Here’s the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we get about Discover Anywhere Mobile. If you need to know more, don’t hesitate contact us for a web demo.

How long does it take to get up and running?

Depending on the suitability of your listing database, we can have a version up and running in days. Getting applications listed on the iTunes Application store will typically take between 3 to 6 weeks.

How do we get our listings and events into the application? How do we make changes or additions to our listings or events?

Just do what ever it is you do today – we’ll work directly with your existing CMS to ensure that your mobile apps track your website daily.

How do tourists actually get the application for their iPhone?

We’ll provide links and graphics for your destination’s home page that tourists can click on. Your application will also be listed in the iTunes Application Store, and can be directly discovered by searching or browsing. This is important if your tourists are looking for the application coming from a printed travel guide or a press release.

How many people will actually use this?

Discover Anywhere Mobile expects that within three years this will be the primary way that travelers will get information about destinations. Right now, we know:

• 40% of consumers own a smartphone (link)
• over 40% percent of consumers will make their next mobile phone a smartphone (link)
• more than three quarters of smartphone owners said that they will either be planning or taking a trip in the next 6 months (link)
• smartphone owners demographically skew wealthy (link)
• as of January 2009, there are about 18m iPhones and about 13.6 iPod Touches in use (link)
• iPhone and BlackBerry sales are expected to increase 25% this year (link)

Why not just use a .MOBI address or a mobile web browser?

Several reasons:

• the Discover Anywhere Mobile application has no dependency on the Internet (except for displaying maps, sending emails, etc.) – this means the application will work on an iPod Touch (tens of millions sold), will work in cellular dead spots, and will not be ringing up bandwidth charges for tourists
• the Discover Anywhere Mobile application is instantly there for tourists, meaning they can quickly find the information they want when they need it rather than tediously waiting for pages to download over the cellular network
• mobile web browsers do not necessarily know your location, and thus cannot orient the application about where the user is
• rich content – such as photos – take a long time to download to user’s mobile web browsers; Discover Anywhere Mobile’s application has all the information it needs right there in the user’s hands

Also see below our mobile web browser version.

Why not create our own version of this idea?

You can, except:

• you’ll just be expensively recreating a “one-of” version of something we can much more efficiently deliver to you
• Discover Anywhere Mobile is highly customizable, so we can deliver almost (within the broad parameters of what the application does) whatever it is you need
• you will not be able to take advantage of feature upgrades Discover Anywhere Mobile makes to the product

X already creates a mobile guide for our destination, why should we make one?

Absolutely, and there’s no reason travelers shouldn’t use that application also. But Discover Anywhere Mobile is about your application, your message, about what you want to get across about your destination. Just as Lonely Planet and Fedor’s makes travel guides hasn’t mean that your DMO has had to stop publicizing and printing guidebooks to your destination.

How expensive is this?

Very affordable – we charge a first year fee for getting setting up and then a yearly maintenance fee that covers running the applications on your behalf. The actual cost depends on:

• what versions of the apps you want – iPhone, Blackberry or MOBI – with a discount for getting more than one
• additional premium features, such as Facebook integration
• how many listings you expect to have (estimated yearly)

In addition, there may be one time costs based upon:

• how much customization you need
• how much additional consultation you need

What are we getting for our money?

• The Discover Anywhere Mobile application for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and the BlackBerry application when it is available (the mobile web browser version of the application, when ready, will cost an additional fee associated with having to actually host the application on the Internet)
• A daily (if desired) import of all your listings and events

Discover Anywhere Mobile will manage the entire process, from listing imports, application creation, listing the application on the iTunes Application Store, and updating as needed. Pretty well the only things the destination has to do is provide the data and publicize the application to your tourists.

Can I recoup the money this is costing our destination?

• Your destination can charge for premium listings in the application, ensuring that travelers will frequently see these particular listings first.
• Your destination will save money, in reduction in printing costs
• Your destination members will make money, by providing travelers the information the need – where’s a great restaurant near the theater? - when they need it

What if we really need feature X?

Talk to us and we’ll see what we can do.

What if we need this to work in French, in German, in …?

The Discover Anywhere Mobile application is fully internationalized. Talk to us about what your requirements are.

Is my destination too small for this application?

If it’s worth your time to have a  website and it takes more than one page to list everything to do at your website, it’s worth considering Discover Anywhere Mobile.

What’s Augmented Reality? Do all your apps support it?

Augmented Reality only works on the iPhone 3GS; other versions of our application do not show this option. You can read more about Augmented Reality here.

Does this work on the iPod Touch?

Yes, with the caveats that Internet functions – mapping, email, etc. – will only work when the iPod Touch is connected to a WiFi hotspot. There is, of course, no phone functions.

How does the application get on the iTunes Music Store?

Discover Anywhere Mobile handles everything for you.