Here’s Tourism Kamloops‘ press release on the apps we recently made for them:

Tourism Kamloops Launches I-Phone App and Mobile Website

Kamloops, BC: Just in time to take advantage of the new 4G I-Phone, Tourism Kamloops has launched an I-Phone App and mobile website to service a rapidly growing market niche.

Potential and arriving visitors to Kamloops will now have another way to research their trip and enhance their experience upon arrival using the new Tourism Kamloops I-Phone App and mobile website. “We’re excited to be launching our I-Phone App and mobile website.” said Tourism Kamloops’ CEO Ms. Lee Morris. “Tourism Kamloops is one of only a few destination marketing organizations in the province to have a comprehensive I-Phone App to support marketing efforts.”

Designed to provide easy and fast access to tourism-related information, the I-Phone app and mobile website connect users to a comprehensive list of accommodations, attractions, restaurants, golf courses, events, transportation, nightlife and live music venues, spas, shopping, sports and recreation, arts, culture and heritage. Each listing has the capability to connect the user directly to the supplier by telephone, email or to their website. If the mobile device being used is GPS equipped, the app will bring up the closest supplier by category, provide distances and with the augmented reality (AR) feature, use the mobile device’s camera and GPS to show in which direction the supplier is located as the user sweeps the area.

The I-Phone app is fed information from the Tourism Kamloops website so daily updates to events and other listings are automatically updated to the app every night. A slideshow on the app provides high quality images to showcase the area and each listing has the ability to display a logo and an image. Accommodations have up to 8 images that can be used to showcase their properties.

Designed to connect the user to the information they seek at between 5 – 7 seconds, the app listings contain a short description and complete contact information as provided to Tourism Kamloops by suppliers. The GPS system allows for visitors to map out routes to suppliers locations with estimated arrival times. The I-Phone App is available as a free download from the online Apple Store.

The I-Phone App is designed to be wrapped and used by most mobile devices including Blackberry and Smart Phones on a mobile site. If someone visits the Tourism Kamloops website on a mobile device, they will automatically be redirected to the new m.tourismkamloops.com mobile site. The app and mobile site are designed to provide a complete listing of suppliers that are easy to read and navigate. If mobile users still wish to visit the full website, they have a link back from the mobile site that allows them to enter www.tourismkamloops.com.

The I-Phone App also features Tourism Kamloops’ Twitter feeds, the ability to share the user’s vacation images automatically with friends, add suppliers to a favourites list and use a search function for even faster navigation on the site.

The Tourism Kamloops primary website has seen some significant improvements and enhancements recently and now features two high resolution webcams, multiple video presentations, custom downloadable Kamloops Google maps, web-based e-marketing software, flash presentations, maximum width viewing, news and weather. The events listing by category allows for locals to upload their events and once approved by Tourism Kamloops staff and depending on the nature of the event, it will appear on the City of Kamloops, Venture Kamloops and Chamber of Commerce websites as well.

For More Information:
Ms. Lee Morris CEO, Tourism Kamloops
P: 250.372.8000 C: 250.319.4247
E: lee@tourismkamloops.com

The apps can be downloaded (or seen) here:

• for iPhone / iPod Touch
• for BlackBerry – ZIP · JAD
• for .Mobi

Discover Anywhere Mobile has just launched apps for the Greater Lansing Michigan CVB. These include:

• iPhone / iPod Touch
• BlackBerry – ZIP · JAD
• .Mobi (mobile web browsers)

Features include:

• A database of over 650 places in the Greater Lansing Guide categorized into Shopping, Things To Do, Where To Eat and Where to Stay
• Over 100 places in the Calendar of Events
• Itinerary management, Search and Nearby Me
• GPS-sensitive display and Mapping
• Twitter, Facebook and Flickr integration (iPhone and iPod Touch only)
• Augmented Reality (iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 only)

As with all Discover Anywhere Mobile clients, Greater Lansing just maintains their website and we track all changes and keep the website updated.

Click on the image to see screenshots.

Discover Anywhere Mobile has done several changes to make sure all our apps work as well as possible on Apple’s new iOS4 operating system for the iPhone. We’ve resubmitted every single one of our apps and upped the version number to “2.0″. One thing not to worry about: to make sure of broad compatibility across all Apple devices, we also test every app against a 8Gb first generation iPod Touch running version 3 of the Operating System.

If you’re interested in seeing our apps, the sidebar of every window has a panel that will show you everything we’ve done (and quite a few things currently under development).

