Lots of drivers will be hitting the road this summer and driving across the country. The summer road-trip is a time-honored tradition, but just because Americans have been doing it for years doesn't mean that it has to be done the same way each time. Modern technology has brought a number of new conveniences to the road trip, and nowhere is this more apparent than the world of smartphone applications.
There truly does seem to be an app for everything these days, and it can be mind-boggling just trying to choose between them. Readers Digest recently singled out a few of their favorites for road tripping, and these programs could save you both time and money if you ultimately decide to use them.
Two of the choices are free applications available for all platforms - iOS, Android and Blackberry. GasBuddy's Trip Cost Calculator is a good way to save a few bucks. The application is able to pinpoint the cheapest gas station in your vicinity and direct you right to it. Trapster is another money-saving device, although it's more for speed demons - the app relays information about speed traps, cameras and other tools that officials use to catch drivers.