Technology can make travelling so simpler and more enjoyable, but it can also make travel frustrating and clutter your suitcase. Find out how to make tech work for you while travelling.
Prepare ahead of time
Unless you’re going to an undeveloped country, it’s quite likely you’ll be able to pick up some basics, such as power adapters and local simcards, when you arrive. But why not try to get it out of the way while you’re still at home? It’ll cost you less than buying things at the airport, but the real savings come into effect when you can sit down and relax at your destination while unprepared travellers have to dig through their phrasebooks to find out where they can buy a travel adapter.
Travel adapters and chargers
While we’re on the topic, if you’ve got a few devices that you travel with (smartphone, camera, tablet) you may be able to just bring one wall charger with you, along with the USB cords for each device. PCCaseGear.com has a four USB port wall charger which could save some space in your suitcase.
You might also want to invest in an international travel adapter. This one from SKROSS even has two USB ports built in.
Portable battery charger
Whether you want to take a few more pictures or look at some maps and figure out where you are, these little devices are ideal, and you can charge it using your smartphone or tablet.
You can charge these devices just as you would your smartphone, then when you find yourself stranded and out of battery, just plug the device into your smartphone or tablet, and it will charge as if it were plugged into a wall outlet.
The chargers come in all different shapes and sizes; generally the larger they, the more charge you will get out of them and the more expensive they will be. JB Hi-Fi has a large range of wall chargers and portable battery chargers in all different shapes and sizes.
App-ly yourself
Get on the iTunes app store or Google Play and load up your phone with travel apps before you head off. Many countries have government-funded apps to ensure tourists have a good time to keep them coming back. So why not take advantage? To get you started, here are some of the best travel apps around:
Tripadvisor – One of the most popular travel websites, that offers detailed user-reviewed information on everything from hotels to local attractions. Tripadvisor also runs SeatGuru, which can help you choose the best plane seats. Available for iPhone, iPad, Android or web.
Google Translate – Offers translations of over 90 different languages but does require an internet connection to use. Android users can download language packs to allow for offline text translation. Available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Web.
Skype – One of the hardest parts of travel can be leaving behind the people you love at home. Skype offers free voice and video calls between devices, and affordable international phone calls. Available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac and more.
