Crowded campgrounds, sunburns, gas prices that are still too high -- for all its delights, summer vacations are full of hassles that can extend from the merely annoying to the truly expensive. This summer, come prepared: The right app can get you out of an expensive jam -- or even save your vacation.
Among the billions of apps that users have downloaded -- iPhone users hit the 15 billion mark yesterday -- summer travelers have plenty of new entrants to choose from. Via phone, users can find the nearest amenities at the next highway exit [1] or a last-minute hotel room [2] . There are apps that can replace your flashlight at a campground [3] or even provide a virtual lava lamp [4] while you sip cocktails at sunset.
Of course, for some, vacation is a chance to rely less on technology, not more. A handful of hotels [5] are even offering discounts for those who agree to unplug. And even for those who aren't opposed to a digitally enhanced summer vacation, choosing the right app from the 425,000 on offer via Apple or the 300,000 for Android users requires a whole new commitment to trip planning.
But at least they don't take up space in your luggage. And the right app can make a vacation better -- and sometimes cheaper. With the help of several app experts, we chose five that can save you money on gas, make flying more palatable, and even prevent sunburn, among other summer enhancements.
GateGuru
Yes, GateGuru [6] can tell you where to find the restrooms in the Terminal 2 at O'Hare and where to find truly good clam chowder at Sea-Tac, but what makes this app special is its ability to help travelers find the shortest way through security. "During the summer you could be an hour or more going through security," says Daniel Gellert, co-founder and president of New York-based Mobility Apps, which launched free app GateGuru. The app relies on 400,000 users to provide real-time information for 125 airports -- 30 of which are overseas. The app provides maps of airports, lists retailers and restaurants, allows other users to post reviews and photographs. The app can also import your travel itinerary from online route planners Tripit and Kayak; Gellert says the app will add another 25 international airports by the end of the summer and expects 200 in total by year-end. However, it doesn't track flight times; you will have to check the airport screen, call the airport or download an app like FlightTrack [7] for $4.99.
UV Detector
Forget plain old weather forecaster apps. UV Detector [8] also lets you know when you're getting too much sun with its ultraviolet radiation alerts. And while it doesn't tell you wjen to reapply your sunscreen like some of the other apps in the marketplace, it will send you a push-notification or "ping" when the UV goes beyond your pre-set level from 1 to 10. For instance, if you set the app to tell you when the UV index goes above 7 because you have sallow skin or 3 because you are pale, it will send you a reminder on your phone. "The main aim of the app is to remind and encourage people to wear sunscreen," says Daniel Sullivan, founder of Cambridge, Ma.-based Appswell, which makes UV Detector. "We decided if we put in too many features we'd dilute the simplicity of the app." The app is currently available free on iPhone and will be coming out on Android within the next few weeks.
Camp Finder
Worried about finding a decent spot to pitch a tent during your great summer adventure? Camp Finder [9] can help with it list of 14,000 campgrounds and RV parks countrywide. Julian Fenn, founder of New York-based CampingRoadTrip.com, says when users are searching for a campground they can punch in their own criteria like whether the place has a swimming pool, "pull-thru" sites useful for bigger RVs or if the campground has Wi-Fi. "The idea behind the app is to give people mobile access and is especially useful if your plans change at the last minute," he says. Like many of the other apps on the list, it provides you with reviews by other campers and is GPS-enabled so it will give users directions to their chosen campsite, too. On the downside, there's no way to search by price yet, but Fenn says it will introduce that and additional amenities to search by later this year as part of its new features. It's available to buy for $1.99 on iPhone and Andriod.
GasBuddy
In the world of apps, GasBuddy [10] is truly old school, having hit the market in 2000. That's a good thing for those taking their car on vacation this summer because the app has built up a 15 million-strong army of monthly users who update it regularly on where to get the best gas prices across the country. Users earn points for every gas price they report, which go towards a regular spot prize of $250 in free gas every week. Jason Toews, co-founder of the Brooklyn Park, Mn.-based company, says every month with a spike in traffic every summer as families pack up their station wagons for their summer vacations. "It's what we call a crowd-sourced app with a community of users," he says. Toews estimates that the app saves consumers around $1.5 billion a year. Kazmucha cautions that it depends on the kindness of strangers, and says the prices don't always change as fast as she would like, at least in the Chicago area. GasBuddy is free on all smartphones.
My Max Speed
As any parent can attest, summertime can be a challenge, what with kids having so much time on their hands. It's even tougher if those kids are of driving age and want to hit the road. Wayne Irving, a father of four children and president and CEO of Laguna Niguel, Ca.-based technology company Iconosys, has come up with a novel solution to keep track of your kids: My Max Speed [11] . Here's how it works: before you hand over the car keys, your son or daughter agrees to download this app on their phone. The app will send you an alert if they drive above the agreed limit and give their exact location. Irving says the app is accurate to within a one-thousandth of a mile per hour and tenth of a second. He adds, "I have a teenage daughter and it doesn't matter if she's driving or not. I want to know if my child is in someone else's car doing 90 miles per hour." Word of warning: It's based on trust and your child must agree to keep it switched on. But it's free with supporting advertisements or $4.99 ad-free. It's now available on Android and will be on iPhone next month.
Links
- ^ highway exit (www.metrocket.com)
- ^ last-minute hotel room (www.tripadvisor.com)
- ^ flashlight at a campground (www.johnhaney.com)
- ^ virtual lava lamp (itunes.apple.com)
- ^ handful of hotels (blogs.smartmoney.com)
- ^ GateGuru (gateguruapp.com)
- ^ FlightTrack (www.mobiata.com)
- ^ UV Detector (appswell.com)
- ^ Camp Finder (www.campingroadtrip.com)
- ^ GasBuddy (www.gasbuddy.com)
- ^ My Max Speed (iconosys.com)
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