Blackberry App Orients Inauguration-Goers

by Chris Good - 01/15/09 12:21 PM ET

A new application for touch-screen Blackberries will allow inauguration-goers to get up-to-the-minute info on what’s going on around them.

Public relations firm Qorvis partnered with K Street lobbying giant Patton Boggs and tech company FortiusOne to develop the software, which it released for Blackberries this week. A similar app for iPhones was offered by the three firms in late December.

Using the GPS capabilities of Blackberry’s Bold and Curve models, the app will help orient Blackberry-owners who brave the mayhem expected on the National Mall Tuesday: the app provides walking directions, D.C. weather and traffic updates, news updates, nearest Metro train and bus routes and schedules, free Wi-fi zones, Starbucks locations, restaurants, ATMs, parking garages, and inaugural balls and parties.

The application also gives Zagat reviews and lets users book reservations via Open Table.

The New York Times dubbed the iPhone version of Qorvis/Boggs’s creation “Phone App of the Week” in late December.

Blackberry Bold and Curve owners, as well as iPhone users, can download the app here.

See a video demonstration of the app below:

DC Inauguration Video 121808 from Daniel R. Odio on Vimeo