The 2013 Inauguration Features the First-Ever Inaugural Smartphone App

Want to the know where the portable toilets are on inauguration day? There’s now an
app for that.

The 57th presidential inauguration is the first in
history to offer a smartphone
app,
which will be especially useful to three distinct audiences:
people attending inaugural
events in Washington, people who want to participate in the
National Day of Service
anywhere in the US, and anybody anywhere who wants to tap into
the historic occasion.
“We’ve designed our app to make sure folks across this country
don’t miss a moment
of history,” says
Steve Kerrigan, president of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. “Whether you’re in Washington,
DC, or any other part of the nation, there are plenty of ways to be involved in the
inauguration through this app.”

For people attending inaugural events in Washington, the app will be a quick reference
tool for getting around. According to the PIC, it will feature a full schedule of
official events, up-to-date news about access to events, maps that show event access
points, portable toilet locations, viewing screen locations, and other important tips
for maneuvering through the city. The Joint Congressional Committee on Ceremonies
is expected today to announce its own separate mobile-optimized website to assist
people attending the swearing-in. (Maybe in four years,
these two groups will hook up and produce one app for the whole inauguration.)

The PIC app also enables those who want to participate in the National Day of Service
to look up events where they live. “Users may filter by the type of event they are
interested in, whether it’s focused on education, health, community resilience, economic
development, veterans and military families, faith, or the environment,” according
to the PIC. “Once users find the right event for them, they can RSVP and see how many
others in their community plan to attend the event.”

There will also be photos and video from the inaugural ceremonies. The app can be
synced with Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and text.

Carol Ross Joynt