| Touring and technology have been brought together in a new palm-sized personal digital assistant called GyPSy Guide. For rent in Calgary and beyond, GyPSy could best be described as a tour guide that you don’t have to tip.
"Instead of driving around not really understanding what you are seeing, you learn and appreciate much more about what you are experiencing," says Rick Bulich, business development manager for Banff-based GPS Tour Guide Inc., the company that developed GyPSy.
A PDA that communicates with the global positioning system, GyPSy attaches to the inside of any vehicle’s windshield and provides information about the vehicle’s location, speed and direction in addition to a narration (over FM radio) about important landmarks or points of interest. The digital tour guide is automatically triggered when the vehicle travels through an area where information has been programmed into GyPSy.
Bulich says the device is aimed at people who enjoy the kind of commentary a human tour guide can provide without the hassles of having to be on a bus with a group of strangers.
"Most people have taken a bus tour or day sightseeing trip at some stage, even though for most of us our preference is to be independent, on our own schedule and with our own family and friends," he says. "But if you take an escorted sightseeing trip, if you have a great guide, you will often have a fantastic time. Usually this is due to the guide being fun and interesting.
"We bring those same qualities and personality to the GyPSy Guide. To sum it up, you can have a guided tour experience, but in the privacy of your own vehicle, with your own passengers."
Although GyPSy is an advanced digital device, Bulich says it’s been developed for ease of use.
"It has been designed to just attach it to the windshield with the suction cup, turn it on and go and enjoy," he says. "Technophobes can use it, too."
Launched in May, GyPSy covers Calgary, Banff, Jasper and B.C. locations including Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler. GyPSy can be rented from GPS Tour Guide or select agents at a cost of $49 for one day and at reduced rates for extended periods.
For more information about GyPSy go to www.gpstourscanada.com or call toll-free 1-866-477-4171. |
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