Technology is supposed to make life easier and help us to be more productive and organized. I don’t always think that is the case, but we can have a lot of fun working with it and trying to use it to make our timeshare travels more enjoyable. Let’s take a look at the iPhone and iPod and see how we use it before, after and during our timeshare travel.
First some background: The iPhone has been around for a while and has gone through four generations of upgrades. It is first of all a phone. You must sign a two-year contract with AT&T, the only company that Apple has licensed to use it as a cell phone. The contract is expensive and many areas do not get a good AT&T signal. It would not be my choice for a cell phone.
Shortly after the iPhone was launched, Apple came out with the iPod. The iPod does NOT work as a cell phone, nor does it have a camera built into it, like the iPhone does. The cost runs around $200.00 and can be purchased in several different stores. The new iPad is larger, but works much the same as the iPod. I don’t like the size of the iPad, but enjoy the portability of the iPod. You do NOT have a monthly charge or any contracts to deal with.
The iPod it what we own and use on a daily basis, as well as what we use when we timeshare. We would like to take a look at some of the applications (often called apps) we use and enjoy. All of the applications we use either came with the iPod or we have purchased them for a small fee from Apple, using the iPod itself. Most of the applications run $.99 and can be purchased for both the iPod or the iPhone.
Internet use: If you have a wireless connection in your home, or if you get to a WiFi hotspot, you can use the iPod and access the internet. Many resorts have free connections in the rooms or the lobby. We also find free hotspots at McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Panera’s, as well as several other restaurants. You can use the iPod to check and send eMails, check the news (both national news as well as news back home), check the weather (which is great for planning your weekly activities), get maps and directions, look for attractions in the area you are traveling to, as well as anything you normally might use the internet for. It’s great!
iXpenselt-This is a finance app which tracks monthly and daily expenses. You set up a budget and then input what you spend and it keeps track of everything. It is very useful in seeing what you spend on your vacation and in what areas you are spending. We also use it to plan future trips, and year-round to keep us on track with our finances.
Music-You can download music off your CD’s as well as buy music from the Apple iTune store. Then you can play your music over speakers or with headphones. We carry a cord which hooks the iPod up in the car as well as to most CD players at the resorts.
Urbanspoon-This app can help you select a good restaurant. It gives you a list by type, cuisine, price or neighborhood. It also has ratings and reviews from fellow eaters.
Tripit-This is an organizer for all your travel plans. You eMail your plans and it takes care of the rest. It is great for the frequent traveler. It shows your schedule, and keeps you on track for your trip.
Games-There are thousands of games you can install and play all day long. Many are free and some cost $.99. There are games of every kind and for every age group, and are great for traveling. Kids can spend hours playing in the airport, airplane or car. It’s a great device for adults to keep you entertained when you have to wait, just like the kids.
General travel-There are all kinds of additional travel apps. They have apps for many of the major cities which give you attractions, maps, etc. There are apps for the National Parks, Flight Tracker, Disney World, Universal Orlando, eCurrency, Translator, and on and on. RCI has come out with its own app. It’s nothing great, but does have some useful features.
It should be obvious that we enjoy the iPod and find it very useful when we travel. There are hundreds of additional applications that you can download based on where you are traveling and your interests. We highly recommend that you get one and start having fun!!!
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