SAN FRANCISCO--Fotopedia, the publisher of popular iOS apps, today announced that a new Retina Display-ready version of the popular National Parks app is now available for free in the App Store.

“To celebrate National Parks Week, during which the admittance to the parks is free, we decided to make the app free as well so that everyone with an iPad or iPhone can enjoy their incredible beauty.”

Redesigned, right in time for Earth Day and National Parks Week, the app puts the amazing photography front-and-center, while utilizing the high-resolution capabilities of the new iPad. The app now features Visual Stories, published several times per week, as a new way to enjoy the awe-inspiring beauty of the US National Parks, in a magazine format.

“The stunning Retina display on the new iPad delivers four times as many pixels, so we decided to do the same with Fotopedia National Parks. The result is spectacular,” said Jean-Marie Hullot, CEO of Fotopedia. “To celebrate National Parks Week, during which the admittance to the parks is free, we decided to make the app free as well so that everyone with an iPad or iPhone can enjoy their incredible beauty.”

Delivering a sharper and lifelike experience with high-definition images, National Parks takes people on a visual exploration of all 58 US National Parks including Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park — with more than 3,000 breathtaking images created by renowned photographer Quang-Tuan Luong.

A Tribute to America's Best Idea

This extraordinary image collection is the result of a 10-year project. Quang-Tuan Luong traveled over 100,000 miles, by car, aircraft of all sizes, ferry, motor boat, kayak, even venturing underwater, and climbing to the summit of Mount McKinley.

Quang-Tuan Luong is the first person to photograph all 58 US National Parks with a large format camera (5x7 inches). This technique uses film with a surface area 25 times larger than regular 24x36 mm film and produces extremely detailed photos, allowing the viewer to feel a part of the landscape. Quang-Tuan Luong was featured in the PBS documentary film "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" in 2009.

Other features of the updated app include:

• Over 3,000 breathtaking pictures– served at high resolution for the Retina display
• Complete navigation with smart tags, search and interactive maps
• Instant Slideshows
• Free Wallpapers
• Trip Planner and Itinerary Builder
• Favorites to create your own personalized photo albums
• Photo sharing via email, Facebook and Twitter
• The app requires an Internet connection, Wi-Fi recommended

Pricing & Availability

In recognition of National Parks Week, April 21-29, 2012, the Fotopedia National Parks app is now available for free in the App Store or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

About Fotopedia

With more than 9 million downloads to date, Fotopedia is the publisher of Fotopedia Magazine and a suite of iOS apps, including “Fotopedia Heritage”, one of Apple’s Hall of Fame best 50 apps of all times. Fotopedia is also the recipient of the 2011 Best Tablet App of the Year Crunchies Award. Fotopedia provides new ways to discover, explore and share the beauty of the world. The company was founded by Jean-Marie Hullot, who was previously CTO at NeXT and CTO of Apple’s Applications Division and a team of Apple veterans. Fotopedia has offices in San Francisco and Paris.

About Quang-Tuan Luong

Originally trained as a scientist, Quang-Tuan Luong worked as a university professor and researcher for over 15 years in Berkeley and at SRI International, where he made contributions to the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing. Quang-Tuan Luong's work has been celebrated in many exhibits, such as the National Heritage Museum exhibit, while publications such as the Daily News Tribune, the Boston Globe and National Geographic Explorer have written about his work. His website, www.terragalleria.com, is one of the most frequented professional photographers' sites on the internet.