Page 35 - BusinessWest April 3, 2023

offers a mostly linear path divided into topics of conversation. Each topic presents you with short exercises to familiarize you with the material through spoken and written formats.”
The app encourages users to make a habit of practicing with a reward system and a social component. The rewards can be spent in the app’s store on powerups and fun accessories. Meanwhile, the in- app social network encourages users to invite friends to the app and compare scores.
Now Go Away
Thinking about a vacation? PC Magazine says Hopper “is an app you definitely want to use while you’re planning a trip and before you buy any tickets. The mobile-only app tracks flight prices and gives you clear advice on the best time to buy — including through notifications when the price drops. What makes
this travel app valuable is its level of
detail. It doesn’t just tell you to wait to
buy your ticket, but gives you a date
when the price will likely rise. You can
book through Hopper, too, with a com-
mission fee of a few dollars.”
Travel + Leisure notes that flight
prices can fluctuate, making it tricky to
decide whether to book right away or
hold off. Hopper can remove some of
the uncertainty by predicting the best
time to find the cheapest fares, saving
up to 40%. The app also has a price-
monitoring feature so users can select a particular flight and receive alerts if the price drops. They can also compare the prices and ameni-
ties of more than 250 airlines and get alerts about airfare flash sales.
For lovers of the great outdoors, Travel + Leisure also sings the praises of AllTrails, not- ing that “this app will provide you with the area’s best hiking, bik- ing, and running trails. In addition to details on length, starting location, and trail quality, All- Trails includes reviews and photos from a com-
munity of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. You’ll find useful information like what to pack, obstacles you’ll find along the route, and the best sce- nic spots to check out.”
Finally, Afar singles out TripIt, which automatically tracks confirma- tion emails for flight itineraries, hotel, or Airbnb bookings; car rentals; restaurant reservations; and even event tickets, then populates those travel plans into an itinerary that be viewed in one place.
“The easy-to-use
organizational app
makes it simple to
share the consolidat-
ed information with
family or friends, so
you can send them
your itinerary direct-
ly and avoid having
to answer repeated
texts like, ‘when are
you landing again?’
to coordinate an airport pickup,” Afar notes. “TripIt even features a personalized travel stats page for really data-hungry folks who want to know how many trips they’ve taken or countries they’ve visited — and that’s just in the free version.” Meanwhile, the paid version includes extras like real-time flight alerts, TSA wait times, and loyalty reward program updates.
In short, whatever you’re looking to improve in your life, as Apple’s famous ad slogan notes, there’s an app for that. BW
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