Fodor's Travel Apps for iPhone Review

Fodor's printed guides have long been a favorite of seasoned travelers, so it was no surprise that the company has come out with an iPhone app. The Fodor's Travel App for iPhone sells for $5.99, and is available as of this writing for London, New York, Paris, Rome, and San Francisco.

I became interested in the Fodor's guides when I learned that the company lets you pre-download maps and accompanying data for the entire cities they cover. This matters for two reasons: It can be difficult to get a good data connection in these cities, and it can also be difficult to get a good GPS signal deep in urban canyons. It's happened to me more than once in New York. Pre-downloading the maps means you're never waiting and hoping for slow or non-existent data. Also, data downloads can be very expensive when you are roaming overseas. A pre-downloaded map takes care of that problem nicely. You may also use live Google Maps with these apps if you have a good 3G or WiFi connection.

Fodor's is known for its on-the-ground research, and lively, thorough writing about all of its covered destinations, from corner restaurants, to major museums and other attractions. The apps follow in this tradition with solid information in the New York edition I tried. Also, unlike a lot of travel and map apps, which simply dump a lot of information into a searchable form, Fodor's makes many editorial choices and recommendations. For example, "Fodor's Choice" identifies what to see, where to eat, where to stay, shopping, and other categories with editor-researched picks.

Since the app is on a GPS-equipped iPhone, it knows where you are (with your permission) and provides the type of location-centric services we've become accustomed to, including showing where you are, and what's nearby.

The maps are of very good quality and really help ease navigation when you have them open. Other tools, such as detailed subway and train maps, with color-coded and ID'ed stations and lines are valuable to the traveler.

Maps include digital "pushpins" for all of the listed locations, with additional info and links to websites. You may also use a map filter tool to select for what you want to see - "Greenwich Village / Music Stores" - for example, and the map will show only pins for your selection.

Overall, Fodor's Travel Apps for iPhone provide the solid and reliable experience and well-researched information you'd expect from a long-time industry staple.