Tech
Nuit Blanche 2009 Goes High Tech
Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is going online, mobile, and interactive - far more so this year than in previous years. Flipping through the printed event booklet, which has done the job reasonably well previously, won't be the be-all-and-end-all in this, the 2009 installment.
Event organizers and techno savvies have been working diligently behind the scenes to bring three main tech-related enhancements to Toronto's all-night contemporary art festival experience: a fast-loading mobile-friendly web site; an online custom itinerary builder; and comprehensive, GPS-enabled iPhone and Blackberry mobile applications that will allow festival-goers to get on-the-fly exhibit info galore and share their experiences in real time.
The first enhancement is simple and straightforward enough. Creating a stripped-down mobile-friendly version of the main festival web site is a basic concept but an excellent idea. Light on images with a larger, more legible font and simple navigation, the mobile site will allow people with the most basic of cell phones to have quick access to exhibit info online.
Perhaps more useful though, is the new online "My Night" personal Itinerary planner. Contemporary art lovers will be able to browse the online festival guide in advance, selecting exhibits of interest and creating a personalized, custom itinerary complete with maps, and descriptions. These itineraries can then be printed, or shared digitally via social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, and ShareThis.
Most impressive, however, is what they've done for the smartphone-inclined. Nuit Blanche planners have teamed up with mobile app developers Simply Good and POIfriend to provide both iPhone and Blackberry users with camera and GPS-enabled applications. Using "Night Navigator," mobile app users will be able to scan exhibit info from the printed guide, and from on-location posters at each exhibit on the night of Nuit Blanche. The app will also allow art-viewers to rate exhibits, vote for their favourites, get location-specific recommendations on exhibits, access photo collections and discussion forums, and more. And these features are all in addition to the app being chock-full of festival info including road closures and TTC services.
The iPhone app has been available since Wednesday of last week, and is nearly fully functional (some of the features will only be useful on the night of October 3rd), and the Blackberry app is available today.
Download your apps, browse your guides, check out our recommended exhibits, and get ready for another night out on the town, in the name of contemporary art.
Get the iPhone app here and the Blackberry version here -- (note: this is a Blackberry browser link only).
Discussion
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Cheers!
Sure you can have a printed copy, but why put all that hastle, when it's all on your phone.
A lot easier, and for a first time app, based on an evolving event, i am rather impressed with it, after initial play on my iPhone.
I wasn't going to engage in Nuit this year, but this app, may persuade me too.
You know... not _everyone_ has a smartphone.
VIVE LA RESISTANCE!
If you can use paper and have a source of light often enough, awesome.
If you have some gadget you can look at in the middle of the night with your info, awesome.
Thanks, Nuit Blanche people, for helping out however you can. You have a great event. Now everyone enjoy this fucking thing however they want.
Why not just pick up a brochure and enjoy the night with friends! :)
*Sometimes technology just complicates our lives doesn't it? I feel it divides more than it connects.
I'm old enough to observe now how all these tech toys in many ways destroy human's interactivity with eachother. When it's come down to friends msn'ing me while at work, while we're in the same room, you know our society is in trouble.
Besides, we polute just as much tech. material as we cut down trees.. so let's everyone help find a solution.
Sha! right! Like the energy source you use to charge your electronic device (Nuclear, Coal, Hydroelectric)is any better than that used to create paper... and the device itself is waaaay more biodegradable once it has reached the end of its lifecycle (say 2-3 years, or as soon as Apple launches a newer, faster, better, hotter version).
And who's saying paper producers target old-growth trees exclusively ? It's not like anyone _really_ makes it a point to purposefully kill off trees (except Saruman, and maybe Gargamel, from the Smurfs...)
There's actually such a thing as responsible forest stewardship, which promotes the use of rapid-growth tree farming (~10 cycle from planting to harvesting) that might surprise you.
So move to BC, eat some granola, and go hug a tree.
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3GS
Blackberry Bold (9000)
Blackberry Tour (9630)
Blackberry Storm (9500, 9530) Coming Soon!!!
There are a lot of BB users out there (including me) who use a Curve or Pearl. Way to exclude users Nuit Blanche.
That's not right.
http://www.blogto.com/arts/2009/09/nuit_blanche_2009_guide/
I have no relationship with Nuit Blanche though (just want to stress that this is unofficial.)
Yay!
It does not work with Storm handsets from Telus because they are so far behind in software versions (4.7.0.122).
Boo!
I s'pose I'll have to chop down some strangers and talk to trees over the night... or... other way 'round.
Still bullshit that the Curve is not included and the selection is so limited. Going to try this http://www.dynamiclegend.com/view/ app and if it works that would be amazing Ken.