When someone asks me which travel apps I use the most, my answer usually depends on who I’m talking to and what kind of traveler they are.

A hardcore, frugal backpacker and a luxury vacationer often have very different ideas on what travel means to them and as such, will often use apps that cater to their own unique needs.

Of course, there are certain apps that everyone can use, regardless of how much money you have in your bank account or how far off the map you’re willing to travel.

As such, these are our basic, go-to apps that we recommend to almost every type of traveler.

Our Bare Essentials Travel Apps

For starters, apps like Google Translate (iTunes, Android) and XE Currency (iTunes, Android) are pretty universal.

No matter who you are, everyone needs to know a few words in the local language and how much the local peso or rupee is going for. Google Translate also has the ability to let you point your smartphone’s camera at a foreign sign or even a menu and translate it on the fly. If you’ve never tried it, you’ll swear it’s magic.

These days Apple uses its own maps however there was a time when Google Maps was the perennial favorite. It’s still our default go to map simply because it integrates so well with local web searches and these days, it lets you download maps for offline use if you don’t have a data plan or are planning to be away away from WiFi. If you don’t already have it, then you can grab it on iTunes or on Google Play.

Another one of our most used travel apps, at least while we’re in Canada or the USA, is GasBuddy. It’s the best for long roadtrips where you’re not sure how far it is to the next town and whether or not it even has a gas station. As well, with gas prices sometimes fluctuating 10 cents a liter within a few kilometers, knowing what the prices are ahead of time and driving that extra mile can often save you enough for a nice latte or a quick sandwich. Get it at the App Store or via Google Play.

Micki has done a lot of hiking in her life, and that may be why she refuses to travel without either a physical or digital compass. She used the native iPhone compass before she made the switch to Android, but now she uses Compass 360 Pro Free on her Samsung phone. Get it on iTunes or through Google Play.

A good alarm clock app is a necessity. We rely on the native clock for iOS. It’s free, comes pre-installed on most or all iPhones, and it’s served us well for dozens of early wake-up calls.

For Micki’s Android, she uses the native Android clock, which she says works just as well as it’s ios counterpart. She’s also tested Google’s Clock, and says it works perfectly for her alarms. You can get Google’s Clock on Google Play (we couldn’t find it on iTunes).

As well as the biggest social apps, we always have a calling app (or two, or three) on our phones. A calling app needs to be able to reach anyone on Android or iOS (sorry, Facetime is Apple only), and it needs to be reliable. Our favorite calling app these days is Google Hangouts. It’s on almost every Android phone by default, it’s free, offers free voice calls to most of North America and it works without any hassles for us. Get Google Hangouts on iTunes here.

Note: If you’re on an Android, be sure to install Google Hangouts Dialer. Just the basic Google Hangouts wouldn’t let Micki make calls on her Samsung. You can get Google Hangouts Dialer on Google Play here. That said, WhatsApp (iTunes | Google Play) and Skype (iTunes | Google Play) or even something else may be your calling app of choice and it’s not a bad idea to stick with what works for you.

Like most people who fly regularly, we also have a flight tracker on our phones. Micki swears by FlightView Free (iTunes | Google Play) (which she says is a bit clunky, but completely reliable), and I’ve been using FlightTrack on my iPhone for years. They only have a paid version these days called FlightTrack 5 (iTunes | Google Play) and though I still prefer the old version, the new one’s still pretty decent. We’ve tried out a few others, but haven’t found anything we loved.

Right now, besides for the ones above, my phone is pretty bare. As luck would have it, I just upgraded to a newer iPhone and, as I do whenever I get a new phone, I usually only pull across a few key things like my Contacts when I upgrade and slowly install apps as I need them.

Next, I’ll be installing the nice-to-have travel apps as well. Our more inclusive post with our favorite travel apps is showing its age so we’ll be writing another article soon on the best, newest travel apps we’re using.

If you’re looking at this on your Smartphone, here are links for some helpful apps.

Google Trips – iTunes, Google Play

Get Your Guide – iTunes, Google Play

Trover – iTunes, Google Play

Tripr – iTunes, Google Play

Trail Wallet – Only on iTunes

Toilet Finder – iTunes, Google Play

PackPoint – iTunes, Google Play

Guidrr – Only on iTunes

If I’m feeling really ambitious, then I plan my trip on Google Maps, which means I have to do a separate search for addresses and save them as bookmarks.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a pain in the butt.

So, when the folks at Tripcipe reached out us and asked us to try out their new trip planning website and app I was curious (and frustrated) enough to give it a try.

Download Tripcipe for iPhone here. 

What is Tripcipe?

Tripcipe aims to be the recipe for the perfect trip.

Instead of copying and pasting info into documents like Excel or Google Maps, you use Tripcipe to save information from any webpage in one place.

Even better, all of the information that you save is plotted into a map. There’s even an app so you can take your trip planning with you. Tripcipe is working hard to get the app to work offline in case you don’t have a data plan on vacation!

If you want to give Tripcipe a try for yourself, you can sign up on Tripcipe using our personal invite. We only have 500 invites to give out so make sure you grab them quickly.

We’re planning a trip to Vancouver Island, so I thought that would be a perfect chance to give Tripcipe a test run.

Here’s a little sneak peek at our Tripcipe trip.

How to Use Tripcipe

To get started, just go to Tripcipe.com, create an account, and install the Tripcipe plug-in (extension) on Google Chrome.

The extension shows up as a little icon on your toolbar, and lets you save interesting things to do, see, or eat from anywhere on the web. If you’re not familiar with Google Chrome extensions, the Tripcipe site has an easy wizard to help you get started.

When you find something you want to save online, just click the Tripcipe plug-in icon in your Chrome toolbar.

Then, you just add whatever notes you want in your new Tripcipe clip.

And voila! Your clip is added to your Trip map.

What I like about Tripcipe

It’s easy

I do almost all my travel research online, so I love that adding an activity or place to eat on my trip is as easy as clicking the Tripcipe button.

The map

One of the things that used to be a huge hassle for us while planning a trip was planning our route.

I’d get all of the research together for where we’d want to go, and then I’d have to plan a route on Google Maps.

I love that Tripcipe streamlines this by mapping all of my destinations when I create a trip.

