I had been intending to write this post since a few weeks but anyway, here it is. On my recent trip to Singapore to cover CommunicAsia, I decided to put the Godphone through a test that not many reviewers do -- is the iPhone any good without a working SIM card in a foreign country? I never thought that a smartphone could be of any use without a constant data connection and especially the iPhone, which I use primarily for surfing the Internet, downloading loads of apps and checking my e-mails. Yup, I do not use it to make calls.

But before I could get started, I had to look out for an adapter to charge the phone in Singapore, where they use a different charging pin. I had the Swiss Military global travel adapter, which disintegrates like Lego blocks to give you different pins for different regions. It is available for Rs 590 in India and can be picked up from here.

With the adapter problem solved, I installed a few apps that I thought would help me there without having to rely on a data connection.

Worldmate: I needed an app that could store my itinerary as well as my flight and accomodation details and Worldmate does exactly that. Users can forward their flight confirmation mail to Worldmate and it automatically gets added to the iPhone app or so the developers claim. That did not work in my case and I had to manually add that by logging on to their portal. I wish there was an option to create your itinerary on the iPhone itself, but there is none. Nevertheless, I did it via the portal and within minutes I had my entire plan on my iPhone. The best thing is it works offline as well and also shows live weather updates but that requires you to be connected to the Internet. The application worked like a charm throughout my stay in SIngapore. No more maintaining calendars and jotting down meeting details. I used the free version but a paid for version gives you flight schedule updates and some more features but those all required me to be connected to the Internet.

Singapore Maps: This one set me back by USD 4.99 but in hindsight, it was certainly worth it. This app does nothing but download PDF files of Singapore's city map, MRT routes, bus routes and the likes from the Singapore Tourism website. That's it! Initially I felt cheated but once I reached there and wanted to reach some place using the MRT, it saved my day. It is much more convenient than finding your way on paper maps or asking the locals. Just keep one thing in mind, download all maps you need before you leave.

FlightTrack: This one does what it says, it tracks your flights and tells you about aircraft type, any delays, departure gates and just about anything you'd like to know. You can even shake the phone to track any random flight. Yes, it requires the phone to be connected to the Internet but then most airports have free Wi-Fi. It showed my flight was 40 minutes late that let me burn some more money than I'd have liked at the Changi airport.

Paper Toss: If you cannot sleep while flying, Paper Toss is perfect for you. It is a simple game where you have to toss a paper ball into a dustbin. Of course, there is a fan blowing in different directions and speeds at every turn, which makes it challenging. If you find it addictive, it will keep you awake the entire flight or it will put you to sleep. I don't mind either.

Overall, the iPhone managed pretty well even without a SIM card. I updated my mails where ever I could hook on to a free Wi-Fi network and most of the apps did not require any Internet connection. I'd rate Worldmate as one of the best organisers around while travelling though an option to update/edit itinerary on the device would be appreciated.