“Virtual History – Rome”, the application launched by Mondadori Digital just over a month ago, has achieved a position of extraordinary prestige among the apps for the iPad in the American market.

During yesterday’s presentation of the iPad 2, “Virtual History – Rome” was described by Steve Jobs, Apple’s founder and chief executive, as one of the “just wonderful apps” for the iPad – in a market in which there are already over 65,000 apps – and defined both the results and the definition “amazing”.

This is a recognition of Italian excellence, in this case by Mondadori Digital, that underscores the great success of the application around the world.

In fact, having climbed the hit list of iPad apps in Italy, “Virtual History – Rome“ was a hit also in other European markets – where it was recommended by the iTunes store on the home page for iPad apps in the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, Sweden, Portugal, Norway and Holland – before beginning an authentic world tour.

Recommended by iTunes in India, Canada and New Zealand, “Virtual History – Rome”, after having reached the top of the list of best-selling apps in the “educational” category, the Mondadori Digital app went on to gain a leading position also in the American market where it is currently featured among the “What’s hot” apps on iTunes.

“Virtual History – Rome” is the first app to use “bubble viewer” technology by Applix, designed in Italy and patented in the US, which makes full use of the sensors built into the iPad (accelerometer and compass) to create a new generation of illustrations in a digital bubble form.

Thanks to this new app it is possible to witness the spectacular digital restoration of the statues of the Eternal City, be moved by a panorama of the city as it was 2000 years ago – from the Coliseum, to the Circus Maximus, the Mausoleum of Hadrian, as well as a number of sites in Pompei and Herculaneum -, explore the monuments in 3D and observe their transformation, from their original state to their current condition.

Maps and outlines of great educational value make it possible to study and understand more about the birth of Rome, the conquests and fall of the empire, engineering techniques, art, war, the spectacle of Roman civilization and profiles of the emperors.