Download these programmes and you can live your globetrotting life out of a phone, writes Alisha Haridasani
Against a white background a hand holds on to an iPhone, with some funky music playing in the background. A voiceover asks some outlandish questions: “Want to know how many calories are in your lunch? Confused about what wall colour to pick?” And each time the answer is the same: “There’s an app for that.” That was Apple’s marketing campaign in 2009, which foretold a world that would be changed forever. Although the company did not invent mobile applications – the PalmPilot launched in late 1990s pioneered them – it has definitely been a driving force in making them part of everyday life.
Last year, Pew Research Center released a study about the growing app culture, revealing that 35 per cent of US adults have downloaded mobile apps of some kind. In October this year, Apple announced that roughly one billion apps were downloaded from its App Store every month. It is rumoured that Research in Motion’s BlackBerry, which has been struggling to keep up with the app trend, is in talks with Google to possibly enable Android apps to run on the newer BlackBerry devices. Furthermore, as the tablet PC market continues to heat up now, everything is about to change yet again. For the better, we say.
We have sieved through the thousands of apps out there to bring you an essential selection that will help you through every stage of your business trip, from the planning right through to working from your hotel room and everything in between.
BEFORE THE JOURNEY
BlackBerry Travel, released earlier this year, is a one-stop shop for travel planning, enabling you to search, sync and collate all your essential travel details from confirmed airline bookings to hotel stays. Upon downloading the programme, users need to create a BlackBerry Travel account with their email address and a password. The software will then detect confirmation emails sent to your inbox and input the data into the app automatically, so that they can be used to notify the user of flight status updates and changes.
Gadgets: BlackBerry
Price: Free
TripIt is another app that organises your itineraries all into one place. Upon receiving booking confirmation, you simply have to forward it to [email protected], which recognises bookings from airlines, hotels, restaurants, concerts and even cruises. All your bookings are then organised chronologically and synched with your calendar.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, Android devices, BlackBerry
Price: Free
Hotel Tonight comes in handy for those times when you’ve got to stay overnight in a city unexpectedly, due to weather conditions and flight delays. The app provides listings of same-day, last-minute deals at hotels around North America, with up to 70 per cent discounts on rates.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and Android
Price: Free
Eurostar was launched earlier this year, and is convenient for those travelling around Europe. The application enables you to make bookings on the train for up to six travellers at a time, check in using the mobile tickets received and get real-time service updates.
Gadgets: iPhone and Android devices
Price: Free
AT THE AIRPORT
iChangi provides airport users in Singapore with updated information on flights, departure gates as well as shopping and dining, and promotions.
Gadgets: iPhone, BlackBerry and Android devices
Price: Free
iFly Pro is based on the website of the same name, it consists of handy airport guides for over 700 airports around the world including terminal maps, directories for restaurants, shops and other services, transportation to and from the airport, wifi coverage facilities at the airport and your flight status updates.
Gadgets: iPhone and iPad
Price: US$6.99
Heathrow Airport guide makes navigating around the terminals easier with maps, flight updates, car parking booking tools for long stays, weather and city guides as well as a journey planner between the airport and your destination within London.
Gadgets: iPhone, BlackBerry and Android devices
Price: Free
Live Airport has a series of apps that cover four airports including Hong Kong International Airport, Incheon Airport, Las Vegas McCarran and Orlando MCO Airport. Each of the four dedicated apps features airport maps, flight updates, boarding reminder messages and gate locators.
Gadgets: iPhone
Price: US$1.99 for HKIA guide, US$0.99 for Incheon and Orlando MCO guides, free for Las Vegas McCarran guide.
FRA Airport is convenient for those who travel to Frankfurt (Germany) frequently as it updates users on flight information, lists the airport’s facilities with maps and finds facilities near the user. The app also has a parking planner tool.
Gadgets: iPhone and iPad
Price: Free
Priority Pass was developed by the pay-in airport lounge brand. It enables users to locate the nearest Priority Pass lounges, and access details of the lounge with pictures and directions. The app also tracks users’ Priority Pass membership information.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices
Price: Free
GateGuru has a listing of security wait times (the bane of any traveller), airport maps and a listing of services and amenities for 120 airports alongside ratings by other users. It also integrates the TripIt app and with several social media channels so that itineraries can be looked up in one single interface and shared with friends.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and Android devices
Price: Free
Amex Travel App is for all American Express cardholders, helping them manage travel itineraries from TripIt accounts, find the best seats on the aircraft and explore what may be close to the departure gate. Platinum Card members will receive additional features such as flight status updates, alternate flight options in cases of delays or emergencies as well as locate lounges to which they have access.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry
Price: Free
DURING THE TRIP
Skype, the popular Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, can be accessed through this mobile app. Users can chat or make calls to other Skype users for free or, using paid credits, contact landlines and mobile phones. Credit rates vary from country to country but generally start at US$0.23 per minute for calls.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and Android devices
Price: Free
IM+ Talk app brings together all instant messaging and VoIP services, including Skype, MSN and Google Talk. Users can set up their various instant messaging (IM) accounts by inputting their username and password, enabling them to switch between IM services. They can also remain signed in after exiting the application.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices
Price: US$9.99 for iPhone and iPad, US$19.99 for BlackBerry and US$10.00 for Android devices
Documents to Go bundles mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, allowing users to view, edit and create documents that can be synced with desktops at home or the office. The app also reads PDF files.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android
Price: US$9.99 for iPhone and iPad, US$14.99 for BlackBerry and Android
Whatsapp is a cross-platform IM service. All you need is the other person’s telephone number and the software automatically syncs it onto the “Favourites” tab, although the other mobile phone needs to have the application installed too. Texting between Whatsapp users is free. It can use either 3G data plans or wifi.
