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Travel Apps That Keep A Shifting World Steady

My plane leaves in five hours. I’m not sure what I need to pack. I’m going to Sydney and have no idea how to navigate the city. On top of that, I need Wi-Fi to take care of all of the projects I must abandon in order to make my flight. OK, that’s not really happening today. My schedule is rarely so thrilling. Nonetheless, every traveler is familiar with the kind of pressures I’m writing about. Here’s a brief look at a few clutch travel apps and the makers behind them, for the consistently unprepared. If I ever find myself about to win that exact trifecta of travel stress, I’d want these companions to save my skin.

 

Packing Pro

If you’re less likely to misplace your phone than you are Post-It notes or random sheets of paper, then this app might be a great way to stay organized when planning travel. Packing Pro lets you create lists of all the things you’ll need to take on vacation and all the things that you need to do before you go. Make your own lists, or use templates that help you craft lists appropriate for the type of vacation you’re taking. Bad idea to mistakenly swap the day at the beach and Tokyo excursion lists.

 

 

If you’ve prepared masterly in the past and wish to repeat your success, Packing Pro lets you store and reuse lists from previous itineraries. Otherwise, the Expert option, which works like the Genius playlist on iTunes, allows you to enter in details about your trip–number of children, length of your trip, climate, destination–then generates a list for you. This app costs $2.99.

 

Quinn Genzel is the developer behind Packing Pro. If you find yourself more relaxed during vacation thanks to the app, you might want to consider bringing some of his games along as well: aQ’s Pro Slider Puzzle (of the space, ilove birds, ilove nature, and Egypt variety), or Ghost Buddy 3D Lite.

 

OffMaps2

Ever been distracted from the road while some one in the car tries to refold a map? (Of course, no driver would ever think to look at a map while behind the wheel.) OffMaps2 lets you download maps and save them for offline binds. Keep the suitcases and car compartments paper free. The first two maps cost $0.99. Unlimited maps runs $5.99. If you’re planning to visit Europe say and hop between multiple cities, this would be a bargain compared to purchasing maps for each location.

 

OffMaps2 is the invention of the German company iosphere Gmbh. Co-founder Felix Lamouroux decided to commit himself to developing apps for tourists and outdoor adventurers while he was a PhD student in economics at the University of Cologne. Lukas Mollidor went to the same school and left his work in geophysics to start building with his knowledge of OpenStreetMap data.

 

Wi-Fi Finder

Find more than 650,000 locations in 144 countries if you need to interrupt your break and finish some work on the laptop. A filter helps you limit your search to free locations if you prefer. Wi-Fi Finder is free for users, and works both online and offline.

 

This handy Wi-Fi locater is the product of JiWire, Inc., which specializes in mobile, social, and video solutions. JiWire was founded by Kevin McKenzie, a professional in media and online commerce for more than 13 years. Before starting JiWire, he was the Senior Vice President at CNET Networks’ Shopping Services.

 

Photo credits

Apple.com / Apple.com

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