Matt Livingstone usually only needs about 30 minutes to make his point.
The Greater Sudbury resident and president of IHTOAYA Canada Inc. (pronounced “i-toy-ah”), based in the Nickel City, has rolled out a free, web-powered mobile app platform, called CityApp, designed to allow local governments and community organizations to communicate directly with their respective mobile audience using their browser.
“The idea is to give local governments and organizations the ability to engage residents on a mobile platform,” Livingstone said. “I was constantly looking for a way to find information about what was going on in our city at any time. Social media just wasn’t getting it done. It’s kind of a hybrid. Most might say Twitter or Facebook will do it, but most require you to sign up. CityApp is totally anonymous and it is free.”
CityApp includes a free mobile app for BlackBerry and Android that receives content from a web-powered portal. It instantly extends and enhances mobile communications to residents, tourists and business travelers and keeps everyone up-to-date with important information and events in a city, when and where they need the information the most. There is also a mobile website for iPhone users to access the app. A true iPhone app will be available at the end of November.
CityApp is available free as an ad-supported, turn-key mobile solution that only requires a browser to use. Local governments and community organizations do not have to invest thousands of dollars developing and maintaining multiple mobile apps and the computer hardware necessary to support them. Content can contain web and files links, geographic locations on Google Maps and calendar activities allowing users to quickly add important events to their mobile calendars with just a few clicks.
IHTOAYA was incorporated in May. The name is from an Aztec word meaning “It is said” and Livingstone felt it reflected his new company well. He and a two-person team began developing the product last December.
Livingstone has found that is takes about half-an-hour to explain his product to people and to see the “light go on” in their heads when they realize the potential.
“It usually doesn’t take long and once they understood it and what it could do … people are happy,” he said. “We’re confident if we get a wider audience, it will grow substantially on its own. It’s nice to see the development cycle end. It’s nice to see the product out the door now, and we hope it leads to bigger and better things. Our goal is to have CityApp in every city. It’s great because it is user-driven.”
Livingstone notes the possibilities for CityApp is nearly endless. Traffic conditions and alternative routes, and emergencies can be instantly released notifying the public.
Transit users can be instantly informed of delays or route changes. Residents can be provided with up-to-the-second updates on public events and meetings.
“The benefit is instant communication,” Livingstone said. “People know exactly what is going on wherever they are. They can keep up to speed on everything going on in the community when they’re mobile. More and more people are mobile these days. We stressed efficiency. The app is less than 20-k. It gives people three important things: When it is happening, where it is happening and the ability to be reminded and find more detailed information.”
Set up is easy and painless for groups and governments.
“We set up the portal and inside that portal they can create up to eight channels,” Livingstone said. “The idea is to focus their communications. They then post messages to those different channels which are immediately transferred to the mobile app. There can be up to four languages, too. It has been made to be simple, fast and reliable. If you can send an e-mail, you can use CityApp.”
Rainbow Routes Association took up the IHTOAYA offer of a trial to utilize CityApp for their organization.
Rainbow Routes is using the technology to enhance and expand their communication reach with members and even gain new members. For Rainbow Rotes, the more ways to get a message out, the better. The organization promotes its hikes and public information sessions, among other items, using the new app.
“People are getting their information in so many different ways these days and it is moving fast,” Rainbow Routes executive director Deb MacIntosh said. “My impression is CityApp will be a clean, clear message for people. Any organization needs to be looking at all the ways to get their communications across. That is how we survive.”
Posted by Mark Gentili
