Using Your Smartphone when Travelling

It seems these days everyone has a smartphone and they are taking it with them everywhere they go, including on holidays.  There is nothing wrong with this, but it’s important that you make sure to check with your provider about any extra fees that you may incur.  If you are not sure, or don’t have time to check, it’s a good idea to flip your phone to Wi-Fi only when out of town/country.

iPhone 2g, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (Photo credit: reticulating)

That said, if you have your phone with you, there are a variety of things that you can use it for.

Directions

One of the best things about a smartphone is the ability to use it for directions.  That said, it’s hard to say how current the information you find is.  You can probably find a compass application as well if you are not sure what direction North is.

Language

In a country that speaks a different language than your home language?  There are all sorts of apps that will help you with the language from how to spell a word to the proper pronunciation.  If nothing else, you can show your phone to someone to get your point across.

Websites

Of course, you can easily use your phone to check the city/area/country’s website for any information you require.  Want to know the address of city hall?  No problem.  Looking for a hotel?  Chances are that information is on a website somewhere.  Looking for a certain type of restaurant?  Put the type and the city you are in, and you’ll find it.

A quick search for “travel” in the application store finds a lot of apps for hotels and trip review sites.   I’m sure with a bit more searching and different search terms; you can find a lot of handy items.

Apps that sound promising:

SeatGuru - Tells you what seats are the best on the plane with a colour guide

GateGuru - Maps of airports, security wait times, and updates for gate changes.

TripIt - Free and Paid, keeps track of itineraries for you.

Xe Currency - Determine what an items costs in your home currency.

WeHostels - Helps to find hostels and you can even message people staying there.

Forvo - Helps with language and pronunciation.  Paid app.

Trail Wallet - Track expenses and categorize them.

Do you have a favorite travel app that you think others should know about?