[MassHistPres] "apps"

[Garrett Laws]

Ann,

That's great feedback! A common search mechanism that  can easily gain
access to information from different commissions...that sounds like a
potential for self guided tours with lots of great (verifable)
information.

Garrett laws

On Sunday, September 5, 2010, Ann Chapdelaine <designer1446 at comcast.net> wrote:
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> I am forwarding an email from a young man who I had
> the pleasure of working with when he was a sophomore in high school to prepare
> some preservation awards programs.  He has
> some interesting  and objective comments.
>
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> Ann J. Chapdelaine, Chairperson
> Town of North
> Attleborough Historical Commission
> Town Hall
> 43 South Washington
> Street
> North Attleboro, MA. 02760
> Office 508-699-0152
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Justin Kwan <jkk817 at gmail.com>
> To: Ann Chapdelaine <designer1446 at comcast.net>
> Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2010 1:14 AM
> Subject: Re: Ann Chapdelaine
>
> Hi Ann,
>
>
> I am in China right now. I've been there for 5 weeks now. Last week
> and this week are vacation, so I am in Beijing right now. I come back on Sept
> 12.
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> The Provincetown map idea looks interesting. It sounds like there are two
> ways you could go - simply placing markers in a google map or create a full
> iPhone application.
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> I'm actually very intrigued by the idea of using iPhone applications for
> tourist applications. Since I live in Lowell, I have wondered if the National
> Park Service has a need of similiar applications.
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> If the application is simply going to be markers on a map - google maps is
> the easiest way to go. The user would have to open the iPhone web browser and
> navigate to the map. You can also create an iPhone app that can access the map
> (the user only has to download the app and doesn't have to navigate to the map
> through the iPhone web browser). If the application has supplemental content
> about each location - history, photos, music, video, then an application is
> definitely the way to go.
>
>
> As far as how successful an applications can be - I don't know the market
> well enough. The questions that stand out are 1) Is it OK to support the iPhone
> only. What if a person has a different kind of phone? Should applications be
> created for the Android, for example? 2) Is it OK that the user needs to
> download the app in order to use it? - maybe an iPhone friendly website is
> better 3) Will users benefit from supplemental content or do they really just
> want directions?
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> Is there some kind of MA database for historical sites? Eventually I could
> even see some kind of iPhone app that can tap into a database of all historical
> sites in MA and show information, photos, and directions about those sites.
> Think about that for an exciting project....
>
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> I think it's exciting to be able to make any body of information more
> accessible to people, especially something as important as historical
> information. Probably much more valuable to the world than apps that pull
> information on TV shows, actors and such...
>
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> I'll mention a project I've been trying to get going. I created a website
> for people to be able to upload some photos of their artistic creations. The
> idea is that people in the local area would be able to contribute and have their
> own online community rather than DeviantArt or etsy, for example, that host
> people from all around the world. The idea would be to get people to look at
> local art instead of buying art at IKEA or something simliar (although buying
> capabilities are a long way off).
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> So I launched the site (http://www.culturehive.com). I started off
> by getting a few users to sign up (friends and acquaintainces), but it was
> really hard to get them to upload any content. So after about a month, there are
> a bunch of users, but not a lot of content. (Then I  went to China). I
> thought I'd be able to get some friends and acquaintances to get about 10 solid
> users with good content, so that I could use this to reach out to other people
> through facebook and other in-person contacts I make, but that didn't quite pan
> out. So now the site might need a little reinvention (more differentiation from
> etsy and deviant art) and a different marketing approach.
>
>
> So the reason I brought my site up is that it is supposed to be a database
> of art. It could potentially be accessed through the culturehive website or an
> iPhone app. In general, the internet and iPhone apps have evolved to the point
> where this question is very important: how to get people to use YOUR database of
> content whether it is contributing to the database or reading information from
> the database. In the case of a Provincetown iPhone app, it is a small database
> of 50 locations in Provincetown. That can be scaled to a database for all of MA
> (given time and resources). But the point is, in the end, it is all an
> information source where people can draw information. You want the most people
> drawing from that information that you can. The lesson to be learned here is
> that the marketing strategy is just as important as actually creating the
> content and application.
>
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> In short, creating an iPhone app on historical sites is very cool. It's
> even cooler if you can get people to use your app.
>
>
> Are you asking me if I want to work on an app or just for the
> information?
>
>
> Justin
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-- 

Cheers,
Garrett

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