ANNAPOLIS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Water-enthusiasts can discover nearby waterways directly on their wrist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) new Apple Watch app, paired with the AccessDNR mobile app. This makes Maryland the first state to publish an Apple Watch app for government using the geolocation functionality to locate water trails and access points. Boaters can begin exploring Maryland’s boat launches and water trails by downloading the AccessDNR mobile app from the Apple App Store or by visiting the DNR’s website, www.dnr.maryland.gov, or the state’s official website, www.Maryland.gov.
“Just in time for summer, boaters, paddlers, anglers and swimmers can now easily locate Maryland waterways using DNR’s new app for Apple Watch,” said DNR Secretary Mark Belton. “We’re thrilled to be among the first to adopt this innovative technology to better serve our residents and visitors.”
Maryland has an active community of citizens and visitors who utilize the local waterways to go boating and the Maryland AccessDNR Apple Watch app gives them the ability to get out on the water with just a tap of the wrist. Making use of the iPhone’s geolocation technology and the Apple Maps functionality, the app locates and provides directions to the top 10 closest water access points or water trails. On-screen icons also indicate whether the site has a boat ramp or soft launch.
To better serve the nearly half of online visitors to DNR’s website that are using a mobile device, the AccessDNR mobile app for iPhone was first introduced in December 2013, and the Android version followed a few months later. Marylanders are using the mobile app, which provides all the information and services outdoor enthusiasts need on the go, including: Location-based maps and directions to state recreation sites; State park activities and amenities; Hunting, fishing and boating regulation guides; Game harvest reporting; Trophy Case photo sharing through social media; Sunrise/sunset and tide updates; a Fish and shellfish identifier; and Breaking DNR news and alerts.
Future enhancements for the AccessDNR mobile app and the Apple Watch app include the addition of land trails for hiking, more water trails and push notifications. An Android Wear app is also being developed that will pair with the Android version of the AccessDNR mobile app and will include the same features as the Apple Watch app.
The AccessDNR mobile app and Apple Watch app was developed at no charge for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources by NIC Maryland, through the self-funded eGovernment services contract with the State Department of Information Technology (DoIT).
About NIC Maryland
NIC Maryland builds, operates, maintains, and markets the official website of the state of Maryland, www.maryland.gov, and its eGovernment services. NIC Maryland is a collaborative public/private partnership managed by the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) and NIC Maryland. NIC Maryland helps Maryland state and local government entities web-enable their services and operates without tax funds through a Self-funded eGovernment Services contract. NIC Maryland has developed more than 50 eGov services for the state of Maryland since the contract was awarded in August 2011.
About NIC
Founded in 1992, NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of official government websites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The Company's innovative eGovernment services help make government more accessible to everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Forbes has named NIC as one of the “100 Best Small Companies in America” six times, most recently ranked at No. 36 (2014), and the Company has been included four times on the Barron’s 400 Index. Additional information is available at https://www.egov.com.