Essential, or just cool, travel apps

[somanyapps]

Getting ready to take a trip. Just wondering what you consider are essential, or even just cool apps to have when traveling. I've got the standard stuff, Google maps/navigation, GasBuddy, Tripadvisor, WeatherBug. What else? What have you tried?

 

[Egidio]

HDR app for taking hdr photos. The Infuse does an incredible job with photos.

 

[somanyapps]

Doesn't look like a lot difference between the free and plus versions of HDR. Not sure about the flash setting, but the location tagging isn't essential to me. Do you use HDR+?

 

[Mr. Ed]

we are getting ready to take a road trip to November...so I am testing some excellent blogging/gps tracking type apps....

trip journal, trip advisor, trip it, and trip man top my list... still playing with them though. route planner is another one

still playing with all of them...

have some other apps we might find useful like hotels.com, travelocity app, priceline etc.

you might also search for search specific apps...for instance we are going to vegas first... tons of vegas apps good and bad.

great apps like suggestions of where to go, what to avoid etc

 

[Egidio]

Doesn't look like a lot difference between the free and plus versions of HDR. Not sure about the flash setting, but the location tagging isn't essential to me. Do you use HDR+?

I was using the HDR Camera+ free, but I like it so much that I went ahead and took advantage of the $0.99 special at the Amazon App Store last week. It's now back to the regular price. Here's a shot I took this past July while on vacation in Washington (Mt. Rainier National Park).

The app is here at Amazon:
Amazon.com: HDR Camera+: Appstore for Android

 

[surlypoker]

My car locator...

 

[somanyapps]

Mr. Ed,
Have you tried any of the "blackbox" type apps (anyone else?). Not really interested in them for documenting a mishap, but thought they might be interesting for getting some highlights of the trip. I've tried a couple and the biggest issue I've had is positioning them for a good view of the road. Seems they are all designed to be used in landscape mode, which makes it a bit more difficult to get a good view. They will record in portrait (don't know if the resulting video will need to be rotated), but all the controls and display are not correct. In other words, it doesn't auto-rotate the display.

Regarding the specific apps, I was thinking the same thing. For example, the AAA apps. Will be looking.

Egidio,
Nice pic. I've experimented a little with the free version and was quite impressed with the result. And I didn't really do anything except point and shoot. Not use to taking multiple shots to create the final image, so I guess you have to avoid the urge to move quickly to another shot.

surlypoker,
I've seen that app in my searches, but haven't looked at it. Do you find it worthwhile?

 

[Mr. Ed]

I have not found many blackbox apps but will check them out.

there are not many places i can think of i would use them on this trip.

i forsee hours and hours of boring driving lol...

 

[somanyapps]

I did try using the video recorder while driving. Granted, it doesn't have the "blackbox" features, but if all you want is some video of the trip then it's probably all you need.

 

[surlypoker]

surlypoker,
I've seen that app in my searches, but haven't looked at it. Do you find it worthwhile?

It does what it says... But i rarely use it for car purposes... When im traveling and pull up the app it pulls up what is basically a google map... U double click the screen and it locks ur spot... When i travel to unfamiliar cities i use it and walk wherever i want knowing that app will take me back to where i was... I prefer it over maps or navi as far as that goes... Only downside if u are using it for an actual car finder... If ur in a multistory parking garage it can flub the story every now and again... Otherwise i say worth the free download..