MADISON, Wis. – There’s now an easy way to bring all the fun Wisconsin has to offer right to your fingertips. And even better, it’s free.

The Wisconsin Department of Tourism has unveiled its new Travel Wisconsin mobile application for the iPhone. The free app makes finding local attractions, lodging, dining and recreation throughout the state a piece of cake. The app can be downloaded from Apple’s iTunes Store and will work on any Apple mobile device running iOS 3.1.3 or greater.

Mobile apps are quickly becoming a “must have” for travelers. According to the July 2010 report of the State of the American Traveler, 28 percent of travelers have relied on smart phones, PDAs, or other handheld devices to access travel information in the past year.

“Introducing the Travel Wisconsin iPhone app allows us to serve the rapidly expanding market of smart phone users,” said Tourism Secretary Kelli A. Trumble. “It’s one more way we can reach out to travelers as they journey throughout Wisconsin and put the state’s wealth of travel information right in their hands immediately.”

The iPhone application taps into the Department’s TravelWisconsin.com database to serve up nearby attractions, events, restaurants and accommodations in relation to the GPS coordinates of the iPhone user. Attractions and events are organized by categories to further tailor the results. Events are sorted by proximity with the closest events listed first and are also organized by date. Lodging results are sorted by accommodation type (hotels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, campgrounds) and show what amenities are available so users can easily find where they want to stay. Dining options are sorted by cuisine. Directions and maps to each location are also available.

Social media sharing has also been integrated into the application allowing users to link to their Facebook and Twitter profiles from within the program. In addition, the app allows users to save and bookmark their favorite listings to easily return to them later.

Travelers looking for Wisconsin getaway ideas, events and free guides can discover their own fun at TravelWisconsin.com. Or like them on Facebook at Facebook.com/TravelWisconsin and follow along on Twitter at @TravelWI.

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RICHMOND, Va. – (Richmond, Va.)  The Virginia Tourism Corporation announced the Virginia is for Lovers iPhone App - Virginia’s first, statewide mobile travel guide of its kind that puts more than 12,000 attractions, events, accommodations, restaurants and special offers at visitors’ fingertips.  The mobile guide is available for free at the iTunes app store for iPhone and iPad users.

The Virginia is for Lovers iPhone app is designed to help visitors immediately access lodging, entertainment and dining options to encourage them to extend their stay and visit more destinations in Virginia.

Special features and highlights of the Virginia is for Lovers iPhone app include:

• More than 12,000 listings including restaurants, hotels, wineries, museums and historical sites across the state.
• A “Near Me” feature which allows users to find all attractions in a 15 mile radius
• Directions and mapping feature for every listing
• Direct access to call for reservations via phone or Web site
• Customer reviews for restaurants and lodging properties
• Pet-friendly attractions and destinations listed by locality

Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, encourages Virginians to take advantage of this new service to help assist residents on travels throughout the state.

“The Virginia is for Lovers iPhone app is a great resource for Virginians as well as visitors.  Take advantage of this free service and get access to the nearest restaurants, wineries, museums and events while you are traveling throughout Virginia, either on business or vacation with your family.”

Tourism generates $19.2 billion in revenue for Virginia, supports 210,000 jobs and provides $1.28 billion in state and local taxes for communities.

Go to Virginia.org for more information on the free, Virginia is for Lovers iPhone app or visit www.Virginia.org for more details and information.  Or call to request a free, Virginia is for Lovers travel guide.

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Roadside America Gallery Screen

RoadsideAmerica.com, the online guide to offbeat tourist attractions, announced the recent launch of its Roadside America mobile software app for iPhone and iPod touch. Roadside America showcases thousands of eccentric, entertaining, and unique roadside tourist spots found around the country.

“The app makes it easy for travelers to instantly see what’s nearby,” said Doug Kirby, publisher of RoadsideAmerica.com. “It’s up to them whether to veer off to see a mustard museum or a colossal hot dog.” The app features road trip favorites such as giant twine balls, tiny churches, odd statues, quirky museums, implausible architecture, classic Rte. 66-type attractions, folk art environments, mystery spots, gravity hills, caves, and much more.

“It’s the trip tool we’ve always wanted for our own use,” said Kirby, who has visited thousands of attractions as part of the RoadsideAmerica.com team. “After years of navigating with map in lap, this finally connects our collection of places in a practical way, using the latest mobile and geo-location smarts.”

