Top 5 summer vacation apps for webOS 23
We're now just a couple of weeks into Summer, and schools everywhere are letting the kids run free in the world again. Of course, it just so happens that the best time to try out new apps is right during a change in seasons - and what better season to get adventurous with your devices than Summer? Here are a few of our own favorite apps that we've downloaded from the app catalog in preperation for Summer Vacation.
Foursquare
If you're going to be checking out a lot of new places this Summer (or travelling), we can't stop recommending the Foursquare app (built by Zhephree). While many users will grab it for the coupons or racking up points against their friends, you can also use Foursquare just to track where you've been and leave messages about what you did there.
It's helped more than a few people remember the name of that bar they visited a week before, or even where they parked the car! Just check-in and keep going, Foursquare is Free in the catalog.
TripThat (and TripAdvisor)
While you're getting ready to travel the country (or the world) for your Summer Vacation, it's a good idea to have an itinerary set on your device to keep up with what is happening next. TripThat is the only TripIt client for webOS, and currently allows you to import your schedules to the free service and put it all in an easy to use application for viewing at any time.
Whether you're taking planes, trains or automobiles, TripThat is essential for keeping your trip organized and hassle-free. It's $4.99 in the catalog, and you can also pair that with TripAdvisor (which is free) for finding all the good spots in the cities you're visiting.
Translator
Travelling the world this Summer? Then it's probably a good idea to have a translator on hand with you. Luckily, this free app which uses Google Translator, is available in the app catalog for anyone who will be travelling out of their country.
With Translator you have 45 languages to choose from, no matter where you might be. Very handy for when you need help getting directions, or if you just want to find a bathroom. It's not meant for having long, in-depth conversations, but at a cost of $0, it gets the job done.
MOLO Photo Filters Pro
We love taking photographs everywhere we go, and like services on other platforms, Molo Photo Filters lets us take those pictures and then quickly doctor them up to look even more epic to our sorry friends stuck back at home.
The app comes with nearly a dozen filters for putting your photos through, and even comes with some options for uploading to photo-sharing services like Flickr (though, we'll stick with Casa for that part). MOLO Pro is $1.99 in the catalog, but you can also get the free version which comes with fewer filters.
Neighborhood Guide
Can't forget to check out what's around in your area, though. This cool app, Neighborhood Guide, does a search on Wikipedia for articles that are related to spots near you. Whether you're in Paris, France or your home town, Neighborhood Guide can find some really neat articles about the city's locations on Wikipedia, and then give you directions on how to get to that spot to see for yourself.
It's what every diddy-bag carrying tourist dreamed of. It's free in the catalog, so why not try it out?
What else is there?
Obviously, with a list of the Top 5, we've probably missed a few of your favorite apps that should go on the list. Check out the webOS App Catalog for yourself, and then leave your comments below to share some others that you'd like people to know about.
23 Comments
Probably the BEST use of foursquare while not in your home town is the Explore feature! Find restaurants and bars and coffee shops and stores that you'll like based on your previous check-ins and your friends' check-ins and tips!
Didn't Google kill their translate API?
I don't know if they ceased access to the API, but the translator app works perfectly fine...
From http://code.google.com/apis/language/translate/overview.html:
The Google Translate API has been officially deprecated as of May 26, 2011. Due to the substantial economic burden caused by extensive abuse, the number of requests you may make per day will be limited and the API will be shut off completely on December 1, 2011. For website translations, we encourage you to use the Google Translate Element.
Yup, some apps were doing several requests a second. If it is an app that a LOT of people use on a regular basis that sure stacks up.
I traveled to Italy a few months after getting my launch-day Pre. Having some music (and travelogue podcasts) for the plane was great. The "okay in a pinch" camera was nice, but made me long for an autofocus lens and perhaps another few megapixels.
Being CDMA, there was no cell service, but I was okay with that. However, I was unprepared for (and disappointed by) some of the other restrictions: without a carrier signal, I couldn't get aGPS to find me. I've learned more since then and am grateful for the option to activate other GPS protocols. But then, Google Maps was worthless without data as well. If I were going now, I'd definitely spend some time learning about and downloading a map service that I could use from my no-signal phone.
