The iPhone isn't just a fancy toy for making calls, listening to music and sending e-mails. It's also a powerful tool for business travelers. There are hundreds of iPhone applications that can turn the device into a travel agent, schedule organizer, GPS tracking system and so much more. Here's a peek at 12 apps business travelers should try.
TripIt
One of literally thousands of iPhone apps to join the Apple App Store this year, TripIt helps busy travelers stay on schedule, no matter how hectic that schedule may be. Says company President Gregg Brockway, "You buy your airline ticket from wherever. When you get the confirmation, you e-mail it to us. Then we turn that e-mail into a master itinerary, and as you book more parts of your trip, like a hotel and a rental car, our technology puts it all together in one place."
MetropoliPhone
MetropoliPhone provides travelers with instant access to maps of subway and transit systems from around the world. Handy when navigating a new city or just trying to get downtown from an unfamiliar airport in rush hour, MetropoliPhone presents maps in a mobile-friendly format that's hard to match with mere Google searches. After all that unnecessary navigation has been stripped away, travelers can figure out where they're headed stress free--or at least, with less stress than before.
ASApp
With information for over 420 airports, ASApp is the perfect tool for when you want to know about security wait times, flight delays or how to navigate the airport roads to drop off a rental car.
Drivers
"The road warriors out there will find this app useful as a log for mileage, gas, service and expenses," business travel writer Carrie Thompson wrote in a recent list of her favorite iPhone apps. "It will even send you a reminder 20 days before your next service is due. When you're finished with your trip, you can e-mail the data to your computer and put it in a handy Excel Spreadsheet."
InstaMapper
iPhones comes with Google Maps preloaded, plus a built-in navigation system (great if you're in a new area and want to find somewhere nearby for lunch), but sometimes that's not enough. InstaMapper uses the 3G's GPS to turn your phone into a tracking device. "This makes it easy to find your way back to your hotel," says Mike Richard of Vagabondish.com.
Codesign Free Translator
Business travelers who head abroad regularly can't be expected to speak every language they come across. The Free Translator connects with Google's high-powered online Translate engine for accurate translations for more than a dozen languages. Want something simpler? Try Babelingo, an app that let's you translate a phrase into a language, then show it to your listener on the screen, rather than trying to pronounce it yourself.
Stage Hand
Presentations are stressful enough without having to tackle the AV equipment of the office you're visiting. That's where Stage Hand comes in. A great tool for those who use Keynote often, Stage Hand allows you to control presentations from your iPhone, using it like a remote. The application also lets you view slide notes right on your phone, so you can move around the room freely and still remember what you need to say.
Say Who Dialer
The voice-recognition app lets you to speak first names, last names and even nicknames into your iPhone, and it then pulls up a list of matching contacts. "I have over 1,000 contacts in my iPhone and sometimes finding one particular person or trying to remember exactly how to spell their last name is a tall order," says Mark Richard, editor of Vagabondish.com.
Sales & Commissions
What did you sell each day on the road? How much are you owed in commission? Keep the guys in the accounting department on their toes with this numbers-oriented app. That way, when waiting for your commission check at the end of the month, you'll know exactly what it should look like before it even arrives.
PageOnce
"This free app consolidates nearly all of my online accounts into a single, easy-to-use interface accessible from anywhere," says Mark Richard, editor of Vagabondish.com. "This includes financial/credit card accounts, social networking accounts, utility bills, NetFlix, Amazon.com ... everything. It makes staying connected to your daily business and personal life back home a breeze while you're on the road. Hands-down my favorite app."
JetSet
JetSet is an expense reporting application that features 15 separate categories and more than 100 subcategories for your purchases, allowing you to submit your business expenses with ease and specificity. That includes reporting meals, mileage, entertainment and anything else you may encounter on your business travels. The app is also compatible with Google Spreadsheet and Excel.
Wurdle
Games may not seem like an important part of a business trip, but they come in handy you're trying to stay sane while you wait in airport and hotel lines. Wurdle, which looks a lot like Boggle, is just one of many games available through the app store. Others include poker, air hockey and block puzzles. Why not inject a little fun into work?