ORDINARY TRAVELLERS BENEFIT FROM THE TECH SAVVY’S EXPERIENCES
(Posted 17th September 2016)
Another eye opener from Lillian, helping travelers with how to use the latest technologies to enhance their trip experience!
Tech Savvy; Best Offline Apps for Major Travel Pain Points
Once you pick your rucksack and set off on your voyage, there is a chance of finding yourself with limited or non-existing internet connection from time to time. This can be a headache, especially in this era where every last aspect of life and survival seems to rely on connectivity. Thankfully, it’s possible to access some (life saving) apps offline home and away; Lillian lists five top basics of travel and corresponding apps that you can access without internet connection.
For Currency and Accounting
Whether travelling on a string-budget or splurging on every frill of grandeur along your path; budget tracking is an important aspect for every traveler. We all need to know the current exchange rate for foreign currency, price of a bottle of mineral water, cost of dinner in the new city or even possible discounts at a gala sale. XE Currency is an effective, tried and tested app which serves all the basic purpose with the advantage of offline access. Moneywise on the other hand supports aspects such as credit cards, hence making it possible to track and keep records of different budgets.
Music and Audio
For the music lovers you have a variety of free to affordable Podcast and Podcast Catcher apps which function effectively off WIFI zones. This makes it possible to enjoy all the music you’ll need for your eight-hour haul without the fear of dying from boredom or drowning in noises from fellow travelers. Most podcast apps do more than just playing music and audio by managing personal subscriptions, sorting new episodes of subscribed or favorite categories to downloading podcasts without unnecessarily cluttering your storage space. Various versions exist in the market, each consisting of feature add ons to cover diverse procedures and needs depending on one’s preference. Pocket Casts seem to be a favorite among users, perhaps because of it’s cross-platform nature; enabling both Android and iOS users to access and effectively use it.
Maps and Directions
We all agree nothing beats Google Maps. Coupled with the fact that it comes free of charge, (don’t we all celebrate Google!), the ability to save unlimited numbers of offline maps downloaded beforehand where connection is available. Even better, in its continued dedication to evolving its products, word on the street has it that soon, we’ll also have a speed limit indicator on the maps. Now, that’s what we call a true checkmate!
Language Translators
With it’s latest version enabling offline mode for iPhone while allowing users to translate in-app, Google Translate continues to gain popularity in this category. The app comes in handy for travelers, especially because chances of having no connection and needing translation in a foreign land are quite a possibility for any wanderer. The translate app now has 103 languages, making even better for users to interact on social media platforms especially when on shared itineraries or group travel.
Another market leader is Bing Translator developed by Microsoft. It’s most impressive features include the real time inbuilt camera that aids in translating readable pictures such as signboards, menu and such. Bing Translator also has a couple of downloadable dictionaries in various languages making it even easier for adventurists to conquer language barriers. Other popular offline translators include Lonely Planet Offline Translator and Tourist language, learn & speak.
Staying Healthy
Wellness and good health are perhaps key measures of a successful trip; no one wants to bring home more than just ‘new perspectives’ from their journey. From the hotel stay to the bush and beach explore, every traveler plans for an incident-free experience. While common sense and discretion are perfect basics for rolling out your stay well plan, the knowledge that you can access professional help even in the most remote of destinations is self-assuring. Prepare a short list of the different areas that you’ll need to cover, ranging from but not limited to hygiene, first aid, fitness and dietetics. Being an international body, Red Cross first aid app will definitely come in handy for any emergencies. Nike+Training Club also comes is great for fitness guide and training with it’s 30-45 minute workout guide while Allergy FT helps travelers keep track of any suspicious morsels on their plate.