With the Roadside America app, users can access attraction stories, visitor tips, maps, driving directions, hours, phone numbers, and photos.  The app can retrieve real-time updates and attraction status reports from RoadsideAmerica.com.

“We designed the app to be fun — and a little offbeat, naturally,” Kirby said. Among its exclusive on-the-road trip tools: it can warn when sunset approaches, or schedule a phone alert to get a sidetracked tourist back on the road. And there are many app-only photos and promising places “under investigation” and not yet on the website.

Users can browse attractions by over 70 Roadside-centric themes, such as “Big,” “Atomic,” “Music,” “Tech,” and “Zombie Army.” They can share discoveries via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, or snap photos for submission directly to RoadsideAmerica.com.

For lifelong road trip enthusiasts, the app’s “Been There!” feature is a way to keep track of roadside attractions they have visited.

Roadside America is available on the Apple (U.S.) App Store for $2.99 for permanent access to any one of six U.S. regions; an additional $5.99 unlocks the entire U.S. for one year.

Get the Roadside America App from iTunes

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Don’t throw your hands up in despair! Get out your trusty iPhone or iPod Touch and consult eJourna’s handy list of Holiday Travel Apps to help you through the season! Sorry, there isn’t one for making fruitcake disappear…

Airfare Pro

Airfare Pro

Airfare Pro searches nearly 10,000 airports, hundreds of airlines and over 200 travel sites around the world to find you the cheapest flights possible. It also has a 110% lowest price guarantee. If you can find a cheaper price for the same flight using a booking website, they will refund the entire price of the application, plus 10%.

Cost $5.99 // Airfare Pro on iTunes

Pack & Go Deluxe

Pack & Go Deluxe is a comprehensive family “To Do” and packing list application. When going on vacation with the family do you ever forget to pack your toiletry bag, your teenager’s favorite jeans, your spouse’s passport, your pet’s vaccination proof, or your baby’s milk bottle? Perhaps in your very busy life, you need a simple reminder of what to pack for a short excursion to a local theme park or on a long trip to a far away destination.

Pack & Go Deluxe is an extensive “To Do”, packing and travel checklist tailored specifically for families.

Cost: $2.99 // Pack & Go Deluxe on iTunes

FAAwait

FAAwait provides real-time access to current air traffic delays at all U.S. airports. It utilizes a data feed maintained by the FAA that tracks departure and arrival delays, ground stops, and ground delays.

Cost: $0.99 // FAAwait on iTunes

LiveATC Air Radio

Stuck in the airport terminal with endless delays? Have you always wondered what pilots talk to air traffic controllers about? Now you can stop wondering and tune in!

LiveATC Air Radio provides a quick and easy way to listen in on live conversations between pilots and air traffic controllers near many airports around the world. The application lets you browse by state or country to find an airport and listen to live ATC chatter at or near that airport.

Cost: $2.99 // LiveATC Air Radio on iTunes

Flight Update

Flight Update

Flight Update is a flight tracker application that covers airlines on every continent. It allows you to get ongoing flight status information, flight times, gate and terminal information, baggage claim info, flight cancellations and delays, meal information, seating charts and more.

Cost: $4.99 // Flight Update on iTunes

iFlyPro — Airport Guide + Flight Tracker

iFlyPro is a detailed airport guide and flight tracker. Want to know what gate your flight arrives into? What restaurants will be near your gate? Terminal maps? Whether or not, and where, there is WiFi? How far the connecting gate is? Ground transport options? Parking rates and locations? Terminal services? This app does all that and more.

Cost: $6.99 // iFlyPro on iTunes

The Weather Channel Max

Weather Channel Max provides complete weather coverage without any ads. It is the only weather provider to provide future radar, so you’ll know where the storm is heading, not just where it’s been. Weather Channel Max also includes detailed forecasts, beach conditions, premium video, traffic cams, a severe weather center, hourly, 36 hour and ten-day forecasts.

Cost: $3.99 // The Weather Channel Max on iTunes

Spots — The WiFi Hotspot Directory

Spots is a WiFi hotspot directory. It works offline from its own included database, so you don’t need to be connected to locate a WiFi hotspot. It’s database contains half a million WiFi hotspots all around the world.

Cost: $1.99 // Spots on iTunes

TripIt for iPhone

TripIt for iPhone is a travel itinerary application that allows you to organize and share your travel plans. You can forward your travel confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and TripIt automatically creates a master itinerary for your trip with all your travel plans in one spot.

