Wednesday, July 13, 2011

MAPUTO TOURIST GUIDE LAUNCHED ON MOBILE PHONES

Mozambique’s Higher Institute of Science and Technology (ISCTEM) on Monday in Maputo launched a tour guide using the Android platform on mobile phones.Android is a computer operating system for mobile phones designed by Google, but allows for developers to write their own applications.The tour guide application developed by ISCTEM and a group of students from the University of Eastern Finland uses Google Earth for mapping the capital city and locating key tourist destinations. It provides information about the destinations and could be used as an alternative to printed guides.According to Ville Rasanen, one of the Finnish students who worked on the project, “this is a tool that works using GPRS and the internet. It is a user-friendly platform which shows one’s location and interesting places to visit in Maputo”.Destinations in the guide include the railway station, museums, restaurants and places of cultural interest.According to Rasanen, this technology could benefit tourist operators if they collaborate with ISCTEM, or they can develop similar tools of their own.

ISCTEM points out that a major challenge is to roll out this tool across the country, within the scope of the existing cooperation program for science, technology and innovation with the University of Eastern Finland.

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