There were a few Hollywood celebrities on hand at the Democratic National Convention tonight – Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, Will.i.Am, Ashley Judd, Bill Clinton, etc. One semi-famous person we weren’t expecting to see was Steve Jobs’s widow Laurene Powell Jobs, hanging out with Chelsea Clinton.

If you’ve ever participated in any kind of canvassing for a political party or for pet causes, you know what an excruciating experience it can be on every level.

From having to put on a cheesy smile as you approach busy strangers in the street to having to put all the information together back in the office, it’s just one of the most tedious tasks around, apart from, say, taking out the garbage.

The Democratic National Committee and Organizing for America have gone a long way to address all of that with their thoughtfully-designed iPhone/iPAD/iPOD Touch canvassing and organizing application, which was launched earlier this month. It’s one of the best tools I’ve seen.