GeoTipper 1.4 Released!

Written by GT on April 18th, 2012

We’re proud to announce that the latest iteration of GeoTipper has been released for iOS.  For those of you that don’t know, it’s a comprehensive tip guideline database and tip calculator for the traveling nomad.  In this new release we’ve added tipping guidelines for New Zealand, Fiji, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Peru, and the Bahamas, which means that you can find the appropriate tips for taxi drivers, bartenders, restaurant, and hotel service in 65 countries!

For more info, check out our Support page here.

Download or update now, and happy travels!

GeoTipper (iTunes App Store)

 

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Satelllite TV Through The Porthole, To Your Tablet

Written by GT on March 23rd, 2012


MTN Satellite Communications has just launched their MTN Worldwide TV service, which will stream eight US and international channels: BBC World News, CNBC, Fox News, MSNBC, Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sport 24 and E! Entertainment Television, as well as special event programming such as sporting events.  This launch is concurrent through their commercial (cruise ship) and government offerings.

What’s revolutionary about this is that you can watch these TV streams from wifi enabled devices (laptops, tablets, and mobiles) anywhere on a ship, instead of a hard-lined TV.  Got an iPad?  You’ve got your own mobile television on-board. Government offerings will especially benefit from this if governments shell out for streaming TV for deployed Navy personnel.   Check MTN’s coverage area to see if you can watch NFL games on your next sea jaunt.

 

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Extreme Mobile Cases for Extreme Conditions

Written by GT on March 14th, 2012

via Samsung Galaxy S2 Marketing

When your smartphone or tablet becomes your travel computer, it not only becomes more precious, but it also enters more precarious situations: constantly in your hands as you shuffle out of the tuk-tuk in Thailand, on the table in a French cafe as you calculate the tip, or shoved in your backpack while you’re on a train ride through Northern India.   But since you’re trusting it to keep your info safe, your maps handy, and your guidebooks available, you have to make sure that thin piece of electronics doesn’t break if it slips out of your hands, falls off the table, or gets trampled on in a pile of gear.  Hit the jump for an extreme case bonanza… Click to continue »

 

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Stop Holding Your Phone!

Written by GT on March 7th, 2012

There’s lots of smartphone stand-cases out there, but if you’re set on your own non-stand case already (like I am, sporting a Speck Candy Shell Card Case), then you’ll need some kind of external stand.

The Wedge stands out from the 100′s of phone stands you can find on amazon simply because it’s soft. It resembles a beanbag, but because of the sewing angles, and the lip on the front, it makes for a great universal stand, on any surface — like reading on your iPhone while laying in your bed.

The only downside is that it can get pretty dirty traveling with you everywhere, especially if you end up using it to prop up your phone for movie-watching on an airplane folding table.  Luckily, Jordan from WedgeWorks tells us: “you can throw it in the washing machine but we prefer to let it air dry or if you must use a dryer, do not use heat (tumble dry only) as it can melt the foam inside.”

 

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Access Google Music Outside The US

Written by GT on February 29th, 2012

Using Google Music you can store 20,000 songs on Google’s servers and stream them back to your phone, tablet, or computer. While traveling with a limited storage device, such as a smartphone or a tablet, having a depository of music that’s only a wifi connection away is invaluable. But the biggest problem with Google’s service is that it is only accessible from within the US.  Which is exactly the problem I ran into while traveling through Thailand last month; tired of my limited tunes, I connected to my hotel wifi and was quickly stiff-armed by the Google Music site.

Enter (previously mentioned) Hotspot Shield (Free, iOS) and Tor for Android (Free, Android).   Known mostly for their desktop VPN counterparts, these apps will allow you to connect to US servers (along with other countries, if you’re using Tor), and mask your IP from the gatekeepers at Google, appearing as if you’re in-country.

While this does work specifically for Google Music, it will also work for Pandora, iTunes, and many video sites that allow only specific-country access.  So happy travels AND happy listening.

 

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Calling Without Skype

Written by GT on February 24th, 2012

Image by OpalMirror/Flickr

Sometimes it’s too difficult, your trip is too short, or you just don’t want to spend the cash to acquire a local SIM card while traveling.  Luckily there’s quite a few apps that allow you to call over 3g or wifi, giving you the flexibility to call friends, family, and coworkers from a recognizable number.

Sure, there’s Skype and Google Voice, but they’re far from perfect.  Skype has a well-rounded service, but you end up having to buy and pay for every function and add-on (Phone number: $18, One SMS: $0.11 to US).  Google Voice offers a free number, voicemail, and US SMS, but the main functionality of the Android and iOS apps are reliant on normal cell signal, although there are workarounds.

It turns out “free calling” is quite a versatile term and applies to a range of apps that provide a wide-range of services.  Free calling apps are not created equal.  MagicJack Talk Free? No dedicated calling number.  Line2? Too many fees, and expensive texting. Viber? Only really works app-to-app.  Fring?  Outdated, with no voicemail, texting, or phone number.  Vopium? No voicemail and overpriced SMS.  Vox.io? Call-to and Texting number confusion.

