On Aug. 28, Washburn released a new mobile news application for iOS and Android platforms. The app is called “The Buzz: Washburn University” and is targeted at students interested in a convenient way of accessing university and world news using their hand-held devices.

The Buzz app is the result of a partnership between Washburn and USA TODAY, and it features content from both the Washburn Review and USA TODAY. Students who download the app will have access to content from both the print and web editions of the Review in a mobile-friendly format.

In addition, the app provides content from USA TODAY College, a nation-wide web magazine written predominately by college students from across the country. It addresses topics of interest to the average college student, such as choosing a career path and tips for studying abroad.

After downloading the Buzz app, students are able to scroll through articles from a variety of categories, such as College Life, Sports, and Lifestyle. Each article has a “share” button at the top right corner, making it easy to share articles with friends via Facebook or Twitter.

Other schools, such as Syracuse University and Texas A&M, have paired with Gannett Publishing (owners of USA Today) to create similar apps using The Buzz name. According to USA TODAY, the hope is that the Buzz “reinvents campus news by offering college students access to targeted and relevant information, incorporating national, world and personalized campus news into one, easy-to-use mobile interface.”

Both Washburn Student Media and the Washburn Student Government Association had a hand in bringing the app to campus with the aim of providing students with an easy way of staying in touch with the latest news around campus.

“Right now we just want students to understand that this is absolutely free to them,” said Zachary Johnson of the WSGA. “They simply download it, and it’s all right there. No sign-in needed.”

The Buzz app is currently available for free download through both the Apple App and Google Play stores.