The ability to check out other user’s clips and trips

On Tripcipe, you can browse trips made by others on the community for inspiration. I love the idea of being able to go onto Tripcipe and check out a trip that someone else has planned. Talk about easy travel planning!

Using a ready-made trip is a great help when getting started with your own planning. I can also see it being a big help on a last minute vacation, or even if you just don’t have the time to plan your own trip but want to see the sights regardless.

You can take your trip anywhere you go

With the Tripcipe app installed on your tablet or smartphone, you can take your trips anywhere you go.

I especially like that Tripcipe is working on giving access to your trips offline, meaning that you can use the app even if you’re abroad without a data plan (or if you don’t want to risk huge roaming fees on your cell).

The ability to share a trip

Want to share your trip?

You can share your trip with other Tripcipe users, and even with people who aren’t members of Tripcipe yet.

Tip: To create a special share link to share your trip with folks outside of Tripcipe, click the share arrow under your trip name.

Limitations of Tripcipe

There aren’t a lot of trips on Tripcipe at the moment, but I think that’ll change quickly now that the beta is in full swing and more people realize how handy it is.

In the time I was creating my trip for Vancouver Island, I saw dozens of new clips appearing on the board, so I’m expecting to have a lot of trips to choose from soon.

I’d love to see more social sharing options. Right now, you can create a special share link to your post, but I’d love to see an option to post it to social media like Facebook or Twitter. I do expect to see this in the future, though.

The folks at Tripcipe say that they’re adding a new option to organize your trip by day. I love this option, and can’t wait to try it out!

Try it for yourself

If you want to give Tripcipe a try for yourself, you can sign up on the app (Download Tripcipe for iPhone here) or on the website at Tripcipe.com.

Download Tripcipe for iPhone here. 

Tripcipe is still in private beta, but they’ve given us 500 invites for our readers to join through our direct invite. Just click here to create an account (the link is only active for the first 500 users).

Is there an app for that?

When you finally go on your trip, Tripcipe is working on a feature that will let you use the offline mobile Tripcipe app so that you can take all your research with you, even if you don’t have a data plan. Offline app access should be available in Feb 2015.

You can download the Tripcipe app on iTunes. For now, since the app’s in private beta, you’ll need to create your account through this link to the Tripcipe.com website.

This post has been sponsored by Tripcipe, but we really liked the app and have added it to our personal travel toolbox.

Over the years, we’ve become more and more reliant on a decent Internet connection while we travel. When we first hit the road over ten years ago, personal Internet was a rare luxury. It was always welcome but getting it outside of Internet cafes and hotel lobbies wasn’t often possible. These days, it’s available almost everywhere and because of our jobs, it’s also mandatory.

After spending months in places with only a single wired Internet hookup or only having access to a cellphone data plan, we’ve gotten smarter and have come up with a few good solutions to our Internet problems. Now that we travel with a Tablet, 2 iPhones and a couple laptops, we’ve also found the need to share that Internet connection is just as important. Seeing that we often spend months in one place during our travels, creating our own WiFi Hotspot is one of the first things we do when we get to a new location.

As a result, here’s a list of products and ideas to help share your internet while you’re on the road. I’ve broken them into different categories based upon what’s available, pricing and simplicity to set it up. We’ve used them all at one point or another and they all have their advantages and disadvantages.

In this first installment, I’m going to cover methods involved with sharing a Mobile Broadband Connection (basically a cellphone data plan) and list the pluses and minuses for each one. In my next post on this topic I’m going to list a few different ways to share your wired connection wirelessly (as in how to create an Ad hoc network using only your laptop) and a few products that can simplify your life.

Mobile Internet or Mobile Broadband

The rise of smartphones over the past few years has lead to a greater demand of mobile wireless data plans. A mobile data plan is typically associated with cellphones however telecom companies have flooded the market with hundreds of devices that make use of this diverse data stream. Depending on the country you’re in, the prices for this data can be relatively cheap or relatively expensive. Data in North America is generally much more expensive than the rest of the world but prices seem to be constantly dropping everywhere.

The technology in this post includes 3G, 4G, LTE, Edge, UMTS, CDMA, HSPA, GSM and other similar data mobile telecommunication technologies. For simplicity sake, I will be referring to them all as 3G since this is the most widely used term in regards to mobile data. Please be aware that different carriers in different countries use different bands and technologies to deliver that data and as a result no single product will work in every country around the world. Even the best “World Phone” will be useless in certain places. When figuring out which product is best for your scenario, please keep that in mind. For a general list of Frequencies and Bands please see this informative (though very dry) article.

Now that I got that out of the way, these days there are several ways to access this mobile data stream. Click on any of the following to go directly to their area. Mobile Phones and Tablets with 3G are by far the most common however USB Mobile Internet Sticks (small USB stick’s with a SIM in them) are also becoming popular. There are also Dedicated 3G Routers such as MiFi with built in SIM card support and even standard routers that will accept a USB stick. Some laptops even come with built in mobile broadband modems. For those who live solely on their laptops there’s also  <>PCMCIA or ExpressCard solutions. For the most part those are similar enough to their USB counterparts so I’ll just include them there.

Besides for these devices, to get online you will need to purchase a SIM card and subscribe to some sort of data plan to use them. Most countries allow you to buy a SIM card with a cheap data plan included and this is usually the cheapest route to go. Roaming charges outside of your home country while using your current SIM card can be ridiculously costly and using your normal SIM while traveling should usually be avoided.

Smartphones and 3G Tablets

Availability: Everywhere
Budget: Cheap to costly depending on the model you buy
Simplicity: Fairly simple to use and set up
Popular Brands: Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Nokia Lumia, Blackberry Bold

Almost all newer cell phones (and 3G Tablets) have the ability to share a data connection with others. All it really requires is a phone or tablet with a data plan and one of several built in tools like the built in Personal Hotspot feature on newer iPhones and iPads or MyWi on older ones. On Android devices there are lots of options including free apps like Wireless Tether for Root Users, WiFi HotSpot and the beloved FoxFi. Blackberry devices running OS 7.1 and newer have this option built in as well as most Windows Phones.

