Apple's iPad is key to visitor experience at new One World Trade Center Observatory
The newly opened One World Trade Center Observatory in New York City relies heavily on the iPad for its visitor experience, with Apple's tablet serving as both a virtual tour guide and a payment terminal.
Photo credit: Alexandra Hughes.
The 100th-floor One World Observatory opened to the public earlier this year, giving visitors breathtaking views of Manhattan and beyond. But the unique, sky-high experience is also aided by Apple's iPad, which can be made an integral part of the tour.
The destination's "One World Explorer" accessory is an optional personal tour guide that is powered by Apple's iPad. Using the iPad's gyroscopes, the device allows users to scan New York City's horizon and identify landmarks.
The iPad is encased in plastic, preventing users from accessing hardware features like the home button. But staff at the skyscraper and promotional materials make it very clear that it is in fact an iPad used to power the tour, as seen in the video below.
When a user selects a landmark, the One World Explorer iPad then begins a virtual helicopter tour from the top of the building to the destination. Users can move around the observatory, and the view on the iPad screen will move with them.
The history and stories behind each location are then presented for the user, as narrated by writer Jay McInerney. Over 40 landmarks are highlighted, and there's also a special section just for children.
Photo credit: Alexandra Hughes.
One World Trade Center is also using iPads for both customer and employee facing terminals when buying commemorative items from the gift shop.
Sponsored by MasterCard, the terminals includes an iPad Air that is used by employees to complete the transaction. Customers also authorize the transaction with an iPad mini that is mounted to the counter, and connected to the terminal through a Lightning cable.
Tickets to One World Observatory cost $32 for adults, $30 for seniors, and $26 for children. The One World Explorer iPad personal tour guide is an additional $15.
Photo credit: Alexandra Hughes.
The 100th-floor One World Observatory opened to the public earlier this year, giving visitors breathtaking views of Manhattan and beyond. But the unique, sky-high experience is also aided by Apple's iPad, which can be made an integral part of the tour.
The destination's "One World Explorer" accessory is an optional personal tour guide that is powered by Apple's iPad. Using the iPad's gyroscopes, the device allows users to scan New York City's horizon and identify landmarks.
The iPad is encased in plastic, preventing users from accessing hardware features like the home button. But staff at the skyscraper and promotional materials make it very clear that it is in fact an iPad used to power the tour, as seen in the video below.
When a user selects a landmark, the One World Explorer iPad then begins a virtual helicopter tour from the top of the building to the destination. Users can move around the observatory, and the view on the iPad screen will move with them.
The history and stories behind each location are then presented for the user, as narrated by writer Jay McInerney. Over 40 landmarks are highlighted, and there's also a special section just for children.
Photo credit: Alexandra Hughes.
One World Trade Center is also using iPads for both customer and employee facing terminals when buying commemorative items from the gift shop.
Sponsored by MasterCard, the terminals includes an iPad Air that is used by employees to complete the transaction. Customers also authorize the transaction with an iPad mini that is mounted to the counter, and connected to the terminal through a Lightning cable.
Tickets to One World Observatory cost $32 for adults, $30 for seniors, and $26 for children. The One World Explorer iPad personal tour guide is an additional $15.
Comments
How much?????
That would be $276 to take my family up there.
I really want Apple to take iPad as a POS system seriously. ?Pay compatibility and some good IBM apps.
Yeah, that's rather high. It's actually cheaper to do the full tour of La Sagrada Familia, which, if I'm honest, would be a lot more impressive than this one.
How many kids do you have? $32 isn't bad for 1 adult in NYC.
How much?????
That would be $276 to take my family up there.
Start saving.
Yeah, that's rather high. It's actually cheaper to do the full tour of La Sagrada Familia, which, if I'm honest, would be a lot more impressive than this one.
No, it isn't. And nothing's going to replace the experience of the view from this new building and its observation deck.
How much?????
How many kids do you have? $32 isn't bad for 1 adult in NYC.
7
(And if $32 is too expensive for a given family size; three good options would be a) having fewer offspring, b) choosing cheaper field trips for bigger families, or c) only take some of the kids on trips, while raising the others in the basement like mushrooms. All good options.)
How much?????
