Apps
For States’ Covid Contact Tracing Apps, Privacy Tops Utility
Nearly half the states have or are planning to launch a digital contact tracing system, but critics say the technology has overemphasized privacy at the cost of usefulness.
Want to Address Food Insecurity in Your Community? There's an App For That.
How a county housing authority partnered with a tech nonprofit to deliver food to vulnerable residents.
Quake Early-Warning App Now Available to Anyone in Los Angeles
Making seismic alerts available to the public has been a priority for Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Secret Government Communication Lawsuit Continues in Missouri
STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Tulsa’s sexual assault grant funding … Louisiana wants to build an airport in a wildlife refuge … and Duluth’s unusual snow-shoveling rule.
Making Rescue Volunteers Part of the Official Response
A rescue website developed during Hurricane Harvey—and in use again during Hurricane Florence—wants to work more directly with local governments.
Texas Is Building a Killer App for Killing Bureaucracy
Chief Information Officer Todd Kimbriel wants a digital assistant to navigate the state’s bureaucracy for citizens.
The Limits of Earthquake Early-Warning Alerts
Last week’s quake near L.A. shows the promise of the West Coast seismic notification system under development. But its effectiveness will depend on those using the technology.
The Perfect Selfishness of Mapping Apps
Apps like Waze, Google Maps, and Apple Maps may make traffic conditions worse in some areas, new research suggests.
Seattle Expects to Save Millions of Dollars Through Right-of-Way Management
“Our first goals were to protect the pavement as an asset and make sure people and visitors to Seattle were able to travel,” said the city’s Project and Construction Coordination Office manager.
When Seconds Matter, Tiny Flaws in User Design Can Slow Things Down
Bus service can be delayed for a variety of reasons, including squinting. Yes, squinting.
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New York's Pursuit of a More Useful App Contest
After drawing criticism from the tech community, the city redefines how government app competitions can work efficiently.
California's Open Data Portal Goes Open Source for the Apps
The portal will be maintained by the state Office of Digital Innovation alongside its Innovation Lab--centralization that should bode well for future app development.
How Apps Can Prompt Police Departments to Release More Stats
In trying to answer questions about U.S. crime using open data, app developers on the online analytics platform Foxtrot Code are requiring even more transparency from city officials.
This App Aims to Incentivize Public Transit Ridership and Boost Local Businesses
Shop and Ride is connecting riders with merchant offers along their routes, and soon they met be able to redeem points for travel rewards.
Cuomo Moves to Block Sex Offenders in N.Y. From Using ‘Pokemon Go’
The governor’s action follows an investigative report from lawmakers that highlighted potentially problematic trends.
D.C.’s Foster Care App Illustrates the Importance of a Mobile-First Mentality
Many government agencies shy away from mobile apps, but the District of Columbia's Child and Family Services Agency recognized that’s just what it needed.
Zombie Invasion: Rethinking Undead Mobile Apps
Plenty of old, outdated, “zombie” native mobile apps are still around, swaying and shuffling around the app stores without serving a useful purpose for the government agencies that created them.
For Smaller Cities, Intelligent Networks Offer a Solid Digital Foundation
Legacy networks are constraining when cities must meet connectivity demands, according to Verizon’s VP of SLED markets.
This Housing Authority Took App Delivery Into the Cloud
Workplace entry is easier when core software can quickly be pushed to anyone’s device securely.
Government Agencies Continue Their Shift to Hybrid IT, But Few Will Go All In
Security concerns, lacking skills, budget constraints and legacy systems all impose barriers to a complete migration to the cloud.
