The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) in Boston has released what it calls the convention industry's first apps for iPad and Android, it announced last week.
"Technology is evolving rapidly and so is the MCCA as we continue to find new ways to uphold our role as a leader in event technology," said MCCA Senior Director of IT Mark Michaud. "The release of these latest apps before any other convention center allows us to remain ahead of the curve, a competitive advantage we plan to maintain, and one which allows current and future meetings in Boston to network and conduct business smarter and faster than anywhere else in the world."
Developed by Swift Mobile of Cambridge, Mass., the free apps — myBCEC and myHynes — allow meeting attendees to plan their visit to either the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) or the Hynes Convention Center, as they contain searchable maps of both facilities, as well as an interactive map of nearby restaurants, hotels and retailers.
In addition, the apps enable social networking and scheduling, as attendees can use it to share and aggregate Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages; access real-time transportation updates; build a personal schedule of sessions; send private e-mails to others; and build a list of favorite attendees and sessions.
"We pride ourselves on being the most tech-savvy convention center in North America, and the release of our latest apps for Android phones and the iPad proves it once again," said MCCA Executive Director James E. Rooney. "We're committed to using technology to advance the way people meet and network in our facilities. Attendees demand ease and accessibility at every show and we're confident they'll leave Boston both impressed and better networked because of our broad offering of mobile apps."