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| Appy Traveler: Best new apps for travelers Posted: 24 Jun 2013 07:40 PM PDT Six great new travel apps, including a social restaurant reviewer, 3D camera app and multi-language translator  Bookmark this article and check back in occasionally to see what new great apps we love, and think you should try. Also see: 50 best apps for travelers ... so far --- Updated June 25, 2013 --- Pingspot
Imagine a virtual pin board that flags you and your friends' favorite restaurants and shops. That's Pingspot in a nutshell. The app allows you to ping places you visit, leave a photo and a recommendation for your friends, so that together, you can discover the best eats and hippest outlets around you. Flying
Not only does Flying provide the basics of your trips, including departure time, terminal and gate number, it does so in a fun and slick way to make "the act of flying feel special again." You can also interact with your friends and earn stamps for each flying achievement you've unlocked. Flying also keeps track of the total distance you've flown throughout your trips and shows your journeys on maps. Flying is currently in public beta. iStone
iStone is a translation app that is designed for travelers without any great linguistic skills. It records and translates into 12 languages and comes equipped with more than 300 useful phrases. iStone also features native pronunciation and requires no Wi-Fi. iStone basic version is free. Packing Pro
Clumsy travel "accidents" are common, and hard to avoid. Packing Pro tries to help. With Packing Pro's customizable lists, users can plan what to bring for every type of trip, from a luxurious family holiday to a budget backpacking adventure. The newly upgraded Packing Pro can be synced over iCloud and lists can be shared via email. Postagram
Android: Google Play (Free)
Postagram allows you to design your own postcard by choosing a picture and adding a message. Within days, the postcard will be mailed to the recipient's (real) mailbox. Postagrams also come personalized with the profile picture of the sender. For a limited time, new Postagram users will be able to mail their first five postcards free of charge. Afterwards, each postcard will cost $0.99 for U.S. addresses and $1.99 for international ones. Photosynth
Windows Phone: Windows Store (Free)
For travelers who want to remember everything around them, Photosynth offers an upgrade from the average photo app. It captures images not only from left to right, but also up and down, stitching them together to create a 360-degree view of your surroundings. Once you've created a Photosynth, you can share it on social media. --- Updated March 6, 2013 --- Fly Delta for iPad
But this app's most download-worthy feature is its "Glass Bottom Jet." It provides a bird's eye view of locations you're flying over, allowing users to explore the area with photos, landmarks and Wikipedia pages. It will also tell you which Facebook friends you're flying over. You can spin the globe to explore worldwide destinations. They come complete with shopping and dining guides. Your iPad will also be an entertainment system when flying Delta, accessing in-flight movies and the downloadable Sky magazine, as well as highlighting destination related music and movies. 101 Things to do before you go abroad
The national tourist board wants locals to consider looking around their homeland before vacationing abroad. International travelers can also use this colorful interactive map to find activities all over England. Everyone is invited to vote and offer suggestions. There are six themes, but for fun times too cool to categorize, they are pinned "because it's awesome." Ideas are collected until March 10; nominees are announced mid-March. The complete list of 101 Things to do will be official April 23. Some top experiences include stargazing in Exmoor's International Dark Sky Reserve and watching the Gatehead Millennium Bridge tilt. Splid
The idea is that the "Photoshopped" argument, where one party accuses another of falsifying or changing a picture or file, cannot be used. Splid allows users to record their awful hotel rooms, inedible food and obnoxious travel reps and then save those file to the cloud. If it comes down to their word against yours, Splid will have solid evidence. --- Updated January 11, 2013 --- Minube
The Madrid-based start-up social app covers 24,000 destinations in about 200 countries (and counting). There are more than 100,000 mini-guides from travelers for free or at a small cost. The app tracks nearby spots recommended by travelers and allows users to search for locations worldwide -- from restaurant reviews at your current location to insider tips to Park Güell in Barcelona -- "How to get there without dying because of the hills" -- by browsing through an image library. Users can also plan and interact with friends using Minube. Springpad
Springpad takes the notebook to the next level by adding further details to your entries automatically. It's handy to create a checklist for a trip -- when you add entries like hotels, restaurants or landmarks, the app will save contact information, reviews, maps and pictures. The data can be shared with your friends on Springpad and the saved data can also be accessed offline. Airports by TravelNerd
--- Updated November 23, 2012 --- Air France Music
Maybe the most entertaining airlines' app -- the latest Air France app combines music player and game. Air France's music is no longer only available onboard. App users can now "catch" the tracks hidden in the clouds (virtually) by raising their iPhones towards the sky and aiming at the music icons in the sky. The tracks captured can then be added to the playlist. Music available will vary in different destinations -- from Barcelona to Tokyo to Buenos Aires. Even better, some unreleased tracks, free concert tickets can also be expected several times a year through the app.