Most of these programs let you use your device as a WiFi Hotspot or via Bluetooth to share your Internet with nearby devices. Be aware that running a mobile hotspot takes a lot of power and can often quickly kill the batteries. Phones also usually have a limited WiFi broadcast range and speed is often dependent on the quality of the device as well as the plan it’s on.

Data tethering can include both wireless transmissions and also plugging your phone into a computer (usually via USB) and using it like an old fashioned modem. This last method limits your wireless options however it takes the work off your phone and transfers it to your computer. This can greatly increase your range and also allows your phone to be charged while it’s plugged so when you’re ready to leave all you need is to unplug it and it’s ready to go. Of course, it also requires a computer that is running for as long as you need Internet access. If you’re sharing your Internet with more than the computer then you would also need to set up an ad hoc WiFi network via your computer or use a router.

Pros: Nearly everyone already owns a smartphone or a tablet and they’re easily portable. Internet goes with you wherever you go and if the data plan includes voice then can also be used to make calls and send texts. Some phones and tablets allow you to use Bluetooth as well as WiFi to connect to other devices. Most can also be tethered via USB and act as a modem when plugged into a computer.

Cons: Generally requires the phone to be unlocked and mutli-banded if using a SIM card from a different carrier than the one you bought the phone through. Using it as a WiFi hotspot also depletes batteries quickly. Data network only works as long as the cellphone is present so might not be practical for couples or larger groups who split up from time to time. Most phones only accept up to 5 wireless connections at a time. Transfer speeds between devices connected to the phone can be horrendous. Some carriers limit tethering abilities or charge an additional fee if used as a hotspot.

3G USB Sticks, USB Modems and Mobile Internet Sticks

Availability: Online and nearly everywhere cellphones are sold
Budget: Older models (with slower 3g speeds) are very cheap and newer models can get up in price though they’re still fairly reasonably priced when comparing to a new smartphone.
Simplicity: Moderate to Complex to set up and operate
Popular Brands: Sierra Wireless, Huawei, CradlePoint, ZTE

A  USB Mobile Internet Stick is a simple way to use the power of a mobile data plan without the need to have a cellphone. Because they’re much simpler than a cellphone, they’re much cheaper as well. All they need for power is a computer with a USB port or a router that supports USB devices.

Because of their design, they’re small, portable and usually unlocked from the get go. If locked to your home carrier, most can be unlocked for use on any network for a lot less than most phones and if they run into problems, you always have your more expensive smartphone to fall back on.

Since they require a 3rd party device on which to operate, setting them up can be a greater hassle than the few swipes it takes to tether most cellphones. What they make up for in complexity however, is the greater ability to connect to most networks and the ability to share that connection with more than 5 devices at a time.

If connecting via a computer it makes sense to create an ad hoc network for the rest of your devices and enable ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on a Windows machine or enable it in Sharing on a Mac. If connecting via a wireless router, once you input your information, it’s simple for all your devices to share your Internet.

Pros: Independent of your phone so you can still use your cellphone for other activities. Can usually get better speeds on a dedicated device than a smartphone. Frees your smartphone from always being in use.

Cons: Requires a separate data plan from your phone and requires a computer or router that is always on to share the connection. Usually harder to find support for them since less popular than cellphones. Though they’re small it’s still more electronics to carry and store.

Dedicated Mobile Wireless Routers, MiFi and 3G Routers (usually with built in SIM slots)

Availability: Online, at some major cellphone carriers and some computer centers
Budget: Moderate to expensive depending on the model
Simplicity: Moderate to Complex to set up and operate
Popular Brands: Novatel MiFi, CradlePoint, Sierra Wireless, Huawei, ZTE

Once mobile telecom companies discovered the amount of money people were willing to spend to have data access outside of their homes, the realization that most people also run numerous wireless devices hit home. This lead to the introduction of routers with built in data capabilities. These routers (usually much smaller than their at home equivalents and providing a shorter transmission range) were designed for the mobile workplace.

The caveat is that all that power in such a small package comes at a premium. Also having to purchase a dedicated SIM and data plan scares most people away. Worried about data overuse, it’s only in the past few years that carriers actually got on board with these routers and most that are sold are still provided by 3rd parties. Most 3G routers sold via carriers are locked to that carrier so finding one unlocked usually involves purchasing online via the internet or from specialty stores.

Mobile Internet users that travel an extensive amount usually own these devices and are willing to pay whatever they ask to have the ability to travel unfettered. This has kept their prices at a premium however with more carriers on board the data train the quicker the prices are falling.

These routers offer users the ability to have a dedicated mobile hotspot with minimal down time and easy Internet sharing. They also double as regular routers with the ability to connect to wired networks thereby creating their own wireless system without needing to pay expensive data charges in places that provide free Internet.

Pros: Independent of your phone so can still use your cellphone for other activities. Can usually get better speeds on a dedicated device than on a smartphone. Frees your smartphone from always being in use. Doesn’t require a USB mobile stick to operate (SIM is inserted directly into the router). Can be connected to a wired network when one is available or used as wireless access point if a wireless signal exists but is too weak for some of your wireless devices to use. Since it is a router it will have better security, more connection options (Wireless N, G and B) and faster wireless speeds between devices than using a cellphone.

Cons: Requires a separate data plan from your phone and most routers require access to a power source. Usually harder to find support for them since they’re less popular than cellphones. Expensive compared to non integrated wireless routers.

Wireless Routers with USB 3G Abilities (requires a separate 3G USB Stick)

Availability: Online and at most computer centers
Budget: Cheap to expensive depending on the model
Simplicity: Moderate to Complex to set up and operate
Popular Brands: TP-Link, D-Link, Trendnet, Cradle Point, Novatel, Sierra Wireless, Huawei, ZTE

Mobile data capabilities have been slow coming to the average router. Though carrier support is minimal, this has also kept the costs down. The latter is the best reason for going this route over buying a dedicated Mobile Data router. Just like your home router, these come in all shapes and sizes though there are a few that can can be considered tiny. The biggest difference from your home router is that these devices include both a USB port and the necessary hardware and firmware to run a 3G Mobile USB stick. This frees your laptop or computer from having to be always on and allows you to take your phone with you when you leave without having to reconnect your wireless hotspot when you come back.

