Top 5 Holiday Apps For Smartphones

For most of us, taking a holiday is a chance to unplug – literally – from the rest of the world and get some much needed R&R. But with today’s modern technology, leaving our smartphones behind when we’re on vacation is either undesirable or impossible.

Whether you want to keep family and friends updated on your adventures, or need to keep a watchful eye over your inbox for any urgent business messages, having your smartphone in hand on holiday isn’t all bad, and in fact, can be incredibly useful as you navigate around your destination. Check out our top 5 holiday apps for smartphones…
1. Urbanspoon
Mix up your dinner options with this restaurant slot machine. The Urbanspoon app lets you “shake” to find a nearby eatery, and has handy reviews from other users, critics and bloggers who have already been. You can check table availability, make reservations, and even specify what part of town you’d like to eat in, how much you’d like to pay, and the type of cuisine you’d like to eat.
2. Trip Journal
Chronicle your holiday on the go and make the most of your destination with Trip Journal. You can create a custom agenda of must-see attractions – the app even has a map to help direct you from location to location, and provides guidance about travel times. You can share photos and videos with family and friends back home, as well as keep blog entries, share trip stats and keep a record of everything you’re up to while on holiday.
3. Skype
Keep in touch with family and friends without those hefty long distance fees with the Skype app. The app’s instant messenger function makes it easy to keep everyone you love in the loop on all your adventures, and since it’s all done over the internet, you can avoid any eye-watering roaming fees when you connect to a local Wi-Fi hotspot.
4. Touchnote Postcards
Turn your holiday snapshots into postcards without the fuss with Touchnote Postcards. You can design and create personalised postcards to your family and friends on your mobile phone. Touchnote takes care of the printing and the postage, so you can keep in touch with loved ones without ever licking a stamp.
5. Expedia Hotels
Worried about where you’re going to rest your head on holiday? There’s an app for that. The Expedia Hotels app makes it easy for you to browse hotels, read reviews, find deals, and book rooms all from your smartphone. What’s more, the app is even GPS enabled, meaning you can find any and all hotels in your exact location if you need a last-minute room in a pinch.

Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of subjects. This article links back to http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/features/allfeatures/instant-messaging/