travel and technology Archives - Mom's Guide To Travel

Jun 20 2016

Travel and Technology: Gadget & Apps To Improve The Journey

Travel and technology go together like peanut butter and jelly. As portable technology advances, it shapes the way in which we manage our travel experiences.

Last week while visiting the beautiful and historic Willard Intercontinental D.C., I had a chance to play with several pieces of technology that will make great additions to many of our lives.

In this Periscope video, I showcase a few of those products and demonstrate how they work:

Travel Tech brand descriptions

Please check out the brand descriptions below as well as find links to their sites for more information or purchasing. I’ve also included links to Amazon for price comparison. Hey! We all like to save a buck if we can.

ORBIT item finder

ORBIT is an anodized aluminum Bluetooth device, with an easy-to-use app that finds everyday items in seconds – like your keys, glasses, wallet. Via the free app, you can check the map for your ORBITS last known location and time. You can also find your phone with ORBIT. Press ORBIT to make your phone ring – even if it’s on silent! With ORBIT, you can take selfies. No need for a selfie stick, all you need to do is set your smartphone camera where you want it and with a click of the ORBIT button.

Retail Price: $39.95 website: http://findorbit.com

Amazon Price: $37.50

JVC HA-KD6 Tinyphones

I am always concerned about my kids damaging their hearing when they’re plugged into devices. They don’t understand the damage they can cause by listening to games and videos at 5000 dB.

Okay, I’m being facetious with that number but you get my point.

They like to listen to things really LOUD. Then when I need to call them to do something all of a sudden they can’t hear me. Yeah, no, we can’t have that.

This is why I like the JVY Tinyphones for my 8 year old in particular. They’re cute, a little sporty and have a nice cushion for his little ears. They’re designed for kids 3 and up with their wide headband and fun features.

The JVC HA-KD6 headphones are an on-the-ear design, sized for kids, featuring a volume limiter to prevent hearing damage. They’re available in four different bright color combinations and come with stickers so kids can enjoy decorating their headphones.

Amazon Price: $31.50 and free shipping.

Waka Waka Solar Power

A few hours in the sun and the award-winning WakaWaka Power+ flashlight and charger puts up to 150 hours of light and a smartphone, camera or tablet charge in the palm of your hands: no batteries or outlet necessary. The rugged, ultra-efficient Power+ is beautifully designed to help anyone on the go plug into the sun for power and light via USB ports.

Retail Price: $79.99

Price on Amazon: $79.00

Urgent.ly, the Uber of roadside assistance

The on-demand roadside assistance app that I mentioned in the video is Urgent.ly. “Urgent.ly is America’s Leading On-Demand Roadside Assistance Service. With thousands of trusted service providers nationwide, Uber-like visibility and flat-rate, pay-per-use pricing, we are the better alternative to traditional roadside assistance clubs. Download our app today for fast service.

On average, services range from $75 – $99.” Sorry, can’t get that on Amazon!

Electronics and fashionistas unite

If you don’t know already, I am a huge fan of leather bags. Especially ones that go beyond the standard form and function of looking good and carrying my stuff. Charge my phone while you’re doing all those other things and we should just get married.

I shared one such purse on the blog before. It’s a charging purse that I reviewed back in December. The only limitation is that it’s too small for anything other than holding my phone and a little bit of cash.

Enter the Knomo Elektronista to possibly fill that void.

A very first-of-its-kind concept, seamlessly incorporating technology into the constant juggle of work, leisure and travel. The Knomo Elektronista is a unique, stylish design, crafted around the technology that we use every day, and even includes a 3000mAh battery to keep devices charged on the go.

Made from soft full-grain leather with a handy detachable chain/leather shoulder strap, the Elektronista magically unzips on either side to transform into a flat, practical layout of pockets and compartments. This allows for easy access and protection of devices and belongings. There’s space for justabout everything the digital life demands – from up to a 10” tablet, smartphones, passports, USB sticks and credit cards to charging cables, headphones and much more.

Retail Price: $295

So, which of the mentions above do you think you’d like to try? What are some of your favorite gadgets or apps when you travel? Leave a comment below.

I was provided with the Orbit, JVZ Tinyphones, and Waka Waka powered charger for this post. All opinions, where expressed, are my own.

Feb 26 2016

Why Airports Around the Country Are Preparing to Go Mobile

The following post about airports going mobile appeared on The Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog.