The biggest draw back is that you still need a 3G USB stick to share the love and not all routers support every Mobile Stick on the market. Unlike the dedicated 3G routers with the built in SIM abilities, these routers can often be upgraded to faster speeds like 4G LTE with a simple firmware upgrade and a different USB stick (which are generally much cheaper than buying a whole new dedicated router).

Pros: Independent of your phone so can still use your cellphone for other activities. Can usually get better speeds on a dedicated device than a smartphone. Frees your Smartphone from always being in use. Can be connected to a wired network when one is available or used as wireless access point if a wireless signal exists but is too weak for some of your wireless devices. Since it is a router it will have better security, more connection options (Wireless N, G and B) and faster wireless speeds between devices than using a cellphone. 3rd party firmware support in the form of OpenWrt or DD-WRT is excellent. Usually much cheaper than the integrated 3G routers included above.

Cons: Requires a USB Mobile Internet Stick (see above) to operate if a wired network is not available. Requires a separate data plan from your phone and most of them require access to a power source. Usually harder to find support for USB sticks since less popular than cellphones. Slightly more expensive than traditional home routers. Mobile connections can sometimes be fickle.

Laptop with Built-In Mobile Broadband

Availability: Online and at some computer centers
Budget: Expensive compared to the alternatives unless already included in your current laptop
Simplicity: Moderate to set up and operate
Popular Brands: Dell Latitude, HP Elitebook, Lenovo Thinkpad, Panasonic Toughbook, Sony Vaio

Having a built-in 3G or 4G LTE Mobile Broadband device in your new laptop is becoming more and more popular these days. Computer companies are realizing that users want to be mobile but still connected to the net. Usually included for a moderate cost as an addon to a select group of systems, these integrated PCI Express Mini Cards work the same way as the 3G USB sticks without having to use up a USB port or worrying about extra peripherals.

The biggest downside to these built in cards is worldwide support in other countries and the fact that as technologies leap forward, your existing card could be left behind. Though they are becoming more common, the vast majority of new systems don’t even give you the option of including them and finding after market cards that will work properly with an existing system isn’t as easy as you would expect. They also require a free slot which most laptops don’t have.

Just like when using a 3G USB stick, in order to share your Internet, you’ll either need to run an ad hoc network or connect your laptop to a router.

Pros: Independent of your phone so can still use your cellphone for other activities. More consistent speeds than a smartphone. Frees your Smartphone from always being in use. Can be connected to a wired network when one is available or used as wireless access point if a wireless signal exists but is too weak for some of your wireless devices. Can be set up as an ad hoc network with ICS to easily share Internet connections

Cons: Requires a separate data plan from your phone. Costly if you already own a laptop and want to upgrade to this. You always have to leave your laptop running to have Internet on other devices. Can slow down your laptop if there are numerous devices connected to it at once. Accessing the SIM card (if there is one) can be a chore if you are traveling and decide to purchase a SIM card in that country.

ExpressCard Modems, PCMCIA Cards and Similar Devices

These cards are usually already found inside certain laptops with mobile abilities (see above) or can be purchased separately depending on your needs. For all intents and purposes, they act the same as a Mobile USB stick. Certain routers and computers have the necessary ports to use them however I’ve found that they aren’t widely found in most consumer products. Large companies tend to use them since, not only do they buy them cheaper in bulk, but they can be inserted directly in the router or machine with less chance of being stolen or broken. This isn’t because they’re more robustly designed but because they are less compatible with other systems or are generally hidden from site.

I didn’t include them as an option simply because they’re generally more expensive than their USB counterparts and are much more difficult to find for your average consumer.

That being said, if your router or laptop supports one of these devices, then they are definitely viable options. Just realize that support and availability will be a concern and that not all countries will carry them. There’s also a greater chance that your next laptop or router purchase might not have an available slot and you would be forced to buy something else. For sheer compatibility, I suggest sticking with a USB stick for now.

Final Notes

With so many options out there to share your Mobile Internet while on the road, there is bound to be the right solution for you.

A solo traveler that lives on their cellphone might find that using it as a mobile hotspot or tethering their laptop to their phone is the best answer while a larger family or group might find an dedicated wireless router with a built in SIM slot to be perfect for their needs. Whichever way you go, cost, hassle, future upgrade ability, frequency band support and your own needs need to be considered when deciding on the proper hardware.

If you’re wondering which way we go then I have to say I took the cheapest option available to me. We purchased a 3G USB stick a few years ago, paid a small fee to unlock it and now it works in most places around the world. After getting tired of continually setting up an ad hoc setup via our laptop with ICS enabled I finally ordered a cheap router with 3G USB support and haven’t looked back. If I was starting fresh today I would probably just buy a portable, dedicated router with a built in SIM slot like the MiFi or a Cradlepoint router and be done with it.

Besides for going the router way, we still tend to tether our phones if it’s a short trip and if we haven’t purchased a dedicated data plan. So it’s proof positive that no way is the right way for all scenarios and it’s up to you to figure out your own solution.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post where I go over different router configurations and show you how to set up your own ad hoc WiFi network using nothing but your laptop and ICS.

Long, long before smart phones, Charles and I traveled with nothing more than our backpacks, a dog-eared Lonely Planet or a beat up Rough Guide, a chunky laptop (for the rare hostel that had WiFi), and a pocket of change for phone calls home.

How times have changed.

Today, a Lonely Planet is nowhere to be seen, we carry more gear than a professional sports team (that’s only a slight exaggeration), and we depend on our iPhones for everything from booking apartments to finding our way around a new city. We even bring our own portable WiFi hotspots from (the Skyroam Solis and GlocalMe.

Helpful iPhone Travel Apps

While we do use a few other travel apps, these are the apps that we go to time and again. You can find each and every one of them on both of our iPhones.

Planning Your Trip

There’s a lot to do before getting on a plane, or in the car, and hitting the road. While we try to leave a lot of room for spontaneity, having a solid framework for where we’re going, and what we’re doing helps a lot.

Wanderlog

Wanderlog is a travel planner app, and an easy way to plan your trip with keep a list of places to visit, a day-by-day itinerary, as well as your reservations. You can plan either in the app or the website, or a combination of the two.