Fotopedia Wild Friends
Fotopedia Wild Friends is another gorgeous photo library created by Fotonauts Inc. after Fotopedia National Parks, Heritage, North Korea, etc. The app is packed with great shots of wild animals, educational information, as well as the stories behind the photos. It also locates the animals' pictures on a map accordingly — it includes locations and wildlife in Europe only at the moment.
Xe Currency
Android: Google Play (Free) Xe Currency app is the app to go for if you are not a fan of clumsy currency conversion. Apart from just an accurate currency conversion app, it provides the historic rates for the currency. You can monitor different currencies simultaneously and rate the highs and lows of the currency before even planning the trip. It can be used offline.
--- Updated October 11, 2012 --- SeatGuru
Android: Google Play (free) The new SeatGuru app developed by TripAdvisor has those details covered. It not only allows flight search but also features the website's signature color-coded seating plan -- green is a good seat and red is bad. When clicked, a pop-up box provides seating advice and amenity information. Waze
Android: Google Play (free) The social GPS app gets drivers together to provide live traffic updates on jams, police traps, accidents and other hazards. It also saves cost by comparing the oil prices of the gas stations along your routes or around you. Waze has partnered with a few gas stations to provide discounts through digital coupons on the app. Its service covers more than 100 countries like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Ecuador, Israel, etc. But some of them still require more users before the information available is strong. SnapCast
It's targeted at citizen reporters but is also useful for enthusiastic travel bloggers, by allowing users to produce a 30-second, narrated video package without post-production editing. Then, you can swiftly upload and share it on social media platforms. For now, it is still in its beta stage. Sign up on their website. --- Updated August 21, 2012 --- TripIt Free
Android: Google Play (Free) Travel is great apart from the headache you get dealing with all the itineraries, reservations, numbers and schedules. Travel organizer TripIt helps to make your life easier in this respect. By forwarding your travel-related emails to TripIt's account, the app will create a calendar for you, especially handy for business and frequent travelers. In addition to organizing, the app provides maps, weather forecasts as well as suggested restaurants and attractions. SceneSpotter
Android: Facebook page
The airline's new Facebook app highlights local insights and personal travel tips from Facebook users as well as specialized SceneSpotter editors. "Users can get unique travel tips on 20 of Lufthansa's European destinations from locals and insiders," says Dr. Torsten Wingenter, Lufthansa's head of global co-ordination social media marketing. "Therefore, experiences and tips that are not mainsteam." "But what makes this app really valuable and sets it apart from traditional city guides is the fact that users are able to have real-time information and advice on places to see and visit, they can share these tips with their friends and also see what their friends' plans and their recommendations." CityJet
Android: CityJet's mobile site "The majority of our customers are smartphone users who want the convenience of accessing our services on the go," Christine Ourmières, the CEO of CityJet said in a press release. The CityJet app allows customers do what they normally do on website: view flight schedules, book flights, manage reservations, check-in and view flight status. It also keeps you updated with the airline's latest deals and promotions. You will be directed to the app at m.cityjet.com in both Apple and Android devices. --- Updated June 12, 2012 --- Milestones in Innovation by Boeing
Android: N/A For anyone who's interested in the history of aviation, Boeing launched its first official app for iPad -- Milestones in Innovation. Users can learn about the nine decades of aviation innovation and the airplane company's history and highlights through high quality photos, an interactive timeline and four videos. "This is the history of Boeing as a digital coffee table book," said Fritz Johnston, Boeing's vice president of brand and advertising. Some highlights are 1916 when Boeing was founded by Bill Boeing, and the delivery of the 787 Dreamliner. Condition One Android: N/A
