Since 2007
How Smartphones are Changing the Way We Travel
You may appreciate your smartphone for the way it's made taking pictures so incredibly convenient. When you travel, you no longer need to pack a camera which, if you remember the old days often meant many extra pounds being lugged around by you. But smartphones are changing the way we travel in so many other ways, too. Far from simply lightening the load we carry, they're also lightening the stress load as well. Now, with a wifi connection and your smartphone you can do just about anything on the fly. Additionally, smartphones aren't just a matter of convenience...they'are actually impacting us in real ways which end up altering our decisions and our views about travel.
Smartphone as Navigator
For instance, with map apps, there's no longer a real need to purchase and carry maps with you. Android phones come pre-loaded with the Google Maps feature, which uses your phone's GPS technology to show your position on a wonderfully detailed map. Then, you may type in directions for anything...an address, a tourist destination (type in "La Fontana di Trevi" when in Rome) or a city and get perfect directions. Tell your phone you're on foot and it will bring up step-by-step directions...literally! You may even tell your phone you'd like directions via public transportation and you'll instantly have that spelled out of you as well. It's smartphone-as-tourguide.
Smartphone as Tourguide
If you'd like to read a bit of history on the Trevi Fountain while you're gazing at its beauty, your smartphone's browser is right there in your hand. Better yet, download some travel book apps before you go to make the process quicker and easier. Using an app will usually eliminate that pesky step of searching and browsing, since it takes you directly to the information you want, within the app. Next, watch for the new crop of audio tour apps starting to appear. They're called "sightseeing apps" and let you take the tourist experience completely into your own hands.
Smartphone as Money Manager
Keep booking details and payment information somewhere you can reach them if your phone is out of charge. See our tips for travelling with a smartphone and our guide to useful travel gadgets. If a terminal offers a choice of currency, see our guide to paying in pounds or local currency abroad.
Smartphone as Valet
Finally, your smartphone is now capable of handling the most tiresome of travel details while you sit back and relax. No longer must you wait in line at many hotels for check-in. Marriott hotels have kiosks which will check you in and deliver your key, for example. Here are a few more "chores" your smartphone will do for you, just as a traveling valet might do:
- order rooms service (at some hotels)
- serve as your hotel key
- hail a cab (Uber)
- serve as your boarding pass
It's an exciting time to be traveling- thanks to the incredible genius of today's app developers and your smartphone. Don't leave home without it!
