Top Travel Apps to Transform Your Trip
Gone are the days when all you had to rely on was a well-thumbed travel guide and a friend’s vague recommendation on where to go in order to experience the best a holiday destination had to offer. With smartphone technology leaping forward on a daily basis, there’s an ever-increasing selection of top travel apps which can really help you get the best value out of your holiday.
Here’s a selection of our favourite little helpers.
Wikitude World Browser
Available for: Android
Price: Free
This little piece of pocket wizardry was voted Best Augmented Reality Browser in 2010. Augmented reality may sound like something out of the latest sci-fi stunner – but what it means is that the app works in conjunction with your smartphone’s camera and GPS in order to better explore your surroundings.
Simply wave your camera in the direction of a building, landmark or any other point of interest and Wikitude provides you with a healthy dose of information about it automatically. Despite being a touch temperamental occasionally, this app is ideal for the traveller who steers clear of guided tours and explores at their own pace.
http://market.android.com/details?id=com.wikitude
Vocre
Available for: iPhone
Price: $0.99 for 20 translations (subject to change – their pricing model is still being worked out)
This is a new app for iPhones that is still in its teething phase, so it might be best to wait a while before buying it, but the concept is brilliant.
Vocre could be the next best translator app. It allows the user to simply hold their iPhone in one direction, say what they want translated into the phone’s microphone, flip the handset in the other direction and it will respond with the desired translation.
The real strength of the app is the technology that powers it. The translation engine trains itself based on user-contributed corrections, meaning that it learns to become better and more accurate with every translation done. Vocre is a touch pricey and temperamental right now but it’s definitely one to watch.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vocre/id454405637
TripIt – Travel Organizer
Available for: Android
Price: Free
Tired of having your travel itinerary details scattered all over various accounts? Just forward your travel emails to TripIt and the app arranges them automatically into a handy itinerary for easy access and reference.
The beauty of this app is that it makes it so easy to share your travel details with friends and family via Facebook or email. There’s also a pro version designed for the frequent flier which keeps an eye on potential savings on cheap flights to locations you visit, along with reminders, alerts and all kinds of helpful hints to keep the journey running smoothly.
http://market.android.com/details?id=com.tripit
Trip Journal
Available for: Android
Price: £2.99
This is an app for the traveller who wants to help the people back home feel connected to their epic odyssey. Trip Journal is a fast and effective way of uploading your chosen tour route, videos, photos and notes to a wide variety of social networks almost instantly.
This means that you can avoid a lengthy session of uploading in order to keep loved ones up to date with how your travels are going, leaving you more time to simply enjoy the trip, rather than record it diligently.
http://market.android.com/details?id=com.iqapps.mobile.tripjournalfull
What’s The Rate?
Available for: iPhone, Android
Price: Free
This is more than just a currency converter. You can ask this magic money-saving app to track the rate of the currency you want and tell it to email an alert to you when that currency hits the exchange rate you’re looking for.
This means that you can swipe a good deal on the currency exchange without the hassle of checking it yourself repeatedly. If you’re buying enough currency, this can add up to a pretty penny in savings.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/whats-the-rate/id388182411
http://market.android.com/details?id=com.thomascook.whatstherate
