App In-Depth: Google Maps

One of the few "in-depth" reviews that I've done was for Waze. I still use Waze but Google Maps has a lot of great features that Waze lacks and there are certain features that they both share.

Google Maps remembers your home, work, and places that you have visited in the past. This is helpful for someone forgetful like me who remembers the street name or place name but not the exact address.

Google maps can tell you about places near you that are: restaurants, parks, gas stations (and their prices, groceries, pharmacies, and much more.

Routes are available for car, walking, bicycling, and mass transit (all kinds actually). I found this feature incredibly useful in Portland, Oregon. It would tell me when the bus would come by the bus station near me, how long it would take to get to the destination, and how much it would cost. There were times that I could see that walking would take the same amount of time. I could also get an alert from the app when it was time to leave the house and head to the bus stop.

As a Google Maps user you can easily provide reviews and user data about places you visit. You collect points and there is a program in place to provide rewards.

If you want a satellite or terrain view that's available in the app as well. With one of the most recent updates you can also download maps for offline viewing so if you are using a tablet or have a limited data plan you can download your map for later use.

The "Explore" feature gives you suggestions for places that you might enjoy for different categories.

The app has voice recognition so you can search for a place without typing, which is especially helpful when driving. The app shows traffic on the map and alerts you when you to changing traffic. Unfortunately I do not have a screenshot but one of the other things that is helpful is the app shows arrows in the top left of the screen of where each lane is going so you can decide what lane you want to get in or avoid. Another new feature is that the app will tell you the speed limit of the road you are traveling on. If you prefer to just look at the turn by turn instructions you can tap the grey bar at the bottom where it lists the amount of time and it will show you each turn and the distance between each turn.

With 3D Touch on iPhone 6S and 7 you can press to launch a quick navigation to your shortcut locations. If you have an Android you can set-up widgets that show you how long it would take to drive from your current location to each of your shortcuts.

Google Maps is available for:

Android - https://goo.gl/fjwt1
Apple (iOS) - https://goo.gl/4btbGI
Online - https://www.google.com/maps/

Waze App

This is the first app that I've done a long review with screen shots. If you have any feed back please let me know.

I have been a Google Maps App user for the last two or three years. I have heard about the Waze app but never downloaded it due to my satisfaction with the Google Maps app. Recently while listening to the podcast "This Week in Google" https://goo.gl/Es8RNG two of the show members discussed how much they love the Waze app and how it saved them a lot of time. I also thought of an article that I read that talked about how the app allowed users in the community to report police officers. Their was some indignation that this defeats the point of speed traps or that is was akin to having a radar detector.

Waze (Free. iOS, Android, and Windows) Owned by Google this app has a lot of great features and an easy to use interface. It combines users data and Google Maps to suggest the best route. It also alerts users of police or stop light camera presence. Informs of hazards such as accidents, flooded streets, and road closures. The app illustrates areas of high traffic telling how many additional minutes it will take to use a given roadway or how slow traffic in the area is moving, it even shows icons for points where traffic is backed up or at a stand still.

As you can see in the above screen shot it gives: current direction, what is next in directions, when you should arrive, the distance in miles and time, it displays certain businesses Dunkin Donuts, Wells Fargo, and KFC), other Waze users, and hazards. You might also notice that I have the speedometer display turned on (I did this because I place my phone over where the speedometer goes). The silhouette shows you how many of your friends are on the road.

Here are some of the things that users can report to help other users know. I have not used the map chat but I suppose you can send other Waze users a message. I have reported traffic jams, police, accidents, hazards, and road closures. I think that the picture feature is helpful if you are looking for a building you've never been to before.

You can navigate to a favorite place that you have saved, you can type in an address, or put the name of a place. One of the cool features of the app is you can search for a place with a variety of search engines: Waze, Google, Yellow Pages, Yelp, Four Square, or your contacts' information.

This shows how you can choose from a variety of routes and you can inform Waze if a certain route is your favorite.

You can customize your profile with a picture. You can see what friends use Waze. Users get points for reporting map problems, hazards, traffic, etc, so you can look and see where you are on the scoreboard.

I have been so impressed with all the information that it provides that I deleted another app I had on my phone that provided only gas prices.

Users can choose what Waze icon that they display to the world. It also shows up on the menu where it says "My Waze" it displays the icon you chose. I chose "Nerdy". I highly recommend this app but I will point out a few things that may or may not bother users. There are pop-up ads sometimes when you stop at a stop light; these ads are for movies, restaurants, or banks. You can choose what language / voice gives you directions but I didn't find any that I found particularly pleasant so I turned voice directions off. Also a neat thing is that it will give you directions with the phone closed / locked if you have to save battery life or something. The app notices when you are moving and unless you notify it that you are the passenger it will not allow you to type anything while you are moving.

