Tag: Travel »

Travel apps offer a dual purpose. If you're travelling to the chosen area, you can consult them at every turn, helping you along the way. If you're broke, such as I am at the moment, you can stare at the pretty pictures and dream of your next holiday. Earl Steinbicker, writer of guidebooks for over 25 years, brings you his guide to Vienna in the form of Waltzing Through Vienna. Hopefully it'll cover these two purposes rather well.

It takes you on one of 12 DIY tours of discovery, giving you step by step instructions to ensure you get to see the full route. Essentially, it's aiming to be a tour guide but a tour guide that you can control to an extent. Plus it's pretty darn hard to find a tour guide willing to work for $2.99!

Each location comes with a full description, links to its website, opening hours and prices. Descriptions of cafes and restaurants look to be particularly useful thanks to offering rough prices and a brief description of what kind of food is served.

If you don't fancy following a set route, you can always look up individual places which is a neat touch. Plus you don't have to worry about data charges as the app only needs an internet connection if you want to load up one of the website links.

While I can't say I've tested Waltzing Through Vienna in Vienna itself, it certainly looks pretty appealing. Let us know if you head off to Vienna and give this a shot. For only $2.99 it looks pretty good.

Navigation has just got a bit easier as TomTom has announced that it has released version 1.6 of its GPS app. The new update brings Map Share technology to your iPhone, which allows users to easily alter and update their own personal maps, as well as instantly download new maps with updated information approved by TomTom.

“We are pleased to bring TomTom’s exclusive Map Share technology already enjoyed by millions of TomTom GPS users everyday to our iPhone App,” said Tom Murray, senior vice president of market development for TomTom Inc. “With the addition of Map Share, TomTom App users will get free, verified updates via Map Share anytime on top of the most accurate map available on-board.”

The basic idea behind Map Share is that it allows users to instantly know about any changes in road conditions in between major map updates. So if a road is closed off or the lane structure changes, users with Map Share can download the information immediately, instead of continuing to rely on outdated maps until the next major map upgrade arrives. The hope is that access to this technology will lead to fewer lost and confused drivers who are forced to rely on inaccurate information when they're out and about. The app will update automatically every week, or can also be manually updated on-demand by owners.

It's particularly nice that the update is landing right now, as this marks a week when a lot of folks will be on the roads and, given the volatile nature of the weather this time of year, constantly in need of the most recent route information. Hopefully this new TomTom update will allow users to see road closures or other issues in advance and work their way around any potential problems.

TomTom also offers traffic updates separately, as an in-app purchase. Put the pieces all together and you can definitely go forth confident in the knowledge that you have all the travel info you could ever need right at your fingertips. Hooray for removing a little bit of the stress from holiday travel!

The 2009 Best App Ever awards winner for "Best Feel Like A Local App", Where To?, has been updated to version 3.0.

On top of a "completely revised user interface with an all-integrated leather interior" (that looks quite nice I might add), Where To? has been optimized for the iPhone 4, complete with the full retina display treatment, multitasking support, and built in SMS, so you don't have to leave the app for any reason.

“We love the new iPhone 4 with its brilliant new display. Where To? 3.0 looks gorgeous on the new iPhone and we hope our users will love it as much as we do", says Ortwin Gentz, FutureTap CEO.

The updates aren't done though, “3.0 sets the foundation for a whole bunch of new features we‘ll be implementing over the course of the next months, the pipeline is full of new stuff, we'll certainly not rest on our laurels.”

While there are hundreds of travel and city guide apps for iPhone, it looks like mTrip will blow them away with its unique spin on the traditional tour guide app.

While mTrip offers users the default sightseeing tips and direction tools for a location, it goes one step further helping users plan their trip itinerary. Better than that, the app can even create an itinerary for you based on your preferences, trip duration and accommodations. Daily schedules can be edited at the user’s discretion and the app is even intelligent enough to list attractions based on their opening hours and proximity to the user.

Once you arrive at your destination you can make use of augmented reality to see where sites are in relation to your current location as well as point out restaurants, bars, hotels and other points of interest. Travelers can also swap tips on locations via the app by adding notes and viewing those of others.

All of these features make mTrip a very useful and fully featured tool but its ability to function offline is the real jewel in its crown. Your itinerary can be customized and reworked without an internet connection and augmented reality also functions in the absence of a network. Pretty much the only feature that requires the internet is the fun little postcard tool that allows users to send messages to friends from their vacation via email or Facebook.

mTrip travel guides are currently available for London, Paris, Amsterdan, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, New York, San Francisco and Chicago in a choice of five languages. Many more locations are also planned with more information available here.

If you’re heading to one of the above locations, tack another $5.99 on to the cost of your trip for the ultimate travel experience and do it quickly before the app returns to its regular price of $9.99

[caption id="attachment_39319" align="alignright" width="208" caption="A Map of Key to the City\'s Locks"]

[/caption]Artist Paul Ramirez Jonas has a terrific idea to help people explore New York, and he's using the iPhone to publicize his efforts. His "Key to the City" project, kicked off several days ago, brings NYC's key to the city ceremonies, traditionally only available to dignitaries or celebrities, to the average joe.

The project is centered around a series of locks at famous landmarks around New York, with several in each of the city's five boroughs. In Manhattan, for example, keys can be found at Gracie Mansion or in Bryant Park. Specific instructions are provided for participants to get to the locks.

