In July, USA.gov launched a gallery of mobile applications that provide unprecedented access to government services.

The gallery was established, in part, because of the growing popularity of Internet use via mobile devices. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 6 in 10 American adults had accessed the Internet wirelessly as of May 2010, either from a laptop or mobile device.*

Spearheading an effort to showcase government innovation in the mobile arena, USA.gov reached out to Federal agencies.

“We got a huge response,” said Sarah Roper, Acting Director of USA.gov at GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. “We had to develop a policy to narrow down the initial list of apps, evaluating whether they were useful to a wider audience and ensuring there wasn’t any duplication of effort.”

Apps for Everyday Life

The apps featured in the gallery include:

• Alternative Fueling Station Locator: Developed by the Department of Energy, drivers can locate the 5 closest biodiesel, electricity, E85 (ethanol), hydrogen, natural gas, and propane fueling sites.
• Recalls.gov: A joint effort by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Food and Drug Administration, and Department of Agriculture, this app offers access to a recent list of recalls, a search function, and the ability to scan some product UPC codes for recall information.
• MyFood-a-Pedia: This Department of Agriculture app provides nutrition information for over 1,000 foods, including calorie amounts, and number of “extra” calories from solid fats, added sugars, and alcohol.
• My TSA: This tool from the Transportation Security Administration helps travelers determine which items are allowed in baggage, ID requirements, and real-time operating statuses for U.S. airports.
• USPS Mobile: U.S. Postal Service customers can find the nearest post office, track a package, and look up zip codes. USA.gov will be adding new apps every month, encouraging users to check back regularly.

A Call for Big Ideas

The apps not only offer better access to government services—the ultimate goal is to inspire others to develop their own using publicly available data on Data.gov and USAspending.gov.

“Our big hope is that by showing really cool apps built with government data, we’ll inspire other people to go create their own,” said Roper.

USA.gov projects 42.7 million unique visitors for FY2010, which includes hits to the gallery.