New "Smart Traveler" iPhone App by The U.S. Department of State

The United States Department of State has launched a new iPhone app called "Smart Traveler".  Following is the description of the app on the iTunes app store:  


"Smart Traveler, the official State Department app for U.S. travelers, invites you to see the world with easy access to frequently updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more.  With Smart Traveler, you can create personal itineraries, add notes, and organize your trips.  Smart Traveler also provides access to the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).  Free STEP enrollment enables the State Department to better assist you in emergencies such as natural disasters, unrest in foreign countries, or lost/stolen passports overseas.  During your travels, STEP can help your family and friends reach you in an emergency.  Smart Traveler also provides quick access to the Department's Consular Affairs Facebook and Twitter pages.  And for a bit of fun, you can shake your iPhone to information on a random country!"

You can learn more and download the app here.  This new app will not only be helpful to individual travelers but could be a very beneficial and helpful tool to study/education abroad administrators in dealing with a crisis abroad.

International Studies Abroad (ISA) Launches Study Abroad Mobile Application for iPhone

International Studies Abroad (ISA) has launched an iPhone application and wanted to help spread the news via IHEC Blog and related outlets as I think it's a great idea!!  Kudos to ISA for taking this leap and I imagine that others will follow.  You can link to the press release here and watch a short video about it below:

Finally, An App For Study Abroad from ISA Abroad on Vimeo.

What Would Make a Great Smartphone App for Study Abroad?

I was thinking the other day about smart phone applications and the international educational experience.  Specifically, I wonder what features would be essential for a "study abroad" smart phone app?  There are certainly enough individual apps (most free) that make travel, living and studying easier.  What, in your opinion, would make a great study abroad app?


Some time ago, Abroad 101 put together a Top 10 iPhone Apps for the Student Abroad list and Study Abroad Blog - GIC Argentina put together a 15 iPad Apps for the Study Abroad Student list Additionally, the internationalstudent.com blog is available as an iPhone app and that is how I access this blog (get it here).


Photo credit:  http://davidcomp.wordpress.com/