Here’s Teresa from Finger Lakes Wine Country demoing the (fantastic) app we wrote for them (read more about it):

If you like what you’re seeing and are interested in finding out more about what DAM does, have a look around the website and give us a call for a demo. We have the first, the most compelling and the best priced solution in the market for getting CVBs/DMOs mobile.

We’re proud to announce that our latest app for the iPhone and iPod Touch for Finger Lakes Wine Country, New York is now available in the iTunes App Store. This app features:

• a database of nearly 900 accommodations, dining spots, things to do and wineries in the Finger Lakes region, and hundreds of upcoming events
• everything integrated with map views, GPS location, augmented reality, and links to email, websites and direct dialing
• “share my trip” using Discover Anywhere Mobile’s social media integration, allowing direct posting of comments and photographs to Twitter, Twitpic, Facebook and Flickr
• Twitter posts from the Finger Lakes Wine County twitterati
• itinerary management, search and nearby me functions (and more)

The great thing for the Finger Lakes Wine County folks is that all they have to do is maintain their website the way they normal do, via their CMS. Discover Anywhere Mobile monitors changes to their database and automatically updates all the apps, minimizing the need for additional staff effort.

Coming Soon: “.mobi” and BlackBerry versions of the application.

If you’re interested in finding out more about what DAM does, have a look around the website and give us a call for a demo. We have the first, the most compelling and the best priced mobile solution for getting CVB/DMOs mobile in the market.

The iPod Touch is an iPhone without a cell phone, cell network internet connectivity or a camera. It can, however, connect to the Internet through WiFi. In the travel means (sometimes) in a hotel, (sometimes) in a Starbuck’s and (almost always) pay-per-use. Tourists with an iPod Touch can sometimes reach the Internet but usually they cannot.

It is very important for DMOs and CVBs to realize the implications of this.

Many iPhone app companies are just traditional web developers offering what are called “wrapped apps”. A wrapped app looks – more or less – like an iPhone app, except it’s really just a shell of an application connecting to a web server over the Internet. This means that if your visitor is not connected to the Internet, they can’t use your app! And when they can connect to the Internet, there’s still very little immediacy – things take seconds to happen, rather than the instant touch-response cycle people expect from great apps.

Not only does this affect all iPod Touch users, it is also detrimental to any iPhone-using foreign visitor who will be paying very high data rates to connect to the web over the cell network. If they can’t use your app, or don’t want to use your app because it’s costing them a lot of money, they’re not going to get that great experience they’re looking for in your destination from your app.

How would using a wrapped app affect your DMO? The numbers follow…

From The Apple Blog, iPod touch Now Outselling iPhone:

At the iPad event, Steve Jobs announced 75 million iPhone OS devices had been sold to date, though whether that date was January 27 or January 1 is not known. It won’t matter either way, but let’s assume the latter. Through 2009, Apple sold 42.517 million iPhones. Subtract that number from 75 million iPhone OS devices and we get 32.483 million iPod touches.

If you’re still awake, here’s the bottom line: the rate of sales growth of the iPod touch is very likely greater than the table shows, as in double that of the iPhone. True, the period includes the holiday quarter, the best quarter for iPods, but it just doesn’t matter. The iPod touch, the stealth device for iPhone OS, will be the best-selling model for the platform in 2010, if it isn’t already, and it is.

To reiterate: there are about 32 million iPod Touches out there and a wrapped app won’t reach them when they need it most: in your destination.

From AdMob January 2010 Mobile Metrics Report:

iPod Touch users download an average of 12 apps a month, 37% more apps than iPhone and Android users.

The bottom line from the AdMob report? iPod Touch users love to use apps – but you have to make sure that they can use yours! A wrapped app – an app that depends on being connected to the Internet – does not allow them to do this.

Discover Anywhere Mobile produces native iPhone apps. All the essential data your visitors need is stored right in their iPhone / iPod Touch. This means that whether or not they’re connected to the Internet, they’re going to be able to find the things they’re looking for – and that’s why your DMO/CVB created the app in the first place, right?

All images taken from original blog posts.

We’re pleased to announce that the Destination St. John’s apps (for iPhone, BlackBerry and mobile web browser) have been launched. From the DSJ website:

Destination St. John’s is making its member’s information available on smart phones to convention delegates, tourists and residents of the province. Apps are available for Blackberries, iPhones and other internet enabled smart phones allowing users to check for places to stay, places to eat or things to do through members of DSJ. You can even check to see what the weather will be like. Best of all the app is FREE!

