Media

HKU launches free mobile app Tracing the changes of urban Hong Kong

25 Sep 2011

 

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) today (September 25) launched a free mobile app "Hong Kong Tram Trail - Traces of Hong Kong ‘s Urban Development". By making use of this app, tram passengers can now have self-guided tours and learn about the changes of urban Hong Kong.  "Hong Kong Tram Trail" is part of the University's Centenary Celebrations activities.

The HKU campus is situated on a verdant hillside above the Bonham Road and Pok Fu Lam Road intersection, adjacent to Sai Wan, which was developed as Chinese residential area in 1842. To celebrate its 100^th centenary, HKU has organised "Hong Kong Tram Trail" and developed this app, with the aim to introduce the urban history and development to the general public.

"Hong Kong Tram Trail - Traces of Hong Kong's Urban Development" covers the urban history and development of Hong Kong along the tram way from Western District to Causeway Bay. This is a location based service app. Through GPS, the app will automatically locate the zone that the tram passenger is in and play the corresponding videos and pictures contrasting the old and new Hong Kong. The app provides Cantonese, English and Putonghua narration, and is available for free download starting from today (September 25).  For details, please refer to the announcement at http://100.hku.hk/.

The app is designed and developed by Professor Anthony Yeh, Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU. Dr Joseph Ting, HKU alumnus and the former Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History, served as the app consultant.  The University would also like to gratefully acknowledge the support of Hong Kong Tramways, Limited.

"Hong Kong Tram Trail" celebrates the HKU centenary theme of "Knowledge‧Heritage‧Service".

Knowledge - academic staff make use of knowledge and expertise to develop app, which promotes local culture and history;

Heritage - public can learn the history and development of HKU as well as the community through narrated stories;

Service - apart from developing app for free download, narrated tram tours on HKU100 Tram with special themes will be conducted later.

Other "Heritage 100" activities include two exhibitions, The Road to 1911: A Visual History (from now to October 4) and The Centenary of China's 1911 Revolution: Painting and Woodcut Prints by Fong So (from now to October 15). More activities open to public are coming soon, they include the HKU Heritage Trails, HKU Memories from the Archives exhibition and the publication HKU: People and Stories from the First Century. Details will be announced at http://100.hku.hk/ later.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk

The app is designed and developed by Professor Anthony Yeh, Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU. Dr Joseph Ting, HKU alumnus and the former Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History, served as the app consultant	HKU launched a free mobile app "Hong Kong Tram Trail - Traces of Hong Kong ‘s Urban Development", tram passengers can now have self-guided tours and learn about the changes of urban Hong Kong. "Hong Kong Tram Trail" is part of the University's Centenary Celebrations activities.
HKU launched a free mobile app "Hong Kong Tram Trail - Traces of Hong Kong ‘s Urban Development", tram passengers can now have self-guided tours and learn about the changes of urban Hong Kong. "Hong Kong Tram Trail" is part of the University's Centenary Celebrations activities.	Through GPS, the app will automatically locate the zone that the tram passenger is in and play the corresponding videos and pictures contrasting the old and new Hong Kong.