Disclaimer: I have a vested interest in personal mobile devices as the
primary digital interpretation platform for visitors!
My two cents on the relative merits of dedicated hardware systems vs.
personal mobile devices:
* Dedicated systems have the advantage that the software running on them
only has to work on that one device. This means that it's relatively easy
to resolve bugs and issues. The huge range of devices and the matrix of
devices to operating system versions makes this number astronomical for
personal devices!
* Dedicated systems fit a concession model very well - you pay your money,
you leave your passport/driver's license, you get your device. I understand
that this revenue model works very well for large museums (insiders can
confirm!)
* Personal devices are, on average, far more powerful than devices for
dedicated systems. People upgrade mobile handsets on average every 2 years.
Dedicated systems tend to have a longer lifetime and therefore fall behind
the technology curve rapidly. This means that it's easier to take advantage
of recent technologies if you use personal devices than dedicated devices.
* Personal devices are the user's responsibility. If they break or run out
of power it's up to the user to sort out. This is both a positive and a
negative!
My opinion is that in 10-15 years dedicated hardware systems for mobile
digital interpretation will be gone :-) But whatever you choose (or
advise), augmenting a journey rather than displacing a journey (the "heads
up experience" as I describe it) is paramount.
If you're coming to the Spring Workshop event
<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mcg-spring-workshop-2016-life-support-living-with-digital-projects-tickets-22239111782>
feel free to bend my ear afterwards over a pint on the matter, I'm more
than happy to "verbally upload" ;-)
Best regards,
Nick
On 20 April 2016 at 14:48, Robin Patel <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi MCG,
>
> Not strictly an IT query here, but hope folk can still help.
>
> I was wondering if any could recommend some audio guide systems they have /
> are currently using? The museum that I am working with would be looking for
> a system that was;
>
> - highly portable, discreet and light
> - easy to use
> - strong and water resistant (unit will be mainly used indoors)
>
> I was also wondering if there has been a general movement away from
> standalone audio guide systems to content delivered to personal devices or
> via tablets, and what the relative advantages of each approach would be?
>
> My main concern about audio tours in general is the way they can sometimes
> prevent discussion and interaction within groups and could potentially come
> into conflict with other interpretation delivery methods.
>
> Thanks in advance everyone,
>
> Robin
>
> --
>
> Robin Patel
> Heritage & Museum Consultant (Collections & Access)
> t: 01786 860 691
> m: 07815 312 562
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Website: http://goo.gl/0bQRnv
> <http://robinmpatel.wix.com/heritagefreelancer>
> Linked-In: http://goo.gl/kgCSt7
> <http://uk.linkedin.com/in/robinpatelmuseumsfreelancer>
> Facebook: https://goo.gl/4KzMBk
> <https://www.facebook.com/rpmuseumsfreelancer/>
>
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--
Nick Clarey
CEO, Airsource Ltd.
Phone: +44-1223-708370
Fax : +44-1223-309814
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