Mini-Gist Hits Callendar.

Now before we start, I did not write any of this blog. That's all down to my old pal Tom Morton. I did take the photos right enough.


Imagine visiting a strange, but lovely town: you want to spend some time there, but how can you find out, instantly, which restaurants have special lunchtime offers, where to buy the best discount knitwear and who's playing at the local pub's music session?

In Callander, this summer, it will be easy: switch on your mobile phone's Bluetooth facility and, as you move about the town - one of the jewels of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park - regularly-updated information from the town's businesses and attractions will tell you what's happening and, using full colour maps, show you where.

What's more, it’s all free. There are no costly download charges to the phone user and it is perfectly secure.

The system is called Mini-GIST (Miniaturised Geographical Information System for Tourism) and it turns each visitor's mobile phone into a fount of local knowledge. It's a unique, innovative and easy to use system developed by the Mobile & Ubiquitous Computing Research Group at Glasgow Caledonian University and adapted for Callander Enterprise with support from Stirling Council and Glasgow Caledonian University's KIT-Out the Park Project.

It's like having your own personal tour guide.

Derek Gallaher, manager of the KIT-Out the Park Project, which is helping co-ordinate the pilot scheme, due to start at the end of May, said it was tremendously exciting.
"Mini-GIST gives local businesses in Callander not only a chance to advertise themselves for free, but its adaptability means they can update offers and events as they happen. For tourists, the maps and information just open up the community for them in a completely new, intuitive and exciting way."

Frank Park, Chairman of local business group Callander Enterprise said:
"We're really excited. This system can instantly transmit tourist data to people's mobile phones via Bluetooth, from local access points throughout the town. The information will feature businesses and attractions that a tourist will find interesting, and can be filtered via special maps rather than a boring list of numbers. We can't wait to get the project active for this summer."

So this summer, why not head for Ben Ledi and the town at its foot, switch on your phone's Bluetooth facility, and browse your way through Callander!

For more information see:
www.mucom.mobi
www.kit-out.org