10 friendly travel apps we love

Here are T+L's 10 favorite apps for when your are traveling in Asia.

TripIt
Price: Free
Works on: iPhone, Android, Blackberry
This aging but faithful app grabs flight numbers, confirmation codes and loyalty program numbers from your email and assembles it into a master itinerary. tripit.com.

FlightTrackPro
Price: US$10
Works on: iPhone, Android, Blackberry
Works with TripIt to synch your itinerary, plus shares flight status, predicts delays and offers alternative connecting flights. Great offline maps for when you’re on the plane, too. mobiata.com.

BuUuk
Price: Free
Works on: iPhone, Android, Microsoft
Finds nearby restaurants and bars using GPS. Covers lots of the eastern hemisphere, but especially good for Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore. buuuk.com.

Shanghai Metro App
Price: US$0.99
Works on: iPhone
With its itineraries, travel times and bi-lingual station names, this app lets you plan jaunts around Shanghai’s public metro system. shanghaimetroapp.com

Skype
Price: Free
Works on: iPhone, Google Android
You don’t need your laptop to make (free) Skype voice and video calls. The app lets you do it on your smart phone, with 3G or WiFi. skype.com.

Whatsapp
Price: US$0.99
Works on: iPhone, Google Android, Microsoft Windows Phone
Send texts and photos all your friends back home (who also have Whatsapp) without racking up the roaming fees. whatsapp.com.

XE Currency
Price: Free
Works on: iPhone, Android, Blackberry
No-frills live currency conversion so you’re working with up-to-date rates on your travels. Up to seven currencies on one screen. xe.com.

Photosynth
Price: Free
Works on: iPhone
Pan your smart phone camera across a beautiful vista, and Photosynth turns it into a panoramic photo that you can share with your friends. photosynth.net.

Beijing Taxi Guide
Price: US$9.99
Works on: iPhone
The cure-all to language barriers with your taxi driver: 3,000 local addresses in Chinese script you can show him. Also available for Shanghai, Guangzhou, Seoul and elsewhere. hoodhottravel.com.

Asia and Russia Offline Maps
Price: Free
Works on: iPhone
Local maps that can be accessed offline, so you save on roaming fees when you’re lost in Beijing, Bangkok and elsewhere. itunes.apple.com