Perhaps more entertaining however, is how keys themselves are obtained. The artist has maintained the somewhat humanitarian concept of a key to the city by requiring people to show up with a friend or relative that they are recognizing with a key. The keys are thus given out as recognition for a job well done - maybe for a recent success or, even better, for humanitarian activity.

The companion iPhone application is one of Apple's featured iPhone apps, and for good reason. The app, which does little more than get people involved with the project and point them in the direction of keys, is a catalyst for further participation in a smartly designed and good hearted attempt at getting New Yorkers to explore their city.

If you’re planning a vacation this summer or you’ve already booked, make sure you have a copy of Packing Pro installed on your iPhone to ensure perfect planning. Packing Pro, available on the App Store for $2.99, has been sitting pretty in the upper echelons of the App Store travel section for a year or so now and picked up a four and a half star rating in our review earlier this year.

As summer approaches, the app has been updated with some exciting new features to enhance the way you plan your packing. First up, the Master Catalog, that includes all of the items you are planning to pack, has been expanded by a whopping 60% and now includes over 800 items. If you can’t find something on this list, you’re probably not meant to be packing it! All of your items can now be found quicker within the app by using the new Smart Search tool and users can also now use the app in landscape mode to take advantage of the larger keyboard.

If you want to be sure of having everything in your suitcase when you reach your getaway destination this year, make sure you’re using Packing Pro.

Expedia has made a major update to its TripAssist app including all-new interactive features to make it easier for travelers reach their destinations.

A YouTube video has been posted explaining the new features using an example case study.

Some of the best enhancements include itinerary tracking, real-time SMS and email alerts, online booking, alternate flight options and SeatGuru seat maps. Ideal for those last minute alterations to your trip or unexpected ash clouds from Iceland.

From within the TripAssist app, users can now plan their route or follow that of others by looking up flights or checking an entire itinerary. A new horizontal view shows you where you should be at any given point in your trip including arrival and departure times, hotel and rental car locations.

The SeatGuru seat map feature allows you to find where you are seated on your flight to allow for any last minute changes.

The app is free and available now in the App Store.

Here's the plan - I have a quick business trip planned to Paris for just 3 days and 2 nights - can I get by, me, a HEAVY computer user, for that time with just an iPad? What equipment do I need to do so? What things won't I be able to do? Sounds like a pretty good test of the functionality of the device and a great way to review the 3G iPad for travel use on a business trip.

Setup

Let's set up the testing process. The equipment I have with is the iPad 3G, an external battery to make sure I'm covered for the long flights, the Apple Bluetooth keyboard, a case and a bag. For back up, I have my Macbook, and my iPhone. Thats a lot of Apple devices in one bag. I hope I don't have problems with security.

iPad 3G
The iPad 3G gives me the most flexibility for all legs of the trip. The WiFi will give me the fastest connection in most locations. If needed, I can use the 3G when there's no WiFi available. I opted to purchase the international data package ahead of time from AT&T for this trip.

External Battery
I chose the HyperMac Mini battery to accompany me for this trip. It's a pretty high power battery 7200mAh but not too physically large. Its slightly larger than an iPhone and about the same shape. It has unfortunately not been updated for the iPad yet, but it does still charge the iPad, even though the iPad warns that its not charging. The battery can keep the device battery even when in use, or can recharge it if the screen is turned off.

Apple Bluetooth Keyboard
This keyboard has some obvious advantages over the on-screen keyboard. For one, it's a complete standard layout. The other reason is that things like arrow keys work, copy and paste, option option-arrow, etc. Many of those quick keyboard commands that are standard on OSX work. Those shortcuts alone increase typing efficiency greatly over the on-screen keyboard.

Case and Bag
I chose the Apple iPad case - because it's not too bulky and provides dust and scratch protection and covers the front screen. There are lots of things I don't like about the case, but at least its not bulky.

I also have a nice small Timbuk 2 bag/man purse that just fits the iPad so I don't have to carry it around in my hand like some Euro-tech-hipster. And since I don't have those jeans with the giant iPad pocket in the back, I needed something.

International Data Plan from AT&T
If you want to use the 3G data while overseas, you need to purchase the AT&T International Data Plan ahead of time. It will then go live on the date you set with the earliest possible date being midnight Eastern Standard Time in the US the next day.

You purchase the plan pretty much the same way you purchase the regular data plan, through the Cellular Data item in the Settings App. Click on View Account, sign in, then select Add International Plan. The differences are that you have to decide how much data you want to buy, and the International plan, unlike the regular data plan, doesn't automatically renew. AT&T offers the following International data plans:

20 MB for $24.99 ($1.25/MB)
50 MB for $59.99 ($1.20/MB)
100 MB for $119.99 ($1.20/MB)
200 MB for $199.99 ($1.00/MB)

All of the data plans are valid for 30 days and there are dozens of countries where you can use it (see the list on the ordering page).

I purchased the 50 MB International Data Plan and had it set to go live just a couple of hours before I landed in Paris. We'll see how far that takes me.

For this business trip, I need to stay in touch. So I'll need to be able to read and send emails, surf the web, write and post blog posts, and the occasional IM conversation. All of these can easily be done on the iPad. I'll do my very best to resist using the Macbook and iPhone. I plan to rely solely on the iPad, as long as it doesn't stop me from doing the simple things I need to be able to do. But I'm not sure I it can do it. Let's see.