It’s the hippest trend in airport fashion: going mobile via airport-specific apps or mobile-optimized websites.

Already, many of the United States’ larger airports—including Dallas Fort Worth International, Des Moines International, Pittsburgh International, and San Francisco International—have begun providing travelers with mobile content via native apps or mobile-optimized websites, while many other U.S. airports plan to follow suit.

Meanwhile, a survey by air transport communications company SITA found that 91 percent of airports around the world are planning to develop an app that helps passengers navigate terminals, while another 83 percent plan to use a mobile app to share real-time updates for local traffic and airport wait times.

Why all the clamor for mobile content? It turns out going mobile can benefit both the airports themselves and the travelers who pass through them. Here’s what this trend means for you.

For the Benefit of the Traveler

As travelers continue to adopt mobile technologies, they expect more from the customer experience in virtually all aspects of travel, particularly in the form of native apps and mobile-optimized websites—and this is certainly true of the airport. Around 77 percent of frequent business travelers and 67 percent of all passengers report toting along smartphones every time they fly, while 51 percent of business travelers with smartphones report using their phones to check their flight status. As more and more travelers adopt mobile technologies, the demand for personalized, up-to-date, and mobile-friendly communications will only continue to grow.

While airlines and trip planning sites have taken the lead on developing travel-specific apps and allowing travelers to book tickets, file complaints, and receive updates via mobile technologies like smartphones and tablets, airports are now starting to take notice.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, for example, has introduced more than 40 mobile apps in the past two years alone, reports USA Today. The airport (the world’s fourth busiest) has made it a priority to streamline the traveler experience by developing apps that allow users to do everything from finding out which parking garages are full to navigating the airport terminals via mobile maps, accessing or changing flight information, locating the nearest airport shops or cafés, and determining wait times for food lines within the airport.

San Francisco International Airport has adopted a similar approach to mobile communications by thinking about how mobile tech can ease the travel experience. In July of last year, the airport launched an app that makes it easier for visually impaired travelers to navigate the terminals by providing audio directions, and it plans to expand these services to a wider range of travelers.

Other mobile initiatives at airports around the world include real-time flight information (including notifications about arrivals, departures, delays, cancellations, gates, and baggage), calendar integration, destination weather forecasts, information regarding ground transportation and hotels, airline contact information, and the option to interact with and save mobile-friendly travel itineraries.

All told, the goal is to minimize the stresses of travel and make the process of navigating the airport more pleasant for all travelers (and that’s good news for anyone who’s worried about making it through security or finding their gate). So far, it seems like this approach is working: Airports that have utilized mobile-optimized websites and native apps are already seeing improvements in customer satisfaction.

For the Benefit of the Airport

Of course, the impetus for airports to go mobile isn’t purely philanthropic. Airports that utilize mobile technologies enjoy a competitive advantage over their non-mobile counterparts as they earn reputations for ease of travel. Mobile content also promises to reduce airports’ customer service costs as travelers help themselves instead of needing to be helped (Self-service check-in and bag tagging are prime examples).

Going mobile also allows airports to operate more efficiently at all levels, as employee-specific apps can empower airport workers to perform their jobs more quickly and effectively. Case in point: At Dallas Fort Worth International, developing apps for employees to use on the job has resulted in over 43,000 previously manual functions being completed electronically (yes, 43 thousand).

These apps can assist workers in performing a wide variety of tasks ranging from issuing repair tickets to inputting reports during airfield inspections, to creating work orders for problems that need to be addressed. They also make it easier for employees to communicate with each other and respond to issues—such as a broken luggage conveyor belt or a bathroom spill—in real time.

Even these airport-specific benefits can extend to travelers. If airports are operating more efficiently and issues are dealt with more promptly, that’s good news for the millions of people who pass through airports on a daily basis. All told, the increasing mobilization of airports should spell good news for the world’s travelers.

Feb 25 2016

Virtual Reality Travel Comes To Carnival Corporation

Virtual Reality Travel Carnival — Virtual Reality image of snorkeling.

Virtual reality travel will change the way people shop for vacations in the near future. Last year I “traveled” to British Columbia through an Oculus Rift experience. Oculus Rift is a system that completely emerges you into virtual worlds.

This visual tour is unlike anything that the best travel photography or videography can experience. Virtual reality transports you there.

An increasing number of travel brands are seeing the value in virtual reality and the experience that it provides potential travelers. Carnival Corporation is no different.

