Whether you’re backpacking in Bali or camel trekking across the Sahara, this new Postcards app captures your image on iPhone and android smartphones, sending it to the folks back home by conventional post, yes a real, proper post card!  How cool is that?! And best of all this brand new picture postcard service is provided as a free download by eCards Media (www.ecards.co.uk/postcards). 

We all know what it’s like trying to choose the best of a bad bunch of cheesy post cards, well not anymore, no stamps or searching for a postbox either. Your personal holiday snaps are transformed into traditional picture postcards and mailed home at the touch of a button. This is already one of the Apple website’s top 30 apps in their ‘free stuff’ travel section

How does it work?

The free ‘Postcards’ download lets users take a photo or upload from their library and input text to family and friends. It costs 99p to send second class and £1.49 to send first class postcards anywhere in the world, processed via PayPal.

The worldwide postcards are sent to a printing firm in deepest, darkest Dorset via file transfer protocol (FTP) at 4pm every day. They are then run off using state-of-the-art Xerox printers and collected for dispatch by Royal Mail at 5.15pm the same day.

So whether you’re on top of a rollercoaster, celebrity spotting in restaurants or sending out pictures of your newborn baby, the Postcard app is a great way to share news with mates.

It’s a great little app and I’m deff going to try it out on my summer hols!! Will somebody send me one please?

 At a Glance

· Personalised travel checklist for all destinations worldwide

· Expert advice on compulsory and recommended vaccinations

· Emergency telephone numbers for destination country

· Ability to save all essential contact details for travel

· Currency converter

· Local information on events, weather and time difference

· Advice on correct travel insurance policies to take out

· Ability to purchase insurance policies via In-App purchase

 Want to know more? 

The Europ Assistance Group has launched TripOrganizer, a simple and practical iPhone application enabling users to prepare for their travels in the knowledge that are receiving expert advice and invaluable information on their destination and the necessary preparations to ensure their trip is a success.

The traveller, after entering their nationality, country of residence and destination, is given a personalised checklist including details of all of the compulsory and recommended vaccinations, essential official documents needed for travel (such as visas and an up-to-date passport), details of the ideal medical supplies to take along in order to deal with any incidents during the journey, and insurance to be taken out before setting off.

The app also makes it possible to locate the nearest vaccination centre on a map thanks to the application’s geolocation features, and to store travel information (such as passport numbers and hotel contact details, etc).

The TripOrganizer features a progress bar at the bottom of the screen which continuously displays the state of progress with preparations for the trip and the formalities to be completed before the departure date.

 In the event that a NetGlobers member needs to take out an insurance policy (covering emergency assistance, loss of luggage or trip cancellations for example), they can sign up for the insurance they need right away using their iPhone and credit card (In-App purchase) or via an operator using the “click-to-call” button.

It enables anyone travelling abroad to have a range of useful resources right there in their pocket including emergency telephone numbers for the destination country, a currency converter and a conversation guide. These can be accessed without a network connection to avoid roaming charges.  It also supplies all the useful information travellers need about local events during their stay, in addition to updates on weather conditions and local time in their destination country. 

Designed for the iPhone and iPod Touch it can be downloaded from the Apple Store or directly from http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trip-organizer-lite/id367809498.

The Little World Gifts store is now open for Valentine’s Day selling gorgeous high-quality 3D virtual gifts for your online sweetheart. For those of you who tweet more than you talk and spend romantic evenings discussing your favourite smartphone, these little luxury virtual objects are just perfect! I’d quite like someone to send me an Elvis.

It’s basically an iPhone (and iPod Touch) app which allows users to send each other boootiful 3D virtual gifts that they can touch and play with (ooerr). The app also features a range of free gifts, and makes use of recent additions to the iPhone OS, allowing gifts to be bought via in-app purchase. They are also delivered in real-time using push notifications.

Simply buy then using your iTunes account so no hassle having to enter credit card deets. It also integrates with Facebook, so gifts are sent using your Facebook friends list, and can be shared and displayed in a separate Facebook app.

For more information check out www.littleworldgifts.com