Today there are numerous apps claiming helpful features for travelers that don't quite deliver what is needed. The vast majority of app-junkies are aware of the well-known apps including WiFi Finder, Gate and Seat Guru, and TripIt. However, the real question stands – Is there anything new out there that can be of great help for travelers? Even though 2013 wasn't the most revolutionary year of all, one can find a few apps that can be of much assistance to the average business traveler.
Hipmunk
Hipmunk has become the leader of flight and hotel searches, primarily because of its effective sorting option, which no other app has been able to compete with. One can simply search for flights by the class of the service and easily access all past queries, followed by the results quickly turning up in an easy-to-read, colored chart.
You can organize the results by price, airline options and flight duration, or simply go with "Agony" and receive the trip's lowdown with minimal effort in which the duration, number of total stops, and price are calculated.
Furthermore, Hipmunk has a hotel search option which is even more advanced, especially when specific area is desired. The great part of this app is that it will directly put the "heatmaps" of the neighborhood onto the search results, thereby allowing you to easily make your decision by restaurants, shopping areas or locations. If the area is of less importance, then the search can be sorted by romantic, luxury, kid-friendly, and business. Don't have a Smartphone? Luckily, there's an online edition as well!
Refresh
Refresh is an app that collects and combines all information available about a specific person that one may be meeting for the first time, from an employee coming to an interview to your daughter's boyfriend. The app can serve as an instrument to help reduce some of the unwanted small talk. Refresh smartly collects information from social networks and organizes it in a certain fashion in order to provide a short history of that individual. The app is currently in its Beta version and is only available for the iPhone.
Viber
Viber is an application that many have dreamed of for quite a while. Remember all of those times that you had to make an urgent call in a foreign city but didn't have affordable service? That is where Viber could have come in handy! The app allows anyone using it to make quick calls and texts for no-cost whatsoever, if the other caller is a Viber user as well and if you have internet connection. Although Skype is its leading competitor and is strong in its field, Viber's Smartphone easy contact synching and interface are its major and important advantages. Most importantly, it makes use of your actual phone number, meaning that all of your contacts can find you the way they always do, regardless of your location.
MyCityWay
Regardless of its unusual name, MyCityWay is a clever collection of various city guides which provide useful info on a number of categories such as public transit, weather, dining, pharmacies, and local news. It is important to keep in mind that these are smart urban short extracts which are ideal for quick visits to unknown cities. Don't forget that international guides do not compare in their reliability and comprehensiveness to the applications of U.S. cities.
Taxi Magic
Taxi Magic is a real-time mobile taxi application which is active in sixty U.S. cities, and offers instant pickups, reservations for future rides and fare estimates. One can even track his taxi in order to avoid waiting outside in difficult weather. However, the best thing is that you can pay the bill through a registered credit card, meaning that your receipt is directly emailed to your email address, without having to pull out cash at the end of the ride.