Carnival Embraces Virtual Reality Technology

The popular cruise company has teamed up with AT&T and Samsung to use innovative virtual reality (VR) technology to demonstrate a “virtual” cruise experience for consumers. The goal for Carnival Corp. is to reach the broader vacation market and the “new to cruise” segment with an immersive digital demo of the latest experiences available in modern cruising.

I was never a hard sell when it came to cruising but for some travelers (and you may be one of them), there’s too much uncertainty. Now with virtual cruising, potential cruisers can get an idea of what their cruise will be like.

Partnering With Technology Brands

According to a Carnival press release, the partnership uses Samsung’s innovative VR headset and exclusive VR content developed by Carnival to reach AT&T customers in 133 feature stores in 37 states with the VR cruise demo and special sweepstakes offers, including a chance to win a free cruise. The demo will also be available in 1,000+ stores nationwide.

Carnival’s intention is to use VR tech to grow demand and attract more vacationers to the “virtual” experience of cruising. For people in cold snowy locations, a tropical breeze and beach through a virtual experience will be just what the doctor ordered.

The experience in the AT&T stores allows visitors to walk up to the Gear VR demo, put on the headset and be surrounded by the sights and sounds of a warm and sunny cruise vacation. The virtual reality content is first-of-its-kind and exclusively developed by Carnival Corporation and its 10 global cruise line brands.

“Samsung Gear VR delivers an innovative way for people to transport themselves to far-away locations from around the world,” said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America. “Now, people can immerse themselves into a one-of-a-kind cruise line adventure, powered by virtual reality. We are excited to work with the premier brand in leisure travel to bring the complete cruise line experience to AT&T’s stores across the U.S.”

Virtual Reality Sweepstakes Details

Participants will be eligible to win one of 10 seven-day cruises onboard Carnival Corporation’s following cruise lines

Carnival
Fathom
Holland America
Princess Cruises
Seabourn
Aida
Costa Cruise
Cunard
Pocruises

Details on Sweepstakes for 10 Free Cruise Vacations & In-Store Discounts

As part of the ongoing promotion, consumers can enter a Carnival complementary sweepstakes via an in-store tablet or on online at www.vrcruisewlcl.com. Participants will be eligible to win one of 10 seven-day cruises onboard Carnival Corporation’s Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line brands. Contest rules are available at http://www.vrcruisewlcl.com/terms-and-conditions/.

Sweepstakes Period: The Virtual Reality Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) begins on February 19, 2016 and endsMarch 11, 2016 (the “Sweepstakes Period”). All images courtesy of Carnival Corp.

You Are Also Going To Love

Feb 22 2015

Be Invisible With Online Privacy: iPad Giveaway #privacyisnogame

How many times has your phone or computer been tracked today? Are you protecting your online privacy?

If you don’t know the answers to those questions, then take a look at last week’s blog post to learn why you should. I talk in depth about the threats we face each day when we use hotspots and free wifi, especially when we travel.

A quick Re-cap

Our data is constantly being tracked. In some cases, we may be granting criminals carte blanche to our private information. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) offer the protection that many of us don’t know we need.

Financial companies, government agencies, and corporations who want to protect sensitive information, all put their networks behind VPNs. It’s just standard procedure. Once an expensive option for the average consumer, VPNs are now extremely affordable.

And in your case, for 90-days it’s completely free!

F-Secure’s Free Trial

F-Secure is offering a FREE 90-day trial for you to test out their VPN app. Download it on itunes or Google Play and use the following code: qsf257.

As motivation, I’m hosting a giveaway. It’s the Freedome Challenge for a FREE brand new iPad Mini 16GB Wi-Fi with a FREE year of Freedome VPN to protect all your devices! Lots of “free” going on. Basically, it’s a win-win.

Think about it, downloading the VPN http://bit.ly/1uCeoku, you get to protect your data for 90 days. AND if you win, you get a free iPad mini and another year of protection…for FREE. Even if you don’t win, you have 90 days of online privacy protection. Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Experience So Far

Since downloading the app 11 days ago, over two thousand tracking attempts have been blocked. 2,196 to be exact! Whenever I try to open a harmful site, the VPN comes up and stops me. Love it! Here’s a picture of my VPN app in action:

Rules and regulations for the giveaway: Contest only open to legal U.S. residents. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Giveaway entry period begins February 22, 2015 and ends March 1, 2015 23:59 EST. One winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries received during the giveaway entry period on or after March 2, 2015. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond in order to claim prize. Failure to respond within 24 hours or if winner does not meet eligibility requirements another winner will be selected at random.

