Smartphones and smarttravel

Comments on my recent blog post “Tech Skills for Older Adults” emphasized how important competent use of a smartphone is when traveling - a skill many older folks may lack. I would agree. 

Reflecting on my own recent trips (many international), I would encourage travelers of any age to master these smartphone related tech skills…

Basic operation, charging, and security features. Learning how to use a smartphone (or adjusting to a new phone) while on the road is not a good idea. One should know how to turn one’s phone on, unlock its screen, and open and close apps at a minimum. Talking, texting, and accessing other basic features such as email, calendars, and notepads should be second nature before relying on one’s phone away from home. Know what charging cords and plugins your phone needs and the type of plug the countries you are visiting require. For me, understanding security features in a phone is essential while traveling. A stolen phone that is unlocked and contains stored passwords can be catastrophic and reporting such an occurrence is more difficult when away from home without easy access to one’s provider. 

Gaining data access in other countries. While wifi is often available in hotels and restaurants around the world, I find mobile data access (directly to one’s phone) necessary when traveling. In the US, most data plans are accessible country-wide, but getting mobile access in other countries can be a bit more complicated. There are three basic ways to do this:

• Subscribe to an international plan with your regular cell phone service. I use T-Mobile and have done this with mixed success. Coverage in Western Europe worked great and was reasonably priced; coverage in SE Asia simply did not work. These plans can be expensive as well.

• Purchase a local SIM card on arrival at one’s destination. After making sure you have an unlocked phone (critical), one can replace the physical SIM (a small chip that slides into one’s phone) with one purchased in the country where it will be used, along with a specified amount of data. This method is often quite inexpensive and works well. Airports and tourist areas will have plenty of vendors of these products. Hold tight to your original SIM - you will need it again when you come home. (I have sometimes used an older phone just for international travel which is convenient for this.)

• Purchase an eSIM. This is the latest way to get access to data providers other than one’s own in the U.S. Relatively new, some new phones allow an app to be used in place of a physical SIM card and even allow multiple eSIMs to be used in the same phone. My phone does not support eSIMs so I have no experience with this mode of access, but it looks promising.

Using online maps. The primary reason I like mobile data access is so that I can use my phone’s map applications.  GoogleMaps is my personal go-to application which I use for driving, bicycling, and walking. A teacher in Tokyo also showed me how it can be used to plan travels on mass transit like subways, buses, and trains (very handy!) Another feature in GoogleMaps I like when driving is the ability to turn on the “Avoid highways” feature when taking a leisurely cross-country trip. (You can also “avoid” toll roads and ferries.)

Using language translation. I’ve translated unknown words on signs and menus for many years using simple translation apps on my phone. (Never eat what you can’t translate is one of my travel rules.) More recently, I’ve begun using real time spoken language translation services. In my experience, they are somewhat unreliable and need really good internet connectivity, but can come in handy in some circumstances. They are worth checking out.

Converting local currencies into US dollars. Hmmmm, that shirt is P1000 (1000 Philippine Pesos). Is it a deal or not? A conversion app like XE will quickly allow you to see the equivalent amount in US dollars ($18). This also works the other way. Say I want to withdraw $100 US from a cash machine, I can quickly find the approximate amount in the local currency. You too can be a millionaire in certain countries.

Tracking flights and storing boarding passes using airline apps. Checking to see when (or if) your flight is scheduled for departure is easy using an airline’s custom app. If your flight is substantially delayed, there is no sense rushing to the airport. (You can also check flight status by simply searching the flight number in Google.) Most airlines allow flyers to check in online (avoiding lines) and to download one’s boarding pass. 

Knowing time zones using the phone’s clock. While I could probably do the math in my head, knowing one’s home time while traveling around the globe is easy to do with a smartphone’s clock app. I very rarely make voice calls while traveling, but when I do, I try not to call in the middle of the night. Oh, use the phone’s alarm clock feature instead of dragging along a separate alarm clock or relying on wakeup calls from the hotel desk.

Using voice calling and texting apps. Skype and GoogleVoice use data to help you make voice calls internationally, either for free or at a low cost. As I said, I don’t use voice calling when traveling internationally very often. Texting can be quite expensive using your cell phone company’s international plan, so think about using Facebook Messenger to send messages. Whatsapp is very popular in many parts of the world to message others. I’ve only used it a couple times with guides who insisted it was their platform of choice.

Saving travel information in email folders. You don’t hear “Sir, I don’t seem to have a reservation in your name for tonight.” when you can provide a confirmation number that is stored on your smartphone. To be able to easily locate those car rental, restaurant reservations, or tour booking numbers, know how to create email folders in which to place the confirmation email - labeled with the name of the trip. 

While your iPhone, Pixel, or Samsung device can certainly be complicated and at times frustrating, it can also be a terrific travel aid when used effectively. 

But remember, practice before you go!