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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

UNCW CIE Opens CORAL, An Open Device Lab for Mobile App Testing

Jeff Janowski of UNCW
UNCW's CIE opens CORAL, an open device lab, with the help of AT&T sponsorship.

When creating an app for mobile phones, developers need to test their product on numerous platforms, which can get costly fast.  To ease that burden, UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is launching CORAL, an open device lab.

CORAL is the Coastal Open Resource Application Lab, and it houses over a dozen phones, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Instead of each mobile app company having to buy their own set of gadgets—and updating them with each new smart phone release—now entrepreneurs associated with the CIE can test their apps on these devices, saving them thousands of dollars. The CIE’s Executive Director, Jim Roberts, says companies are already excited about this opportunity, including the CEO of DocsInk, a local business:

"When we announced this last night, she was so happy because this saves her $1500. This is something that she discussed with her staff just on Monday on being nervous about spending additional money on these devices, and now she doesn’t have to. So, what the CIE is really all about is lowering the cost of starting businesses so the entrepreneurs can hire better talent, and pay better wages, and spend money on things that are more important than just infrastructure."

The lab will also benefit other local companies like NextGlass and Wolfpack. CORAL opens on Monday, September 8, 2014.