Having recently returned from a vacation, I've got travel tips on the brain. Although you certainly don't need technology to make the most of your travels, the right apps and gadgets can help everything go smoothly. Here are some of my favorites:
Bring a battery pack with you: An extra source of power can be indispensable on long flights or road trips, and these days you can get large battery packs for little cash. I've been using this battery pack from Charmast, which can charge a phone upwards of five times and has ports for USB-A, USB-C, MicroUSB, and Apple Lightning. It also came with a mesh case and a few power adapters. It's normally $50, but I grabbed it around Black Friday last year for $35. Amazon's upcoming Prime Day on July 16 might be a good time to get similar battery pack deals.
Use Tripit, Google Calendar, or Google Assistant to keep your plans handy: How much time have you wasted digging through email just to remind yourself when your flight's taking off? Tripit and Google Calendar can make that information more easily accessible. Sign up for the former, and it can pull out flight times from your email and add them to your calendar. (You can also add plans manually by forwarding confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com.) If you use Google Calendar, it can also grab flight details and other event plans from Gmail. This may be enabled automatically, but you can find the option under "Events from Gmail" in your calendar settings.
Gmail users can also ask Google Assistant for details about flights, hotels, and other travel bookings. Just use the Google Assistant app or a Google Home speaker and say "When's my next flight?" or "What are my hotel details?"
Plot your rest stop strategy: Pop quiz: You're coming up on an exit that advertises a Wendy's, a Taco Bell, and a Dunkin Donuts. But you're also approaching In-N-Out Burger territory, and if you press on a little further, maybe you'll strike gold. What do you do? The correct answer is to download iExit, which lists all the upcoming restaurants, hotels, lodging options, and gas stations (with prices) along U.S. interstates. No more rest station roulette for you.
If you're feeling more adventurous, check out TVFoodMaps, which lists all the restaurants that have appeared on shows like Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. (It's not a bad idea to cross-reference with Yelp or TripAdvisor, just to make sure TV fame hasn't let the food go downhill.)
Prepare to be offline: Whether your traveling domestically or abroad, you should be ready for a lack of internet access.
With Google Maps, you can download area maps ahead of time and get turn-by-turn directions when you're offline. (Instructions here.) Google Translate can store languages for offline use as well. (Instructions here.)
Don't neglect entertainment, either. For video, both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video allow you to store videos for offline playback through their mobile apps. Just look for the download button next to the video you want to save. (One word of caution: These downloads have time limits, so if you've downloaded videos for a previous trip, you'll need to do it again before your next one.)
You can also download music for offline use if you subscribe to Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music, Pandora, Amazon Prime, or Amazon Music Unlimited. For games on your smartphone or tablet, I'd suggest launching them in Airplane Mode before you leave to make sure they don't require an internet connection.
Take some TV and tunes: Speaking of entertainment, a Bluetooth speaker and small streaming TV device can help you relax during downtime. Wirecutter has some great speaker recommendations across a wide range of prices.
For streaming video on a television, Chromecast will be the simplest option since you control it with your phone instead of a separate remote, but it doesn't support logging into hotel Wi-Fi or other networks that use a "captive portal." If you don't mind packing a remote, Amazon's Fire TV Stick or Roku's Streaming Stick are better options.
Use your phone as a hotspot: Depending on your data plan, you may be able to turn your phone into a mobile hotspot and supply Wi-Fi to other nearby devices. This can save you lots of money on hotel Wi-Fi charges, and chances are you'll have a faster connection to boot. On iPhone, you'll find Personal Hotspot under Settings > Cellular. On Android, you'll find Hotspot and Tethering in the Networking and Internet section.
Split the bill: To take the hassle out of paying for group vacations, check out Splitwise. The free app lets multiple people enter their expenses, then figures out the best way for everyone to settle up.
Did I miss anything? Got questions? I'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback.
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