“THE haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca every Muslim is expected to make at least once, can be a pretty stressful experience. The rites, which last from the 8th to the 12th day of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, are fiendishly complex. Missing one of them or performing it ineptly can be costly.”
“The app, currently available only for iPhone, though an Android version is in the works, is called Amir, which means "guide" in Arabic (among other things). It offers a check-list to ensure the pilgrim is fully prepared before setting off to Saudi Arabia. It also includes interactive tutorials, for instance on what to do while walking seven times counter-clockwise around theKabah, the Black Stone, or how properly to stone the Devil. Once they arrive, pilgrims can use Amir to check where they are and to locate their tent. On top of that, the app has a buildt-in emergency button so people in need can easily be located by an ambulance or the police.”
The Economist thanks to a pointer from Thomas Otter of Gartner
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