Apps for maps, money and survival

In the June Spotlight, Dagmar Taylor writes about how smartphones and those little programs called apps can help you improve your language skills in "There's an app for that!"

Smartphones and apps are not just playing an increasing role in language learning; they're becoming must-haves for travel, whether it's business or pleasure. We're taking a look at six useful ones this week. Let's go!

Google Maps: This is by far the most useful travel app, and it's available for every smartphone. The Google Maps app tells you where you are, where everything else is, and how to get between those two places. When a friend recently needed aspirin in Rome on a Sunday morning, Google Maps knew where the three nearest pharmacies were, and gave him walking and public-transport directions to each one. Google Maps. Cost: Free.

OffMaps: If you're travelling abroad with the iPhone and wish to avoid ridiculously high data roaming charges when trying to find the train station in a new city, we recommend OffMaps. You choose what to download instead of buying a new app for every place you want to visit. Just get the maps before you leave for your trip, and you're good to go. OffMaps. Cost: €1.59