Silicon Insights: Dial a Guide

Aug. 2, 2001 -- When I was in high school, I was not the greatest student when it came to geography or history.

So when at 21 years old I found myself standing outside the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, my initial reaction upon seeing it was, "cool church."

But once inside I decided to put some French francs into a machine that played a recording about the history of the church and upon listening to the tape, I found that I was standing in the middle of a church that has witnessed hundreds of years of history. The tape explained that I would be walking in places where Napoleon and Joan of Arc had trod, as well as popes, and kings and queens.

I was pretty humbled by the experience and from that point on I have made it a practice to read about places I would be traveling to in advance of the trip. However, I have also found that while at a notable site, being able to listen to a recording about the history of that monument, historical landmark or building makes the experience more meaningful and alive to me.

While on vacation in London last week, I decided to take a side trip to the beautiful city of Bath, England. Bath is well known for its Roman baths dating back to the first century. Once you pay to enter the remains of these baths, you get a hand-held digital audio player to carry around the site. You can enter the number of a desired location and once activated, the device tells you what you're seeing and why it is important.

Small Device, Loads of Information

I have used these devices at many historical settings around the world and find they add a great dimension to the experience of seeing historical landmarks in person. However, what if you go to a major landmark like the Washington Monument and want to know more about what you are seeing as you stand at the base of this wonderful spot and look up at its tall column?

Well, the folks from BeyondGuide have wondered about that same thing and thanks to them, D.C. tourists, using their cell phones, can now listen to John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech as they stand on the steps of the Capitol, or hear a re-enactment of Abraham Lincoln's assassination when they visit Ford's Theatre.

In a rather novel use of technology, the landmarks of Washington have been turned into a museum thanks to BeyondGuide, a new audio tour guide that details more than 150 sites and attractions in Washington.

The service allows a person visiting Washington to stand at the Lincoln Memorial, for example, and hear Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Users access the personal tour guide by dialing a toll-free number (866-33GUIDE) and for $10 — charged to a credit card — they can listen to as much information as they want in a 24-hour period.

They can interrupt the narrator to bypass certain stories or have other ones repeated. They can hang up and call back when they get to a site.

Of course, the actual cost to a user depends on how many minutes or free minutes they have on their cell phone calling plan.

The firm's service is currently available in Washington, but the company has plans to expand in other major cities in the United States and in Europe over time.

This particular type of service adds a new dimension to the use of a cell phone, moving it from just a communication device to a rather useful information appliance. It also points out that a cell phone can be much more then just a telephone and that it is poised to become a much more versatile information tool in the future.

Tim Bajarin is a consultant and leading computer industry analyst and futurist, covering the field of personal computers and consumer technology. He's based in Campbell, Calif.