I also thought I was preparing by downloading a translator and currency converter, but learned too late that these relied on web services and were no good without a signal. Has anyone put together any basic on-device phrasebooks or translators? I think there's a currency converter that stores rates, so that you only need service (cell or wifi) to occasionally update the rates, but not every time it's used.
I still had a great time, but maybe next time I travel overseas, I can pair the knowledge I gained through my experiences with a Pre3 world phone and be all set!
You missed ShareTheCosts
A must when going on holidays with friends or other groups where you expect everybody to pay their fair share.
Don't forget Touchnote ! It's a must have if you love to send postcards!
http://www.precentral.net/downloads/touchnote-postcards
The Weather Channel and Fuel are the only apps that I really use for summer trips (they're not really vacations, just working remotely from the parents' house).
Is there a way to restrict the use of apps on WebOS? For example, on the iphone you can block the web browser and 17+ rated apps etc. etc.
Can you do the same on WebOS?
White Pages! Best app for WebOS in a long time. Will come in handy to locate Dunkin' Donuts for iced coffee while on vacation.
i stopped checking the app catalog more then a year ago so maybe the apps don't exist but what about, priceline and kayak apps. Top vacation apps without apps for reservations? sounds crazy to me. I don't see how you can have a top vacation app list without apps that do the most important stuff, booking hotels, cars, flights for cheap.
This list needs some apps that help you make reservations.
I think Cardsender deserves to be in the list. It lets you send real postcards with your own pictures to anywhere in the world.
https://developer.palm.com/appredirect/?packageid=com.autoprint.cardsender
Due to "historical" reasons it's available as a separate app for German users:
https://developer.palm.com/appredirect/?packageid=com.autoprint.kartense...
How about the nDrive app? I haven't used it, but it looks like it's just what you need for a roadtrip.
I don't think I would recommend using foursquare if you are on vacation. Sounds like a cool app, but why advertise to people that you are not at home?
Haha, yes. I guess people still haven't learned about foursquare and vacations.
Why? Only your foursquare friends know your checkins. If you're friends with people who might break into your house, why did you friend them in the first place?
Foursquare is sharing your location -- you shouldn't be friending people you don't know. Same with Facebook, really.
And, you can choose whether to push your checkins to Twitter or Facebook every time, so if you're out of town, just, you know, don't push them to the other services.
Also, no one should know where your house is, right? Unless you check in to your house and advertise it, no one will know your house.
This is true with all location-based services -- if you don't want people to know where you are, don't accept their friend requests.
For road trips I like the Where app because it lists the cheapest gas stations based on your location. This can save you real money in an unfamiliar town.
For city travel, grab an app from the Navigation-->Public Transit category to track buses and subways in whatever city you're in.
Of course, Fandango is great for summer blockbusters.
Where is one of those apps thats been around so long i tend to forget about it. yeah that is a nice feature. Sprints Nav also has a gas tracker feature built in.
For GPS
1. NDrive - aweomse full fledgeg GPS software that runs off navteq and doesn't need data or wifi to get signal, this app just got updated for the veer and is freakin awesome. granted its 44 dollars but you get all the US maps and PR and a few others like hawaii.
2. Navit - If you are not wanting to pay that much, but still want to get a good map system i would say Navit is a good second solution but nowhere near as close as ndrive.
3. BFGMaps - good and full featured, but lacks solid stability and relies on data
3. WhereIAm - sends location to friends
For Knowledge/info
1. Flight Tracker
2. all the ireland/uk/ travel guide apps
3. There is an app for wiki that shows local area wiki info i can't remember then name though.
4. foursquare
5. trip it
^^ No thx, I don't need a handbag ;-p
I think a great travel App would be a Wifi Sniffer to let me know automatically if I was within range of something. Is there anything?
We are going to Europe in two weeks, and the whole data simcard challenge could be simplified if I found wifi networks more easily.
You can find nearby WiFi just by turning on WiFi on your phone. It will list nearby networks and indicate whether they have security enabled.
...Unless by "sniffer" you mean something that will capture packets of other WiFi users and provide you with unauthorized access to secure networks. I don't think you'll find anything like that in the app catalog! :-)
Thx. Mostly I mean something that will tell me there are wireless options with a pop-up rather than activating the wireless prefs to look manually.