At any given moment, I’d venture a guess that about half of the population is dreaming about heading for someplace exotic. And, with the holidays — and vacation time — just around the corner some already have plane tickets. Regardless of where you’re going and what you have planned, the iPhone is the perfect travel companion: compact, full of features with an app for just about everything. If you’re making travel plans, stop by the App Store and download these essential travel apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
TripAssist by Expedia: Before you can get into the skies, you’re going to need to book some plane tickets. Fortunately, Expedia, along with the undisputed experts of finding cheap airfare, has come to the rescue with TripAssist. This app performs a lot of the same services you will find on Expedia’s website: users can compare prices and book flights, hotels, or even rental cars. The utility of TripAssist doesn’t end there, however. This app will also send alerts to remind you of your flight or to inform you of any delays or schedule changes. If you’d like to change your reservations, TripAssist can do that, too, often without an additional fee.
Tripit Travel Organizer: Keeping track of itineraries and other miscellaneous travel documents is often a headache. Travelers have enough to think about without having to worry about finding the connecting flight or find an alternative route if they have, heaven forbid, missed the plane. This is where Tripit, the critically acclaimed itinerary app, comes in. No matter where you book your flight, all of your travel info can be easily imported into Tripit by simply forwarding the confirmation e-mails to [email protected]. Tripit will keep it all organized, including frequent flyer miles.
Lonely Planet Travel Guides: Finding good travel guides on the iPhone can be tricky. Lonely Planet has simplified the process by making their entire library of travel guides and phrasebooks accessible as in-app purchases from within this single, free app. This means users don’t have to search by city name and wade through the long list of results. Plus, Lonely Planet is arguably the most trusted name in travel. Known for their insider information and clever, accessible writing, these guides will tell you exactly what you need to know.
iMovie: It wouldn’t be vacation without home movies and the always sentimental family fun montage. The iPhone 4 can even shoot video in HD, so the traveler’s camera needs are set. Even better, with iMovie, it’s now possible to shoot, edit, and share movies, all on the iPhone. iMovie lets the user cut and arrange the footage, and even add a music soundtrack before uploading to YouTube or e-mailing to friends and family back home. Being away from home has never been easier or more fun.
Travel Interpreter: If your travels take you beyond grandma’s house and into a new country, then don’t board the plane without a translator app for you iPhone. There are few things worse than needing to find a restroom and not being able to speak the language. OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but the point remains that an iPhone translator is a great addition to any traveler’s suitcase. And, Travel Interpreter is one of the best.