Hummba named one of the top startups in Africa by Forbes Africa magazine

South African mobile audio travel guide company, Hummba, has been named as one of the Top 20 startups in Africa in the February issue of Forbes Africa magazine. Some of the already well-established companies featured on the list include instant messaging service, MXit, which claimed the top spot, and website building and hosting service, Yola.

Founder and CEO of the Cape Town operation, Mark Allewell says, “We’re thrilled that Hummba has featured on the list. This shows that there is a growing market for mobile travel applications in Africa and we hope to become a large part of that.”
He adds, “Forbes is most well known for its ‘rich lists’, but they also cover a wide range of business- and technology-related topics, and we’re glad to have received some recognition for our efforts.”

Hummba came in at number 18 on the list, and is one of nine South African companies to feature. It is also one of only six companies in the top 20 that was founded in 2011.

Hummba uses mobile phone GPS technology to provide intelligent audio guides that speak to its users. Guides to hundreds of well-known tourist destinations all over the world are featured, and while the Hummba application is still in development, working versions are currently available for Android and the iPhone.

For more information about Hummba, visit http://www.hummba.com. View the rest of the Top 20 startups in Africa here.

Travel blogs worth watching in 2012

There are so many different travel blogs out there that often just figuring out where to start can be a frustrating task, but Hummba’s here to help. We’ve put together a handy list of some of our favourite travel blogs to point you in the right direction.

No list of travel guides worth their salt would be complete without first mentioning Gadling. The blog, which is part of the US-based Huffington Post, is one of the most well-known travel sites on the internet. Gadling features posts about adventure travel, budget travel, and even travel technology. It’s one of the most visited travel websites in the world and certainly delivers as promised.

Johnny Vagabond is definitely another blog worth keeping bookmarked. Written by Wes Nations, the blog features unusual stories from his travels, as well as stunning photographs he’s taken all over the world. Johnny Vagabond highlights “low and slow” travel and is aimed at people looking to leave their comfort zone and experience new things.

Wandering Earl has been on the road for more than 12 years. Derek Earl Baron left the United States for a three-month trip to Southeast Asia in 1999 and hasn’t looked back since. Earl says the very thought of going back home makes him sick to his stomach and he revels in the freedom associated with putting all your possessions into a backpack and simply hitting the road.

BootsnAll serves as pretty much a one-stop-shop for all things travel. The blog covers a wide range of travel destinations and topics and the BootsnAll site itself is great for travel guides and also helping to figure out your accommodation before you arrive at your destination.

Travel Rants is a popular British blog that focuses on consumer issues faced by travellers. Anything from how to deal with airport strikes to the best ways to deal with bad service at a hotel. Travel Rants is the blog to follow if you want to know how to effectively deal with even the most challenging travel situations.

Last but not least, Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site is one of the best places to go if you’re looking for useful travel advice. Find out how much a holiday to Thailand will cost you, as well as a breakdown of Matt’s favourite places to stay.

There are so many travel blogs out there, but hopefully Hummba’s list of some of our favourites will at least get you off the starting blocks. Remember to visit hummba.com as well to download free audio travel guides for hundreds of popular tourist destinations, right onto your phone. Hummba’s intelligent audio guides will give you all the information you need, when you need it most.

Happy travels!

Have mobile audio guides revolutionised the way we travel?

Travelling can be a nerve-wracking experience and because of this, people often turn to their friends and family for travel advice. What airline did you use? Which hotel should I stay at? How much spending money do you think I’ll need? We’re constantly looking for ways to make travel easier, cheaper, and more worthwhile.

Modern technology has most certainly stepped up to the plate in this regard. Most travellers will spend at least a little bit of time online nowadays to organise some aspects of their holiday. This could be something as simple as checking your flight times before you arrive at the airport, or looking at reviews of restaurants near your holiday accommodation. WikiTravel and Google Maps are just two examples of websites that have been incorporated into many travellers’ everyday lives.

Here at Hummba, we believe that the rise of the smartphone is in itself causing a travel revolution. There are quite literally thousands of applications available on iPhone, Android, and Blackberry smartphones. From audio travel guides to flight booking and maps, there’s an app available that caters for every travel need.

That’s why we’re putting so much attention into our intelligent Hummba audio guides. We’re looking to take some of the guess work out of travel and provide you with a personalised tour guide for your smartphone. The Hummba app is available on the Android and iPhone, and features hundreds of tourist destinations from all over the world.

Find out more about the famous museums of Paris as you walk along the banks of the River Seine, or figure out your evening plans in New York City with a guide to the famous bars and clubs of the Big Apple. Hummba’s mobile audio guides use smartphone GPS technology to give you information relevant to your location, wherever you are in the world. The app also features offline maps, which means you’ll be able to figure out where you’d like to go next without the added expense of being constantly online.

We agree that one can very easily arrive at a destination without a plan and still have an incredible time; many people actually prefer this type of travel. But a little time and effort put into organising a holiday can often be the difference between a stressful two weeks away and the trip of a lifetime. Hummba’s mobile audio guides let you organise your holiday while you’re on the go. They’ll also point out places near your location that you might otherwise have missed.

For more information about how Hummba is changing the world of the mobile traveller, or to download some of our intelligent audio guides that speak to you, visit www.hummba.com.

Travel smarter this year! Travel mobile!

There’s a well known saying that you don’t have to work harder, but rather work smarter. Here at Hummba, we believe that the same can be said when it comes to travelling.

Travel nowadays seems to be characterised by long queues at airports, bulky guide books, lost or damaged luggage and general annoyances that tend to mimic the reasons we took time off in the first place. Luckily, modern technology has come to the rescue and seems to be addressing at least a few of these problems.

Booking a flight or double checking your hotel reservations can now be done in a fraction of the time it used to online. Adding to that, there are numerous Android and iPhone applications that can help you plan your holiday and also get the most from your experience.

There are accommodation apps, restaurant apps, and weather apps in all shapes and sizes. But while it’s all well and good to organise the logistics before you set off, many people still rely on travel guide books to figure out what to do once they have arrived. These guide books are often bulky, easily damaged and more of a burden to carry around than they are worth. There’s also nothing more that screams “tourist” than someone pulling out a guide book in the middle of a busy sidewalk.

The Hummba application, which is available on both Android and iPhone, lets you download mobile audio guides directly onto your smartphone. These audio guides will give you information about things to do and places to see as you move around. The app is location aware and uses GPS technology to provide you with information about places of interest nearby. This means that going mobile really is the smarter way to travel.

Hummba has detailed guides to hundreds of popular tourist destinations all over the world. Discover the best museums in Paris, or explore the New York nightlife with a guide to the best bars and clubs.

Browse through our audio guides and find places of interest while you’re on the go.