That would be $276 to take my family up there.
Central Park is free. So is the Brooklyn Bridge.
Oh and the entertainment in Washington Square Park!
How much?????
That would be $276 to take my family up there.
You think that is expensive trying living here without a 6 digit income. NYC has changed a lot in the past 10 years and it is not for the better for its residents. Small businesses are being forced out by landlords hoping to get a high end boutique or worst corporate America chain store or restaurant. Everything it seems is developed for tourist. Some might say that's a good thing because tourist bring in money, wrong. Tourist do tourist things like take sightseeing buses, hang out in Times Square and eat at national "Olive Garden" corporate restaurants. These places pay employees minimum wage and the profits go back to middle America to the executives that run these companies. Tourist do not shop or eat at mom and pop stores or restaurants, they want the familiar in a giant city that is already blowing their minds. Tourists clog up sidewalks near popular buildings, parks and sites. Most NYers purposely plan routes to avoid WTC, Times SQ, Madison part and the once lovely now suffocating High Line park. Tourists have no idea how regular people like themselves cannot afford to live here because Billionaires from Russia and China buy apartments (which they never live in) to hide some of their billions from their own nations, they pay almost no tax in NYC, and the towers built for them are actually taller than the #1 WTC.
Please stay home or go somewhere other than our city, and if you do come here, please support businesses actually owned and run by New York families and not corporations.
You think that is expensive trying living here without a 6 digit income. NYC has changed a lot in the past 10 years and it is not for the better for its residents. Small businesses are being forced out by landlords hoping to get a high end boutique or worst corporate America chain store or restaurant. Everything it seems is developed for tourist. Some might say that's a good thing because tourist bring in money, wrong. Tourist do tourist things like take sightseeing buses, hang out in Times Square and eat at national "Olive Garden" corporate restaurants. These places pay employees minimum wage and the profits go back to middle America to the executives that run these companies. Tourist do not shop or eat at mom and pop stores or restaurants, they want the familiar in a giant city that is already blowing their minds. Tourists clog up sidewalks near popular buildings, parks and sites. Most NYers purposely plan routes to avoid WTC, Times SQ, Madison part and the once lovely now suffocating High Line park. Tourists have no idea how regular people like themselves cannot afford to live here because Billionaires from Russia and China buy apartments (which they never live in) to hide some of their billions from their own nations, they pay almost no tax in NYC, and the towers built for them are actually taller than the #1 WTC.
Please stay home or go somewhere other than our city, and if you do come here, please support businesses actually owned and run by New York families and not corporations.
That's what happens when you have rent control and a limited amount of available space for new developments.
Yeah, that's rather high. It's actually cheaper to do the full tour of La Sagrada Familia, which, if I'm honest, would be a lot more impressive than this one.
Sure and adding in airfare from NYC to there for a family of nine?
That's what happens when you have rent control and a limited amount of available space for new developments.
You have no idea what you are talking about.
My wife and I will be visiting in October. We plan on going to the WTC observation deck. If you don't think NYC wants my tourist dollars please petition your city government to make everything free. And where is that Olive Garden you recommended?
Because last I read it was the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere which would, I'm pretty sure, cover anything
being put up in NYC....
ETA: Ah, the thing about the spire... Yeah I'd agree, spires are sort of cheating imho.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/nyregion/432-park-avenue-tower-the-tallest-if-not-the-fairest-of-them-all.html?referrer=
How much?????
That would be $276 to take my family up there.
I imagine it would be discounted on the New York Pass, we had them when we visited last September, certainly got our money's worth several times over. I don't think we paid full price for any touristy thing the entire holiday because of the passes.
My wife and I will be visiting in October. We plan on going to the WTC observation deck. If you don't think NYC wants my tourist dollars please petition your city government to make everything free. And where is that Olive Garden you recommended?
Make sure you ONLY shop at chain stores and corporate restaurants like most Americans. Help crush the American dream of small business owners and stay "safe" with Olive Garden's food (which is most likely prepared in Ohio and shipped nationwide where it is then defrosted and reheated for your enjoyment and sophisticated palette). I was actually thinking the city should triple admission for all the tourists spots and charge anyone that does not live in the city to enter Times Square, Central Park and "911" land.