Balto-Brainstorm: What Baltimore-specific app would you design?
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If you check out Apple's App Store for iPhone apps and search for "Baltimore," you'll find some news apps, Ravens apps, event apps and map apps. (See left.) There's already a Happy Hour app.
The Baltimore Sun has some interesting applications, such as a recently released iPhone app and this homicide map (which I incidentally helped create a few years ago.)
They're all good. But are they enough? No. Can Baltimore do better? Um, yes.
I'm inviting you to share your list of apps you'd like to see for Baltimore, here on BaltTech. They could be apps for cellphones, the Web or Facebook. Whatever platform you choose, the only requirement is that they be ABOUT Baltimore.
Is there city data you'd like to have access to on your phone? How about being able to file or review the status of 311 requests with your phone? Or geo-locating crime, based on your GPS position using your phone, wherever you happen to be walking or driving. How about data about our schools or neighborhoods?
Post your app idea for Baltimore in the comments below and it may end up in a future BaltTech column in the newspaper! The first five commenters get a free BaltTech magnet shipped to them!! (just shoot me your snail-mail address at gus.sentementes@baltsun.com, and I'll drop one in the mail for you. :-)
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Comments
I think more than apps, the ability to have access to raw data is the biggest win for city inhabitants. When thinking of apps, what is an app that is going to impact the population of baltimore, many of which are on pay-per-use plans and without access to smartphones able to run "apps". I don't have answers, but its more interesting to think of what can be done through a text or shortcode based interface (eg: frontline sms http://www.frontlinesms.com/), which can reach a broader group of people. Its not sexy, but it might get used, which is more than can be said about some of the past apps "contests"
Posted by: ben | October 1, 2010 3:45 PM
There definitely should be an app that keeps track of steamed crab prices at crab houses across the region. Same thing for live crabs by the dozen or bushel. Something like a Yelp app, but always up to date with prices and inventory.
Posted by: Steve | October 1, 2010 6:55 PM
An app like Boston's Citizens Connect would be great -- it's an app that lets you report problems (potholes, graffiti, etc.), email a picture in to go with it, track your request, etc.
A traffic app would be nice, as would a bus/subway/light rail schedule and map app.
Posted by: hilzoy | October 1, 2010 11:13 PM
How about live views from all the police cameras?
Posted by: Andrew Hazlett | October 2, 2010 12:33 PM
I've often searched the app store for 'baltimore' and been unimpressed with the shortage of local results. Clearly an open-data stream would warrant more locally-centric apps.
Gus, I think this is a great discussion to continue beyond this article. Per your brainstorming challenge I've setup a user-submitted ideas and voting portal just for this topic » http://bmoreapps.uservoice.com
Posted by: Mike Brenner | October 4, 2010 3:01 AM
Develop and app to show what apartments/housing is available for rent and rate the neighborhood.
Posted by: Linda | October 5, 2010 4:44 PM