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Spring break: 5 apps to help you plan the perfect getaway

After months of winter doldrums and cabin fever, spring is finally beginning to make her first appearances. If you're ready to get out and explore, here is a collection of our favorite apps to plan a spring getaway.

After months of short, dreary days, spring is finally near. If you have a case of the winter doldrums, spring is the perfect time to get out and about. From enjoying the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. to one of the many spring festivals across the country, there is no better time to explore! If you’re ready to hit the road, here are a few of our favorite apps to help you plan the perfect spring getaway.

Zipcar is one of the largest car-sharing apps in the U.S., with locations in most major cities. If you’re looking to get away for a day, or a weekend, Zipcar is a great option that allows you to travel without the worry of putting miles on your car. Each trip is insured and gas is covered. Be warned, however, if you’re going a long distance, you may want to choose another option as Zipcar has daily mileage limits.

Once you have made it to your destination, or any road stops along the way, Walc can help you navigate your new terrain. Walc provides detailed instructions using local landmarks, so it is simple to know exactly what is along your way. It’s also a nice way to find some under-the-radar gems in your new locale. Since Walc is made for foot travel, you’ll see need another map app for any driving.

Hotel Tonight is a great app for last-minute travel. The app allows you to search for discounted rooms in most major cities within seven days of your trip. It’s a great option for those last-minute getaways or if you’re willing to score a pretty big discount by waiting until the last minute to book your accommodations. If you’re traveling to a location for a big event, or are just uneasy about booking so close to your travel dates, you may want to check out one of these alternatives to make sure you have your room locked in.

Looking to snag a reservation at one of the hottest restaurants in town, but failed to book months ago? Well, Resy may have you covered. With Resy you can quickly book tables for some of the most talked-about restaurants in more than 80 major cities. While there is no shortage of amazing restaurants on Resy, you may have to pay a reservation fee to book some of the most coveted restaurants in your new locale.

For those of us who hate typical tourist experiences, Cool Cousin is the perfect sidekick. With Cool Cousin, you can scroll through different locals to find one whose interests match yours and then find their favorite spots. You can also send messages directly to members to ask for updates and advice. For best results, we recommend looking for patterns among several users in your chosen city.

Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.

The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.

Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.

Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.

Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.

The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.