For Immediate Release
Contacts: Ashley Sytsma
425/608-4293; ashley@ricksteves.com
Jodee Krainik, Publicist, Avalon Travel
510/809-3824; jodee.krainik@perseusbooks.com
Rick Steves Meets the iPhone
Interactive Apps Based on Best-Selling Travel Guides Now Available
Berkely, CA (June 15, 2009) — Avalon Travel is pleased to announce the release of Rick Steves' iPhone and iPod Touch apps. The first four apps, Rick Steves' Historic Paris Walk & Tour, Rick Steves' Louvre Tour, Rick Steves' Orsay Museum Tour, and Rick Steves' St. Peter's Basilica Tour are now available for purchase from the Apple iTunes App Store. Additional apps will be available by July 2009.
The apps were developed by Seattle-based Übermind, Inc. in partnership with Avalon Travel, publisher of Steves' best-selling European guidebooks, and Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door, which leads more than 400 tours throughout Europe annually. All apps cost US $4.99.
"Millions of people know Rick Steves from his guidebooks, and millions more are fans of his TV shows and podcasts," said Bill Newlin, publisher of Avalon Travel. "These apps bring Rick's signature travel advice on viewing Europe's major sights and museums to an entirely new level, with something for everyone."
Rick Steves' Orsay Museum Tour is available for free for a limited time on the Apple iTunes App Store. A demo is also viewable at: www.ricksteves.com/iphonesupport
Each interactive, multimedia app draws from the pages of Steves' best-selling travel guidebooks. Rick Steves' Historic Paris Walk & Tour guides users through the best of historical Paris to sights including Notre-Dame, Saint-Chapelle, and Ile St. Louis. Rick Steves' Louvre Tour guides travelers through the best of the Louvre Museum and to famed pieces. Rick Steves' Orsay Museum Tour guides users through the art of the museum, with coverage of its six wings. Rick Steves' St. Peter's Basilica Tour takes users through the best of this grand church where they'll learn the history of Pope John XXIII and St. Peter's Square.
Also included are Steves' suggestions for value hotels and restaurants, and advice to help users plan their walk or tour based on museum hours, time allotment, and cost. Once downloaded,each app is completely self-contained on the device, so users will not incur pricey roaming charges during use overseas.
With the app, travelers can also:
- Spin a compass icon to switch views between sights, hotels, restaurant selections, and the locations of restrooms.
- Tap any point to read Steves' detailed information on the sight, including history and suggested viewpoints. Users can also utilize the Info tab of any sight, hotel or restaurant for more details — including cost, hours, address, and phone number.
- Use a pull-down audio player to listen to Steves talk about each section of the tour or walk. Many sights also include video from Steves' hit PBS travel show Rick Steves' Europe.
With the Rick Steves iPhone app, users can now get Steves' trusted advice in the palm of their hand. For additional information, or photos, please contact Jodee Krainik at Avalon Travel.
Additional Rick Steves apps available by July 2009:
- Rick Steves' Versailles Tour
- Rick Steves' Ancient Rome Tour
About Avalon Travel
Avalon Travel is the largest independent travel publisher based in the United States. Major series include Rick Steves, the top-selling European guidebook series in the U.S., and Moon, with guides to more than 200 destinations around the world. In addition to guidebooks, Avalon markets and sells Rick Steves phrase books, maps, DVDs, eBooks, and iPhone applications. Avalon also publishes the best-selling Road Trip USA road guide. Based in Berkeley, Calif., Avalon is a member of the Perseus Books Group. For more information, visit www.avalontravelbooks.com.
About Übermind, Inc.
For the past decade, Übermind has developed consumer and enterprise solutions, utilizing the core technologies that now power the iPhone. Übermind's technological expertise, combined with its knowledge of designing intuitive user interfaces, has provided a solid foundation for developing ground-breaking software for complete end-to-end mobile initiatives. Übermind specializes in delivering mission-critical software for desktop, web, and mobile platforms. Past and current projects include: development of the largest B2B iPhone application, one of the most-trafficked sites on the Internet, comprehensive e-Commerce and m-Commerce solutions, and work on the largest digital distribution platform in the world. For more information, visit http://www.ubermind.com/.
About Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door
Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door inspires, informs and equips Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable and culturally broadening. Based in Edmonds, WA, Steves produces 30 guidebooks on European travel, the most popular travel series in America on public television, a weekly hour-long national public radio show, and a weekly column syndicated by the Chicago Tribune. For more information, visit http://www.ricksteves.com/.