Innovative Ways You Can Use Your Smartphone for Travel
There are always new uses for your smartphone being developed. One small device can now do hundreds of things, whether you use it for business, pleasure or both. Travel is one of the areas where your smartphone is becoming more and more useful. Both app developers and the travel industry are catching onto how travelers want to use technology. Hotels are becoming more high-tech, and new apps are helping people explore the world in different ways. If you love to travel, here are some of the latest and best ways your phone can enhance the experience.
Prepare for Your Trip
Before you go away, it's easy to get started with your next adventure using your phone. There are lots of apps to help you arrange everything, from choosing a destination to finding the best deals on flights and hotels. You can check the weather before you go, use an app to create a checklist and pack everything and create an itinerary for your travels. Try using PackPoint to work out what you should take with you, and TripIt to create a schedule using your booking confirmation. And, of course, there are destination guides from guidebook makers such as Lonely Planet.
Flight and Hotel Check-in and Information
Arriving at an airport to go through the hassle of checking in, security and passport control isn't fun. And when your journey is over, you have to go through the rigamarole of checking into your hotel too. But your phone can make this much easier. Download your airline's app and you can check in and download your boarding pass without having to visit a desk. Then just drop off your luggage when you arrive or, even better, go straight through to security with only a carry-on. Once you arrive at your destination, hotel groups like Hilton have handy apps for checking in, receiving information about the hotel and even using your phone as a room key.
Find Local Restaurants
One of the best things about traveling is the food. But if you look for restaurant recommendations from guidebooks, you can end up falling into tourist traps. However, wandering around and taking a gamble on the first place you come across can be risky. To solve the problem, use apps like Urbanspoon or Foodspotting to discover restaurants recommended by both locals and travelers. You can then track them down quickly using the map features either in the app or elsewhere on your phone.
Stay Organized on the Road
If you're a traveler who likes to plan ahead and stay organized as you go, there are lots of tools you can use. Social butterflies might prefer to travel with a dual sim phone. They can have one sim for contacts from home and one for people they meet while they're exploring. Depending on your phone, you might be able to have a local sim to make phone calls and texts cheaper.
Budget-conscious travelers will enjoy apps such as XE Currency for conversions and Trail Wallet to track expenses.
Smartphones are excellent tools for taking on your travels, especially when you have no room for a laptop or tablet. Make the most of your phone by using the best apps and features.
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