“This is leading technology and a great assist to the traveler in finding the many fine products and services offered by DSJ members” says Mark McCarthy Chair of Destination St. John’s.

CEO Keith Healey says, “I am excited for our members as every member will now be on the hip or in the purse of every visitor to our region; you can’t get much closer to a sale than that.”

David Janes President of Discover Anywhere Mobile, suppliers of the service says, “Discover Anywhere Mobile is very pleased to be partnering with DSJ to provide mobile applications for their visitors. With this technology, DSJ is now providing the best apps available worldwide for creating amazing tourist and conventioneer experiences.”

John Feltham VP of Technology with Applecore Interactive, developers of DSJ’s web presence says,” Destination St. John’s has assisted greatly with trip planning by providing visitors a real taste of their destination by displaying locations on an easy to use mobile map application.”

For those devices that have GPS capability it will tell you how far you are from your desired location and again, if you have the service, it will even tell you how to get there.

On your smart device go to http://m.destinationstjohns.com/ download the app and start visiting DSJ members! Once there you can read about the member and with another click visit their website directly.

For more information contact:

Keith Healey, CEO
Destination St. John’s
709-739-8898
khealey@destinationstjohns.com

If you’re interested in finding out more about what DAM does, have a look around the website and give us a call for a demo. We have the first, the most compelling and the best priced mobile solution for getting CVB/DMOs mobile in the market.

We’re considering a new look – or rather, a new way of creating a look – for our iPhone applications:

• no tabs on the bottom of the screen
• navigation is entirely “hierarchical” from the front page
• the front page can be anything that can be rendered in HTML: on the iPhone, this is saying a lot, as basically HTML can do almost anything
• the front page sideways scrolls to reveal more information about your destination or company

Click on the image to see a full size version – this is going to be our new Discover Anywhere Civil War app.

The existing tabbed version will remain available as an option, of course.

Last week we did a brief “background” interview with Nora Young of CBC Spark about Discover Anywhere Mobile’s Transit app and Augmented Reality. You can listen here:

• Full CBC Podcast (with notes, etc)
• Our segment (as an MP3, about 2:15 long)

Thank you very much to Nora and the gang at Spark!

We’re past the 98% completion point for the BlackBerry version of our applications. This app features:

• an icon and launcher right on your tourists/customer’s BlackBerry screen
• a hybrid web/device model, to provide a “best of both worlds” model; in particular, to provide a full featured app for the BlackBerry user while minimizing the impact of the app on one’s limited BlackBerry resources
• full geo-location features (closest to me, order by distance)

A few features seen on the iPhone version are not here, but are likely to be added soon:

• show multiple locations on map
• favorites
• routes

Some things are never going to come unfortunately:

• augmented reality

We’re pretty happy with this app. It should run on any 4.2 or later BlackBerry, but will look great on 4.6 or later.  In case you didn’t know, our “base” offering covers all the apps we do – iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry and mobile web browsers, so it’s not a matter of picking one or the other.

Here’s our screenshots – click for a bigger picture.

Home Screen

Listings by Theme

Events

Listing Details

Nearby (Me)

Nearby Another Listing

Discover Anywhere “DA Transit” – our Augmented Reality transit finder application – is now available from the iTunes app store.

Read more about it here in the original blog post! As far as we can tell by searching the iTunes store, we’re the first iPhone OS 3.1 valid Augmented Reality application.

Discover Anywhere Transit – called “DA Transit” on the iPhone for brevity reason – has been submitted to the app store now that the iPhone OS 3.1 has been officially released. We’ll let you know when it’s actually out (i.e. when it gets past Apple’s mystical app store process)! Now with nearly 50 transit locations and shiny new Augmented Reality features.

Discover Anywhere “DA Transit” is now available from the iTunes app store (note: link will launch iTunes to show the application in the app store):

Transit information can be selected:

• by transit system
• by what’s near me right now
• by search
• by user favorites

When viewing transit stops, they can be shown:

• in “Augmented Reality” mode, showing the location information floating on the video screen above stops
• on a map
• as a listing, sorted alphabetically or by distance from me

Screen Shots

Updates:

2009-09-08: the following lines have been added: Amtrak, California ACE, California Caltrain, California Metrolink, Florida TriRail, Long Island LIRR, Metra, Metro-North, New Mexico Rail Runner, San Diego Coaster, South Shore Line, Tennessee Music City Star, Utah FrontRunner, Utah TRAX, Virginia Railway Express and Washington Sounder. We now are covering 49 rail lines!

2009-09-10: submitted to app store.

