I’m new to the iPhone world, and I’ve gotta say the array of apps available is nothing short of mind-boggling. So I thought I’d start with just a few…In honor of the iPhone 4G’s release today, here’s a look at blank number of iPhone apps that can help you travel greener by saving time, money and resources.
Save a tree and read a virtual book on the road. iBookstore and Stanza are free apps with over titles. And you don’t need to heft around 20 kilos in guidebooks either; Lonely Planet’s guides are available for the iPhone too, including with their popular city guides.
Highly prized in most travelers toolkits is Skype, letting you stay in touch with family and friends without the outrageous overseas phone rates. Connect to wifi, and you’ll be chatting with your peeps halfway around the world for FREE (Skype-to-Skype) or for lust pennies a minutes (calling to cells/landlines). And the connection is typically crystal-clear.
There’s a plethora of apps to help you find the best goods and services when you travel. 3rd Whale’s Find Green app puts 60,000+ green businesses at your fingertips — Treehugger calls it “green Yelp on your phone.” If it’s fresh, local food you’re after, check out iLocavore and What’s Fresh. Another cool use of technology, The Good Guide lets you scan a barcode to learn about the sustainability of the product and its producer.
Among the bounty of transportation-aiding apps, a few stand out to me. Trip Tracker stores all your flight info, so there’s no need to print up copies of itineraries and boarding passes, and it gives you real-time updates on your flight status so you can stay at the local pub for one last beer while your flight is delayed. Hopstop helps you navigate public transportation like a pro and even gives you walking directions. Need to go by car? Carticipate will hook you up with a community of carpoolers, and GasHog will track your fuel efficiency along the way.
Assess the air quality of the place you’re visiting using the Pollution app, and get an idea of how you are adding to the impacts with Clear Standard’s Carbon Tracker app, which uses GPS to measure your carbon footprint. One way to clean up your act? One of my personal favorites, the iRecycle app will help you find recycling facilities wherever you are. It also alerts you to green events in the area.
Phrasebooks and translators such as myLanguage help you jump the language barrier and chat with the locals. Just don’t forget to consult the World Customs app so you don’t inadvertently insult anyone’s mother!
Ok, so what did I forget? What’s iPhone apps are helping you travel smarter, cheaper and maybe a bit greener?
Green apple photo credit: Selma90