Guinness World Records has released a new iPad app that is packed with interactive content, and offers users the chance to compete for three new records that are only achievable through the app.
Guinness World Records: At Your Fingertips is aimed at a slightly older audience than the book - what editor-in-chief Craig Glenday calls "smart teenagers" of around 14-16 years, rather than the 8-12-year-old audience -- and offers a chance to read more in-depth details about individual records than the bite-sized information in the book. There's also video content -- some new, some taken from the affiliated Sky TV show -- pop-up facts drawn from hotspots and 360-degree rotating slideshows -- plus a wealth of photographs.
Designed by creative agency Brandwidth, the app features a central interface with parallax scrolling. The records are divided up by superlative -- Tallest, Strangest, Most, Deadliest, Fastest, Craziest and Most Expensive -- rather than by subject as in the book to enourage exploring.
The three record challenges giving users the chance to become genuine Guinness World Records holders are:
- Fastest 100m on an iPad - take on the world's fastest man as your fingers go tip-to-toe with Usain 'Lighting' Bolt and attempt to break his 9.58-second record.
- Fastest alphabet backwards - speed typing the alphabet forwards is one thing, but typing backwards will need a quick mind and even quicker fingers.
- Longest sequence memorised (below) - a memory endurance test where the noises are inspired by real -- and quite gross -- human sounds.
Each game is a new Guinness World Records challenge and iPad users battle each other to secure the world record title. Leader boards for each record challenge will be hosted on www.guinnessworldrecords.com and somebody, somewhere is guaranteed a place in the record books when Guinness World Records announces the world's best for each challenge on May 1 2011.
The £2.99/$4.99 app replaces the Lite version that was launched in May, shortly after the release of the iPad. Craig says that the time spent using the iPad and seeing what's capable of has allowed them to create a better and more interactive app. The app will be updated if any of the records are broken, with an expanded version. Future plans may include a version of the app for Android-based tablets.