DeKALB | NIU is becoming mobile near you.

At the beginning of the spring semester, NIU was the third Illinois university that Blackboard vended a mobile application to.

Blackboard Mobile Learn has launched an application for students to access their Blackboard accounts on their smartphones.

The Blackboard application is available to smartphones platforms with a data plan.

“It’s more information on the go,” said Blackboard administrator Ruperto Herrera.

Herrera said NIU has not promoted the Blackboard app because the university is planning on launching its own app toward the end of this semester.

Herrera said it will be a unified app that includes different information such as maps, course catalog, events, athletics and etc.

Herrera said reaction to the Blackboard app has been generally positive.

Junior sociology major Nii Akrong uses the Blackboard app and said he likes the convenience of the app.

“I can check my grades and assignments,” Akrong said.

Jason Thomas, sophomore kinesiology and physical education major, agreed with Akrong and said he likes that he can look up assignments without having to go on his computer.

Ariel Marin, junior industrial management major, said she hasn’t installed the app but would try it out because it’s free.