If you want to learn more or get a link to download the app checkout their website: https://www.waze.com/

Best Travel Apps

PackPoint (Free. iOS and Android) - this app helps you create a packing list, it helps by asking questions about your trip - it figures in weather, children, purpose of your trip and then it suggests what you pack but you can customize it, then when you're ready to pack just check the items off your list.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.YRH.PackPoint

https://itunes.apple.com/hk/app/packpoint-packing-list-builder/id896337401?mt=8

Sleep Sounds HQ ($1.99. iOS only) 600+ sounds that include city sounds, crickets, white noise, clothes dryer, babbling brook, fan blowing, and much more so that you can find something that hotel room feel a bit more like home to help you fall asleep or meditate before a big meeting.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sleepsounds-hq-500+-natural/id846205070?mt=8

Google Maps (Free. iOS, Android, Windows) this app has gotten better and better; quicker navigation, brighter / cleaner display, reviews of businesses, hours of operation, maps of indoor spaces for certain venues: stadiums, malls, museums, etc. It has photos of locations, alerts you to tolls, offers different routes, and can give pedestrian / bicycle routes for some cities. It sometimes makes mistakes, on my recent trip I went to an ice cream place that was no longer in business. I sent them an edit request so it doesn't happen to someone else.

https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/google-maps/id585027354?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/gmaps/7b8bedd5-4368-e011-81d2-78e7d1fa76f8

Hotel Tonight (Free. iOS and Android) Perhaps you need a hotel room tonight because an emergency or a mistake or just because you are being spontaneous, this app will get you a room tonight at the best possible price. You can actually book up to 7 days in advance so it can be one of many companies you use to get a good price, they often have coupons / deals. With a price guarantee and 24/7 service users have given the app high marks. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hotel-tonight/id407690035/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hoteltonight.android.prod&hl=en

City Maps 2Go Offline Maps (Free, $4.99. iOS and Android) One of the issues with foreign travel is expensive or nonexistent data, with this app you can download maps of the cities you plan to visit and it will incorporate your GPS to help you get around. It can still help you find the bars, monuments, restaurants with out needing to connect to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Only a few maps are available on the free version, so you may have to pony up for the map you need with the premium app.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/city-maps-2go-pro-offline/id327783342?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ulmon.android.citymaps2go&hl=en

iStone (Free. iOS only) An app for those without language skills it gives 300 common phrases in 12 languages giving native pronunciation and does not need a data connection.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/istone-travel-translation/id515682572?mt=8

Postagram (Free. iOS and Android) Do you like to send a postcard or letter from where your traveling? This app will let you use your own pictures and text to create a postcard to send. They print and mail it for you, and in many instances it is cheaper than buying a postcard and mailing it the old fashion way. I have personally used this app several times and once you import your contacts it is a fast easy way to send something personal from your travels.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/postagram-postcards/id429264904?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sincerely.android.postagram&hl=en

Minube (Free. iOS, Android, and Windows) Get the scoop from people who know, there are 24,000 destinations in about 200 countries (and counting). More than 100,000 mini-guides from travelers for free or at a small cost. With tips like "quickest way to hike from Barcelona to Madrid" or "how to cross the hills without killing yourself". This social travel app allows you to make friends and ask questions.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/minube/id440277010?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.minube.app&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5taW51YmUuYXBwIl0

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/minube/eb8d250b-6e17-4ef8-a621-790b2cf0737d

Airports by TravelNerd (Free. iOS only) real-time flight tracking app that provides you information on the airport, including gate information, detailed floor maps, Wi-Fi availability and hours for shops and restaurants. There is a ride sharing feature where you can find others headed to the same destination and you can share a taxi.

http://www.travelnerd.com/app/

XE Currency App (Free. iOS and Android) gives you current exchange rates, allows you to view multiple currencies at once, gives historic exchange information, downloads information for use when there is no data connection available.

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/xe-currency/id315241195?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xe.currency

Waze (Free. iOS and Android) a social GPS app provides live traffic updates on jams, police traps, accidents and other hazards. Saves money by comparing the prices of the gas stations along your routes or around you, they've even partnered with a few gas stations to provide discounts through digital coupons on the app. Works for 100 different countries.

http://itunes.apple.com/hk/app/waze-social-gps-traffic-gas/id323229106?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.waze&hl=en

Expedia (Free. iOS, Android, Windows, Web) their website provides some of the best prices for flights and hotels but the app has some unique deals and discounts, along with a flight tracker it has helpful hotel reviews that you can sort to see if a bad review truly reflects their service or if it was just a bad day. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/expedia-hotels-flights/id427916203?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.expedia.bookings&hl=en

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/expedia/a643545c-55d9-4a1a-9c39-4a351bc5de03

Hipmunk (Free. iOS, Android, Web) a lot like other flight and hotel aggregation apps except it includes non-traditional lodging options like Airbnb and Homeaway. It will show you prices from all of the popular booking sites but you can't actually book a flight or room with it.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hipmunk-travel-hotels-flights/id419950680?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hipmunk.android&hl=en

Kayak (Free. iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon, Web) another car rental, flight, and hotel aggregation app that scours all the popular sources but it will allow you to book and pre-pay for your travel arrangements. It also has flight tracking, videos, price alerts, and much more. This is one of the most popular travel apps out there, I've used it several times. It has a very easy-to-use design.

http://www.kayak.com/mobile

Orbitz (Free. iOS, Android, Amazon, Web) car rental, flights, and lodging; They are one of the first travel websites and apps, but they have also kept up with all the upstarts. They have a lowest price guarantee and are known for excellent customer service. For a lot of travelers they are a go to app.

