These Apps Put Travel Data in the Palm of Your Hand

Here’s another in our series of apps designed to make travel easier. These free apps help you document an item’s condition before you rent it and also let you know just how bad the environment is for your particular allergies or for your patients’ allergies.

Record 360: The idea is simple: create easy documentation of the condition of the rental car, boat, vacation apartment or anything else you rent when traveling. Record 360 organizes your smartphone’s photos and videos of whatever you rented, allowing you to add notes.

With Record 360’s hard proof, you’re less likely to be docked money from your deposit or charged extra for something you didn’t scratch, stain, ruin, or break. The photographic records add weight to your claims of “that fender was dented before I drove off” or “the Keurig coffee machine never worked.” Just shoot the images of the fender and use video if necessary. A short video of your partner plugging in the coffee pot, adding water, waiting for “ready,” placing the K-cup, closing the top, tapping “cup size,” and hitting “brew” should be worth 1,000 words when the coffee machine remains silent.

Initially, designed for drivers renting cars, Record 360 can be used to document most anything you rent. Yes, you could shoot the images and the videos without the app, but since Record 360 is free, it’s worth downloading the app for the convenient organization. Free. www.record360.com

Allergy forecaster: Tracking allergy forecasts on vacation is a good idea if only because, as the adage goes, “forewarned is forearmed.” Knowing the extent of the pollen problem in London, Paris, Nairobi, or wherever could help by reminding you to take those pills, or at least, bring them along.

Of the two apps that purport to track allergies, WedMD Allergy seems more useful. After asking my location (Washington, DC), my allergies (dust, pollen), and my symptoms (sneezing, congestion), the app sends a report. Today, although mold and tree pollen are low, dust in the city rates a “very high” 8. We knew that after walking our dogs, but still, it feels good to have the facts verified.

WebMD Allergy also provides an allergy map (not too useful in DC as most everywhere rates the same), plus some tips. The app reminds us to cover our pillows in hypoallergenic cases and wash them as well as stuffed animals weekly. And of course, we’re reminded that we may need something new for our allergy regime, so contact our doctor. Good advice. www.webmd.com/allergy-app. Free.

doesn’t necessarily prompt me to enter my location. I do so after noticing the app produces information for New York City instead of D.C. Although the app doesn’t ask me to name my allergies, it wants to know my symptoms. After entering those, the app delivers a report.

Zyrtec AllergyCast

Interestingly, it’s not the same as the information generated by WedMD Allergy app. The Zyrtec app informs me that DC’s allergy levels are a moderate 4.5 and the predominant pollen is grass. Nothing is mentioned about dust. www.zyrtec.com/allergy-forecast-tools-apps. Free.

Have you used these apps? What do you think? What other apps are indispensible when you travel? Comment below or connect with me on Twitter, @familyitrips.