What’s great is that it’s free, and designed specifically for to make travel easy and fun.

One of the things I like most about Wanderlog is that it lets you view your map and itinerary in one place. It’s so much easier than switching between different apps to keep track of travel plans.

It’s available for both iOS and Android.

Evernote

Evernote is a great tool for collecting all of your notes in one place.

We use it to collect all of our must see places, notes from great blog posts and even lists of great places to stay.

There’s also a desktop version of Evernote, which we use every day.

Pinterest

If you’re a visual person, you really can’t beat Pinterest as a way to organize great images.

We use Pinterest a lot like most people would use their refrigerator to pin photos of a place they’d love to visit.

You can follow us on Pinterest to check out some of our travel inspirations.

Though most people use Twitter as a way to keep in touch, it’s also a fantastic tool for saving money on travel.

Many airlines and hotels announce special deals on Twitter first, and other Twitter users are a helpful source of information on great local food and attractions.

Tip: If you’re a heavy Twitter user, we use Tweetdeck (owned by Twitter) to help schedule tweets and follow hashtags.

You can follow us on Twitter once you set yourself up.

Booking your Flight

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is our go to site for researching flight costs and finding out which airlines fly certain routes.

You can’t book your flights directly through Skyscanner, but the app can direct you to the airline’s website. Skyscanner’s especially fantastic for researching cheap flights to any destination from your location.

We love the Skyscanner app, but find the Skyscanner web interface is a little easier to use.

Click here to dowload the Skyscanner app on iTunes.

FlightAware rates really highly when it comes to keeping track of flights.

It gives up to the minute updates letting you know if you’re flight is still on time as well as useful info on the plane, airport and gate it takes off or lands at.

The current version is free, and it gets great reviews on the App Store.

Finding a place to stay

Hotel Tonight

Hotel Tonight lets you book last minute hotel rooms, at a deep discount, for the same evening.

Though it’s quickly expanding into other markets, including Mexico, Hotel Tonight largely offers discounts on hotels in the United States (plus a handful of Canadian cities) and a few major European cities.

Booking.com

Booking.com has become our go to site for booking hotel rooms. It has good coverage around the world.

It’s dead easy to use, and allows us to search for rooms that will fit 2 adults and 2 children (which many other hotel booking apps surprisingly don’t allow).

You can also use the Booking.com desktop version. There’s also a Booking.com app if you’re looking for last minute deals as well.

Airbnb

As a family of four, we’ve used Airbnb to book apartment rentals at least a half dozen times this year.

The Airbnb app is easy to use, fast, and lets you view conversations and itineraries when you’re offline.

Airbnb is also available as a desktop version, which we prefer to the app, as it’s easier to compare and view multiple apartments.

Getting ready to go

PackingPro ($2.99)

If you’re a list maker, Packing Pro is your app.

It’s not free however we’ve searched for a good free packing app and none of the free apps get good reviews on the iStore.

The pre-trip planning section is especially helpful, and can remind you to do things like buy travel insurance. PackingPro is a great app if you’re taking multiple trips, and want to make quick work of making a packing list.

Clock

Apple’s iStore is packed with probably hundreds of alarm clock apps, each shinier and more packed with features than the next.

Really, for all their bells and whistles, none of these apps can beat the reliable, easy to use alarm clock in the Clock app that is native to the iPhone.

I owe this app for helping us get to at least eight flights on time this year.

Driving

Google Maps

The Google Maps app gives turn by turn navigation and is available for car, public transportation and walking.

We’ve used Google Maps everywhere from driving across Canada to navigating souks in Morocco to hiking near Goreme in Turkey, and it’s been remarkably accurate almost everywhere.

Tip! We always search our destination on Google Maps before we leave, and make sure not to close the app if we’ll be away from a WiFi connection and don’t have a data plan in whichever country we happen to be in. This way, the map will still be in the map’s history if we can’t get online. If we’re heading to two places, we’ll open one in Google Maps and another in the default map app.

Gas Buddy

GasBuddy gives you crowd sourced prices on the cheapest gas wherever you happen to be.

The app will let you search for different types of gas, and gives gas station addresses and amenities (like convenience stores).

GasBuddy is very popular in North America, where gas prices can vary greatly even at gas stations only blocks apart.

Eating

Yelp (free)

The Yelp app has great maps and user reviews of the best places to grab a bite to eat around the corner or across the country.

Yelp restaurant reviews tend to be longer than those at Foursquare, making it useful if you’re looking for detailed information on a new place to eat.

Getting Around

City Maps2Go

Since the demise of TripAdvisor’s excellent offline city maps app (sigh), we’ve been using City Maps 2Go (free!). If you download the city map you’re interested in ahead of time, City Maps 2Go lets you see the map (including attractions, restaurants, hotels and the like), (this is important!) it works EVEN IF you don’t have a Wi-Fi or data connection. When you’re offline, City Maps 2Go works with your phone’s GPS to let you track, real time, where you are on the map (gotta love that little blue dot).

As the name suggests, these guides don’t need an Internet connection, making finding restaurants, hotels and attractions a snap when we were on the go.

The offline maps are perfect when you’re too cheap to buy a data plan. If you tire of the ads in app, there’s also a paid version of City Maps 2Go Pro ($6.99) if you’d like to get rid of the ads.

Google Translate

You can use the Google Translate app to translate to and from over 60 languages with a nice auto detect feature if you’re not sure which language you’re inputting.

You can now download translation dictionaries.

It also allows speech input and you can hear the translations spoke. Very handy when trying to make your taxi driver understand you and you’re late for your flight.

Weather

The Weather Network

Reliable and easy to use, the Weather Network app is an easy way to track weather across multiple locations.

We’ve used it for years, and I really love that it also lets you track information like air quality and UV exposure.

Currency

XE.com

The XE Currency app lets you convert currency with a simple click.

The app lets you type in an amount in one currency, and then see the conversion in a list of currencies. Xe can compares over 180 currencies.

Staying Connected

Zoom

2020 has been the year of Zoom. Today, it’s the gold standard to which all other Internet calling programs aspire, including Skype.

Zoom.is reliable and easy to use.

Facebook

Facebook is really a must have app for sharing travel photos and updates with friends and family.

