Week of Oct 19, 2009.
Placecasting blog.
This is probably the most interesting blog I have come across so far.
The placecasting blog brings together the audio world and the visual world. The blog is kept u
p by a man named Jeff Jones from Saint Paul, Minnesota. A radio producer and avid traveler, Jones has come up with a revolutionary way to explore the world using one of our most powerful senses (hearing) and readily accessible technology. In this day and age, most have access to a cell phone and to the internet. Jones uses these to his advantage.
His most recent post is about an audio tour of Mississippi River in Wisconsin. The audio tour lays out information about cities, sites, and landscape along the River.
He also mentions in an earlier post about something called a Cell Phone Tour. The Central Park Conservancy in New York City has created a unique type of tour. Almost everyone has a cell phone nowadays, so why not create a tour of Central Park using this technology? Throughout the park, they have posted signs with a phone number to call and an extension specifically for that sign. When a tourist (or resident, for the matter) calls the number, they are directed to a pre-recorded message. The message consists of actors reading a script about the area around the sign, particularly the buildings and flora. The message gives suggestions on how to enjoy the Park, in order to avoid the normal tourist traps.
Jones gives yet another form of exploration. This is particularly helpful to those who
are unable to visit a place at that certain time. He mentions using Google Earth to explore a region. He used the service to survey Yosemite National Park and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. He denotes that, although it is much more fulfilling to see these places in person, Google Earth provides a close second. There are 3D images of buildings and structures in the park.
Jones mentions ways to visit, even if a person is unable to
physically visit the site. Today, technology is so
readily accessible, why not use to explore the natural Earth?
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