Cost: Free // TripIt on iTunes

My Gate Maps

My Gate Maps

How many times have you been at an airport and needed to quickly access a gate map only to find the airport’s website displays them using Flash or PDF? My Gate Maps to the rescue! My Gate Maps includes maps for 36 airports, with more added all the time based on your requests. It also gives you the ability to pick your arrival and connecting gates and see them on the overview and detail maps.

Cost: $2.99 // My Gate Maps on iTunes

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Many people suffer anxiety at the prospect of flying. These fears range from anxiety at booking a trip to complete inability to board an aircraft. Whether it is the unfamiliar aircraft, the strange noises a plane makes, or the fear of losing control, this app is designed to help people overcome their personal fears.

Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic, commented:

“This is Virgin Atlantic innovation at its best. Our first iPhone app will bring the benefits of our successful Flying Without Fear course to millions of people around the world who are now using mobile technology to make their lives better. The app will put many travelers at ease and enable them to prepare for their first Virgin Atlantic flight.”

Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Without Fear team have developed the app with Mental Workout, a company developing mobile applications focused on improving lives by helping people resolve issues and increase mental performance.

The Flying Without Fear app contains a personal introduction by Sir Richard Branson, a video-based in-flight explanation from start to finish of a flight, frequently-asked questions, relaxation exercises and fear therapy, a fear attack button for emergencies with breathing exercises and quick tips, and a “My Program” section where each user can rate their personal fears and add future flights to prepare them for their next trip. As a bonus, the user is offered 2,000 points when joining Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club.

Virgin Atlantic’s Flying without Fear team recently helped American actress, Whoopi Goldberg, overcome her fear of flying. The actress had not flown for a decade but a business commitment in London meant she had to step on a plane once again.

After going through the course, Whoopi Goldberg said:

“The program works, I was a skeptic. I hadn’t flown in 13 years but after doing their program, I understood that while my fear was real, there were many things I didn’t know or had misinformation about, which they were able to clear up. So what happened? I now fly. It’s that simple.”

Mickey Beyer-Clausen, founder of Mental Workout, added:

“Mental Workout is dedicated to providing people with mobile tools that harness best-in-class expertise to improve and enhance their lives. With approximately one in three adults afraid of flying, we wanted to make the best therapeutic tools available to everyone who wishes to take control of that fear. By creating this app in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, we can help those who have a fear of flying — whether acute, mild, or only occasional — control that fear and by doing so broaden their world.”

The Flying Without Fear app is available for $4.99 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch.

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Designed to enhance the “Halloween Horror Nights” experience by creating an interactive snapshot of the overall event, the iPhone and Android application will provide guests with continuously updated and relevant information during their onsite visit. Access to wait times and locations of mazes, scare zone, shows, attractions and restaurants will be easily accessible from anywhere within the theme park throughout the 16-night run of “Halloween Horror Nights.”

“While a traditional website gives a brand marketing reach to users at home, our onsite publishing platform allows businesses and destinations such as Universal Studios to push information that is immediately relevant to customers at their own location,” said Rahul Sonnad, CEO of Geodelic Systems. “Universal is clearly leading the way on mobile technology with this ground-breaking experience, and will provide a showcase for others in the travel, hospitality, and entertainment industries.”

To download the application, consumers can access www.geodelic.com/hhn or search “Horror Nights” at the iPhone App Store. There is no charge for the download.

“Halloween Horror Nights” 2009 is all-new at Universal Studios Hollywood. The movie-based horror attractions include, “Saw: Game Over,” a “live” maze experience based on the “Saw” film franchise, per an agreement among Universal Studios Theme Parks, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures. The interactive maze, “Halloween: The Life and Crimes of Michael Myers,” will be the first attraction based upon the “Halloween” films to be created by a U.S. theme park. The “live” multi-sensory horror experience, “My Bloody Valentine: Be Mine 4 Ever,” will be based on the 2009 hit movie. “Chucky’s Fun House,” will be a fresh, flesh-and-blood incarnation of one of Universal’s most iconic horror franchises, and a more intense, interactive horror experience will be realized on the new “Terror Tram: Live or Die” walk-through attraction on the historic Universal backlot.

New shows include a live stage production of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute,” based on the cult film phenomenon and an all-new “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure” as well as six all new “scare zones.”

Updates on “Halloween Horror Nights” are available on Twitter and Facebook, as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information. Fans are invited to follow John Murdy on Twitter at: Twitter.com/HorrorNights or via Facebook at: “Halloween Horror Nights — Hollywood (Official).”