We use our Facebook page to share photos and updates you won’t see on the blog.

Instagram

An easy to use, fun photo sharing app, Instagram is a must have for anyone under 40 (and a heck of a lot of folks older than that).It’s great fun to use, and easy to boot with tons of filters and fun effects. The only huge negative to Instagram is the fact that it was bought out by Facebook, making privacy and photo ownership issues a potential concern going forward.

Networking

iNet

The iNetapp lets us check the devices on our local network and tells us the IP address of all our other gadgets when we’re trying to share something locally.

iNet also lets us know who’s sharing our internet connection and lets us verify that we’re not sharing anything we’re not supposed to.

Speedtest

Speedtest.net does a speed test to see how fast your internet connection is.

It’s a vital tool when troubleshooting bad internet connections or even when choosing a room and decent internet is a must.

Tip! Because we travel with kids, we use our iPhones and iPad to help occupy our kids when they’re far past the point where stories or games will amuse them. Check out Charles’ list of great drawing apps for the iPad (most of these are also available for the iPhone).

Do you have any favorite apps for travel? Let us know in the comments.

Cellphones and the internet have paved the way to cheap communication, no matter what remote location you happen to be in. Unfortunately, aging relatives, technophobes and spotty internet often complicate matters on their end.

In this post, I look at some of the cheapest ways to call home and hopefully pave the way for better communication between you and those sitting by the phone waiting anxiously for your call. Though there are hundreds of ways you can get in touch, this post is limited to calling a landline or a cellphone.

Calling International From A Traditional Phone

Surprisingly to some, traditional phones still exist and are used everywhere. Every hotel, hostel and dorm still has a traditional phone somewhere in the building. With international calling services offering calls for around a cent a minute via a regular phone line, it’s not hard on the wallet to pick up the phone and call grandma to wish her a happy birthday.

International calling cards were once the only way to save money when calling internationally and are still available in most stores and shops around the world. If you have nothing else to use, they’re still a great way to save money. Just be careful to read the fine print and make sure the card you buy has decent rates to whichever country you’re dialing.

Many companies also have local numbers you can call to maximize your savings. If you’re in a big center it’s always easier to find a local number to call to minimize your bill, but if you’re someplace remote make sure you find a card with either a toll free number to call or that includes a callback function. Most inbound calls on landlines the world over are free.

Tip: One of the most overlooked aspects of calling cards is focusing solely on the per minute cost. A lot of cards charge exorbitant connection fees. Also be careful of rounding (per second charge versus minute or even block of time charging)  and expiration (some cards expire with no use, some in a matter of months and some at a set time).

Calling Home Using Cell Phone and Tablet Apps

Most travelers these days carry a smart phone or a tablet with them. Whether it’s unlocked and you’ve picked up a cheap local SIM, or whether your normal cell plan from back home is good enough for your simple needs it really doesn’t matter. With tons of apps on the market, all you really need is a WiFi or data connection and you can be talking with Aunt Sally quicker than saying Slide To Unlock.

Many apps from the PC days are still around and actually thriving in the new mobile market. Skype is a perennial favorite and is especially great if the person you’re talking to is technological enough to also be using Skype on the other end. If not, with a little credit, Skype can also make regular phone calls to  your relatives that only have traditional phones. They have plans for every budget and you need to weigh options to pick out the plan that works the best for you. Skype‘s unlimited monthly plans are great deals if you’re a heavy talker.

Click here to download Skype for iPhone.

One of our favorite apps for our iPhone and iPad is MagicJack. It’s the same company that introduced the USB phone dongle for making cheap international calls from a computer years ago. They’ve taken their knowledge of the telecom industry and applied it to cellphones. With free calls to US and Canada and several other countries it’s definitely a good deal for a lot of users. The quality is fairly decent as well. It also features cheap rates abroad.

Google Voice has paved the way for numerous companies to get in on the action as well. If you’re lucky enough to live in the US you can download the Google Voice app. while you’re still in the country and be talking to your friends back home anytime you like. If you’re not, there are dozens of companies and apps that use the Google Voice protocols to connect with others around the globe.

One of our favorites is the free app Talkatone. Since right now calling Canada and the US is free using Google servers, it makes it a very attractive deal. The quality is sometimes a little spotty but in general it works quite well when calling other phones.

One of the nice parts about Google Voice is that you can have a dedicated number. Crazy Uncle John won’t have to worry that he’s being scammed when a foreign number is constantly ringing him up. You can use the same number you’ve had for years and your name will show up on Caller ID just as it always has. It also allows you to receive calls while you’re abroad using the same number as back home.

Calling Relatives From Cell Phones While Abroad

While we’re on the subject of cell phones, there really is no easier way to stay connected with family and friends back home than buying either a local cell phone or a SIM for your unlocked phone. You can buy cheap phones for next to nothing in most markets around the world and a lot of them come with free call credit. They’re often pre-charged and you can usually be talking within seconds of purchasing it.

You can also buy a SIM that works in almost any country from a company like TravelSim. TravelSim has free incoming calls in over 140 countries. You order the SIM card online, and it’s shipped to your home before you travel. These types of SIM cards are great for travelers who are going to several countries on one trip (eliminating the need to buy a new SIM in each country), and they also eliminate any guesswork and huge roaming fees by letting you know calling rates ahead of time.

Tip: A lot of airports and even bus terminals have cellphone kiosks where you can pick up your new phone/SIM as you arrive at your next destination. Be prepared that a lot of them need a valid passport or identification as the telecom industry is heavily controlled in a lot of countries. Once they copy your information down you can be on your way again in minutes.

Depending on the country and provider, you can pay next to nothing for your calls. If the prepaid cell plan doesn’t include cheap international calling, there’s usually an addon you can buy that will drastically lower the cost. If there isn’t, then picking up a prepaid calling card combined with your new phone can be a great combination. You can find this info most places you can buy a cellphone at.

If you’re lucky enough to own an unlocked phone that is compatible with the local frequencies, you can easily pick up a prepaid SIM card while you’re in that country. Ranging anywhere from a few dollars to $20 or $30, once you put the SIM in you can be calling just like you never left home. Like the cheap cellphones, plans vary depending on the country and the provider. Most plans include an option for cheap international calling so talk to whoever sold you the card to find out if it’s better to go that route or the purchase a prepaid card.

