Top 10 iPod Applications For Travelers And Expats Sarah Novak
Disclaimer: Sarah is an expat woman living in Manila, The Philippines, who is in love with her iPod. She confirms that she is not connected to Apple whatsoever.
We all know that having the right tools is critical for success in any endeavor. When you travel or live overseas though, having the right tools becomes essential to completing your daily tasks. While you may be familiar with more traditional resources like guide books and maps, I wanted to share with you how to leverage up-and-coming iPod technology to smooth out those rough points in your overseas adventures.
I am focusing on Apple's iPod applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, because I absolutely love iPod applications and see how iPod applications can make life easier for so many of us. However, with thousands of applications available to download, the task of finding the right applications can be daunting, so after some online research, here is my list of the top ten applications for travelers and expats...
Background On iTunes Applications
The applications referenced are either free or can be purchased (typically ranging in price up to US$14.99) from the iTunes store and uploaded to any iPod Touch or iPhone. (Unfortunately, traditional iPods like the Basic, Nano or Shuffle do not use applications.)
The Top 10
1.
iMetro - US$1.99 to upload. This application provides metro maps for 28 cities around the world, ensuring that you do not need to waste your precious money on taxi fares. The metro maps are scalable, so you can zoom in or out to find your way. There are quite a few metro apps out there, but I like this one best because of the large number of maps that you get for the low cost. Another bonus: The price recently fell from US$4.99 to US$1.99.
2.
Sit or Squat- Free. This user-maintained database identifies free toilets that you can use around the world. To date, over 65,000 toilets have been identified by users. All you need to do is enter the nearest address, city, zip code or intersection and it will pull up a list of the nearest toilets. Note: You can check out the great reviews and comments for each toilet on their website.
3.
Gate Maps - US$0.99 to upload. This app provides airport terminal layouts for over 30 International Airports. It is an application that runs offline, which means there will not be any charges for uploading data overseas. Savvy travelers know to check the map of their arrival airport in-flight so that they can speed off to their destination upon landing. There is nothing better than knowing where you are going in advance.
4.
Flight Track Pro - US$9.99 to upload. This Application integrates withTripIt, saving your flight itineraries to the app. Flight Track Pro then keeps you up-to-date on delays, gate changes, cancellations and more. The offline mode allows you to check your most recent flight details without the use of Wi-Fi. A bit expensive for an app, but just think of the headaches it could save you. Well worth it, in my book...
5.
Packing Pro - US$3.99 to upload. This handy packing check-list will make sure that you do not end up in the Caribbean without a swimsuit! Create your own list from scratch or work from one of several custom templates.
6.
Spend - US$0.99 to upload. Love, love, love this app! It absolutely solves the problem of how to keep track of all the daily cash transactions that occur on vacation or in everyday life overseas. Now you have a top-notch tool not only for accounting, but for budgeting as well.
7.
Wifi Trak - US$0.99 to upload. This handy app locates free Wi-Fi signals nearby. Perfect for the traveler on the move.
8.
HiConverter - US$0.99 to upload. This fantastic conversion tool incorporates all the usual bells and whistles such as temperature, currency exchange rates, distance, etc. It also includes the features of the popular app Tipulater which allows you to calculate the tip on a bill. Oh wait, did I mention that it also includes a few surprises like clothing and shoe size conversions?
9.
Lingolook Flashcards- US$4.99 to upload. These fabulous flashcards list 500 translations of the most common words travelers need to know to get around, all in an easy-to-use flashcard format (100 actual cards). Bonus: 300 of the translations come with an audio clip from a native speaker to help you perfect the pronunciation. The cards are available in 7 languages: Spanish, Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and German. The hands-down best part of this app is that it lives in the phone and requires no data transmissions overseas.
10.
Lonely Planet City Guides- US$15.99 to upload. Just in case you do not feel like lugging the big guide book anymore... you can download a Lonely Planet CityGuide for $15.99 and you can access 1 of 20 major cities. Designed as a stand-alone application, this program does not require a data download, saving you roaming charges. It is GPS-enabled though so you can find your location on the application 's city maps. Amazing what innovation can do!
Good luck with your new iPod apps!
Sarah Novak, MBA, CPCC is a Certified Professional Coach and founder of Envision Life Coaching. As a Global Lifestyle Coach, Sarah works with spouses of expats and diplomats to reclaim their identity after moving to a new country or repatriating. Sarah authors a blog titled Inspired Overseas Living that is full of resources, tools and inspiration for expats and diplomats. Sarah has been an Apple IPod fan since 2007 when she received her first iPod Touch as a Christmas gift.
