Monday, January 9, 2012

Best Czech Republic Apps


Hi Everyone,
Mobile devices, such as tablet computers and smartphones, are becoming more popular all the time. Even here, in Prague, I’ve seen more people use e-readers on the metro, along with smartphones and tablets. These are typically Czech people, however, mobile devices are also popular with tourists coming to this country from all over the world. Walking in Mala Strana recently, I noticed tourists taking pictures with their smartphones, and even some making photos with their tablet computers. Personally, I can’t imagine taking a picture with my iPad, as it would seem very awkward. Plus, it looks a little bit funny to see someone pointing this huge flat device at a beautiful Prague scene to capture a photo.

Popular Apps for the Czech Republic

I own both Apple devices (iPod Touch and iPad) and an Android smartphone, and have been looking around to find helpful apps for people visiting or moving to the Czech Republic. There are great apps on both iTunes and in the Android Market. The following are apps you can find in the iTunes App Store and/or the Android Market. Most are free, though there are some that have a minimal cost. These apps are specifically for the Czech Republic.

Czech Ski Slopes
Available:  iTunes
This app offers information on the ski slopes found in the Czech Republic. Czech Ski Slopes covers 200 different runs, with the runs’ locations displayed on a map of ski areas. This is a great way to discover new places to ski, while checking on the current ski conditions of your favorite slopes.

English-Czech Dictionary
Available:  iTunes
Travelers and newcomers to the Czech Republic should invest in some kind of a Czech dictionary. This app provides an English-Czech dictionary with about 65,000 pairs of translated words (from English to Czech and back again).

World Travel Guide by Triposo—Czech Republic
Available:  Android Market
The World Travel Guide by Triposo offers free, downloadable travel guides for many countries around the world. The app offers maps (viewable offline), major sites and a list of restaurant and nightlife options. The World Travel Guide is available for the Czech Republic.

Popular Apps for Prague

These apps are specifically for Prague, and are available in either the Android Market or iTunes App Store.

Prague Lonely Planet Travel Guide
Available:  iTunes
Travelers are familiar with the Lonely Plant travel guide books filled with useful information about worldwide travel destinations. Now you can find Lonely Planet apps for your mobile devices. The Prague Lonely Planet travel guide app provides GPS tracking and offline maps, along with offering information on hundreds of places to visit and things to do in Prague. This app also includes content from their guidebooks.

Chci Taxi! Czech Republic
Available:  iTunes
This app gives the Yellow Pages listing for taxi services provided in Prague. The app is in Czech, however it is still easy to understand. You look for the name of a service, and the app will provide you with the taxi company’s name, address and phone number, along with a map of where the company is located.

Czech Taxi
Available:  Android Market
The Czech Taxi app provides a listing of taxi companies in Prague (and the Czech Republic), showing the prices and user rating for each company. This app also shows each taxi company’s address, phone number and website. Czech Taxi provides the information in Czech, but it is usable by most international travelers.


Prague Find the Pub Lite
Available:  iTunes
Prague Find the Pub Lite does just that—it helps you to find some of the best and most unique pubs in Prague. Along with pubs, the app provides information on popular ale and liquor brands, and even provides a news feed of upcoming events. You can sort pubs by area, and share them with your friends on Facebook and email.

Find Pubs & Bars
Available:  Android Market
The Find Pubs & Bars app helps you find fun pubs and bars in Prague. In addition, you can use this app to find bars and pubs all over the world. The app offers the pub name, map location, address according to your GPS location. This app also gives you the open hours, and other information about pubs and bars near you.

CG Transit-Public Transport Trip Planner
Availabe:  iTunes
CG Transit helps you to locate public transport systems near you. It will help you plan your trip from point A to point B, and even works offline, too. This app works in major cities in the U.S., Canada and Europe (including the Czech Republic).

Pubtran-Czech Republic Transit
Available:  Android Market
The Pubtran-Czech Republic app will help you with public transport across the Czech Republic, including cities such as Prague and Brno. You can plan your entire journey via metro, bus, tram, and train.


Prague2Go
Available:  iTunes
Prague2Go offers you maps of Prague that you can use offline, and thus avoid roaming charges on your data plan. This app not only offers offline maps, but also offers 250 articles, find your GPS location, while finding tourist attractions near you. You can also bookmark your favorite places within the app.

Additional Travel Apps
There are so many travel apps available in the iTunes App Store and the Android Market, it would be impossible to list them all here. But I do have some favorite apps that are helpful wherever you travel.

Skype
Available:  iTunes and Android Market
Skype is a free app that allows you to make free calls to your contacts’ computers and smartphones, via WiFi or 3G. You can also call landline phones with the purchase of Skype credit. Skype’s call rates are very reasonable, and I use it to call my family back in the U.S. regularly. The connection is usually as good as you’re used to when making cell or landline phone calls.


MobilyTrip Travel Guide & Journal
Available:  iTunes (coming soon to Android Market)
The MT Travel Guide & Journal allows you to download free travel guides to popular destinations worldwide. In addition, you can keep track of your trip with the journal portion of this app. Your mobile device (with GPS turned on) will keep track of your travels, and also connect photos you take with your device to the places you visited. You can then share updates and more about your trip with loved ones and friends. This app will work offline, however you must have the GPS function turned on in order for the app to track your trip.

XE Currency Converter
Available:  iTunes and Android Market
The XE Currency Converter is an app that will help you to keep track of currency conversions when traveling overseas. This app works for every world currency, and even precious metals, and will give you the live rates updated every minute. You can also use XE Currency Converter offline, as it will store the last updated rates.


Tripit Pro
Available:  iTunes and Android Market (on Android is Tripit)
Tripit is an app you can use to help organize all aspects of your trip. This app allows you to forward all your trip details to a special email address. Tripit then matches up your trip details with your account. You can use Tripit for hotel, restaurant, flight and cruise booking, and even events such as concerts. Tripit makes it easy to share your trip details with family and friends via email, Facebook and LinkedIn.

World Clock-Time Zones
Available:  iTunes
The World Clock-Times Zones app allows you to keep track of time all over the world. You can organize your choice of cities on one page, and even choose what type of clock design you’d like to use.

World Clock & Widget
Available:  Android Market
The World Clock & Widget app supports multiple clocks, and offers a customizable background. It also offers a quick search for new locations around the world.

Accuweather
Available:  iTunes and Android Market
Accuweather is a useful app that uses your mobile device’s GPS location system to show you the current weather conditions in your area. This app works for overseas locations, and also offers a seven-day forecast and other weather information. This app also warns you of any severe weather that might be coming your way.

These are a few apps that will help if you’re planning a trip or a move to the Czech Republic. If you have some other apps you really like, please leave a comment and share it with the rest of us. One note, I don’t accept comments with urls or links. So, please just leave your comment and include the name of the app you’d like to share without a web address or a link. Thanks!

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)