SLIDE 1
Loading the Right Apps
- Lets you get the most out of your vacation
- Helps you avoid missing important sites
- Eliminates confusion while travelling
- Keeps you connected to home
On the Road: Websites and Apps for Travel Loading the Right Apps - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
On the Road: Websites and Apps for Travel Loading the Right Apps - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
On the Road: Websites and Apps for Travel Loading the Right Apps Lets you get the most out of your vacation Helps you avoid missing important sites Eliminates confusion while travelling Keeps you connected to home Tips for
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Tips for loading apps
O Check the Google Play Store for Android apps and the
Apple app store for iPhone and iPad apps. Some apps also have versions for Windows phones but there are far fewer.
O You will need an Apple and/or Google id. O Make sure the app is available for your version of iOS
- r Android.
O Some apps are only available on the company’s
website.
O Some apps have a corresponding website, others
- nly have an app.
O Unless otherwise noted, all apps are for Android &
iOS.
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Accommodations
SLIDE 5
Hotel Tonight
app only
O
Biggest name in last-minute bookings in the US. App focuses exclusively on day-of bookings, although you can extend your stay for multiple nights at some hotels.
O
Hotels in North America & Western Europe. Rooms are offered at discounts up to 70% and categorized by tier (basic, solid, charming, hip, luxe). You can see ratings and user photos before choosing a hotel. Booking takes just a few taps.
O
Hotel Tonight is the best choice if you want to quickly book a quality room. It has fewer options than in other apps, but choices are good and offered at steep discounts.
O
‘Why we like it’ section describes why it’s a good pick.
O
No guarantee on a specific room or bed type until check in.
O
Deals available at noon local time.
O
Need to book for someone else? Just add a guest name, and select it when you book.
SLIDE 6
Last Minute Travel
website & app
O
Download from website, not app store.
O
Deals for more than 16,000 hotels in 2,500 major cities.
O
Unlike Hotel Tonight, can book ahead of time. Up to 65% savings.
O
Culls TripAdvisor info, so each listing includes user-generated star ratings, reviews, property descriptions, and photos.
O
Many of the rooms it lists aren’t available to book via the hotel’s website, so travelers will have a greater selection—and save time— by launching this app instead of conducting individual searches.
O
Features “undercover” hotels.
O
Can sort by price, recommended, hotel name, distance from current location, Trip Advisor or star rating to book.
SLIDE 7
Jetsetter Now
iOS app only & website
O Web site known as a curator of travel which promotes
hotels and destinations that the JS team has investigated themselves to make sure they're top-
- notch. Any hotels chosen will definitely be chic.
O Look at Flash Sales for best deals. O Properties are categorized by location as well as the
collection they fit into - Royal, Posh, or Brilliant.
O Look at “What We Love," "What To Know," and The
Lowdown sections for insider information.
O Full website also available but need app for last
minute deals.
O The app’s strengths: panoramic photos and insights
from Jetsetter’s team of expert correspondents.
SLIDE 8
One-of-a kind Accommodations
websites & apps
O
Features:
O
Search for available properties by destination
O
Both apps/sites feature pictures of properties
O
Peruse amenities, descriptions, nearby airports, local attractions and more
O
Read reviews from previous guests
O
Contact the property owner or manager
O
Get a quote for your travel dates
O
AirBnB
O
Thousands of places to stay in over 34,000 cities
O
Includes last-minutes accommodations anywhere in the world
O
Skews a little younger, more shared accommodations & apartments
O
Home Away & VRBO For travelers
O
More than 1 million property listings in 171 countries
O
Skewed a little more to rental properties.
SLIDE 9
Hipmunk: Flights & Hotels
website & app
O
Offers last minute hotel deals. Can also book flights & get information.
O
App offers three options on the main screen: Search Flights, Search Hotels, & Discover. Discover lets you combine flight & hotel info.
O
Discounts range from 10-40%.
O
Hipmunk gives you more options than Hotel Tonight but plenty of controls to help narrow them down.
O
Download the mobile app from the main website or get it via one of the app stores.
O
Although it’s a flight and hotel aggregation search app it’s unique in that it includes non-traditional lodging such as listings from Airbnb and HomeAway in its search results.
SLIDE 10
Major Travel Sites
Booking.com
O Booking.com’s Tonight app also provides lots of options but at
smaller discounts (~10%) than Hipmunk does.
O Since both HotelTonight and Jetsetter have more curated
content, results are very limited.