Condition One is an application that can gives you a sense of "being there." See a video demo here. Combining still images, narrative video and engagement with tactile controls, the app has series of first-person, 180-degree immersive videos that can be controlled by the user. As well as the usual stop, play, pause, fast-forward options, the viewer can pan through the virtual world as if scanning it in real time. Once this provides the option of shooting your own videos, the world of vacation filming will change forever. Image it
Android: N/A Injured in a foreign country and don't know the word for bandage? "Image it" instead. This application helps to solve the language barrier problem. It has more than 450 pictograms in a number of set categories such as food, emergencies, accommodation and transport. Users can pick up at most three pictograms to convey a message, much like a puzzle. The app also lets users to create their own pictograms by inserting pictures from their phones or drawing or writing on existing pictograms. No internet required. Kuoni brochure-browsing app
Once downloaded, the brochures can be read anytime without the Internet. And the app checks for new brochures automatically and will flag for users to notice. "We want to make Kuoni as accessible as possible," Kuoni ebusiness and publishing vice president Matt Rooke said. "The app self-updates so customers are getting the best quality of information on a daily basis, in a format that suits them." --- Updated: May 7, 2012 --- Ritz-Carlton's Presidential Tips
Android: Ritz-Carlton Hotels (free) One of the most anticipated features is "Presidential Tips," authored by president and COO Herve Humler who shares his tips and experiences on each Ritz-Carlton hotel dotted around the world. "I want to enrich a Ritz-Carlton experience for our guests further with details about the things I have found to be quite memorable and marvelous in my travels. With the Ritz-Carlton App I can now do that very easily and in real-time," Humler said in a press release. The app also provides QR codes which include tours of the hotels. For example, the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua QR code will guide guests to the hotel's art collection while the Ritz-Carlton Berlin features an exclusive digital scavenger hunt led by various mobile codes and clues. New destination and landmark tips will also be uploaded every week by Ritz-Carlton Concierge experts all over the world. The Ritz-Carlton App is free and available on iPhone and Android. Zuji Packman
Android: N/A Packman, launched by online travel agency Zuji, helps travelers organize their itinerary, coordinate their packing and share travel schedules. "Holiday packing is an integral step of the journey and the Zuji Packman is designed to help organize this process while making travel planning fun and more efficient," said Zuji managing director Asia Pacific James Gaskell. Using the app, travelers can create multiple packing lists, set up personal reminders and even see what others are packing. "It's fast, simple and easy to put together a list, share it with your friends and get out the door, safe with the knowledge that nothing has been left to chance," Gaskell said. ZUJI Packman is available free of charge in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong, with an Android version to launch soon. FlyRights
Android: FlyRights (free) Previously, there wasn't really much travelers could do when they went through uncomfortable inspections at airports. But via a new app called FlyRights developed by Sikh advocacy group, Sikh Coalition, travelers can now file their complaints right on the spot. Your complaint is not only is listed on the app, but can also be sent directly to the TSA's official website. "The TSA asserts it doesn't profile -- this application will allow us to better assess whether that's true," said Amardeep Singh, director of programs at the Sikh Coalition. The founders of the app explained that although the TSA tells its screeners not to profile, they have not adopted effective measures to guard against it. The app will hopefully push the TSA to implement better safeguard against profiling, they added. "All travelers now have an easy way of speaking to their government on the issue of airport profiling," said Singh. Available on iPhone and Android. More apps reviews We've run various articles about apps in the past.
