eBooks and Apps

I love apps. I've been playing with my iPad and discovering all kinds of fun stuff, especially Vegas-related. Apps are fun, cool and interactive. Perfect for small, mobile devices for people on the go.

Of course, I love eBooks, too, but they're different. eBooks contain more content and fewer features. The content might consist of words, pictures or maps, but the interaction doesn't work the same way as an app.

Obviously, there's a difference between reading/searching a book and surfing an app. There's a purpose for each. If I want to see photos of the Bellagio fountains and locate them on the Strip, then an app is great. Maybe I can read a review of them and see what time the shows run, too. So the app provides a snapshot of Vegas while you're there and gives you snippets of information. Which is great.

On the other hand, a good travel guide gives you a different experience. It connects the dots with a story. Now I don't mean a literal story, but rather one that arms you with information that you can use when you plan your trip and also use as content you can search while you are there.

Here's an example. Suppose I'm planning my trip to Vegas and I've decided that I'm going to see the volcano at Mirage because I haven't seen it in a while. I'm also a blackjack player, so I want to know what to expect at the tables. I know I'll only be in Vegas 3 days, so I want to explore as much mid-Strip as I can without having to take a taxi or spend a lot of time wearing out my shoes trying to find an Italian restaurant or a Cirque du Soleil show. By the way, my wife's coming with me, and she's going to want to shop, too.

That's my story, and whether I'm planning these things a month before I'm in Vegas or when I arrive at McCarran airport, it's the story that a good travel guide can help me tell, and it can do it comprehensively, in one format.

Maybe there's room for both apps and eBooks in this crazy new world. With free Kindle and Nook apps for the iPhone and iPad, you can have your travel guide at your fingertips. So while you're searching for "volcano" within your Vegas travel guide on your iPhone to see what time it erupts, you can also see that there's a free tram to take you to TI so you can see Mystere. You'll also see on a good map that there's a pedestrian bridge to take you over to the Venetian so you can spend some non-gambling money at the Grand Canal Shoppes. Oh, and if you want to spend some money gambling, your travel guide will remind you to find a 3-2 blackjack table and stay away from those 6-5 tables.

In any event, make sure that you tell your own story (even if you make it up) the next time you... Go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Viva,
Mike