O Once you click on a hotel, it will list all available rooms, hotel
facilities and policies, and other pertinent information.
O If you want a plethora of options that you can filter by price,
location, facilities, etc, this is a great option.
O When you book a hotel, you can download a free travel guide to
use offline. Includes places to eat, sites, shopping, etc.
O If you're less interested in how hip the hotel is, the big booking
agencies will give you loads of results with more budget
- ptions. Hotels.com, Booking.com, Expedia, and Priceline all
have mobile apps for travelers on-the-go.
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Restaurants & Eating Out
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Restaurants & Eating Out
Yelp - website & app User restaurant reviews ChowHou
- und.c
.com
- m - website
Food forums in U.S. & major world cities OpenTable le – website & app Book a table, read reviews U.S. only
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Foodspotting
website & app
O Reviews dishes, not restaurants. O Can scan for food in map area, based on users’
recommendations (thumbnail photo of food).
O Can also search for nearby restaurants based on
your current GPS location.
O Includes map and links to Yelp reviews. Can also
- rder takeout via GrubHub.
O Website: For each city, users can browse
selections by category and neighborhood location
O Also available for Windows phone.
SLIDE 14
TV FoodMaps
website & app
O Restaurants featured on Food Network and Travel
Channel shows, such as "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," "Man v. Food," "Best Thing I Ever Ate“
O Search by show or location.
SLIDE 15
Sightseeing & Local Info
SLIDE 16
Gogobot
website & app
O
Social travel app that helps you find places to eat, play, and sleep based on your location and based on your personal preferences, such as whether you're more outdoorsy or are looking for family-friendly spots.
O
Community of users upload photos, information, and ratings for the sites, while also tagging them based on different interests, such as family, foodie, local, outdoor, budget, and adventure.
O
Explore an area ahead of time and save points of interest to a list in the app.
O
Photos taken by other users help you get a better sense of what you might find at different places of interest.
O
Book hotels recommended by members and get the best prices.
O
Contains over 800,000 reviews and 4 million photos.
O
Website tip: Blog contains articles with reviews, tips & information.
SLIDE 17
Field Trip
app only
O Looks for sites of interest around you, based on categories you
select and your location.
O Sends pop-up cards, short blurbs about unique, sometimes
hidden locations, as you pass them.
O Especially good for history buffs. O Will send audio alerts if you're driving and have a connected
Bluetooth audio device.
O Taps into recommendations from travel and lifestyle
publications, such as Thrillist, Zagat, and Sunset, as well as Songkick and Flavorpill for finding local music.
O Can set to show frequent or occasional notifications, and you
can turn on an audio option that will speak the title and description of a spot.
O Another feature: restaurant reviews and coupons for discounts
show up as you pass by.
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Rick Steves Audio Europe Travel App
O Regularly updated. Can also listen from
website.
O Self-guided walking tours for dozens of
Europe’s top museums and sights
O Travel tips and cultural insights from Rick’s
radio show
O Download files before you go O PDF maps included
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Making Connections
SLIDE 20
Virtual Tourist
website & app
O Virtual Tourist.com (app only available for iOS)
O Worldwide travel community where real travelers and
locals share real travel advice and experiences on
- ver 63,000 destinations.
O Offers travel guides, insider tips, reviews, and
photos.
O Get travel advice from people behind the scenes via
their world travel forum.
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Maps
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Google Maps
website & app
O Turn-by-turn directions O Detects delays up ahead, such as traffic,
accidents, or construction. App automatically offers a quicker route.
O In-car GPS navigation system, right from
your phone.
O Also works for walking directions and for
public transportation.
O Download maps while connected to wi-fi.
SLIDE 23
Stay Connected
SLIDE 24
Free Wi-Fi Finder
app only
O
Find free Wi-Fi hotspots at hotels, restaurants, airlines and stores around the world.
O
Can filter by provider, venue or free/pay.
O
Can download Wi-Fi directory to use offline. Uses about 55MB of disk space.
SLIDE 25
WhatsApp Messenger
app only
O Free mobile messaging anywhere with Wi-Fi
- r 3G.
O Uses the same internet data plan that you
use for email and web browsing so there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends (e.g. no roaming charges).
O All users must have app to connect. O Users can create groups, send each other
unlimited images, video and audio media messages.
O Available for Windows phone.
SLIDE 26
Skype & Google Hangouts
O Skype's mobile
le app
O Use your mobile phone over Wi-Fi
connections to make phone calls and send texts in any country.
