Napa Valley iPhone App Update
It is during the winter that we do the Lion’s share of our book and product designing, when we can spend a dozen hours daily at the computer. So, we had most of the Napa Valley Wine Tour iPhone App updates and improvements done by the Chinese New Year in February. But then, for programming reasons it was a couple of months before our publishing team uploaded the improved App with its improved software.
When I sent them the content, including 100’s of new photos, they suggested updating our description in the iPhone App store. Try as I might I just couldn’t get around to that. Finally, the other day I downloaded the new version, and with the tool in my hand, suddenly I could write the new description. Wow! How this tool has improved.
The biggest functional change is the expansion of its trip planning capabilities. The first two listings in the directory are trip planning guides, one for the south and the other for the north. They provide a local’s viewpoint about the advantages and disadvantages of various locations. One of my favorite requirements for a great place to stay is the ability to walk to dinner.
So, downtown Sonoma and Healdsburg in Sonoma, and downtown Yountville and Calistoga are favorites of mine.
We’ve also included 3 B&B directories, and 3 hotel directories, arranged by region. These are just for lodgings in Napa. The Sonoma App has its own directories. There is also a restaurant directory. In these listings we’ve started adding our comments about the hospitality experience, and over time we’ll be expanding these listings to give our readers a better insight about where to stay and eat.
We had already featured profiles of some restaurants and markets in the directory. This allows them to be accessed through the Google Maps feature, as well as the direct connection to phone and website. We’ve expanded that list, and they now include photo galleries of the places so that our readers know what to expect.
Of course we’ve updated winery information, but it’s impossible to stay completely current. The other day I brought clients to the winery Alpha Omega. From when I first put them in the App their tasting fee had gone up from $10 to $15. Well okay! The other day when we arrived we found out they had just raised their prices to $20, a week before I downloaded the new version.
Apparently Wine Spectator had done a nice page on them and that was worth another five bucks. Considering how slammed the place was when we arrived, they’re probably right! Either way, we’ll be adding another dollar sign to their listing in the next update, and when you have the App on your iPhone, it will be there in your next update. That’s a feature I love.
Ralph & Lahni de Amicis are authors of the Amicis Winery Guides, and owners of Amicis Tours. They are authors of over twenty books on health, design, business and travel. Their iPhone Apps, The Napa Valley Wine Tour, and The Sonoma Winery Tour are a tour guides approach to these beautiful area, complete with 1000’s of photos and insights. Their articles and products can be found on the sites http://www.amicistours.com and http://www.spaceandtime.com
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