North Canton Man Creates His First Android App

James Bunnell hadn’t exactly set out to create an Android app, but that’s what he ended up with after attempting to create a video game recently.

Bunnell, an employee of the software-writing company Presteligence, recently got involved in competitions in which competitors come up with one game in a matter of a couple days. There aren’t any prizes — just the game you’ve come up with in the end.

“I came up with an idea I thought was clever, and it didn’t play well on the computer, but I kept thinking this would be fun on a handheld,” he said.

Thus, Bunnell’s first Android app, Proximity, was born.

Targets appear on the screen and you tap on them as quickly as you can. You’re rewarded for both speed and accuracy (you’ve got to tap as close to the center of the target as you can). Targets start coming more and more quickly. And some targets appear that you shouldn’t click on.

So, how exactly does someone get their app listed on the Android site for purchase?

Google offers steps to market a product and charges a one-time fee of $25 to create an account through its marketplace, Bunnell said. You submit your application and go from there.

He expects to update the game in the future, and all those who’ve purchased it will automatically receive the free updates, he said.

“I want to have some ideas to continue the game a little further than it is,” he said. “There are some options available that bring in an online community to your app so people can compete against each other.”

Although it’s the first app he’s created, Bunnell doesn’t think it’ll be his last.

“I always have some other ideas brewing that I would love to tackle."

Interested in buying Bunnell’s app? You can search for it on your Android phone or just click here.

Bunnell is husband to Moms Council member and father to . We also caught the Bunnell family at the North Canton Library's last month.