Two Way Hard Three | Las Vegas Casino & Design Blog

August 10, 2009

Vegas Mate 2.0 For iPhone Available via iTunes App Store

Posted by Hunter

Vegas Mate 2.0, the latest release of our popular iPhone application for Las Vegas tourists, is now available via the iTunes App Store (opens in iTunes). 2.0 is a free upgrade for existing users and costs $4.99 for new users.

Vegas Mate is an interactive, location enabled travel guide that includes tons of information about hotels/restaurants/attractions both on and off The Strip, as well as user reviews and other useful information. This release represents months of work - most of the app internals were re-written to take advantage of iPhone OS 3.0 and beyond, which is required for this release.

Here's a sample of the new features:

* Over-the-Air Content Updates - We can now push out content updates over the air without having to push a new release through iTunes. This means we can be more current with the constant openings and closings in Las Vegas.

* Restaurant Menus - Many of the restaurants now include viewable menus.

* Favorites - Mark hotels, restaurants and activities as favorites, useful for trip planning and re-visiting top spots.

* News and Events - Read news stories from many Vegas sources ; view upcoming events.

* Massively improved map system.

* Updated user interface.

Special thanks to all that helped test the release, with extra special thanks to Joe P., Chuck S. Monster, and Mike Ch.

A screen cast of v2.0 is available here: Vegas Mate Screen Cast

Releases of Vegas Mate will continue in earnest - there's a list of features for 2.1 and beyond already on the drawing board and I expect a 2.0.1 with a few little bug-fixes will be in the works soon.


Categories: Downtown Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, iPhone
Tags: iphone, ipod, lasvegas, vegas, vegasmate


Comments

Read archived comments (7 so far)
August 10, 2009 8:12 PM Posted by Hunter

The new version popped up for a minute but some people are still seeing 1.5.3.

Check back in another hour if you're not yet seeing 2.0 on iTunes.

August 11, 2009 10:54 AM Posted by Hunter

Ok, it's live and available.

v2.0.1 will probably be done in a few weeks, with bug fixes for anything we find plus integrated search for the restaurants and perhaps the activities sections.

One of the features I want for future versions is in-app reservations for restaurants and the like. Trying to find a good partner for that stuff - so far no luck.

August 12, 2009 1:07 PM Posted by biggump22

Nice update! I personally enjoy the editors comments and believe the menu feature will come in handy!...now if this thing could only point us to the loose slots and full pay VP machines..we would be set. Oh, and the ability to erase a "7" on the craps table would be nice too :)

Nice job!

August 13, 2009 9:07 PM Posted by Colin

Wow. All I can say is great job, Hunter. I loved the old Vegas Mate but this new version is something special. Thanks!!!

September 9, 2009 5:31 AM Posted by Tim

Hunter,
Do you have any plans to do a Palm Pre version of Vegas Mate? It runs on OS as well.

September 9, 2009 8:12 AM Posted by Hunter

I don't at the moment.

I've played with a Pre and thought it was a nice phone. I am a member of Palm's developer program and I've looked at their tools.

Doing Vegas Mate for any other platform would be a big effort and right now I'm focused on the iPhone, since that's what I carry myself.

September 13, 2009 8:41 PM Posted by Jeff in OKC

Don't know app from apple cider. but Vegas Mate is the coolest thing in the world. Got an iphone just to buy this. Thanks, Hunter!