From helping you pack to sorting out your airfare, reservations and itinerary, to finding you the best deals when you reach your destination, applications are here to make your life easier. Designed for globetrotters, they put the best guides, concierges and local experts at your service. Our pick of apps:
Kayak
This app scored quite high on our list. What makes it download-worthy is that the app’s filters find you ideal airports for layovers, lets you buy tickets from the airline’s site and includes a flight tracker. This intelligent app also packs features that help you categorise lists and convert currency. Available for Android, BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone, Windows Phone.
Details: kayak.com
Hipmunk
With an excellent display of flight options, easy to see layovers and filters for flight price, duration and map views in hotel search, Hipmunk stands out in a sea of flight and hotel apps. And don’t worry about a cluttered screen, for colourcoded flight options will make the search experience a lot more simple. Available for iPhone, iPad, Android.
Details: hipmunk.com
Swearport
Now this app is purely for fun but you could take it seriously. Or not. Swearport, as the name suggests, is a handy app that lets you look up swear words in the language of your choice (45 languages, listed by a native speaker). Don’t turn up your nose yet, for the app also offers information about the word’s pronunciation, meaning, English equivalent, usage, and intensity rating out of five. Available for Android. iPhone users can check cnet. com.
Details: swearport.com
Trippy
How about Pinterest for travellers? Trippy lets you type in a location, which pulls up photos that other people have taken. Supposed to be a “friendsourced” travel solution, it ties your social networks so that you can find out which friend of yours has been to the same place you’re considering. Psst: Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern and Randi Zuckerberg are only some of the app’s investors. Available for Android, iPhone.
Details: trippy.com
Springpad
Maintaining a travelogue is rather important. Springpad (revamped last year) keeps that in mind and combines our favourite pastime, social networking, along with organising checklists, diary entries, restaurant reviews and information about landmarks visited. The data can be shared with friends on Springpad. It’s like your own personal assistant, only cooler. Available for Android, iPhone and iPad.
Details: home.springpadit.com
Tripomatic
Carry the world in your pocket with the Tripomatic app. Enter your destination and the duration of your stay and it picks attractions and selects activities, which you can slot into a trip timeline. It features more than 30,000 destinations around the world and that too at inexpensive roaming charges.
The app is available for iPhone and iPad.
Details: tripomatic.com