Prize: One (1) Apple iPad mini 16GB WiFi and 1 year VPN coverage from F-Secure Freedome. Prize can not be substituted for cash or altered in any way. One entry per household. Contestants will be disqualified for submitting multiple entries.

Disclosure: F-Secure has chosen me to work with them as a brand ambassador. This may be a sponsored post but I’m a fan of this product and all opinions expressed are my own.

Feb 12 2015

How To Protect Your Online Privacy When Traveling #privacyisnogame

How much do you think about your online privacy at home?

Not at all?
A little?
A lot?

What about when you travel abroad? Do you pick up a SIM card and use 3G or 4G or are you the king/queen of jumping on free hotspots?

It’s important for me to not only share ideas with you about where to go and how to travel more but also about your safety.

Our security tips article focused on your physical safety but smart travel in today’s world is also about technological safety.

The Hot Spot Queen

Every year I travel to London for one of the biggest travel trade shows to learn about new destinations, global trends, and travel tech. It’s always educational, informative, and fun but it’s also technologically challenging.

When I travel abroad I never have reliable phone service because my iPhone is locked. I use a global phone to be able to call home but if I want to get online, I’m constantly searching for a hotspot.

It’s inconvenient but it’s cheaper than paying a month of tuition to Sprint for international data service.

Is Free WiFi Really Free?

Last year, the apartment that I rented didn’t have free WiFi (as they advertised) so my few days there were spent jumping on a BTW Free WiFi network. I used it to check my social media, get on Skype and chat with the family. I loved the idea of jumping on a random hotspot, using the internet and calling home for free.

Sound familiar?

The following video exposes the truth about free WiFi. When we hop onto random hotspots, we’re placing our online privacy in jeopardy.

In the first half of the experiment, IT Security Consultant, Finn Steglich sets up a dummy hotspot in the middle of Canary Wharf’s shopping center. Funny enough, I sat in one of the cafes in that center, drinking coffee, enjoying a couple of hours of connectivity.

After watching the experiment, I question how much “free WiFi” really costs me? When I was in London, did I give a criminal carte blanche to my sensitive and private information?

Steglich mentions how users “callously connect to any free hotspot network that’s available.” (Raising hand). He shows how many people jump on his fake setup, something that data criminals practice.

We hotspot jumpers could be giving away our sensitive secrets and not know anything about it!

Be Aware Of Privacy Risks

It’s briefly crossed my mind that these hotspots and free WiFi networks could be unsafe but I never did anything about it. I used them for the convenience.

When you’re in a foreign country with a locked phone and no 3G, you’re desperate. You feel disconnected. For an online influencer that’s a problem.

However, your phone being hacked is a bigger problem. Not sure about you but my online privacy is a non-negotiable. Now that I’m aware of how I can protect my phone and the potential security risks, I’m changing my ways.

Virtual Private Networks

So what do you do?

Add a virtual private network (VPN) to your WiFi so that your phone is protected. Sounds complicated but it’s not. We used them all the time when I worked in the financial industry. They were expensive and complicated back then but not anymore.

F-Secure Freedome has a VPN app that you can put on your phone. It’s been available on iOS and Android for a year, providing the ideal protection for travelers and mobile workers. It has 4.5/5 stars on Google Play and the App Store. This is what it does:

Encripts your data
Strips out tracking
Provides connection to your home base
Blocks out harmful websites
Keeps you and your secrets safe

What I like about F-Secure Freedome is that it’s more than just a VPN. It makes my phone secure and private no matter how I connect to the web plus it lets me choose virtual locations that give me access to geo-restricted content anywhere in the world.

Free Trial Offer

If you’d like to download the app and take the VPN for a run, here’s a FREE code for a 90-day trial period: qsf257. Use it when you download in either Google Play or the App Store.

There’s also a FREE 14-day trial for Windows. OS X protection is still in the pipeline. I can’t wait until the OS X version is out. I log on to free networks from my Mac both overseas and at home as well.

Criminals are becoming more and more technologically savvy. You need to be smarter than them. Next time I travel abroad, I can worry less about my secret information being leaked.

Take it for a test run yourself . As of Sunday February 8th, 1,452 tracking attempts have been blocked on my phone.

I’m grateful to F-Secure Freedome for selecting me as an ambassador to write about this data security issue. All opinions expressed within are my own.