Tech Tools: Top Apps for Frequent Travelers

There are so many apps for mobile phones that promise to make life easier for travelers when they’re on the road that it’s hard to know where to begin.

We’ve chosen five apps to recommend to your clients – and use yourself. They’ll help protect travelers’ devices, save money on international communications and minimize the hassle of getting through security.

Protection against theft
Prey. Digital security is a major concern for just about everyone these days, as breaches can have costly repercussions. Enter Prey, a free security system that works across your PC and mobile phone. Let’s say your device is stolen while you’re on the road; you can locate your device using GPS, watch what is happening on screen and remotely lock your device to prevent crooks from accessing your sensitive data. You can even use your device’s camera to snap a photo of the thief.

Airport security updates
MY TSA. Getting through security in a timely manner can be a problem if you are unsure of the latest federal regulations. The Transportation Security Administration’s MY TSA app, available for your mobile phone, consolidates all the security details you need to know, along with updates on airport delays. If you’re packing your bags and want to know how many tiny bottles of shampoo you can legally bring along, this app can remove the confusion.

Flight info, at your fingertips
Passbook. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you have Passbook built in to your device. At first glance, it looks like a typical program to grab your ticket info at the airport. The app, however, will bring up-to-date flight information to the main screen of your device automatically once you are checked in – and you don’t need to sign in or enter your confirmation number ever again. Recalling your boarding pass also takes one finger swipe. If you don’t use an iDevice, sign up for free text alerts from FlightAware or send them directly to your clients.

Get around texting fees
WhatsApp. Staying in touch with your employees, clients and family when abroad can be costly due to high fees for text messaging. WhatsApp allows users to send text messages and group chats over wi-fi so that costly messaging fees don’t apply. The app costs $.99.

Language barrier solution
Google Translate. It may seem obvious, but it’s good to be prepared when you’re on your own and don’t speak the local language. Google Translate is free and features more than 50 languages to choose from. You can even speak English into your phone and have it spit out a translation in the language of your choice.