Lounging on a sun-kissed Caribbean beach. Rifling through exotic jewelry at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. Bombing down a mogul run in the Swiss Alps. No matter what your idea of a vacation is, it should be a time of relaxation and enjoyment free of obligations or logistical problems.
Now think about all the things that can stand in your way: missed connections and delays spent in uncomfortable airports, language challenges, a deluge of e-mails that can probably wait till you return.
Fortunately, the key to navigating around possible pitfalls is in your pocket. A new crop of mobile apps can help reduce travel headaches immeasurably—from locating the nearest airport lounge (LoungeBuddy) to screening e-mails (AwayFind) to maximizing photography (Photosynth).
Here, 11 smartphone and tablet apps that are certain to come in handy no matter where you’re headed.
