Hot App Alert...Hotel Tonight!

So...a couple of months ago, a good friend of mine called and told me he had just landed at Newark Airport. It was about 9 o'clock in the morning, and he couldn't check into his hotel until noon. When I asked him which hotel he needed me to take him to, he replied "I don't know yet." Huh? I was confused and needed answers. He then told me about a great smartphone app, Hotel Tonight. Here's how it works...

Hotel Tonight is an app that provides last-minute deals on unsold hotel rooms at high-rated hotels...at up to 70% off! So, if you decided to take a last minute trip somewhere, you can use the Hotel Tonight app to find a hotel in that city at the last minute for a pretty sweet price. Now I know you may be thinking "what kind of hotel...a raggedy one?" I thought the same thing until I checked out the app. For example, at the present time Hotel Tonight has deals in New York City at the following hotels: the Paramount Hotel Times Square ($189), the Algonquin Hotel ($209), and the Casablanca Hotel ($219), each of which are top-rated establishments. Not too shabby, huh? You can see deals like this in cites across the country and abroad. But there is a catch...

Hotel Tonight requires that you wait until noon to see the deals in the city in which you are looking for a hotel, hence the reason my friend had to wait until noon to see where he was staying. The other catch is that you cannot guarantee a particular type of room, so you may have to settle for a Queen size room instead of a King. In any event, Hotel Tonight is a great app for frequent and last-minute travelers, including the business traveler. And if you've ever been stuck in an unfamiliar city due to a cancelled flight, Hotel Tonight can prove to be extremely valuable.

I haven't had a chance to use the app for myself, but I know quite a few folks who think that Hotel Tonight is a lifesaver...and it is my pleasure to share this hot app with you! For more information on Hotel Tonight, check out their website. 

Have any of you heard of the Hotel Tonight app? If so, how do you like it? Has it been as useful as I think it is? Let us know!

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About CardMunch...by LinkedIn!

Picture it...you're at a networking event or a conference (or some other place where business cards are being exchanged). You have had a series of scintillating conversations with potential clients and/or business acquaintances. You manage to score several business cards, and you vow to follow up with these individuals for various reasons in the near future. A week has passed, and you remember that you need to reach out to these individuals, but you are foggy as to why you initially wanted to keep in touch. You may have even lost some business cards over the past week. Does this story sound familiar to any of you?

I can't tell you how many times I have been at a networking event or a conference, and have forgotten the reasons I requested an individual's business card. I have also lost plenty of them along the way, which is clearly unfortunate and careless on my part. But like many other obstacles that face business professionals across the globe, there is an app that I believe will alleviate business card regrets. 

How many of you have heard of CardMunch? A few months ago, I briefly discussed the CardMunch app on the Chronicles, but I was not able to try it out because I did not own an iPhone (CardMunch is not currently available for Androids). It just so happens that I recently received an iPhone through my company, and I was anxious to try out this app. The verdict: it is one the most fabulous and useful smart phone apps on the entire planet! Let me tell you why...

CardMunch is an free app from LinkedIn. CardMunch allows you to take a picture of a business card, upload it, and send it to the fine folks over at the CardMunch factory to transcribe the information from the card. Several minutes later, your contact's information appears in your CardMunch contact list. Done and done!

In addition to eliminating a plethora of business card regret, CardMunch also has additional features that have proven to be ridiculously convenient. For example, once you have taken a picture of the business card, you have the option of inputting notes to accompany the card. This is especially helpful if you are the type of professional who writes down reminders about a contact on the back of his or her card when you receive it. CardMunch also allows you to instantly invite a contact to connect with you on LinkedIn (if the individual is not already a connection). You also have the option of storing your new contacts on the CardMunch contact list, or you could store the new contact on your iPhone contact list. This is certainly a great option if you are the type that has a separate folder for business contacts on your iPhone. CardMunch also indexes all of your contacts, and allows you to fully search by your contact's name, address, or by any notes you have entered for that contact. And for those of you worrying about losing your CardMunch contacts in the event of a smart phone meltdown, don't! CardMunch backs up and syncs your contacts to your web account.

All in all, this app is a complete winner! It is easy to use, and it only takes a few seconds to take a picture of a business card, enter notes (if you like), and send it over for transcribing. I am quite confident that using this app will help you be a more efficient networker, and may help you with business development and maintenance. Since I have stumbled upon CardMunch, I have pushed it on several of my colleagues as a networking solution, and now I am pushing it on you all...in the interest of sharing of course!

One more thing...as with all other products, services, and apps that I discuss on the Chronicles, I have not been solicited or paid by CardMunch or LinkedIn to review or promote this app. I simply think it is a great idea and a great tool for business professionals. I am also a little ticked off that I didn't think of it first. Try it out and let me know what you think!

And, if anyone associated with CardMunch or LinkedIn happens to stumble upon this post, please (I beg you) hurry up and come up with an app for Androids! Thanks in advance!

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Hot App Alert!!

Good Evening Divas! I hope that your week has gotten off to a great start. Tonight, I want to share with you the fabulous new app I found for my iPad. As I mentioned last week, I recently purchased the Whole Living Smoothies App by Martha Stewart….and I LOVE it! I love it so much that I have had a different smoothie for breakfast for the past 2 weeks. The recipes are fun and easy, and they taste really good! Now, I’ve noticed that many of you Divas have been avidly working towards achieving better health and fitness…this app is perfect for you!

The app costs $1.99, and can be purchased on the iTunes App Store. For that price, you receive 12 Essential Smoothie Recipes, 12 Meal-In-A-Glass Smoothie Recipes, and 12 Allergen Free Smoothie Recipes. In addition to these recipes, you also have access to How-To videos, a food glossary detailing the health benefits of a host of smoothie ingredients, and nutritional information for each smoothie. The app also gives tips on buying organic and detoxing. You can even send a smoothie recipe to a friend via email or share it on Facebook.  And, for an additional $0.99 a piece, you can purchase 12 Weight Loss Smoothie Recipes and 12 Detox Smoothie Recipes. Do I sound like an infomercial?

The truth is, I really love this app, and I would be remiss if I did not share it with my fellow Divas. If you decide to check out this app, please let me know how you like it. Enjoy!

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Download The New Martini Chronicles App For Android Phones!!!

Divas! Get in here quick! The Martini Chronicles now has a downloadable app for Android Phones. So...if you have an Android Phone, and you love the Chronicles, get you app here!---> MARTINI CHRONICLES APP. 

I'm so excited about this, so get your app today!

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