These days, it seems as if no one actually heads off on your next business trip without at least one kind of gadget, whether it’s a smartphone, iPad, Kindle or some other portable electronic device. While there are (quite scarily) more than 17,000 travel apps available on the market now, it can be hard to wade through them all and decide which will actually work for you when you’re preparing for your next business trip. So if you love to use apps when you travel to help you communicate with possible business partners, navigate your way around town, choose online accommodation or to save money, there’s sure to be a product for you. Read on for five great apps you can try out on your next international business trip.
XE Currency
Unlike some of the other currency conversion apps on the digital market, this one is free, easy to use, has a slick design and due to using live currency rates, it is also very accurate. Trusted by major corporations and government agencies around the world, this little freebie has been downloaded more than five million times as people take advantage of its proprietary system that gathers rates from over 150 global sources and translates them into the one reliable feed. With no need to buy any hardware or software, the app calculates and converts more than 180 worldwide currencies instantly. The clever currency app sends you free email updates, allows you to access live rates plus also historical data, and even lets you create and track comparison charts.
Waze
When you’re travelling internationally and driving around unfamiliar areas with different terrain, it can become quite challenging to find your way or remain calm when things don’t go smoothly. However with this dynamic GPS navigational system you can avoid obstacles, traffic jams, accidents and detours. A socially “driven” app, Waze is activated by participating drivers who send in their photos and information on current issues. Updated in real time, the app will automatically alert you to any upcoming problems as well as provide you with quicker or alternative routes.
Google Translate
For most of us who aren’t able to travel with a translator on hand, an app that can instantly provide language translations when we need it can be hugely helpful. Google Translate is a versatile system that currently works with at least 57 different languages, from the most widely spoken ones like French and Spanish to the less-commonly used languages like Yiddish or even Haitian Creole! Google’s translation software is becoming more and more accurate over time and can rapidly translate whole paragraphs of text or the spoken word. If you don’t want to attempt pronouncing the phrase yourself then generally the program’s integrated voice simulator can do the work for you. Simply select your input language and output preference, then the app will present you with a list of possible translations, all sorted by the “most recommended” options. While it does have one major downside — you’ll need an Internet connection for the software to work — it is still a great app that can help you overcome language barriers on the go.
TripIt
An app that’s ideal for business travellers, TripIt allows you to essentially become your own travel agent and plan all the details of your trip. From accommodation to airlines, car rentals or places to eat, the clever app collates your travel data (including your reservation numbers for hotels, flights and car rental agencies) and then uses it to create an itinerary. The app works with over 250 travel sites around the world; it also provides weather forecasts and maps of your destinations that are available even when you’re offline.
JiWire
We all realise how much we have come to rely on an Internet connection these days, and in the modern world one of the most frustrating elements of travel can be that stranded, stressful feeling when Internet access isn’t readily available. However, with the free JiWire Wi-Fi finder, you can avoid unnecessary delays or exorbitant hotel Internet fees as the app works its magic to find free wireless connections in your area. The software keeps track of more than 545,000 hotspots in 144 countries around the world and will provide a downloadable list, directions and a phone number for your nearest Wi-Fi saviour. You can search the app’s directory for spots in a particular location or else simply enable the scanner to find the nearest hot spots to your current location.
About the Author: India Flume is a travel writer and blogger with a passion for international travel, business, and technology.