It's common practice to, before heading out on a business trip, sync meeting information from a computer's calendar to a BlackBerry's, and save flight and hotel details for quick and easy access. A new app aims to simplify this process, and the overall travel experience.

The BlackBerry Travel app offers push notifications, and integrates travel itineraries, profiles, and flight status updates to the BlackBerry Calendar. When a booking confirmation or itinerary arrives in a user's inbox, the app automatically updates the smartphone's calendar with the requires details, meaning that user doesn't need to manually input the data himself. Using push notifications, customers can also receive flight status updates based on the information saved in the calendar, and even identify scheduling concerns, like time conflicts.

Other tools included in the app are hotel booking information, currency converters, weather forecasts, and local searches. Travel information can also easily be shared with colleagues or family through e-mail or LinkedIn. The integration with LinkedIn goes one step further, allowing users to search for people in their network who will also be in the same city (for a trade show, for example), send messages to them, or update their status right from the app.

"We think the BlackBerry Travel app represents a great opportunity for travel industry leaders to work with RIM to deliver enhanced services and better travel experiences for their customers, and new revenue opportunities for travel providers," says Jim Tobin, Senior Vice President, Software and Services at Research in Motion (RIM).

RIM is already working with travel service, content, and technology partners, alongside WorldMate, which built the app, to provide services that work with the app. Using RIM's BlackBerry Travel partner program, customers can access the itinerary API and receive up-to-date information, and be pointed back to the provider's mobile site for additional information. Already, United and Continental have partnered with RIM and WorldMate to provide information for the app. Expedia has also partnered with the smartphone maker to provide hotel booking capabilities and information through the app. Other current partners include Hilton Worldwide and Travelport.

"When United and Continental customers are travelling, access to the best, most up-to-date information is key," says Jared Miller, Managing Director of Self-Service and Emerging Technology at United Airlines. "Integrating with BlackBerry Travel will provide customers not only that information, but the ability to quickly jump to our Websites for additional information, and access to enhanced services. We're excited to team with RIM and WorldMate to give the customers of the combined carrier a great option for managing their travel and information while on-the-go."

A desktop component of the app allows users to book flights and car rentals, as well as print and edit itineraries, from a computer.

The BlackBerry Travel app is free, and currently available as a beta download from the Test Center category on BlackBerry App World app. It will run on select BlackBerries running OS 5 or higher.

Article Tags:  travel, information, blackberry, customers, services, access, provide, calendar, updates, worldmate, booking, united, flight, status, hotel, technology, service, partners, continental, itineraries, notifications, computer, itinerary, smartphone, linkedin