This is a roundup of product news and announcements for travel DEVICES in tourism and hospitality for February 2016.
Monday 29 February 2016:Amadeus and
Uniglobe create Trip Access
- Uniglobe's Western European travel agencies will get the Trip Access mobile application so they can manage a trip once on the road. Business travellers can check in for flights, get real-time notifications about a journey (delays, etc), as well as personalised content about a destination such as suggested points of interest.
Wandrr plots "mindful ways"
- The travel map app lets users select a route for an excursion based on how much time they have, rather than the fastest route. The idea os that users can think more about the journey rather than the destination, with routes going via points of interest, unusual locations, or quieter areas.
Wednesday 24 February 2016:EasyJet develops card-scanning tool for payments
- The European low cost carrier has worked with Jumio so that passengers can pay for flights in another way. Users can scan a credit card using the camera on their smartphone, leaving the app to populate the relevant fields in the payment section of the booking process.
Swiss International Airlines launches in-flight wifi
- AeroMobile has developed the system for the airline so that all passengers, across its various cabin classes, can connect to mobile services for calls, texts and web browsing. The service will start on its Boeing 777 aircraft and be available mostly on long-haul flights.
HotelsClick unveils apps
- The online hotel booking service has developed the app for both Android and Apple users, giving users the ability to find and book any hotel on its system. Other features include saving favourite properties, booking management, and access to customer service lines.
Monday 15 February 2016:British Airways creates app just for iPads
- The airline says it has designed the app so that additional features can be added to its existing iOS-hosted service. New elements include a 3D globe and flight planning tool so that passengers can create an in-flight entertainment viewing schedule. Bookings, boarding passes, trip management and search tools will still be included in the app.
Tuesday 9 February 2016:Carla wants to rent you a car
- The car rental service is available for iOS devices and compares vehicles from the likes of Avis, Enterprise, Sixt, Hertz and Europcar. Some 20,000 locations are included in the app, plus users can book within the service. Apple Pay functionality is expected shortly.
TripScout launches self-guided tour app
- Just out of beta, TripScout lets users have a full audio guide ($4.99 each) for a string of cities including San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Chicago and Mexico City. Tour maps are also available for many locations in Europe and Africa. The app is only available for iOS-hosted devices.
Simplifly gets Google funding and launches
- Backed by $10,000 from Google Ventures, Simplifly connects users to Duty Free goods at their arrival airport (rather than departure). Available at 62 locations in Europe and North America, users make a purchase via the application and then collect when the disembark from the aircraft at their destination.
Tripstr goes into beta
- The mobile application works on iPhones and allows users to find and share experiences from other members. Launching in full in March, features include a "Save Places" tool and ability to find hotel recommendations.
Wednesday 3 FebruaryDelta Air Lines unleashes transatlantic wifi
- The carrier is using Gogo to provide high-speed internet access on flights between the, the UK, mainland Europe, Israel and West Africa.
Lonely Planet unveils city guide app
- Guides is a free app available on both iOS and Android devices. It features offline maps, the ability to save place, filtering to find activities and expert hints and tips on where to eat and stay. The app has launched in 38 cities.
Guestline partners with
ButlerTech- ButlerTech is using Guestline's property management system Rezlynx to help it provide its ButlerPad virtual concierge application to more than 10 Asian hotel brands in the coming weeks. The partnership will enable hotel guests to view and pay invoices, message a hotel before arrival and make reservations.
Monday 1 FebruaryAria Resort and
Crave Interactive- The Las Vegas hotel and casino has installed customised guest tablets in more than 4,000 room following a partnership with Crave. The tablets enable guests to order room service, make housekeeping requests, book spa appointments, adjust room lighting and temperature and stay up to date with news.
NB:Travel devices image via Shutterstock.