and money,” Cowan said.
The teenager, who is studying software design and development for his HSC, began his promising IT career by turning the Learner Driver’s log book into a website, so new drivers could complete in digitally.
“Although the Roads and Traffic Authority wasn’t interested, I knew this wouldn’t be my last innovation,” Cowan told The AJN.
I Parked Here began as a discussion at Shabbat dinner, which led to a collaboration with family friend Hilton Rosenfeld and the creation of a new company, Crazy Dog Apps.
“We thought it would just be a small-scale app to start us off, but we’re in such disbelief about how big it has become. I never thought that I’d be where I am right now.”
The app, which was developed in two months, is ranked number one out of 12,000 lifestyle applications in the iTunes store, and is the top grossing lifestyle app.
“It was never intended to be a profitable app, we didn’t expect much of it.”
As well as focusing on completing his HSC, Cowan will soon begin a project for a large gaming company. After graduating from Masada, he has set his sights on studying project management, marketing or information technology.
“It’s not just about making the app, it’s also about software development and finding the right way to market the product, all of which are avenues I’d like to further explore,” he said.
CASSILEE KAHN
comments