If you have a smartphone or tablet computer, then you are likely familiar with apps, and one area in which apps have proven particularly useful is travel.
When it comes to deciding what makes a good travel app, one thing to consider is functionality – what the app does and whether it does it well. If a good travel app achieves one thing, it is that it will help you solve a problem. Being innovative and a little bit quirky does not hurt either. Some popular and well-designed travel apps include:
WeatherPro
WeatherPro provides weather reports covering in excess of two million geographical locations, with great detail, down to cloud formations and humidity levels. It is very accurate. Planning for a vacation means taking the weather conditions and forecast at your destination(s) into account, so a weather app is a useful thing to have.
XE Currency
If traveling overseas, you will likely be dealing in foreign currency, although many jurisdictions – and tourism centers in particular – accept dollars. A currency app is a very practical tool to have, and XE Currency is both free and easy to use. It is also accurate because it relies on live currency rates. If you have traveled in the past without having a currency app to hand and have had to buy or sell currency, then you will have been at the mercy of rates set by the currency exchange provider you use. With an app such as XE, you can know the best rates upfront and shop around accordingly.
Lonely Planet
Travelers have used the Lonely Planet series of guidebooks for decades, and there are many titles available through Apple’s App Store. Rather than carry one of the sometimes heavy guides in your luggage, use the app instead. There is even the option of accessing the entire catalog, including titles you have bought previously.
Google Translate
Language barriers are a significant challenge if you are traveling overseas, but the Google Translate App is a great tool for resolving communication problems. Accuracy is not 100 per cent, but the translation capability is as good as it gets and it means you do not have to carry around a phrase book. Users speak in English – or their language of choice – and the app will then translate what you have spoken into the required language.
A top mobile app development firm is Worry Free Labs. App design practices work well when they are both practical and popular with users. New York City-based Worry Free Labs is an example of an app design firm committed to both principles. In terms of apps useful for travelers, Worry Free Labs has worked with Paradine on its app that allows users to recommend restaurants with friends and colleagues and write reviews. The app also draws on the Foursquare API to publish restaurant information.
It goes without saying that a travel app in isolation will not the perfect vacation make, but if something helps to make your travel plans easier, then it is certainly worth considering.
