Apps!! Go Hi-Tech on the Broads!!

The Broads is the first member of the National Parks family to have so-called ‘augmented reality’ mobile phone technology to inform visitors about this magical waterland. The high tech interpretation has been created for the How Hill National Nature Reserve. It uses the GPS capabilities of smart phones to show information on screen, on top of the real view fed in from the phone’s camera. It means visitors simply point their phones at a local landmark and the phone becomes a personal guide, instantly providing information about what’s in view. A free app called Layar can be downloaded from http://www.how-hill.info/ in order to access the information on site. A free ebook is also available. Appropriate phones include Android phone,  iPhone 4 and iPhone 3Gs. The Broads Authority’s Information and Design Supervisor Karen Sayer, who led the project said: “We want to encourage young people to become passionate about the Broads so they will look after this unique area for generations to come. So we have used what comes naturally to them – the latest digital technology – which we hope will bring the Broads alive in an exciting and stimulating way.”
The innovative venture has been financed by European Regional Development funding through the STEP (Sustainable Tourism in Estuary Parks) programme.