Royal Mail joins the iPhone apps trend

A new iPhone application aims to make a trip to the post office hassle free, well at least less stressful.

Royal Mail Postage for iPhone and iPod touch claims to help users discover the correct postage before a post office visit and possible long wait in a queue.

Enter the weight of the item and press 'Show Me Postage' and this will give you an informed price quote says the makers.

When additional services like 'Signed For' and 'Compensation' are selected, you will get a price breakdown in the report view.

A detailed service guide is included to help you answer questions you may have otherwise asked counter staff.

Royal Mail Postage is ideally suited to anyone who regularly sells on eBay or Amazon or runs a small business insists the makers.

The application could also be a blessing for anyone forced to wait in queue behind an eBay seller down the post office.

Available from the Apple iTunes App Store Royal Mail Postage costs £1.19 for a limited time, a 30 per cent saving, and requires the iPhone 2.0 Software Update or later.

The Royal Mail is a CIO 100 ranked organisation.