Episode two of the App Fairy podcast features an interview with app maker Wolfgang Schmitz of the app company Ahoiii. The Ahoiii apps feature an endearing sailor in blue and white stripes named Fiete. I first encountered Fiete in Ahoiii’s advent-calendar-esque Fiete Christmas app when I bought it for my family, and was soon charmed by the its high quality and whimsical artwork. I was delighted to discover that there was a whole series of apps about this little sailor, covering early learner subjects like math, logic, and more. In addition to having beautiful illustrations, the Ahoiii apps always bring something new to the world of digital media for kids.
Listen to the podcast to find out where Fiete got his name, how the artwork for each app is created, and even whether Fiete has a pet. This episode also introduces two new surprise characters to the App Fairy show. Be sure to listen all the way to the end for an extra surprise!
When you’ve finished listening to the podcast, check out appfairy.org to see photos of Wolfgang and the rest of the Ahoiii staff, images of their artistic process, and to download some incredible PDF activities—including a set of memory cards that exactly match the ones that Fiete uses in the app Fiete Match!
Update: Read an edited transcript of this interview here.
Carissa Christner works as a Youth Services Librarian in Madison, Wisconsin which she likes much better than her first job in high school, working at a theme park. She and her two young children love to test out new apps together, read books and go for walks in the woods. She blogs about her library adventures at librarymakers.blogspot.com. Check out the App Fairy website and follow along on Twitter at @appfairy.