http://www.orbitz.com/mktg/mobile/

Skyscanner (Free. iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon, Blackberry, Web) a great search for cheap flights. You can choose dates and your home airport and it will tell you the cheapest flights to anywhere in the world. You can easily adjust your search with an easy-to-use interactive graph to find the cheapest time to travel. SkyScanner partners with a site called ebookers.com for the actual sale.

http://www.skyscanner.com/mobile.html

GateGuru (Free. iOS and Android) reviews of the bars and restaurants in airports; tips and tricks to getting around or making your time at the airport more bearable; hours of the business and services at each airport; along with maps of airports to get you to your gate fast.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gateguru-airport-info-flight/id326862399?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gateguruapp.android&hl=en

Flight Track (Free. iOS and Android) real time updates of all your flights, even while you are in the air. It will color code the flight based on how far behind it may be delayed so you can decide on a quick bite, another drink, or a whole meal. You can also share your flights with others so they know if you've arrived or if your flight is delayed.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id716913565?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobiata.flighttrack.five

Google Translate (Free. iOS and Android) one of the best apps out there, it has a camera feature where you can take a picture and it will show it to you in any of 36 different languages. Overall it supports translation of 90 languages you can use camera, handwriting, keyboard, or voice.  The voice mode has automatic language detection that can be switched to conversation so you can have words translated in a natural phrasing. You can save your translations for future use.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-translate/id414706506?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.translate&hl=en

Maps.me (Free. iOS, Android, and Blackberry) downloadable detailed maps for every country in the world. It allows you to create routes and navigate public transportation. Claiming to have saved over $50 million dollars in roaming data charges for users it has been featured in many tech publications and was one "Google Play Store's 2014 Apps of the Year"

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/maps.me-offline-map-routing/id510623322?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps.pro&hl=en

Uber (Free. iOS, Android, Windows) - if you want to get a ride and you're more tech inclined Uber provides a ride at a rate that is usually less expensive than a taxi or car service. You can see the rating of your driver and get an estimated time of arrival at your destination. The app handles all of the money with a credit or debit card, both driver and passenger get rated.A third of UBer drivers are taxis, limos, car services and they increase prices based on demand so there are times that they are not the cheapest option. In Asia, Uber provides a more expensive limo / luxury car experience not ride sharing but many travelers are willing to pay extra for a dependable / safe ride overseas.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubercab

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/uber/id368677368?mt=8

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/uber/b905a877-bd55-4ce7-a7aa-467cdc3a21f4

Lyft (Free. iOS and Android) Like Uber it provides a ride and in much the same way but many find Lyft to be less expensive. They have a million dollar liability insurance policy on each driver and require them to pass a rigorous background check (similar to Uber). The app allows multiple passengers to split the fare.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lyft-on-demand-ridesharing/id529379082?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.lyft.android

TravelSafe Pro ($1.49, Android only) for traveling abroad this app has emergency contact numbers, embassy information, and quick dial widget for your emergency contact. Local emergency contact numbers.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mattneri.travel_safe&hl=en

Codegent (Free - $5.99. iOS and Android) Learn any of 25 languages or select any of the 600 hundred words or phrases spoken by native speakers. It downloads all the necessary data to your phone so you don't have to incur roaming charges. Includes tips for travelers and stores your frequently used phrases. Certain languages and phrases are free while others charge between $4 and $5.99.

https://itunes.apple.com/artist/codegent/id391335513?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=codegent+learn&so=1&c=apps

Best Parking (Free. Android only) this highly rated app provides you with the price and availability of parking garages, meters, and where street parking is available. It will also inform you of parking regulations for street parking which can be dicey in large cities like New York or Chicago.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bestparking&hl=en

SpotHero (Free. iOS only) another parking app this one incorporates some other features: reserve a spot, pay for a spot including most major companies that handle street parking, show available spots in certain parking lots / garages, gives you discount rates and coupons for using the app to pay. After a recent trip where I had problems parking in downtown St. Louis, I'm downloading this one.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spothero-parking-deals/id499097243?mt=8

Honorable Mentions:

Air France (Free. iOS only) the stand-out feature about this app is that it has a music player. You can get unique tracks from the clouds by holding your phone up and some of the music is available only in that city (it varies from destination to destination). They also provide perks like airfare discounts and special event tickets.

Fly Delta (Free. iPad) explore destinations, read their Sky magazine, reserve your seat, track your flight, watch in-flight entertainment, but the real attraction is their "Glass Bottom Plane" feature that allows you to see the view over different cities.

Flying (Free. iOS only) share your flying travels with your friends, see all your travels on a map, rack up miles, create a virtual scrapbook of your travels and earn badges. It bills itself as Facebook for travelers.

Photosynth (Free. iOS and Windows) If you love panoramic photos this is the app for you. Take a bunch of pictures and load them into the app and voila it will stitch together a panoramic picture. Vertical, horizontal, or 360 degrees it will create a large high resolution jpeg file from your photos. See other amazing photos that people have created and shared.