IN THIS information age of ours it’s nigh on impossible to escape the mighty smart phone. For all their practicalities they have transformed a good majority of folk into mindless iDrones transfixed by Angry Birds and The Daily Mail app. Leaving many physically incapable of interaction or even the most fleeting bout of polite conversation.
Considering everyman and his dog is now connected to the internet, even the Luddites have a website, MiGuide’s presence is far from ground breaking
Since we’ll soon be replaced by an army of evil Hal 9000s from 2001 A Space Odyssey Manchester City Council has decided to get in on the act early by dropping ten monolithic slabs of digital touchscreen fun into the city centre, creating a mini tourist information kiosk on the go, the MiGuide. Heaven forbid we should have to (gasp) talk to anyone.
Councillor Nigel Murphy, Executive Member for Environment, said: “These digital kiosks will be an informative, useful and engaging addition to our city centre streets”.
Ok, but that's if you knew what the oversized iphone lookalikes were actually there for - other than advertising that is.
Christmas listings
On first inspection the kiosks look little more than two pint sized digital billboards funding the capitalist cause through adverts for, funnily enough, smart phones. Rendering them about as interactive as Anne Robinson’s face. On closer inspection, however, you soon find the handy touch guide relegated to the narrow side panel.
Once discovered the MiGuide presents itself as a useful little tool for curious tourists searching out cultural hotspots and lost drunkards looking for next real ale pub. Divided up into categories the guide presents at your fingertips a plethora of restaurants, shops, events, parks and markets aided by directions on an interactive map.
The selection is surprisingly comprehensive, free from bias as bigboys WHSmiths sits alongside minions like Pop Boutique and Vinyl Revival. Additionally, MiGuide has listings and locations for the days events, handy, although the likelihood is that the more popular events are going to be sold out by the time you spot them. Listings furthur down the line would be a welcome addition.
Touch Me
Considering everyman and his dog is now connected to the internet, even the Luddites have a website, MiGuide’s presence is far from ground breaking. But in fairness, the content is useful with directions a notable bonus, the fact that some are still working (at least the one in St. Ann’s Square was) and haven’t been kicked in by undesirables or covered in Special Brew is a minor miracle. A mere matter of time we suspect.
For the target market of tourists the MiGuide has plenty to offer, visiting Real Sociedad fans can find the nearest tapas bar while Hen Parties can be shepherded in the direction of Tiger Tiger and away from the rest of us.
The major concern with the MiGuides is whether anyone will actually spot the handy guides wedged inbetween the more substantial adverts that pay for them.
Oh, and whether in a few weeks they even work at all (as i finish writing this a Confidential employee reliably informs me that the one outside Harvey Nics is "completely buggered").
Try your luck at one of these ten kiosks:
Withy Grove at corner with Exchange Square
New Cathedral Street at corner with Exchange Square
New Cathedral Street at corner with St Mary’s Gate
Market Street West near Cross Street
St Ann’s Square
St Ann’s Street near Deansgate
Piccadilly Gardens West near Lever Street
Piccadilly Gardens East near Market Street
Market Street East near High Street
Market Street at junction with Brown Street
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