Lonely Planet introduced augmented reality Compass Guides for U.K. Android users and launched an ebook series for the iPad.
The Lonely Planet Compass Guides cover 25 cities, including Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Paris, Prague, Rome, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Vancouver, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
They are available for $4.99 each from the Google Android Market.
For each city, the Compass Guides include GPS-enabled maps and location-based information for numerous sites and points of interest across the area. The Android's compass enables users to figure out where they have wandered to and what the distance is to the next watering hole.
With the exception of the maps, all of the content in the guides can be used offline so roaming fees can be avoided, Lonely Planet says.
Meanwhile, Lonely Planet now offers five Discover e-book titles for the iPad in the Apple iBookstore. The ebooks currently sell for $14.99 [GBP 9.99 and Eur 11.99] each.
The ebooks feature more than 3000 hyperlinks, maps with imbedded points of interest and hundreds of images, Lonely Planet says, adding that users can "navigate easily from expert editorial to specific points of interest, which are then displayed on a map to get you to your destination."
Of course, you can also use the ebooks to investigate your preferred destinations with the iPad resting on your stomach from your living room couch before you walk out the door.