When travelling for work or for leisure, your smartphone or tablet can make a difference in communicating with your colleagues, family and friends. In 2012, a record 8.2 million of Australians travelled abroad of which 10% travelled for business. In this era of connectivity, it’s crucial to have apps that allow you to do a myriad of things while travelling.
There are a variety of apps which allow you to keep track of various aspects of your job or personal communication while on the move. There are also tools that can be used for managing clients or accounts while you are away. I have been experimenting with these recently whilst travelling domestically in Australia and more recently overseas.
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Mophie – Image Source: US CPSC
One suggestion is always to take a power pack for your device such as a ‘Mophie’. This is a rugged travel battery charger for smartphones, tablets and and USB devices. The one I currently have is the Mophie Juice pack ‘Powerstation ® PRO which can power my phone and iPad.
There is nothing worse than being at a conference or business meetings all day (and you are actively using them) than suddenly having to find a powerpoint to charge your device. It will provide several charges for a smartphone and 1 full charge for a tablet device.
Screenshot of Tripit- Image Source: TripIt App page
Tripit
Tripit in conjunction with Flight Tracker Pro ($10.49):
When travelling it is crucial that you have access to your itinerary and flight details whether it is for domestic or international travel. It automatically syncs your itineraries with Tripit (app/online) (I highly advise setting up a Tripit account for personal or leisure travel) as well as syncing with your phone’s calendar. Often when waiting for family members or friends to visit, I use Flight Tracker Pro to see the arrival or departure times. You can also check for flight cancellations using this app.
Viber Screenshot – Image Source: Viber App page
Viber
Viber is available for Mac, PC, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Bada and Nokia Phones. This app lets you send free messages and also make free calls to other Viber users, on any device and network, in any country! Viber syncs your contacts, messages and call history with your desktop and then you can continue on your mobile device.
Expensify Screenshot- Image Source: Expensify App store
Expensify
Get more out of every day, at work and at play, with our range of Day Organisers that will up your game. Its unique layout will clarify your priorities, stimulate productivity and give you a daily dose of motivation.
With more businesses and workplaces going ‘paperless’ or nearly ‘paperless’ it is important to be able to capture receipts, track time or mileage. This helps ensure business travel tracks smoothly and gives you the ability to create expense reports quickly and easily. This app is available for iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phones.
CloudOn Screenshot – Image Source: CloudOn App store
CloudOn
CloudOn
I use CloudOn to manage my files remotely using Dropbox and Google Drive. The ability to create, review and share Microsoft Office files from any device, using your favorite cloud storage provider with CloudOn. It is available for both Android and iOS apps as well as using Chrome or the Safari Browser for desktop.
AroundMe Screenshot – Image Source: AroundMe App store
Aroundme
Aroundme (Free)
If you’ve ever been interstate or overseas on a work trip and needed to find the closest bank, post office or even a pharmacy, this app is a must-have for your device. It includes the distance and where to find it on Google Maps.
There are more travel apps that are becoming available for both business and leisure travel that help manage communication, productivity and overall trip planning. Often these apps work best in conjunction with other apps such as using Expensify and Evernote or Tripit with Flight Tracker Pro. Ultimately, always look at reviews on app directories or within the app itself. Just because it’s free, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a good app!
Do you know any apps that are perfect for the workplace or business? We’d love to hear about it.
Featured Image Credit: Think Panama
Megan Iemma
Technology Coach and “IT” girl Megan Iemma is a thought leader in the world of technology and its uses. An educator and technogeek, Megan combined her passions for education and technology and founded Tech Coach HQ working with businesses and their teams to improve processes and embrace the productivity technology has to offer.