Having your cell phone with you when you travel can be practical. You use it to take pictures, find your way around, translate words. But be careful! Loss, theft, damage, dead battery… there are risks to bringing your phone with you on your vacation. Follow our advice and you’ll avoid a catastrophe.
You move around a lot when you travel. That means there’s a higher risk of dropping or breaking your phone. And when something’s wrong with your phone, you might not be able to find a store that can repair it. So don’t take any chances and get a sturdy protective case before you travel. A screen protector is also a good investment to prevent dust buildup and scratches.
If you’re travelling to a destination where it rains often or you plan to set foot on a boat, choose a waterproof cover or case.
When you’re on vacation, you’re not always paying close attention to your belongings. Think about getting a belt clip or armband for your phone. They’re better at preventing loss than your pockets. And if you still lose your phone, there are several apps that will help you locate it (Cerberus, Where’s My Droid, Find My Phone).
Be careful! If your phone is stolen, don’t play the hero. Contact the local authorities instead.
Chances are you’ll be taking lots of pictures during your trip, so you might not have enough memory on your phone if you don’t have access to a computer or internet connection. If you can add a memory card to your phone, pick one that has lots of storage space. You’ll be able to travel with peace in mind.
A dead battery is always annoying. And when you’re travelling, it can be a catastrophe. The good news is there are some very practical portable chargers on the market.
A little tip to extend your battery life: set your phone in “airplane” mode. This setting also speeds up the charge rate of your battery when it’s plugged into a power source.
Finally, don’t forget to pack an adaptor or converter if the location you’re travelling to uses a different power outlet or voltage.
When you’re travelling in a foreign country, using data on your phone can be very costly. To avoid unpleasant surprises on your next phone bill, limit your internet usage by deactivating “data roaming” in your phone’s settings. You can wait until you connect to the free Wi-Fi at your hotel to upload your beautiful pictures to your social networks. If you don’t want to wait that long, unlock your cell phone before your travels so you can purchase a SIM card at your destination, which can save you a lot of money. You can also check the travel data packages offered by your cell phone company.