Gadgets: iPhone, BlackBerry and Android
Price: US$0.99 for iPhone, free for the first year for BlackBerry and Android devices
Viber is like Whatsapp, enabling cross-device communication but expands the facility to free phone calls. It can be used either over wifi or 3G, letting users make calls at no cost to anyone else who has the application installed, although sound quality is inconsistent.
Gadgets: iPhone and Android devices
Price: Free
XE Currency is based on the hugely popular currency exchange website www.xe.com. It enables you to make calculations and conversions on the move. The app uses real-time rates that are refreshed frequently and can simultaneously monitor 10 currencies at a time.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices
Price: Free
Google Translate enables direct translations between more than 50 languages, making pocket phrase books a thing of the past. The app can also translate spoken commands in 15 languages and play them out loud. It also works with characters of non-Latin based languages, such as Chinese and Japanese, and their phonetic versions, such as pinyin.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and Android devices
Price: Free
Wallet: Each device has its own version under the same name, but this app enables users to key in and securely store their credit card information, including shipping and billing addresses, making shopping online through the handset easier and quicker.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry
Price: US$4.99 for iPhone and iPad, free for BlackBerry
Urbanspoon is for foodies confused about where to eat in a foreign country. The application uses the phone’s GPS system to locate restaurants nearby with pictures, reviews and each restaurant’s price range.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices
Price: Free
HSBC Business Banking makes keeping track of finances easier for HSBC account holders. The app requires the user’s Business Internet Banking username, password and security code in order to access the full range of services including viewing the balance, keeping track of transactions and making payments or transfers while on the go.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry (BlackBerry versions are only available in select destinations, such as the UK, and need to be downloaded from the HSBC website)
Price: Free
Citibank is for users with Citibank accounts and credit cards. As with the HSBC app, users will need to sign in with an ID and password to access account balances and recent activity as well as make transfers and payments. Additionally, users can find the nearest Citibank branches or ATMs through this app.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry (only has the Citibank HK version) and Android devices
Price: Free
Wifi Finder finds all free and paid wifi hotspot locations in 140 countries around the world using the phone’s GPS function, thus helping users cut down on hefty data roaming charges. Furthermore, users can download a database of hotspots at a destination in advance, which can then be accessed when offline.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and Android devices
Price: Free
DocScanner makes it possible to scan a document without a scanner by utilising the phone’s camera. The app saves pictures in PDF formats. The document that needs scanning simply needs to be laid flat under ample light.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and Android devices
Price: US$4.99 for iPhone and iPad and US$1.98 for Android
Business Card Scanner removes the need to input each person’s contact details from their business cards into your contact list by using text recognition software. The app is programmed to recognise emails, telephone numbers, names and job titles in several languages, including English, French and Spanish. Users simply need to point their phone cameras at the card and the app does the rest.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry
Price: US$4.99 for iPhone and iPad and US$9.99 for BlackBerry
Remote Desktop for Mobiles lets you access your desktop through your tablet or handset, wherever you are. The app syncs your phone with Macs or PCs and enables you to make the changes or look for the things you need. The only requirement is downloading the app on your mobile device and on the desktop so that the two can be connected.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices
Price: For iPhone and iPad, there are two versions of this app: the “lite” version is free while the “pro” version costs US$5.99, US$39.95 for BlackBerry and US$9.99 for Android
Fly and stay
Many hotels and airlines have their own branded, dedicated apps that reach out to their loyal customers. Most, if not all, provide the same essential services: search and book tools and a points or miles tracker.
Airlines: Many major carriers have now developed apps including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Swiss. All of them enable users to search flight schedules and book flights, check in, download boarding passes, keep on top of earned miles as well as notify the user on flight status updates.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad, Android devices and BlackBerry (for the carriers listed above except SIA, which only has apps for iPhone, iPad and Android)
Price: Free for all the carriers listed
Hotels: As with the airlines, most major hotel groups have their own apps that enable guests to search and book stays, redeem award nights and keep track of their points including Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), Accor and IHG’s Priority Club Rewards.
Several try to distinguish themselves from competitors with special features. For example, Hilton allows e-check-in before arriving at the hotel to speed things up, while the W Hotel app integrates a music streaming function with playlists put together by their global music director. Many also connect guests to the concierge through their apps.
Gadgets: iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry for the SPG and Accor Hotels app. Hilton Worldwide is only available on iPhones and iPads, while the IHG Priority Club Rewards app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.
Price: Free for the apps listed above
Got some time to kill? Click here for a list of apps you can download to relax, unwind and keep fit.