O Google
le Hangou
- uts
O Use computer, phone or tablet to connect
with users over the internet for free (up to 9 people).
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Communicate
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Google Translate
website & app
O Translates over 90 languages O Just point the smartphone's camera at a sign, for example,
pick the input and output language, line up the text using the camera's guides, and the app will overlay a virtual version of that sign in the language you choose.
O Live audio translation which can autodetect the languages of
speakers also an option. Note that this requires an Internet connection so using it on vacation might not be an possible.
O Only problem is that it's based in a smartphone which you have
to take out, point at the sign and announce to everyone you're a tourist.
O You can even download a language library in advance so
translating on-the-go (and with no, limited or expensive Internet connectivity) is not a problem.
SLIDE 29
Health & Safety
SLIDE 30
Travelsmart
app only
O If you encounter an emergency overseas, app gives
you access to local hospitals, emergency numbers and information about foreign medicine and health
- advice. Very easy to use.
O Emerge
gency Number Access Abroad includes numbers for police, fire departments, and ambulances, by destination.
O International Drug Dictionary contains international
translations in multiple languages.
O First Aid Terms translated into multiple languages. O Comprehensive list of Hospitals and Contacts
- rganized by country. Detailed contact information
and maps are also included.
SLIDE 31
SitorSquat: Restroom Finder
website & app
O Lets you find, review & rate nearby public bathrooms.
App uses GPS to find nearby facilities.
O Search for facilities with specific features:
O Open now O For free O Baby changing table O Handicapped access O Tampon vending machines O Family bathroom O Sits only
O Contains reviews and photos
SLIDE 32
Entrain
app only
O App designed by researchers at U. of Michigan to help you combat jet
lag; like an advanced alarm/calculator for jet-lagged travelers.
O Plug in your sleeping habit data and the time zone you're traveling to,
and the app calculates a schedule specifying when you should stay in bright light, low light or be in the dark. The app then helps you gradually shift your sleeping schedule to lessen the impact of skipping across time zones.
O A lighting schedule is provided – sometimes the app will recommend
complete darkness during the day or some hours of bright light -- from a lamp -- at night. Travelers following the schedule should
- vercome jet lag faster.
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Currency
SLIDE 34
XE Currency
app only
O Live currency rates & charts for almost 200 countries O Rates refresh every minute. O Includes historic charts. O Can calculate prices with the currency converter. O Simultaneously monitor up to 10 currencies O Compare your currency price with XE Rate Advisor O Can personalize your settings, e.g. set frequency of rate
updates, pin base currency to top, shake device to reset rates
O Can also be used offline. Stores the last updated rates so you
can convert prices without internet access.
SLIDE 35
Converter Plus
iOS only
O Converts money but also Celsius to
Fahrenheit, kilos to pounds, etc.
O Also contains a tip calculator as well as
standard calculator.
O Customizable so you can keep the converter
templates you use most at the fore.
SLIDE 36
Road Tripping
SLIDE 37
iExit & Roadtrippers
O iExit (app only)
O Uses your location to tell you the services
(restaurants, hotels, gas stations, rest areas, and more) at different U.S. highway exits.
O Includes directions, traffic, and good places to stop
en route.
O Can mark favorites and app will tell you if it's coming
up anytime soon on your route.
O Roadtrippers (website and app)
O Finds all the great American roadside attractions as
well as restaurants and other services
O Calculates mileage, cost of gas & driving time. O Can save trip details. Includes map.
SLIDE 38
Cheap Gas:
Gas Buddy & Gas Guru
O GasBuddy (website & app)
O Gas prices by city, state, zip code and directions to nearby
gas stations
O Uses Google Maps to display gas stations plus prices. O Filter by brand or features.
O Gas Guru (app only)
O Find cheap gas prices near you O Compare gas prices near work, home, or anywhere O Best Nearby feature saves you time hunting for prices O Filter your search by gas/fuel grade and view results by
map or list view
O Get detailed info you need – directions, maps, prices of all
grades, addresses, time of last gas price update, and more
SLIDE 39
Choosing Apps
O Read reviews online, e.g. travel blogs and
travel magazines, etc.
O Many tech sites review apps such as Tech
Crunch, CNET, PC Magazine, etc.
O Look at reviews on app stores and read user
comments.
O Look at number of downloads, star ratings,
and when the app was last updated.
O Not all apps are free.