This is the search for an all-in-one calling app.  One app to master calling while traveling for your needs, without having to bend to the fees of Skype.  Is it out there?  Hit the jump to find out.  Click to continue »

 

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BioLite Lights Up Your Electronics

Written by GT on February 21st, 2012

 

It sounds like something out of a “As Seen On TV” ad, but the new Biolite Campstove ($130) not only will cook your meal but will charge your gadgets as well.  Simply add twigs and small sticks to the stove part, light, and you’ve got yourself a mini fire to cook, roast marshmallows, and play guitar around. But with the added benefit of USB charging powered by the heat of the contained fire, adventurous globile travelers can charge their travel computers for the next day of bushwacking.

 

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SolarKindle Helps You Read In the Dark

Written by GT on January 10th, 2012

For those of you wielding a Kindle as your travel computer, you don’t need to worry about running out of power anymore — or at least finding a power outlet.  Just unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show, the SolarFocus Kindle Case ($80) continuously charges your Kindle with sunlight via the case’s solar panels, and then moves on to charging the onboard 1,500 mah reserve battery.  The panels only need eight hours of direct sunlight to fully charge the reserve battery, and then you can use it to power the swivel LED lamp for 50 hours, or redirect the charge to your kindle in case you run out of juice while reading in a lights out hostel.

 

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Need a Hotel Tonight?

Written by GT on December 29th, 2011

Stuck in a city for a single night due to an unexpected layover? Made an impromptu stop to party with some out-of-town friends for the night? Well if you’re in the US, and you’re in the 27 cities, or nine airports, covered by Hotel Tonight (Android, iOS; Free), you’re in luck. Fire up the free app and let it find you a last minute deal at your choice of a three hotel, categorized as basic, solid, hip, and luxe .

I just fired up the app for today’s deals in LA, and it’s showing me Crescent Beverly Hills for $99 (their website lists $132 – $176), Thompson Beverly Hills $139 (their website lists $195 – $250), and the Hollywood Roosevelt for $149 (their website lists $194 – $244).

Sure, it will get you an acceptable price for a last-minute hotel, but Hotel Tonight really excels in simplicity and ease-of-use. When the app opens, it finds your current city via geolocation and presents you with three hotel choices. Select one in your price range, and you can book right away, or check out essential info, such as wifi availability, room specs, and food options in and around the hotel. If you book on a regular basis, you can input your credit card info for quicker purchasing. From log in to check out, you could be looking at a hotel shopping experience that lasts 20 seconds if you wanted it to. Simple and fast, the kind of experience you want when all you want to do is lock down a place to throw your bags and rest your head for the night.

(Use the “gtraveler” promo code and get $25 in credit for use on Hotel Tonight. Full disclosure: On your first booking, it will send $25 credit our way, too.)

 

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The Business Traveler’s Mobile Toolkit

Written by GT on December 28th, 2011

With the help of mobile apps and accessories, you no longer need to be tied to a desk and company wifi.   Whether you’re traveling for work and trying to get some beach time in, or vacationing and hoping to keep on top of of business back home, you can be a nomad and a worker bee at the same time, with our guide to working from anywhere:

Stay Connected

XCom Global Mifi Rental

It’s tough to stay connected when you’re constantly battling the wifi demons in foreign countries.  Luckily, XCom Global exists, renting Mifi devices (portable wifi for up to 5 devices) pre-installed with country-specific unlimited 3g sim cards.  Their plans are reasonable at $15/day (on par with questionable hotel wifi costs), and you don’t have to pay for shipping either direction if you order 10 days in advance.  Going to multiple countries?  Get your second Mifi for free, and each additional for $30 (fee for the entire trip) and you’re still paying only $15/day.  If you’re out for 14+ days, they offer discounts, and you can even rent on a monthly basis, starting at $245/month.  If you’re headed to Europe, they offer a Europe plan that uses just a single Mifi device for $40 countries (for the same sweet $15/day price) so you don’t have to lug around multiple Mifi’s.

 


Skype/Google Voice

If you can get a hold of a Google Voice account, Google Voice gets you free call forwarding, phone number, voicemail, SMS, and calls to the US.  On the downside, it’s only available to US customers, international texting is hit and miss, and calling from outside the US is mostly a hack.  If you want your international transition to be seamless, and you’re willing to fork over the cash for call forwarding ($0.25/min), a phone number ($18/3 months), and SMS ($0.04 – $0.22 /text), Skype is the way to go.  The perks are that you can get unlimited calls for a flat rate ($3 – $14 /month), voicemail (recently made free), and free Skype-to-Skype voice, text, and video chat direct from the Skype app (iOS, Android, Symbian; Free).

If you want to get the best of both worlds, setup your Google Voice to forward to your Skype phone number.  This gives you more control with call forwarding, texts, voicemail, and call routing while still getting the pro quality of Skype.  Then setup your Skype Caller ID to only display your google voice number.  Voila!

Hit the jump for more mobile toolkit essentials! Click to continue »

 

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