Universal Studios Hollywood’s favorite thrill-ride attractions, which will also remain open for “Halloween Horror Nights,” many with menacing twists, will include “The Simpsons Ride,” “Revenge of the Mummy — The Ride” and “Jurassic Park In the Dark.”

“Halloween Horror Nights” will continue on consecutive weekends and selected weekday nights through Halloween, Saturday, October 31. Event dates are: October 9–11, 15–18, 23–25, 28–31. The event will begin nightly at 7:00 p.m.; closing hours vary by night throughout the event. Tickets and information are available at www.halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood.

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There’s even a lesson entitled “Flirt.” The clear and understandable learning scenarios allow you not only to communicate spontaneously at your vacation destination, but above all provide quick language acquisition that is relevant to the location and activities. Furthermore, all functions are usable anytime and anywhere without internet access, This makes the Admovi language courses truly mobile, and aids the learning process.

The graphic design and user-friendly functionality are particularly impressive. The travel dictionary is already available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and Polish. Other languages such as Russian and Chinese are planned.

Technical implementation was carried out by the company iheads from Bernau near Berlin. Under license, they have produced 56 interactive travel guides in five languages for the established brands MARCO POLO and FALK. Alongside detailed travel information, the MARCO POLO CityGuides and FALK Guides distinguish themselves with numerous additional functions. For example, a taxi call-up function is integrated into the guide for the iPhone. FALK guides offer, among other things, offline maps without roaming costs, and new tips from the FALK community every hour via RSS feed.

So, simply download the language courses from iSayHello.mobi and the iheads CityGuides from the App Store onto your iPhone, and you’ll be able to start your language course and your vacation preparations as late as seated on the plane. When you arrive at your destination, you’ll have no problem telling the taxi driver exactly where you need to go.

iSayHello can be found at the Apple App Store on iTunes, or at www.isayhello.mobi.

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Filled with over 210 fun, magical and surprising secrets of Walt Disney World® Resort, the new Walt Disney World Secrets Notescast App works as an innovative new guidebook allowing guests to tour all of Walt Disney World Resort with their iPhone or iPod touch in hand as they journey from one new secret to the next in Magic Kingdom®, Epcot®, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™.

“After the latest trip to the parks, we’ve added more than 40 new secrets to the tour, as well as updated the Notescast to reflect those secrets which no longer exist.”, said Mike Westby of TimeStream Software. “Discovering Walt Disney World with an all new perspective is now more fun than ever.”

In addition to the updated iPhone Notescast, the updated “Walt Disney World Secrets Notescast” for the iPod is available at www.Notescasts.com. This innovative new product installs to the iPod Notes feature and provides all the same secrets and discoveries as the iPhone Notescast.

“Walt Disney World Secrets” Availability and Pricing

The upgraded “Walt Disney World Secrets” Notescast is available now on the App Store for $1.99.

Those wanting Notescast titles for the iPod Classic, 5th Generation and iPod nano may visit www.Notescasts.com.

Buy Walt Disney World Secrets from iTunes.

Other Disney Apps

Walt Disney World Guide

Disneyland Park Guide

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Hidden Mickeys

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Microsoft Streets & Trips 2010

Fall is just around the corner and so is the stress of holiday travel. As airlines continue to reduce flight schedules and increase baggage fees, taking to the road is becoming an attractive choice for many families. But before planning to hit the roads this fall and winter, travelers should schedule time to plan their trips in advance and equip their vehicles for the cold weather ahead to avoid potentially costly repairs and delays.

Planning a trip ahead of time and building in stops for meals, bathroom breaks, gas, and fun points of interest such as landmarks or museums is a surefire way to make sure everyone in the car has a smooth and enjoyable ride. With 1.7 million points of interest such as hotels, restaurants and national parks, the new version of Microsoft Streets & Trips is a great way to handle every aspect of a trip from beginning to end. With a fuel consumption manager, free road construction updates, and more ways to customize maps and routes, families can save money and time while planning trips according to their preferences. Once the trip is planned, travelers can quickly and easily send their route information directly to their handheld GPS device. They can also share their route information with others; according to the American Red Cross, travelers should provide a friend or loved one with an itinerary for the trip, including the planned route and departure and arrival times.  Microsoft Streets & Trips can be used to easily e-mail an itinerary to friends and family — a great tool for communicating trip plans to those sharing the adventure or those waiting to welcome the family home.

