News and information from the New Orleans area
Posts tagged WDSU Parade Tracker
Calliope Digital, Maker of WDSU’s Parade Tracker, Claim They Aren’t!!
013 years
This is another exclusive story for Carnival New Orleans News. On wdsu.com’s Parade Tracker site, they claim with a link and email that Calliope Digital is the creator of the mobile application. I’ve been in touch with Chris V. of Calliope Digital via email because I want to delete the program from my phone after I received over 100 texts over the course of the South Shore parades the very first night of parades! That’s way too many for me!
The graphic and text below is cut and pasted from the Calliope Digital web site-
Calliope Digital, LLC announces the release of the WDSU Parade Tracker for Android. The WDSU Parade Tracker is New Orleans’ original FREE parade tracking app for the Carnival season. Now with more parade schedules, parade routes and more real-time tracking of your favorite parades. This year, we’re tracking 30 parades in Uptown New Orleans, Metairie, and on the West Bank. And best of all, this app keeps you up-to-date with the latest carnival news and changes in parade schedules and parade routes. Get it free on Android Market today.
*********************
The following is cut and pasted from the wdsu Parade Tracker page on the Android Market site-
|
The WDSU Parade Tracker is New Orleans’ original FREE parade tracking app for the Carnival season. Now with more parade schedules, parade routes and more real-time tracking of your favorite parades. This year, we’re tracking 30 parades in Uptown New Orleans, Metairie, and on the West Bank. It’s the “must-have” app for Mardi Gras day and best of all, keeps you up-to-date with the latest carnival news leading up to Fat Tuesday, including auto-updates in schedules and parade routes.
Visit Developer’s Website› Email Developer›
********************
The following emails are from Calliope Digital Founder Chris Van Buskir and myself concerning me getting rid of the pesky program.
From: Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com>
Subject: Re: how to remove parade tracker-
To: “David Eidler”
Me as well, as the app I built does not send notifications. We do not send texts. We do not collect phone numbers. I have no clue as to what you are talking about.
On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 12:16 PM, David Eidler wrote:
WDSU’s site lists Calliope Digital as developer and have the link to your site and the email I used to contact CD. I’m puzzled about your response.
David— On Sat, 2/11/12, Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com> wrote:
From: Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com>
Subject: Re: how to remove parade tracker-
To: “David Eidler”
Subject: Re: how to remove parade tracker-
To: “David Eidler”
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2012, 11:20 AM
No I didn’t. It was probably something they did prior, so contact them directly.
http://www.wdsu.com/station/267996/detail.html
On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 11:17 AM, David Eidler <araborecs@yahoo.com> wrote:
WDSU does, and you created the program from them. So if you cannot help me, can you give me an email to send this to so I can get this off my phone. Thanks very much.
David
— On Sat, 2/11/12, Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com> wrote:
From: Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com>
Subject: Re: how to remove parade tracker-
To: “David Eidler”
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2012, 11:13 AM
???? We don’t send out texts, notifications of any sort. We don’t collect phone numbers.
On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 11:10 AM, David Eidler <araborecs@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hi there,
I desperately want this off my phone. I don’t mind Orleans parade updates, but not the entire South Shore. I cannot find a way to do this, the app isn’t listed in my downloads, or my programs. Please help and Happy Mardi Gras!!
David Eidler
http://news.carnivalneworleans.com
http://watchopp.wordpress.com
LONGEST PARADE DAY IN MANY YEARS BEGINS!!
014 years
I’m hosted by icorp.net, and they have an historic Mardi Gras site at carnivalneworleans.com, and have an old web cam in the French Quarter:
Web cam on Bourbon St. located at Tropical Isle!!
5:22 & Bacchus is nowhere in sight. WDSU’s Parade tracker is still messaging me about Thoth. Time flies when you have 5 parades in a row, including two very very large Super Krewes ending up the whole shebang! 5:36, Bacchus is rolling, according to WDSU-TV’s parade tracker service.
Endymion gave up its beloved Canal Boulevard route for the traditional St. Charles Avenue. They will follow Bacchus for a very long day of parading, starting with Okeanos, Mid-City, & Thoth! Thoth runs a long route, and takes over 3 hours to run. If Bacchus starts roughly at 3 pm, Endymion can begin at Bacchus’ old time of 5 pm. Then the night wouldn’t run by very much, if things go smoothly, which they probably won’t. Without being unduly pessimistic, the parading night with probably run into the wee wee hours of the night!!
This is the 2nd time since Katrina (2005) that Endymion has changed routes and it’s not very popular with the legions of Mid City Endymion fans that LOVE the 1 major parade that doesn’t go down St. Charles Avenue! Plus, a ton of businesses count on the Endymion business boost their business through the roof temporarily.
Okeanos has begun, as has Mid-City. Thoth will follow, then Bacchus and Endymion. The longest parade day in recent history is underway!
Endymion
Elijah Wood as Bacchus
Bacchasaurus
Endymion is arguably the largest krewe in the whole New Orleans Mardi Gras, and to roll last after Okeanos, Mid-City, Thoth, then Bacchus before starting must have been quite a blow of weather reality to swallow. As it’s pouring at 1:30 pm a few hours before Endymion was supposed to roll, it looks like the move to skip a day was wise. Only tomorrow will tell, but from today’s downpour, it looks wise indeed.
WDSU Parade Tracker System Review
015 years
I’m a big fan of this parade tracker system, when you want to find the start of a parade that’s rolling or a parade stops for some reason. How does the system operate? WDSU puts a car near the front of the parades they cover. The car uses the GPS tracking system to pin point where the tracking car is, and relays that information to a computer, which texts that info to all opt in phones. The system is a bit intrusive when you are already at a parade, catching throws and enjoying the sights and sounds of of the event. You constantly receive parade updates on your phone, when you don’t need them, as you are already parading. You could always opt out when at parade, and opt back in when you are searching for a parade on the street. However you might think this is a bit much opting in and out.
To get Parade Tracker updates on your mobile phone, text “follow parades” to 40404. This is the second year for this service. If you opted in last year, you were automatically opted in for this year. For some parades, you can track the parade’s progress on WDSU.com, via a special map. The markers on the map show the location of the lead float in the parade, and they update every 10 seconds or 20 feet.
The biggest flaw in the system is they skip parades! Babylon had to switch days because of bad weather. Could parade tracker keep up with parade rescheduling? NO. No parade tracking for Babylon. Earlier in the Carnival season, when some of the smaller parades roll, parade tracker opted not to cover the earlier parades.
Among the Orleans parades that WDSU opted not to track were Sparta and Ponchartrain.
My thoughts on the inconsistent tracking is that if you are going to offer a parade tracking system, you should cover all the parades in an area.
WDSU Parade Tracker Review
016 years
by NewOrleansMusicMan
in Mardi Gras
Kudos for the new GPS system which allows the parade participator to receive text updates via Twitter from GPS units in the front and rear of New Orleans parades. Last night, for example, the updates came for Babylon, Chaos, and Muses. It’s very convenient to receive up to the minute parade location information while the parades are rolling.
Some key information is omitted. For example, last night during Chaos,there was a break of 50 minutes. No more updates for Chaos and the parade behind, Muses. Why did the break occur? As WDSU receives information on the breakdown, they could easily pass this on via Twitter. Virtually everyone who attends a parade wants to know why any long breakdown occurs. There’s always a reason- broken float, accident, a rider falls off the float, etc.
Also, once a parade is rolling , the Twitters pile up on a three parade night and clog your inbox quickly.
All things considered, the WDSU Parade Tracker is a success.