Favorite travel tech of 2018
Sometimes I wonder how people ever traveled before we had mobile phones, especially smart ones. Paper maps, boarding passes, customs forms … sounds like a lot to keep straight.
Thankfully its 2018 and we have phones that can hold all of that AND provide apps to make travel easier and more enjoyable.
To that end, here are 7 pieces of tech that I used and loved in 2018.
Having the ability to create custom maps just for a single trip is amazing. Its super helpful during the planning stage, as well as when I’m on location.
I can group and categorize locations in any way that suits that particular trip. You can add color coding and custom icons to further provide context to an individual pin on the map. You can also configure it to have driving directions between multiple pins on the map.
I typically organize by accommodations, food, coffee, sightseeing and photography. I also add everything I might possibly want to do or checkout. I love this because it gives me options, in the morning before heading out for the day, and at any moment, if we feel like grabbing a quick coffee, or don’t know what there is to see or do in the neighborhood we happen to currently be in.
Here’s the custom map I put together for my recent trip to Copenhagen:
This one is absolutely essential, and by far the most used app when I travel. It’s basically Google maps, offline. And before you say anything, yes, Google maps does have an “offline” mode, but its so unbelievably limited its not even worth it. The offline piece is critical for me, since I usually just rely on wifi when I travel internationally. Being able to navigate new cities without the need for cell service is a game changer.
This app allows you to download maps of any country or region directly to your phone. Once a map is local to your phone, it provides search functionality, so you can search for anything from coffee to the name of the restaurant you’re looking for.
On top of that, it also provides turn-by-turn directions for driving, public transportation, and walking. You can orient the map to the way you’re facing making orientation easy. It also links up with the Apple Watch to alert you when its time to make a turn.
But the feature that I love the most, and ties in completely with my first tech item, is that you can import your custom Google My Maps right into the app, thus having your entire pre-planned map at your finger tips, offline!
After schlepping my D300 and associated gear across Iceland in 2017, I was feeling conflicted about how I wanted to travel. At my core, I’m a minimalist traveler, preferring to use no more than my Cotopaxi Allpa 35L, but I’m also a creative and love taking photos and videos.
So for our trip to the Azores, I decided to see how I felt about an iPhone only travel experience. Turned out I love it! The freedom I found with not having at that bulk with me far outweighed the loss of photographic flexibility, and I’ve never looked back.
I did however miss my DSLR lenses, but, enter Moment. I spent a great deal of time researching the idea of iPhone only photography, and came across their gear, and its been a game changer.
I purchased their 18mm wide ($99) and 60mm tele ($99) lenses, and love having the best of both worlds now. These lenses are no joke, using serious glass and a strong build quality. I’m now light, agile and not burdened by the bulk of all my old DSLR gear, and am still able to capture stunning images.
They also have an app that provides a robust set of settings, whether shooting video or stills, including the ability to shoot RAW which keeps things on par with the D300. Without a doubt my favorite new tech of 2018.
Here’s a sample from our recent trip to Thailand:
To be honest, when Christine first showed me this platform, I wasn’t super high on it. I really didn’t see the value in what it was offering. But having now used it on the last few trips, I’ve really come around to it.
Its essentially a planning tool, but can be handy while on the road as well. When you book or reserve anything, you simply forward the confirmation email to the TripIt service and it automatically adds the item to your trip, at the right point in chronological order.
You can create multiple trips, have multiple travelers attached the trips, allowing your travel companions to add newly booked items.
As you plan, its super helpful checking current status on bookings and dates, and when on the road its handy having all that info, from contact details to check in/out times, all in one place.
Plus you can share all this with friends and family, keeping everyone informed on your upcoming trips and whereabouts.
This was a recent addition to the list, as I first used it on our way back from Thailand. While Christine has Global Entry, I do not, so this seemed like a good alternative to try.
The app was created by USCBP (Customs & Border Patrol) and helps streamline reentry into the US when traveling internationally. When you arrive back into the US, before you reach Customs area, you fill out the standard forms from within the app, which generates a QR code. This allows you to bypass the long lines of people using the digital terminals to fill out the same forms. When you reach the Customs agent, they simply scan the QR code, stamp your passport and you’re done. Brilliant!
But be aware, this has not rolled out to all US international ports of entry yet, so check the app before you attempt to use this.
I’ve found myself using this app more and more over the last year. Its essentially a “micro-saver” app. And by that I mean, it helps you save money, using micro-transactions over time.
You create a goal, like “Bali in March,” tell the app how much you’d like to save to reach that goal, say $500, and when you’d like that goal to be completed, say March 1st. The app then calculates how much you’d need to put away each day in order to reach that goal. Then it analyzes your spending habits over time and determines the right amount to save each day. Some days it might only be $0.32, the next it might save $3.75. You can have multiple goals running at one time, and it will calculate the “savable” amount for the day, and spread that across all your goals, determining which goal might need more and which might need less that day. There is also the option to cap the maximum savable amount per day on each goal.
Once the goal is created, you don’t need to do anything, essentially a “set it and forget it” system of saving. When the goal is reach, Digit stops saving for that goal. You can interact with the app via text message as well, getting goal updates, upping the amount to save and other commands, but in a very conversational way.
I’ve found this app to be very helpful, given that set it and forget it, concept. Its great for saving up for your in country spending for your upcoming trips.
Of note, Digit is free for the first 30 days, and after that it costs $2.99 per month. That might sound like a lot, but the ease of use and forgotten money saving method has made it worth it for me in 2018.
I’ll say right off the top, this is not for everyone since you need to already be a member of Priority Pass for this app to be useful. That said, I get PP membership with my Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
The app is helpful for seeing what airport lounges you have access to at any given airport. It also provides hours of operation, directions to each lounge and info on what types of amenities you can expect at each lounge. Users can also upload images of the lounges for other users to see.
However the best part of the app is the ability to add your PP membership details, allowing you to use the app to gain entry into the lounges without needing to reach for your membership card. I used this app on every trip I took in 2018.