Maps and guides, but also applications to take a flight, make money or find a more suitable restrooms on a particular route, among a thousand other options for downloading and use.

Photography by Cristian Janke

There once was a time when mobile phones were used to speak. Today they are used for check-in for a flight and receive a boarding pass, to know where we parked the car, to prevent traffic jams on motorways, to find a hotel stay, a restaurant where calm our cravings or even a nearby bathroom to save an emergency. And incidentally to make or receive calls, if there is still time.

It would be impossible to try to cover the thousands of applications available for the so-called smartphones. To get an idea of magnitude, enough to know that only from the Apple Store today have been downloaded 4000 million programs for about 150 million devices, 75 countries reach. And that, we said, only for iPhone and iPod (sold by Apple). Excluding the BlackBerry, Android, Nokia, Microsoft and other equipment that also have millions of users.

Another distinction to consider is that some applications work in certain countries or cities, and not in others. Some are free and others pay. That is for all items from the financial (or BillTracker BillMinder, for example, help control the accounts, not to suffer anything more for the receipt expired or cut the service) to health (SunSmart, Without going any further, warning ultraviolet radiation).

Photography by Incase.

In terms of travel, the offer is equally overwhelming. But in the 2.0 era, it is worth noting some programs that can simplify the organization of the holiday, whether on a beach, a mountain, a mega city or away from any trace of civilization.

At airports the use of mobile based services are increasingly expanding airports (now Europe and the U.S.) give the possibility to receive the boarding pass on your cell phone with a barcode to verify identity the passenger, without red, rows and having to print the card. It is estimated that by the end of this year 32% of passengers checking in online via mobile phone (through a system that reads the bar code on the phone screen).

In addition, you can also receive a text message with information about the door that has reached the plane, satellite locating the position of the passenger at the airport or tell you how long you have to walk to the area from where the next connection. 37% of the airport flight status communicated to the passenger cell. Will implement the end of 2011 up 21%.

Argentina beats you is the name of the new slogan with which the National Institute of Tourism (INPROTUR) began to promote the country and promises to be much more than a catchy phrase.

First, the campaign includes the total renovation of its website (www.argentina.travel/), which now has a completely new visual language and the possibility of greater interaction with users, mainly from social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Orkut.

Second, the application also incorporated Argentina Tourist Guide, which allows tourists to visit the country in a more dynamic and fast, which can be downloaded for free from Apple Store.

Photography by dailylifeofmojo

«With all these updates, we are working to standardize the presence of Argentina in the world,» said the executive secretary of INPROTUR, Leonardo Boto, while noted that applications (for now in English and Spanish versions) also available soon to BlackBerry and Android.

Basically, these tools allow to easily identifying the main attractions of each province and even location (with the help of interactive maps), find accommodation, charging batteries of games, across photos or share experiences with friends, and more.

The content is divided into the themes that are used to position the country: Argentina Natural, Active (associated with sports activities), Authentic (World Heritage and Cultural Tourism, from football to tango), Gourmet and Meetings.
According Boto said, only six countries have such applications in tourism, though privately there similar developments in major cities worldwide.