Top 3 iOS apps for the summer

                                                                                                                                JD Hancock  IMAGE

When it comes to summer there are some things that you just know you’re not going to be able to do without.

Sun cream and ice cream are just the first two that come to mind. Summer brings its own long list of requirements and having the right apps to satisfy them is every bit as important as making sure your UV exposure is not overdone and that your taste buds are not forgotten.

That’s why we’ve whittled through the thousands of different apps out there to bring to your attention a very select trio of technological must-haves that are guaranteed to help you make the most of the holiday season.

More than anything else, summer means holidays. And holidays mean travel. Of all the many different points of address that different apps touch on, nothing is quite so important in the summer time as being on the money with your travel arrangements.

Of the many travel aids out there we reckon that top honors should be awarded to an app that has been tried and tested over a respectable period, but which has also been refined and updated as part of that working history. Step forward Kayak Pro available on Android as well as iOS at a mere 99 cents.

At the core of Kayak Pro is a flight finder, but it has been tweaked and tickled with to make it so much more. Search options that take in departure and destination options and marry them to several different airlines is a godsend for anyone with multiple flights to juggle and a budget to balance.

But as we all know all too well — sorting out the flights is the easy part. That’s where Kayak Pro really scores. Hotel reservations and car rental cars are also seamlessly worked into the apps interface so that everything you need really is right there at your fingertips. A flight tracker and real time price alerts mean that you are never going to miss out on a late deal ever again. The fact that the app allows you to book direct puts it one step ahead of the vast majority of information-only apps and that’s why it’s here at the top of our summer list.

There is always the question of what the best app might be to pass away the time that you spend traveling. It is, in truth, an open question. The best entertainment app is a broad category to put it mildly. But having restricted ourselves to just three to make this list we’ve plumped for one that offers a range of fun for as many people as possible in a way that is as slick, convenient and enjoyable as possible. It’s certainly not the only good entertainment app out there, but it is one that we think deserves to be recognized.

Our selection is the online casino app offered by 32Red.com. Repeatedly voted the best online casino worldwide, 32Red have a strong history of delivering to an exceptionally high standard and their latest iOS is no exception. In a world where so many apps are a good idea that is only half realised 32Red delivers the full deal. It is lush, user friendly and always gripping to play. Down time between flights isn’t down time any more — it’s playtime!

Finally, there aren’t many apps that can truly claim to change the world but Google Translate is one of the few that genuinely can make that boast. For anyone traveling it is perhaps THE most important app there is. After all, holiday traveling is all very well, but if you can’t talk to the locals or make yourself understood what’s the point? There is also the small matter of being able to ask for help if things don’t go to plan — Google translate can be a godsend at times like that. The app’s 80 languages really make you a true citizen of the world and its ability to translate text as well as speech makes it doubly fantastic. As with Kayak Pro, going round the block a few times has help to refine and improve the app beyond all recognition.

We know it’s easy to pick the big boys. We know that there are plenty of niche apps out there that are every bit as neat in their niche as the three we’ve identified here. But when all is said and done, it’s not just what an app does that makes it a worthwhile addition to your life — it’s how it does it as well. The three apps we’ve picked here above all else make us feel good about life. That’s always the sign of a good app.

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