Calling Landlines From a Computer

Just like apps for tablets and cellphones, there are a plethora of options out there for people who wish to make phone calls from their laptops while traveling. Skype is very common and with hundreds of millions of users is one of the largest online telecommunications companies in the business. Since it has been purchased by Microsoft, it’s now being packaged with Windows 8 and soon there will be an Xbox app for it as well. As of right now, they have an app for practically every device out there.

If you have the need to hold a real phone when you call, MagicJack is a very capable device that lets you plug a standard phone into your computers USB port. The per year license is around $29.99 USD a year but it does give you unlimited phone calls to the USA and Canada and allows you to includes a dedicated number so your friends and family can also call you via a regular phone number no matter where you happen to be in the world.  The new MagicJack Plus now even works without a computer as long as you have a data port.

Google Talk and Google Voice are also great ways to communicate with loved ones back home and I often call my parents right from my browser’s Gmail page while checking my email. With free calls to Canada and the US it’s too easy to pass up.

The Internet Is Only A Fad

Regardless of which product you use or how you call them, your friends and family will appreciate you reaching out to them while on the road. Emails and text messages are great ways to stay in touch but next to siting down and chatting with someone, calling over the phone makes them feel like you’re only down the road and not on the other side of the planet.

In truth, video chatting is even better but if Granny refuses to turn on the iPad you bought her for Christmas and Uncle Frank still only believes the internet is a passing fad then at least you have some way to keep in touch.

For the vast majority of people, the truth is, no matter where you are in the world, you’re only a phone call away.

The Barefoot Nomad’s article on Tech We Love To Travel With inspired me to share my own thoughts on traveling with one of the most advanced mobile devices on the market. I’m currently using the Samsung Galaxy S III but am also a seasoned iPhone user. I recently toured the northern part of Nova Scotia, Canada and the picturesque island of Cape Breton with my handy little gadget. On my first major test-drive with this toy, I was glad to travel alone rather than with my wife and kids.  This gave me time to delve in and “build my chops” so I could look like a star on our next family trip. Here are a few observations to help make the most of traveling with a compact marvel of modern technology.

1. Protect yourself. With dozens of devices merging into one small unit (phone, camera/video, music player, GPS, etc) not only will your bag be lighter and your battery requirements reduced, but this also means your dependency on a single device increases significantly. Protect yourself first by using online services like Samsung Dive and Find My iPhone to ensure the security of your device. Always use a screen lock (like an entry code or pattern) and get a cover and screen protector.

2. Use GPS tagging judiciously. There was a time when smartphone providers would – by default – embed information in your digital photo metadata that would allow anyone viewing the photo to track down the precise location of where it was taken. To the chagrin of perverts and criminals, this is no longer the case. But turning on GPS tagging can be great when you’re on the road and want to record the spot where you snapped a photo. It saves the hassle of writing it down and, years later, your digital photo will still contain the location so you can easily figure out where you were when it was taken. Just don’t forget to turn it off when you’re home or in locations you want to keep private.

3. See what’s in the clouds. One of the fastest growing innovations in the tech world is cross-platform integration – meaning all of your tech gadgets can either access the same files or communicate with each other to share information. This often relies on cloud technology where data is synched to online servers. With growing cell and WIFI coverage, apps like Google Drive or Drop Box allow users to have a virtual hard drive that seamlessly integrates with web-connected items such as their smartphones, home PCs or certain home entertainment consoles. The practical applications for this are too numerous to list.

4. Pick your battles. Mac, Microsoft, Google and others are all vying for consumers to embrace their integrated cloud-based systems. With several options now available for storing your travel photos, videos and other digital memories, it is wise to do some research before diving in. Remember, you’re uploading major pieces of your lives, so it’s worth gathering intel on how companies will use this information before you take the plunge.

5. The privacy scale. With friends and family scattered to the high winds these days, the internet offers a smorgasbord of ways to stay connected. But choosing what to share is important, both for you and your family’s reputation. Whether its Facebook, Google+ or any number of other apps for updating your social circle on your whereabouts, it’s your responsibility to ensure your privacy settings suit everyone’s needs. If you (or your partner) is not comfortable with the world knowing about it…keep it off line.

6. Go for a dry-run. The last place you want to practice panoramic shots or tinker with the auto-uploads is while you’re on the trail. Fiddling with your tech hardly counts as quality time – especially if a young one is tugging on your sleeve – so work ahead to keep your travels focused on navigating through the world… not your setting screen.

7. If at first you don’t succeed…give up. Your travels are a time for enjoyment, not for mastering every electronic function known to man. If your smartphone won’t pair with the Bluetooth on your rental car, don’t work too hard at it. Find a practical solution (use your handheld’s speakerphone setting or grab earphones with a mic) and get your head away from the screen and back in the adventure.

8. Don’t use a mirror screen cover. It prevents airport scanners from reading your electronic boarding pass. And in bright sunlight, screen visibility is virtually nil.

9. Mix it up. Because you will be grabbing the same device for multiple different functions, you might get tired of looking at the same little screen. Thanks to several cross-platform options, you don’t have to do everything from your smartphone. Whether it’s blogging, refining your photo comments or editing videos, often it’s nice to a have a bigger screen, a full keyboard and mouse. So consider seeking apps like Evernote that let you move your work somewhere other than your tiny touchscreen.

10. Let the meter run out. Travel involves continuous considerations of time and money. Tech adds an extra layer with battery life, data usage and talk time all factoring into our running mental tallies. To counteract this: set limits. If the battery runs out, accept it as a sign that it’s time to put the toy down. Most smartphones and service providers offer ways of controlling data usage. Automate your gadget usage as much as possible and when the machine says you’re maxed out, avenge yourself by putting it to bed.

11. I like your latitude. Some apps allow your select friends and family to see your exact location (provided your device is on). This feature is integrated into recent versions of mobile Google Maps and is called Latitude. It can be very handy when multiple travelers have this feature enabled and want to wander off in separate directions and still keep track of each other.

