Tour Missouri with the 'Show-Me Missouri' smartphone application

Wouldn't it be nice to have a personal tour guide while traveling through Missouri? There's an app for that, thanks to Show-Me Missouri, a state-wide travel magazine based in Kennett.

"The launch of the iPhone in 2007 changed the way people absorb and utilize information," said Show-Me Missouri Publisher Gary Figgins. "The iPhone has been the single-most innovative piece of technology introduced in the 21st century, not just because of its unique design, but because of the way it has redefined how people integrate technology into their lives."

With the creation of the Apple iPhone came the introduction of the App Store, an electronic storefront through which developers could offer a vast array of software aimed at everything from increasing productivity to improving contact management to enhancing entertainment options--all from a handheld device. While many software giants were among the first to offer software for the new phone, the App Store opened the doors for individual and small-business developers, as well.

The Show-Me Missouri app project has been more than a year in the making, and it is a work-in-progress, as additional entires are already being compiled for future updates, said Figgins. The Show-Me Missouri app is not an electronic version of the quarterly full-color travel magazine, but is, instead, a travel assistant that provides in-depth information on a wide range of attractions and destinations in the state. The app, which launched on the App Store this week, includes more than 200 listings and more than 1,100 photos of Missouri travel attractions. Each listing includes an in-depth description, admission cost and hours. Users can visit attraction websites and call for more information, all from within the app.

Attractions are cross-referenced in 17 different categories: Art & Architecture, Caves, Child Friendly, Civil War, Distinctly Missouri, Famous Faces, Fun On The Water, Great Photo Ops, Highway 36, Historic Places, Mississippi River, Missouri River, Museums, Naturally Missouri, Route 66, State/National Parks and Theme Parks & Zoos. The listings can be sorted by name, distance from current location, cost and region. With iPhone or iPad "Location Services" activated, directions can be generated for each listing using the internal map on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Somewhat different from a regular GPS, "lesser-known" attractions without actual street addresses are plotted on the device's map, allowing directions to be generated even without an address. In addition, users can comment on individual listings and even offer suggestions for other listings. As with all apps on the App Store, those who purchase the app can review and rate it for others.

"When we began tossing around the idea of an iPhone app," explained Figgins, "we did not want it to be just an electronic version of the printed magazine. We wanted to come up with a product that provided travel information to tourists in a way that complimented the magazine without replacing the magazine. A lot of publications are exploring ways of making interactive versions of their magazines available, and, while that may one day be the future of publishing, the idea is still in its infancy with a lot of unanswered questions."

Compiling content for the app, while time consuming, was not nearly as difficult as developing the software code that allows the app the work.

"I realized early on that it was neither cost efficient nor feasible to develop a code from scratch," said Figgins, "and I didn't want the magazine to be associated with something that did not meet the same quality of our printed publication."

The problem was solved when Figgins made contact with Sutro Media, a California-based company that specializes in editorial-based travel apps for Apple's iOS platform. The company works exclusively with accredited travel writers.

"Sutro provided the platform, and we provided the content," explained Figgins. "No one knows Missouri better than Show-Me Missouri's writers and photographers, and this arrangement allowed us to focus on what we knew best while Sutro focused on the mechanics and the very laborious task of dealing with Apple's intensive app approval process."

USA Today recently recommended "anything from Sutro Media" in its list of best travel apps.

All of the core information in the Show-Me Missouri app is downloaded onto the device, meaning the information is available even without internet connectivity, a benefit to iPod Touch and iPad Wi-fi users, although comments and external links from listings still require wireless connectivity. Sutro is working on making apps available to Google's Android platform used by other phone manufacturers, but right now the focus remains on Apple's platform, which maintains a sizable lead over the Android platform. In 2010, Apple reached 37.9 million people with its three devices that utilize the iOS platform. Android reached 23.8 million phones and tablets in the same time period. When European numbers are figured in, Apple maintains a 12.4 percent share of the market compared to Google's 5.7 percent share.

The App Store actually contains two versions of Show-Me Missouri: one for the iPhone and one for the iPad. While apps for the iPhone can be loaded onto the iPad, the iPad app is designed specifically for that device's larger screen. Each is available for $2.99, with all future updates available for free download. The app can be purchased from the App Store from within iTunes or directly from the App Store using any of the three Apple devices.