2009 Presidential Inauguration attendees now have their very own smartphone app to navigate
Washington's gala events.
The application, from Qorvis Communications and the law firm Patton Boggs, provides
location-aware (GPS) information about all inaugural galas and events while delivering details in real time. Information helps attendees find where to eat, what Metro line
to take, and how to find museums and other places in Washington, DC. It also provides walking directions to the Inauguration.
The first iteration of the Qorvis/Patton Boggs application is now
available in the iTunes App Store. A Blackberry version will soon
follow. Development of a version for the Google phone "Android" is
slated for early January 2009.
"Everyone in Washington is throwing a party or hosting clients,
family and friends for the inauguration," said Michael Petruzzello,
managing partner of Qorvis. "We wanted to offer the public a useful and
speedy way to obtain information about this historic event."
The mobile application was designed by Qorvis' in-house interactive
team and developed by PointAbout, which has enabled the application to
be used on a variety of mobile platforms.
The application currently available features evolving content -
which will include RSS feeds on inauguration events and services and
other related information closer to the event date. Plans also include
a polling component to gauge real-time user sentiment about the
Inauguration. FortiusOne will be analyzing and visualizing the results
through their GeoCommons platform. Current services include:
Zagat Restaurant Guide
Walking directions to the Inauguration
Metro train and bus schedules
News and alerts
Free Wi-Fi zone locations
Local weather, traffic, and news
Starbucks locations
ATM-bank search
The 2009 Inauguration Guide is a reflection of the broader
services Qorvis and Patton Boggs provide: helping organizations and
companies navigate the complexities and nuances of Washington with
regard to legal services, public affairs, issue advocacy, and media and
public relations.
The app for iPhones can be found here: http://inauguration.pointabout.com/