In today’s world, it seems like just about everything is smart — and if it’s not smart, it probably at least has the potential to be. Whether you’ve turned your home into a smart house or not, you have likely encountered smart appliances and other gadgets as you’ve gone about your daily life. Even if all you own is a smartwatch, you’ve brought the power of real-time connectivity into your life. The same is true if you own a smartphone.
If you’re a frequent traveler or even if you only travel occasionally, you know how invaluable smart devices can be in helping you get to where you need to be while on the road. From helping translate unknown languages to helping you find a good place for lunch, smart technology can help you make the most of your next vacation. In this article, we take a look at how smart technology can improve your travel experience.
Entertainment and Content on the Go
While many of us imagine that every minute of our travels will be spent sightseeing without a moment to spare, for most travelers, that perception couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is, there’s a lot of downtime when you travel. From spending hours waiting in an airport or train station to time spent hanging out in your hotel room at night, there will always be times when you’ll want to entertain yourself when you’re traveling.
Smart devices make this easy to do, providing us with an easy way to stream music, podcasts, audiobooks, and even play our favorite games. For fans of slots, that might mean visiting an online casino and spinning the reels. Others may prefer a quiet night curled up in bed with their Kindle, reading the classics. The nice thing about smart devices is that they allow us to take our entertainment with us, minus bulky devices and the weight of physical books.
Navigation and Local Guidance
If you’re visiting a new part of the world, you’ll need an efficient way to get around, and smart devices can be the answer. For example, with a GPS app like Sygic, you can get real-time updates and offline access, making it much easier for you to find your way, even if you don’t have an internet connection.
Augmented reality (AR) is also catching on as a way to help travelers find their way around new locations. With AR, you can interact with maps and go on virtual tours, all while viewing directions and points of interest overlaid onto your real-world surroundings through your phone’s camera. Digital transit passes and ride-sharing apps like Uber are also making it easier to get around new destinations.
Communication and Translation
Let’s face it, most of us want to travel beyond the English-speaking world, and depending on where we go, there may not always be someone on hand to translate for us. Thanks to technology, we can confidently travel to places where we don’t know the local language and get real-time translations from a smart device.
AI-powered translator earbuds are increasingly becoming available in a range of languages, making it easy to converse with people who don’t speak our language. Many of these devices offer instant text and voice translation, making it possible to talk to locals without an intermediary.
Safety, Security, and Convenience
While most of us plan our travels in a way that minimizes our exposure to dangerous situations, life happens, and nothing is ever 100% safe. The good news is that smart devices like GPS-equipped safety alarms can send real-time location data to our emergency contacts if we ever run into trouble. Smart locks and hotel room apps allow us to get into our rooms without a key, and digital wallets let us pay for things securely without carrying a lot of cash. All of these things help us have a safe and worry-free travel experience.
