HOW TECH CAN EASE YOUR SUMMER TRAVEL

Travelling abroad with a smartphone: When travelling overseas, the idea of a digital detox sounds romantic, but a smartphone is handy for reading maps or finding places to eat nearby. There are several options for taking your mobile phone abroad. One of the options is to unlock the phone and use a foreign SIM card. There is only one downside to this option; it requires some research because rates for international carriers differ greatly. If you travel to multiple countries, you may need to buy several SIM cards. Battery life is crucial while you are out with your smartphone for many hours. To give your device extra juice, carry an external battery pack which has enough power to charge a smartphone for about a week. Booking the right flight and hotel: Don’t ruin your vacation with a mediocre hotel or with the feeling that you overpaid for a flight. Booking the best flight and hotel requires a number of applications and some research. There are many travel-deal apps on the market which list the options according to people’s special preferences. A smoother road trip: When on the road, your top priority is driving safely. Your second priority is finding the most efficient route to your destination. Your third priority is probably keeping yourself from going crazy by listening to your favourite songs and podcasts. For music, you can pack a standard audio jack that connects a smartphone to your stereo system. You can also use a Bluetooth kit which plugs into your stereo and includes a receiver that pulls audio wirelessly from your smartphone.