Here’s something to make those smart phones, and other gadgets help you out with your travels. I will not be giving you a list of travel apps because phone apps are dynamic, and always gets updated every after a few months. Here’s a lists of the types of seful mobile apps for travel.
Types & Tips for Useful Mobile Apps for Travel
You can check out the market for the ones that would fit your needs, preference, and budget. These are types of travel apps that I’ve been using to help me ease into a positive travel experience.
Travel Organizer App
Travel Organizer Apps helps you organize your itinerary for a trip. You can enter your flight, or train schedules, flight, and email confirmations. If you have several trips coming up, you can add the upcoming trips, and update the details as you go with your planning. I always find a travel organizer app handy when it comes to flight e-tickets, and hotel confirmations.
- Always choose an app that can sync with your email for a quick access to flight, or hotel booking confirmations. Since that might need data, or wifi connection, you can always convert your flight e-ticket, or email confirmation to PDF file, and organize them accordingly.
Map App
A Virtual Map App is any phone application that gives you either a satellite, or a map view of your travel destination. Think Google Map on your desktop, but you have it on your smart phone.
- Look for a Map App that do not need WiFi connection, or data so you can access the map even when you’re out of any network coverage.
- Some places may not be well mapped out, so do not expect a detailed map for some places.
- If you must, download the map on you smart phone.
- Always test the virtual map before actual travel.
Packing List App
Packing List Apps allows you to make a list of what to bring with you during travels. This is handy for specific adventure trips, or travels. One can personalize a default list for seasonal, adventure trips, or travels in a group, or the whole family.
- Always look for an app that allows you to edit the list to personalize the packing list.
- Make sure that the app has a checkbox to help you check off the items you already packed or prepared for the trip. This will also remind you the stuff you need to get done, or buy for the trip.
Expense Report App
To give you an overview of your current expenses when your on the road, an Expense Report App will come in handy. This will allow you to list your daily expenses, and check if you’re still within your travel budget.
- Either look for one that you can also input your travel budget before the trip. It will come in handy when you want to check your current expenditure parallel to your travel budget plan.
Other Travel Apps
Foreign Travels: Dictionary; Currency Converter; Travel Guide Apps
When you’re traveling to a foreign country, you might need a dictionary; currency; and travel guide apps to help you with communication, and to make your travel experience less of a hassle.
- If you’re using an app with Audio Feature, make sure to get one that is audible.
- Test the app before your actual travel.
Social Media & Photo Editing App
You got this in the bag! Prepare, and update those that is of your preference.
- Try syncing, and/or connecting your social media accounts, and do automated posting from one social media network to another. Like taking photos on Instagram, or uploading your travel photos on Flickr, and sharing them to your other social media accounts in one go.
- Try experimenting on Camera App features, or practice which filters that would look better on a certain scene — only if you must need to.
What If You Can Not Find One That Fits Your Needs?
When you can not find any decent travel app that fits your needs, you can always try using note organizers, or online documents in cloud storage that allows you to personalize it to fit the needs of your travel planning, and organizing.
- Some Note Organizer Apps have very useful checkbox features that you can use for your packing list or any checklist that you might need. Some also allows you to attach files to organize it in one folder. If you’re using any Note Organizer / Notepad App, check the features if you can use them in travel organizing.
- Some cloud Storage Apps also comes in handy when keeping travel documents. Make sure that it has an option to allow you offline access when wifi connection is not available, or data use is too expensive. You can always edit, or update you travel plans when wifi connection is available on any devices anyways.
There are several useful mobile apps for travel out there that can help you ease into, and throughout your travels. Most of the time, I do not whip out my smart phone to prevent unwanted attention. One can always check travel details at safe areas, and secure the gadget inside the bag if that is what you’re worried about. If technology fails, or gets too much in the way, go ahead, and approach a local, and/or a stranger and converse with them. Some of the best travel guides are the ones walking in the streets that may look very foreign to you.