About Discover Anywhere Mobile

Discover Anywhere Mobile creates mobile applications for the tourism industry, particularly DMOs and CVBs. Our applications run on iPhones, iPod Touches, BlackBerries and mobile web browsers. All features in Discover Anywhere Mobile Transit will be available to our customers, including augmented reality.

Current Transit Locations

Amtrak

Atlanta MARTA

Baltimore Metro

Boston MBTA

Buffalo Metro Rail

Calgary C-Train

California ACE

California BART

California Caltrain

California Metrolink

Charlotte LYNX

Chicago CTA

Cleveland RTA

Dallas DART

Denver RTD

Edmonton ETS

Florida TriRail

Houston METRORail

LA Metro

Long Island LIRR

Metra

Metro-North

Miami Metrorail

Minnestoa Hiawatha Line

Montreal Metro

New Jersey River Line

New Jersey Transit

New Mexico Rail Runner

Newark Light Rail

NYC Subway

Ontario GO

Oregon MAX

PATCO

PATH

Pennsylvania SEPTA

Phoenix Valley Metro

Pittsburgh Light Rail

San Diego Coaster

San Diego MTS

San Francisco MUNI

South Shore Line

St. Louis MetroLink

Tennessee Music City Star

Toronto TTC

Utah FrontRunner

Utah TRAX

Vancouver TransLink

Virginia Railway Express

Washington Sounder

TORONTO, July 23, 2009 — Discover Anywhere Mobile has launched the first iPhone destination application in North America for Central Nova Scotia. Optimized to meet travelers’ needs for concise, relevant, timely destination information, these applications provide all the information available on the Central Nova Scotia’s web site – events, accommodations, dining, shopping and things to see and do – plus additional traveler information, such as the location of hospitals, airports, train stations and visitors centres.

By selecting Discover Anywhere Mobile as it’s partner, Central Nova Scotia has quickly and cost effectively translated their website for mobile users. “All we needed was access to their data”, says David Janes, President of Discover Anywhere Mobile, “from there it’s usually less than a day of analysis before we have a mobile version ready for deployment”. In addition, whenever Central Nova Scotia needs to update, add or remove listings and events, these changes are automatically pushed out to all active users.

About Central Nova Scotia

The central region of Nova Scotia, Canada features two incredibly distinct coastlines to enjoy in close proximity!  The Bay of Fundy (Fundy Shore) is truly a natural wonder of the world with the highest tides on earth carving an amazing coastline to explore.

Search for 300 million year old fossils at a UNESCO World Heritage site or for dinosaur bones on a geological tour, discover legends of Nova Scotia’s first people, experience a one of a kind tidal river rafting adventure or visit the site of the highest recorded tide ever!

The Northumberland Shore is home to the warmest salt water in Nova Scotia and is a great beach destination for romance or family fun.  Seaside golf, a visit to a vineyard, great food, boutique shopping, local heritage and Celtic culture, and of course a day at the beach all await you.

About Discover Anywhere Mobile

Discover Anywhere Mobile Inc. is a Toronto-based software development company focused on mobile solutions for the travel industry.

Applications created by Discover Anywhere Mobile include dynamic traveler-centered listings with photographs and text for popular sites and attractions, hotels, restaurants, businesses, tourism offices, embassies, hospitals, etc. within a destination. It also features maps, showing routes from the user directly to where they want to go, a Favorites feature to provides travelers with personal itinerary management, and a What’s Nearby feature to encourage travelers to wander, explore and experience the rich diversity of a destination. Listings can be marked as “featured” for premium placement and can be added, modified or deleted even on deployed applications to ensure travelers have the most up-to-date information. Discover Anywhere Mobile provides a complete set of services to import a destination’s database into our application, or if necessary, data entry tools to build a database from the ground up.

CONTACT: Discover Anywhere Mobile Inc., Joanne Janes, Business Development, +1 416-785-4425, joanne@discoveranywheremobile.com, www.discoveranywheremobile.com

See and discover the streetscapes and buildings of Toronto through the panoramas of Rannie Turingan. This app showcases using Discover Anywhere Mobile for displaying photographs primarily, generously supplied by renowned Toronto photographer Rannie Turingan.

The Discover Anywhere Civil War app allows you to find, explore and learn more about important US Civil War locations, such as battlefields, museums and reenactments.

Built on the Discover Anywhere Mobile tourism platform, this app includes great features such as Nearby, which not only shows what is nearby you but can show you what’s nearby other locations, Favorites to keep a smart travel itinerary, an events calendar, thematic exploration, and smart actions for each location.