12. No pressure. Once you’re in a habit of posting travel news and photos to your friends, it can seem like you have a captive audience keenly waiting for your every status update – and a smartphone can keep your info flowing anywhere, anytime. But be realistic. A slideshow that took you three hours to design might take your friends 30 seconds to breeze through. Whatever you upload and share should be something that is meaningful to you. Ultimately your enjoyment and the well-being of your fellow travelers is the biggest priority while on the road.

Bottom Line: A smartphone can be a great way to enhance your good times and let loved ones know you’re safe and well. It can keep you out of trouble, maximize your spontaneity and be a practical source of useful information. But perhaps its best feature – one that should never be overlooked – is its ability to fit in your pocket leaving you to experience the world the way humans have since time began.

David Elias is a civilian Public Affairs Officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force. When he’s not serving his country,  he loves spending time with his wife and two kids. An avid gardener, handy-man and writer, he loves nothing more than enjoying everything Canada and the world has to offer.

Our daughter (who’s turning four soon) loves to draw and paint, so we’ve reviewed her five favorite drawing or painting apps for the iPad. We’ve used each app and all five are currently on our tablet. Some of the apps are also available on the iPhone and iPod, but these reviews are strictly for the iPad versions. She uses and loves all of these apps (and so do we!).

Drawing Pad

By Darren Murtha Design

Drawing Pad is my daughter’s go to drawing app if she wants to get especially creative. There’s a rollout tray on the side that lets you quickly select from brushes, markers, pencils, stencils and backgrounds. My daughter picked it up right away. If you want a blank canvas to start from, I don’t think there’s a better children’s drawing app out there. You can choose backgrounds and pictures from the camera roll, but the Drawing Pad truly shines the brightest for its ability to just quickly start drawing.

See more information here.

The app is visually straight forward and intuitive as long as you remember that the house icon brings you back to the previous selection. It’s probably the most realistic of all the children’s drawing apps and has a minimal learning curve. It works in both Portrait and Landscape mode and features Undo and Redo buttons for those occasional accidents. There are tons of colors and brush sizes to choose from. If your child craves to be the next digital Da Vinci then this might be the app that gets them on their way.

Doodle Buddy for iPad

By Pinger, Inc.

Doodle Buddy was the first drawing app we downloaded and it was the first time my daughter truly saw the iPad as an alternative to drawing on paper. The interface is ridiculously easy and the quirky selection of stamps makes it a guaranteed hit with young children. When I look at my camera roll on the iPad, the pictures saved from this app far outnumber any other apps my daughter uses.

Find out more about Doodle Buddy here

It features an unlimited color palette with tons of cartoon stamps and sound effects that will amuse the kids. It also works in both Portrait and Landscape mode, unlike the majority of the other drawing apps out there. Doodle Buddy includes around 10 backgrounds to choose from as well as the ability to use images from your photo albums. Doodle Buddy is not as fully featured as some of the other painting apps, but my daughter returns to it time and again so they must be doing something right.

123 Color HD: Premium Edition, Talking Coloring Book

By Steve Glinberg

123 Color HD is my favorite children’s coloring book style application. Not only is it educational, it has a lot more to offer than a traditional drawing program. It includes hundreds of amusing cartoon style sketches with Paint by Numbers, Paint by Letters (both upper case and lower case) and of course freestyle painting. The first two remind me strongly of those paint by numbers coloring packages my parents used to buy when I was a child.

Check prices here.

Aside from sentimentality, one of my favorite features is the Perfect Paint option. With this turned on, any coloring you do on any of the hundreds of pages is limited to staying within the lines of the object you’re painting. With 30 colors to choose from, it’s easy to make a picture perfect colored page for those of us not so artistically inclined. 123 Color HD also features a Paint Bucket to instantly color in an object (perfect for younger children) and a traditional Paint Brush.

As well as the coloring portion, the Premium Edition includes learning letters (upper and lower case), and numbers and colors that are spoken in English, Spanish, German, French, Russian and Hebrew. The Premium Edition also includes all 35 coloring books that are otherwise available as in-app purchases from the less costly version, however if you want them all then the Premium Edition is the way to go. If you’re looking for coloring book equivalent apps on the market, 123 Color HD is probably your best bet.

Drawing with Carl – for iPhone & iPad

By Tayasui

Drawing with Carl is a great, fun way to draw. The interface is clean and easy, and the character stamps are great as well. Created from a spinoff of Talking Carl! (an old iPhone staple in the vein of hugely popular Talking Tom), there are a lot of creative spins on a standard paint brush. It is quick and easy to create gorgeous artworks using Drawing with Carl simply with the brushes they give you. There’s also an in-app purchase called Monster Pack (the only one in the app) that is animated and supposedly quite fun to play with. I haven’t gotten around to buying it so can’t comment yet.

Download from iTunes here.

The bright, vibrant interface and the clean lines give Drawing with Carl and polished look. The limited 10 color palette is easily offset by the number of drawing tools this app includes. It’s an easy app to use and drawing fun colorful images is a breeze. Most kids will also love the mirror mode that duplicates every finger swipe on the other half of the screen. There are Undo and Redo buttons that give your child a chance to backtrack. The only negative about Drawing with Carl is that it always feels like you’re using an app. With more and more drawing done digitally these days however, maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Drawing for kids: doodle games

Drawing for kids: doodle games is a great little app teaching your young ones how to color simple characters. Though not a traditional painting, coloring or doodling app, the focus is trying to teach younger children learn more about colors and coloring itself. T

Get price and information here.

My son, who just turned seven, enjoys this one (though it’s made for younger children in the toddler range). Of course my daughter also enjoys learning how to color the cute animals and other pictures.

It’s a pretty simple app, but it keeps the kiddos entertained with fascinating sounds and funny animations.

Other Notable Entries

Squiggles!

Though not exactly a drawing program, Squiggles, a free app, is great fun for the kids. It’s marketed to very young kids, but it’s honestly a lot of fun no matter your age. Squiggles takes your hand drawn squiggle, and turns it into a bird’s nest, a lion’s mane, a curly beard, and more! You just let your little one doodle on the screen, and press PLAY to watch their drawings come alive. With a price tag of zero Squiggles is a must download to anyone with kids and an iPad.

Check for more information here.