Once on the road, spoken street names and Voice-Prompted Directions will smoothly guide families to their destination. If they get off route, Automatic Re-Routing helps consumers get back on track after a wrong turn, which can decrease wasted gas and save valuable time. If they need to make an unexpected stop, the software’s Find Nearby Places feature allows travelers to search a radius up to 50 miles to find select points of interest such as ATMs, hotels, mechanics, pharmacies and more.

“Microsoft Streets & Trips helps travelers be organized while offering flexibility and the convenience of choice,” said Lori Stock, senior product manager for Streets & Trips at Microsoft Corp. “It will help travelers plan their vacations from beginning to end. From helping them choose stops along the way, to integrating with their GPS devices, Microsoft Streets & Trips gives consumers the tools to plan enjoyable and memorable family vacations, while avoiding the rush of a busy airport and ultimately saving money.”

Preparation Helps Ensure a Safe Ride

Even with the best planning, fall and winter travel brings the potential for foul weather. Whether driving from door to door on Halloween or cruising down the freeway on the way to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving, here are three tips to help you prepare for a safe and happy trip, rain or shine:

• Vehicle maintenance is key. A quick check of weather-sensitive systems can prevent getting stuck on the shoulder of a snowy mountain pass. Check that fluids are at the proper levels and concentrations. A lack of coolant or windshield wiper fluid could freeze up travel plans before they even start.
• Remember that wet roads mean longer stopping distances. Rain, oily buildup and wet leaves on roadways greatly increase the amount of time required to stop. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that tires should have at least 1/16-inch of tread and be inflated to manufacturer specifications. Bald or improperly inflated tires are no match for a rainy freeway or soggy leaves on neighborhood streets.
• Pack plenty of supplies. Before leaving, check that the emergency kit is stocked and there are plenty of drinks and snacks for all passengers. Using Microsoft Streets & Trips to map out gas stations along the route will enable quick and easy fill-ups.

Microsoft Streets & Tips is available now

Microsoft Streets & Trips is available now for an estimated retail price of $39.95. Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS Locator is available for $69.95. Or give Streets & Trips a test drive by downloading a free 60-day trial version at http://www.microsoft.com/streets/travel.

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Kids on the beach, Chicago

Do you know what ingredients it takes to make a real Chicago hot dog or why the “L” goes around the Loop?

Find out with the free Chicago for Kids audio tour and interactive web site, a new way for young Chicagoans and visitors from around the globe to learn more about Chicago.

The audio tour and website takes kids on adventures throughout the city and features eight destinations, plus games and challenges that highlight the rich culture and history of Chicago. Download Chicago For Kids to your MP3 player and take it with you as you explore the destinations or experience the tour online before visiting Chicago. Stops include the Chicago Cultural Center, Michigan Avenue Bridge/Tribune Tower, Millennium Park, The “L”, Picasso Sculpture, North Avenue Beach, Chicago Food, and the Garfield Park Conservatory.

Interviews with famous Chicagoans, experts and city officials, including former Chicago Cub Ryne Sandberg, cheesecake manufacturer Marc Schulman, Chicago historian Tim Samuelson and bridge operator Dennis White, provide kids with the ultimate insider’s view of Chicago. Learn the answers to some of Chicago’s hidden secrets such as:

• Why does the Chicago River run backwards?
• How did Daley Plaza become home to the Picasso Sculpture?
• Where was the first Chicago-style pizza served?
• Where in the city can you experience a warm jungle in the dead of winter?
• How many tons does the “bean” in Millennium Park weigh?
• Why can you go to the beach in Chicago without having to worry about jellyfish or sharks?
• Why do cows play a huge part in Chicago’s past?
• What makes Chicago’s bridges so unique?

Once tour-takers have learned the inside scoop on famous Chicago landmarks, they can try to master eight interactive games on the website that are colorfully animated with themes such as playing volleyball at North Avenue Beach or catching bugs at the Garfield Park Conservatory. “The Chicago For Kids tour is entertaining and packed with information about the city,” said Dorothy Coyle, Director, Chicago Office of Tourism. “We hope children in Chicago and beyond will use it to explore the city in new and imaginative ways.”

The Chicago For Kids tour is available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. With maps and directions for each stop, sound effects and photos, it offers a completely new downloadable tour experience.

The Chicago for Kids audio tour, produced by the Chicago Office of Tourism, can be downloaded at www.downloadchicagotours.com.

The award winning Millennium Park and Chicago Blues audio tours are also available for download on this site.

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