16 Jul 2012
Family-friendly travel apps
Since getting my iPod, I’ve been enjoying a bit of an app downloading frenzy – this being the main reason I ventured into Apple territory, despite my love of BlackBerry. There’s been baby apps galore, some of which are waiting to be tested, useful odds and ends, and even the eBay app (which has led me into the dangerous territory of late night/early morning browsing during pregnant insomnia).
But I’ve also been taking a look at some of the hopefully useful travel apps which are around too, including the XE currency app for when the maths is slightly more complicated than I’d like to do in my head, and Google Translate to help in my quest of being able to at least attempt communication abroad.
Being a cheapskate, I’ve stuck mostly to the free apps for now – so while I’ve had Packing Pro recommended, I’ve downloaded a similar option called Baby Travel which lets you create different packing lists for various numbers of days, climates and variations on people. Even if my usual method is to scribble on my phone’s memo pad or on a very old-fashioned piece of paper. Baby Travel also has tips on the blog (albeit very focused on America rather than UK) and some soothing and silly sounds, which have yet to be tested on the mini traveller.
I’ve also downloaded the Red Cross First Aid app. Although I’m hoping to arrange a proper course with them later in the year, the basic advice on the everyday problems you’re most likely to encounter is very useful to have, and there’s a quiz to check you’ve understood it.
But the two I have to explore a bit more are TripIt and Gogobot, both trip planning apps which you can connect to social networks – as well as uploading your itineraries, the former also has a pro version which will alert you to flight changes. And Gogobot can help with planning, letting you browse over 60,000 travel destinations and use recommendations from friends – or other parents – to rank them, as well as turning images into postcards.
Of course, it all depends on how you search and who your friends are. I might be more inclined to ask on Twitter, but for some more dawn browsing and creating itineraries I’d love to follow, I can imagine whiling away quite a bit of time. Anything you can’t live without?
Image: simonok/Flickr
Love the blog! I’ve recently forayed into the wilds of the app store myself, and like you, found a ton that I’ve been using for travel. The XE Currency app was a lifesaver when I was in the Philippines, and I found out something else on that trip; always have some apps for entertainment, It was a ridiculously long series of flights with a three or four hour layover in between. Normally this would drive me nuts, but for the two apps I happened to have on my iPad that saved my sanity, and my trip. I had the Kindle app, loaded with books, and I also had this remote access app I picked up through my job at Dish. With it I’m able to access live and recorded programming off my home receiver from anywhere in the world I can get a wifi or 3G connection, and it was the perfect way to pass the time when I got too tired and brain-dead to read. Highly recommended!
Parker
August 2nd, 2012 at 3:48 pmpermalink