by Elli Stuhler

Two teams, two dozen smart phones and one citywide scavenger hunt.

It sounds exciting and it would have been if it had been more about the chase and less about the cell phone; but c’est la vie. Telus, Nokia and City Sonic, a collection of short films about Toronto musicians and Toronto venues, joined forces to bring this media event/scavenger lead by the new Ovi Map feature on the phone.

We start the day off –“we” being middle aged tech bloggers, PR spokespeople and myself- at the Drake Hotel. They’re having small talk while I’m eyeing the adjacent table, topped with lavish food platters complete with petite croissants, mini muffins and cheddar scones. I curse myself for eating breakfast that day, but this doesn’t stop me from devouring three croissants, and putting another two in my purse for later.

Baris Yildiz, a Nokia services sales manager, explains that what makes this smart phone unlike any other smart phone is the out-of-box Ovi Map feature. It’s a built in driving and pedestrian GPS that lets you search restaurants, hotels, venues and so on, powered by Lonely Planet. Later on I test this out by searching the College West watering hole Sneaky Dee’s. According to my little phone, Sneaky Dee’s, with its “battered booths” is a “breeding ground for new Toronto rock talent.” Who knew?

The feature works in 70 countries around the world, and is ideal for mapping your way through a foreign land. I guess getting lost is now passé.

We’re divided into team red and team black, and each team is supplied a New Nokia in their team colour. While black is aesthetically pleasing, I’m on team red. We’re also given Nokia-branded Michelin-man-esque vests to wear for the duration of the hunt. I make a note to give mine to my mother.

The first location is the Drake, where we watch a City Sonic short on our phones about Brendan Canning’s career kicking off at the self-designated cultural hotbed. Unfortunately my phone is either very user-unfriendly or my tech skills stopped developing in the stone age, as I required Carlos the tech guy to show me how to turn up the volume and it still doesn’t work. We answer quiz questions (though I had to fake it) and head to the next location, City Hall.

Each team is ushered into different limo-buses and the faux-hardwood floor and the leather upholstery makes it feel like prom, only I’m wearing a vest. We’re using the GPS on our phones to lead us to City Hall, even though the driver knows exactly where he’s going. It feels like a scene from The Gods Must Be Crazy as the entire red team is trying to understand their respective cellular object. Our cheesy limo is filled with schizophrenic computer voices coming from every which direction belting out “at next intersection turn right,” or “GPS signal lost.”

At City Hall, Marshneill, a bundled up PR rep, stands holding the clue for our next location and we’re off to Massey Hall. The Ovi Map directs us to take a shortcut through the Eaton Centre, and beeps and vibrates every time a turn is necessary.

At Massey Hall we watch another City Sonic short about Geddy Lee of Rush, and are sent to Dundas Square where we learn about Care Failure. By this point, I am frozen solid and sick of my vest. I’m ready for the free lunch of party sandwiches and finger food that waits at the Hard Rock Café.

(Red team won the scavenger hunt)