New Format Coming Soon.
I have decided to take a new approach to this whole blogging thing. I am going to try out “Did you know” with different topics of products and programs that relate to technology. Quite a bit of it might be old information to some of you, but for some it might help tackle problems or make life easier through technology.
The format will be as such. This is an example of what I will be posting and adding to different categories. Ranging from DVRs and home audio to apps and programs.
Did you know: The benefits of buying and bringing a smart phone with you internationally may be as important as packing a comfortable pair of shoes?
Common problem: People that travel a lot usually like to travel light. Sometimes they are the type of people who like to keep things simple like using a cell phone to only make phone calls. I know the word ignorant is taboo, but they are ignorant to how helpful a smart phone can be and that making calls may be the last thing they would be using it for.
How the smart phone solves it: Well, if you like to travel a lot you could potentially ditch a paper map, a guidebook, a music player, a camera, a phrasebook, itinerary paperwork, and possibly a laptop.
You could also call up your carrier and let them know you will be traveling internationally and activate your ability to use it as a phone, but Wifi access is spreading around the world. If you need to check your email or look up something off the net it is a much easier proposition to find internet connection than it used to be. There is usually a cafe or at least a visitor’s center that has internet access that you can pay for or use for free if you need to connect, but most of what I am going to write here makes the phone a standalone problem solver.
I feel that one of the most helpful things is having a map on a phone as opposed to a paper map that makes me look like a targeted tourist. Thank Google for finally allowing you to download their maps instead of always having to rely on an active internet connection.
There are helpful apps that can give you exchange rates, keep track of your itinerary (flight numbers to frequent flier numbers) and even translators. The translator app Talk to Me is the thing I personally want to try out the most. It translates in both type as well as speech and allows you to flip both ways. Have someone speak into your phone and it will translate it to English.
Now I don’t recommend that you ditch your flight/hotel paperwork, but you could leave your multiple club cards at home. If you know your member number you usually don’t have to carry them around. A piece of paper isn’t going to slow you down and if you do lose your phone you will be happy those pieces of paper are tucked away in your luggage. The point is that you won’t have to dig through your luggage to find that information if you have it on your phone.
Then you can download or transfer books and music to your phone. Ditch the guidebook and the stand alone music player and just keep it together in your phone. It may be a little cumbersome to have to scroll, zoom and pan, but it is entirely doable and not as inconvenient as you might think once you get accustomed to it.
If you aren’t a camera pro you could also use the phone to take pictures and ditch the camera as well. I wouldn’t do it because I like taking pictures and hide my camera away in a Lowepro sling, but if I didn’t want to be hunkered down with that extra bag and weight I could go light with a cellphone as my camera. I could also take video and all of it can be uploaded through wifi so if I lost the phone or got it stolen those videos and photos would already be backed up online.
These are just a few examples of what a smart phone can help you with to become a more efficient and fast-moving world traveler. If you knew all of that and still wanted to go old school that is fine, but I just thought if you didn’t know then you might want to ditch your dumb phone and go shopping for a smart one before your next big trip.
