1. FlightTrack Pro

If you're traveling by air, you want this app, which tracks departure and arrival information, gate numbers, flight changes, delays and other must-know tidbits for your trip. Should your flight get canceled, the app will help you find an alternate itinerary to book.

FlightTrack Pro also offers complete international compatibility for trips out of the country.

Cost: $9.99

2. GasBuddy

We all have our favorite local gas spots, where we know prices are guaranteed to be low. But what about when you're in an area with a totally different range of gas prices? GasBuddy helps you find the cheapest gas near you.

Cost: FREE

3. HearPlanet

HearPlanet is akin to having a knowledgeable local in your pocket at all times. The app turns your iPhone into an audio tour guide. Learn about your surroundings just about anywhere — the app includes some 300,000 locations around the globe.

Cost: $2.99

4. OffMaps 2

If you rely on your iPhone's native Maps app to navigate, you could find yourself in a bind with roaming data. OffMaps 2 lets you download and save maps for offline browsing. The app even bookmarks your locations.
Cost: $0.99 for the first two maps; $5.99 for unlimited maps.

5. Packing Pro

If you're the type of person who always forgets something important, this app may be worth the small investment. Packing Pro has recommended lists for all sorts of trips. Plus, save lists from previous itineraries.
Cost: $2.99

6. Phöne Tracker

If you're traveling in a group that likes to split up — or you have kids you're worried about losing — use Phöne Tracker to monitor where your travel companions are at all times. The app turns your iPhone into a GPS, visible to whomever you authorize.

The downside: Many reviewers say it eats up battery life quickly.

Cost: $2.99

7. Photosynth

Share interactive, panoramic images of your travels with friends and family back home. This app stitches together your photos, and lets you scroll both from left to right and up and down.

Cost: FREE

8. Postagram

Snail mail notes and postcards still have their appeal. Try sending Postagrams, which turn your smartphone photography into real postcards.

Cost: FREE, but each postcard costs $0.99.

9. SitOrSquat

For when you really need a bathroom, and can't seem to find a store to creep into unnoticed. If there are several nearby options, read reviews for individual toilet facilities.

Cost: FREE

10. Skype Wi-Fi

If you hate constantly signing up for different paid Wi-Fi locations, ease those dreaded logins with this app. Skype Wi-Fi uses money from your Skype account to pay for different hotspot providers (such as Boingo) in airports, hotels or train stations.

Cost: FREE

11. Translator With Speech

This app is great if you're travelling to a place where you don't speak the native language. Plus, it accomplishes more than your average pocket translator — it will read out your translations in 40 different languages.

The app does require Wi-Fi or 3G, which can be a problem when roaming.

Cost: FREE

12. TripIt

Do you frequently find yourself scrambling through your inbox, searching for travel confirmation emails? If so, TripIt can make travelling a lot less painful by organizing all your reservations into clean itineraries. The app recognizes confirmation emails from more than 3,000 services — all you need to do is forward your messages.

Cost: FREE

13. WhatsApp

WhatsApp is an Internet-based texting service, which lets you send word, picture or voice messages to any smartphone user with the app. Because it's Internet-based, you can text from one country to another, without applied data charges.

WhatsApp is also a great group messenger, when you're trying to text people who have different types of smartphones.

Cost: FREE

14. Wi-Fi Finder

If you're looking for a good place to set up your laptop and get some work done, use Wi-Fi Finder to locate nearby hotspots. You can even apply a filter to target only free results. The app features more than 650,000 locations in more than 144 countries, so hopefully you'll be able to find Wi-Fi near you.

Cost: FREE

15. XE Currency

This pocket currency converter provides real-time conversion rates, so you can make sure you're not losing too much money when exchanging cash.

Or use the app to calculate how much of your native currency you're spending as you shop abroad.

Cost: FREE



We all have our favorite apps that we use every day, but what about apps that sidestep our usual routine?
If you’re travelling out of town this summer, odds are you could use a few more tools in your iPhone. We’ve rounded up 15 iPhone apps to make your vacation more efficient, relaxed and fun.

Worried about Internet connection, exchange rates or language barriers while you’re abroad? We’ve got offline solutions, a currency converter and pocket translators. Think you’ll have trouble mastering a new public transportation system or finding the best gas prices during a road trip? We’ve included apps that help you get where you need to go, while finding the cheapest gas stations.

If you have a vacation coming this August — or any time, really — we recommend you try out some of these handy 15 apps to ease your travel experience.

What are your go-to apps when you’re travelling? Let us know in the comments if we missed on of your favorites.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, YinYang






























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With the opening ceremony just minutes away, the 2012 Summer Olympics won’t just broadcast on television, they’ll also appear online.

The Olympics has become a more digital — and more global — experience. And this year, every event will be streamed online. The only caveat is that, depending on where you live, how you can access the Games might vary.

We’ve rounded up all of the official (read: legal) ways to watch the games live online or on your phone or tablet.


No Cable? That’s a Problem



Much of online content — at least in the U.S. — is accessible only to those who subscribe to cable or satellite. NBC has made the decision to require cable provider authentication in order to access this year’s Games.

The good news is that NBC has managed to work with nearly all cable and satellite providers in the U.S. As long as you subscribe to cable and are able to get MSNBC and CNBC, you’re set. The bad news, of course, is that if you’ve cut the cord, live coverage (at least legally) is going to be difficult.

In New York City, cord-cutters can access NBC’s live television broadcast using the Aereo service.
Highlights will also be available on the NBC Olympics YouTube page.

In the U.S.



If you’re in the U.S., NBC is the official broadcast partner of the Olympic Games. Not only will the network air the Games on NBC and NBC-owned cable stations, it will also stream more content online in real-time than ever before.

Of course, there is a catch. To get access to all of this content, you need to be a cable subscriber. More than that, you need to get MSNBC and CNBC.

Assuming you fit these requirements, just head to NBCOlympics.com/LiveExtra and click the “Click Here to Get Ready” button. Then, select your cable provider, either from an icon or the list — and login with your cable user name and password. Once you login with you credentials, you’ll have access to the Games. You only have to do this once — then you’re set.

You can also watch the livestreams from your iOS or Android device with the
mobile versions of NBC Live Extra app for iOS [iTunes link] and Android [Google Play link].

The great thing about the mobile apps are that they give each user a four-hour “guest pass” to the Games, in case you don’t know your user name or password. After four hours, users will need to login with provider information.

In London



The BBC is providing comprehensive livestreams of the Games via its BBC Sport website and mobile apps.
If you’re in the UK (or a territory with access to BBC content), you can access live coverage of every sport from up to 24 live HD streams.

Go to the special BBC Sport Olympics portal to get started.

The BBC also has apps for iOS and Android to watch livestreams. In addition to the streams, the BBC Sport apps also show results, news stories and daily highlights.

Other Parts of the World



Freecast.com has a streaming and television guide for Olympic coverage in more than 150 countries.

Moreover, the IOC’s official Olympic Channel on YouTube will broadcast the Games live in 64 territories in Asia and Africa that lack official broadcast partners. The IOC’s YouTube channel will also offer clips, replays and highlights of the events.

For Canadians, the CBC has an Olympic hub on its website.

How Will You Watch the Games?

Will you take advantage of the live streaming options to catch up on the Games? Let us know how you plan to tune in in the comments.











































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