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| Which country is best for food allergy sufferers? Posted: 24 Jun 2013 03:00 PM PDT For some travelers an errant peanut or hidden shrimp can be potentially lethal -- here's advice for those with concerns  Forget slurping on the deadly tentacles of a Sannakji octopus or munching a fried scorpion: the deadliest morsel that's ever passed between my lips was an innocuous steamed dumpling coated in powdered peanut. As a travel writer who suffers from a severe peanut and tree nut allergy, my urge for cultural immersion often pushes the boundaries of my comfort zone. Experience has taught me how to minimize the risks, but I find traveling in some countries easier than others. Japan, where nuts are rarely used, is a safe haven where I can be let loose on the sushi bar with abandon. Meals in Thailand, where crushed peanuts sneak their way into everything from pad Thai to soup garnish, are like a nerve-racking game of edible Russian roulette. Ordering an otherwise safe pasta dish in Turkey and having it served with an inexplicable topping of ground pistachio is just plain annoying. For many travelers who suffer allergic reactions, the best travel destination is simply the safest destination -- a country where allergens are sparse, food hygiene is excellent, public allergy awareness is high and restaurant staff are happy to cater to special needs. Of course, nowhere is risk-free but, like myself, many allergic travelers find certain destinations easier to manage than others. Also on CNN: Tips for traveling with allergies Lost in translation
Food allergy blogger Jenny Kales of Nut-FreeMom.com singles out Canada as a preferred destination for her multiple-allergic family, remarking that "their laws and practices with regard to awareness, food allergy labeling and restaurant preparedness are better than in the U.S." The Canadian government's recent decision to order nut-free buffer zones on Air Canada flights (the first government in the world to make such a stand) is another plus for allergy sufferers. Sarah Beresford, communications manager for The Anaphylaxis Campaign, also considers Canada (along with the United States, Australia and Europe) the lowest risk destination for allergy sufferers, thanks to strict food preparation and labeling regulations, as well as a high level of allergy awareness. She advises caution when traveling to "places like Thailand, China and Vietnam, where nuts and fish are frequently used in recipes and street food is more prevalent, so you are less likely to know what it contains." Traveling in developing countries can pose more risks due to the lack of labeling and the difficulty of tracing food ingredients, although the limited food products available might make it easier to avoid a single allergen. While carrying translation cards -- available from Allergy UK -- can help bridge the language barrier, explaining your needs in the local language sometimes isn't enough. In countries where it's culturally unacceptable to refuse a guest's requests or where severe allergies are rare, requests can be misunderstood. "When I'm in Peru, Jordan or even in Spain, I'll explain that I cannot eat peanuts and [locals] think it's by choice," says travel blogger and peanut allergy sufferer Elizabeth Carlson. "Often they don't understand the difference between peanuts and other nuts, or that I can't even eat something that has been cooked in the same pan as a peanut dish. Or they think if they pick the peanuts out, then I can still eat the dish. "It's hard for some to comprehend the severity of my illness simply because they have either never heard of it or it's very uncommon for people [in their country] to have food allergies, let alone allergies that could kill you." Also on CNN: Worst U.S. cities for allergy sufferers The perils of exotic cuisine
"Some cheeses in France have pistachio nuts in them and Lupin flour is more commonly used in bakery items in European countries like France and The Netherlands," Beresford warns. That doesn't mean you have to write off any destination. Despite fretting about the pasta-heavy cuisine, allergy blogger and Coeliac Disease sufferer Sian Drew found Italy a paradise for those avoiding gluten. "There are whole shops dedicated to gluten-free products and many restaurants offer gluten-free classics such as gluten-free pizza, tiramisu and even a gluten- and nut-free ice cream cone to have my gelato in!" she reports. Even countries where street food is abundant aren't necessarily verboten. Carlson notes the advantages of more casual eating. "I eat a lot of street food when I travel, which is great because you get to see the food being cooked right in front of you, and it's easier to talk one on one with the cook," she says. A worthwhile riskSome even find their allergy inspires them to explore, such as Drew, who finds the time spent researching restaurants and local cuisine adds a unique element to her trips. "We often visit specific gluten-free restaurants and shops that are usually not located in the center of town, making our city tours slightly more local than the usual tourist trail," she says. Ultimately, most sufferers agree that traveling with food allergies is a worthwhile risk and that even higher risk destinations can be managed as long as they plan ahead and prepare for all eventualities. "Allergies should not hold anyone back, because you can make a destination work for you," says Kale.    |
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