The document discusses the evolving role of mobile technology in enhancing visitor experiences at museums, highlighting various projects and workshops focused on mobile guides and applications. Despite the growing interest, challenges such as high development costs, low adoption rates, and usability issues hinder the effective use of complex functionalities in visitors' own devices. It suggests maintaining traditional rental solutions while gradually developing compatible content for personal devices, emphasizing the importance of effective audio-visual content and user-friendly interfaces.

1. Mobile technology @ M&W2009 Silvia Filippini Fantoni Lecturer University Paris I – Sorbonne Project Manager Multimedia Guide, British Museum

2. Papers Samis & Pau, SFMOMA (Frida Kahlo MMG + cell phones) Botturi et al., (City Treasure: SMS based treasure hunt) Baldwin & Kuriakose, (RFID based prototype) Waag society, (various mobile phones applications) Tarasof et al., National Park Canada (Explora project) Puig et al., (mobile phone annotation system)

3. Mini workshops & workshops Pre-conference workshop: Dagenhard (Adlib BV, NL): programming the iPhone/iPod touch for your museum Unconference session on handheld devices 2 mini workshops: Proctor & al., Handheld Handbook: Capturing best practices in mobile interpretation for museums Gabriels et al., Mobile guides and context-specific educational games

4. Demos Paul Clifford, Museum of London “Learning in the galleries using portable devices, websites and digital content”: iPhones PSP Digital cameras

5. Exhibitors Guide by Cell (IVR, text messaging solutions) NousGUIDE (CMS for iPhones and iPod touches) Antenna Audio (Pentimento)

6. Representatives of museums that are developing or plan to develop a handheld guide Rijksmuseum US Natural History Museum British Musuem Van Gogh Museum Whitney Museum of American Art Smithsonian……..

7. Interest in using mobile technology as an interpretation tool in museums is constantly growing, especially solutions that are delivered on visitors’ own devices

8. Proliferation of mobile platforms Museums

9. Proliferation of functionalities Handheld devices Web-access AV commentaries Gaming Wayfinding Bookmarking Twittering or texting Recording and annotating Taking pictures

10. Have all these new platforms and functionalities improved the visitor’s experience?

11. Development costs are high Take up rates are often relatively low, especially when it comes to complex functionalities Most wayfinding solutions that have been tested so far have proven unreliable. There are often usability issues, especially with complex systems Not to mention technical problems………

12. Aren’t we trying to do to much?

13. Aren’t we forgetting about the core audio guide audience?

14. Are people interested in using their own devices?

15. Apparently…………………………NOT YET Even though developing content and applications for visitors’ own devices could be the way of the future, in the short and medium term we should continue to provide solutions that can be rented out at the museum.

16. These solutions should be………… Touch screen devices are easier to use Simple interface without too much bells and whistles Limit advanced functionalities

17. These solutions should be………… Focus on the content: AV messages and Touch and Listen Focus on helping visitors find the objects with commentaries rather then helping their overall orientation. If you can, develop your content in such a way that it can easily made available on users’ own devices.

18. Importance of sharing and learning from best practice

19. Efforts M&W papers Website: http://tatehandheldconference.pbworks.com/ Handheld online conference: http://www.handheldconference.org/ Initiative to create a open source Content Management System for mobile guides

20. Contact details and relevant resources Email: [email_address] Relevant resources from the author: Filippini Fantoni S., Bowen J.P., Mobile Multimedia: Reflections from Ten Years of Practice. In Tallon L, Walker K. (eds) Digital Technologies and the Museum Experience. Alta Mira Press, 2008 Filippini Fantoni S., Proctor N., Evaluating the Use of Mobile Phones for an Exhibition Tour at the Tate Modern: Dead End or the Way Forward? In Eva London 2007: Proceedings, London 2007. Filippini-Fantoni, S. and J. Bowen, Bookmarking In Museums: Extending The Museum Experience Beyond the Visit?. In J. Trant and D. Bearman (eds). Museums and the Web 2007: Proceedings . Toronto: Archives & Museum Informatics, 2007