It’s that time of the year when many Kiwis choose to escape the cold and rain to venture overseas for warmer weather. The mid-winter escape is a perfect chance to refresh, reset and relax. Just make sure your travel tech is ready for an overseas adventure before you jet off. That way, you won’t find any nasty surprises like expensive roaming charges or dangerous viruses from public Wi-Fi. Wondering what is the best eSIM? Should I use a VPN when travelling? Or how can I connect my Bluetooth headphones to the in-flight entertainment? We’ve got all the answers!

Use an eSIM to avoid roaming costs

Tired of expensive roaming charges and hidden fees when you travel abroad? Forgetting to disable mobile broadband shouldn’t cost you hundreds of dollars!

Thankfully, eSIMs take the stress away. You can use your phone to access the internet overseas without having to worry about the cost.

Travel eSIMs enable you to quickly set up and switch between New Zealand data plans and international ones. That is, without needing to swap out your SIM card. There’s no need to hunt for a local SIM at the airport or worry about losing the tiny card in your phone.

If you’re using an eSIM through a travel app like Airalo, then it will be data only. So, be sure to keep this in mind before you go making long phone calls home. These will still require setting up a roaming plan first.

To get an eSIM set up, simply download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and sign up. Next you’ll choose your destination and purchase a data pack!

What are the best brands of eSIM?

Packages, coverage and prices vary depending on the company. So make sure you shop around. The most popular eSIM brands are Airalo, Saily, Holafly and Nomad.

Airalo
Airolo is one of the first large-scale and successful eSIM providers, offering plans in over 200 countries. You can choose from a range of packages with different lengths and data caps. Just keep in mind that not every country has unlimited plans. Trusted by over 20 million users.

Holafly
Holafly is another popular brand and the oldest  on this list, founded in 2017. All packages are unlimited so if you aren’t a big user, you might end up paying more compared to smaller plans from other providers. Holafly also covers over 200 destinations.

Saily
This provider is owned by NordVPN, a popular VPN (Virtual Private Network) and ad blocker. That means using the Saily app, you can use a VPN when connected to the internet. A VPN blocks malicious URLs, keeping your data safe and allowing you to choose virtual locations. Saily also lets you use one eSIM across different locations.

Nomad
Nomad also has over 200+ destinations and different plan options from 1GB to unlimited. Allowing you to choose how much or how little you need.

Use a VPN to Protect Your Browsing Data

While travelling, you might need to take advantage of public Wi-Fi networks. These are usually unsecured, meaning your data could be at risk.

Great thing about VPNs? They encrypt your data, keeping you safe from prying eyes. They also hide your IP address, keeping your identity and location a secret!

The best options for VPNs include ExpressVPN and NordVPN. These both provide all of the security measures you need, including encryption, password management, DNS and IP Leak Protection. They also allow you to choose from a range of virtual locations.

Get a Powerbank to Keep Your Phone Fully Charged

Our phones are a lifeline when travelling. They are our camera, navigation and translator, not to mention our communication and access to bookings, tickets and travel info. So, you’ll definitely want to keep it charged up.

The solution? Get a portable power bank. You can charge devices on the go, and when back at your accommodation, you can fully charge it up again for your next day out and about!

When it comes to choosing one, there are so many options on the market! Just make sure you consider airline restrictions, size and output when purchasing one. We recommend a 20000mAh powerbank with a couple of different ports and at least a 20W output.

Some recommended models include Belkin BoostCharge, Cygnett Boost and Belkin BoostUp.

Use AirFly to Connect Wireless Headphones Inflight

We all know the best thing about a long-haul flight is sitting back and watching a movie or 6, completely guilt-free. Some travelers choose to use their own devices to watch downloaded movies or shows. But the majority still use the in-flight entertainment system.

If that’s you, you’ll know just how average the quality of the earphones are provided by airlines. Tiny in-ear, earphones or fiddly over-ear headphones with poor audio and an uncomfortable fit.

If you want the comfort of your own wireless headphones or EarPods while flying, consider getting a Bluetooth adapter. You can plug one of these into the screen’s audio jack and connect your headphones or EarPods by putting them both into pairing mode. Then, you’ll be away! The best product for doing this is the AirFly by Twelve South.

Save Maps For Offline Access

There are a bunch of different options to help you navigate your way around foreign lands. We highly recommend that whatever app you’re using, you save some maps offline. Especially if you’ve decided not to go the eSIM route.

Our 3 tried and tested maps apps that we love include Google Maps of course, City Mapper and MAPS.ME.

It’s worth noting that City Mapper doesn’t have all destinations mapped just yet, but many of the popular tourist spots are covered. Despite that, it is still considered one of the best map apps for helping users navigate from A-B using local transport options.

If you’re a Google Maps fan, you’ll want to try these great tricks on your next adventure.

All three options have easy-to-use apps and allow offline maps. This makes them perfect for travelling when you have limited data available. So, start saving maps for your overseas destination today!

Need help getting sorted for your next adventure? Give the team a call, and we can get your devices ready for the potential troubles of travel. From installing a VPN and browser protection to ensuring your data is backed up and secure.

It seems like everyone is either about to head away on holiday or actively planning a trip. After so long with closed borders, Kiwis are getting ready to travel again in droves. When you do, don’t forget to make the most of the technology available to you. It can make your holiday that much easier and more enjoyable. Here are five Google Maps tricks to help you with your next trip.

Get directions with Live View

Google Maps is your best friend when you’re exploring a new city, as you’ll likely rely on it to get around.

Live View is a fun way to use these maps when you’re travelling on foot. It gives you directions placed in the real world on a mini-map on your screen, basically telling you where to go using the camera view on your phone. See how to switch on Live View here.

Use offline maps

Whether you’re visiting a remote part of Aotearoa with intermittent signal, or you’re overseas without your phone plan, offline maps can be a huge help. You can download a full section of a map so that you can access it even when you’re unconnected.

For example, you can enter all the stops on a road trip, then download the map. This way, you’ll have the full trip saved so you can access it at any point. Or, you can download the entire downtown area of a new city.

You can learn how to download maps for offline use here.

Find restaurants and businesses near you

Need to find a supermarket near you, or a nice café for brunch?

Simply open the Google Maps app, and type in ‘supermarket’ or ‘café’. The map will show you anything nearby that’s registered as one of those businesses, and how far away they are. Also be sure to hit the ‘Open now’ button at the top of the screen, so you are only seeing places that are actually open. 

Save attractions, accommodation, and more

From your accommodation to the attractions you want to see, there will be a number of places you know you’ll need to look up at some point.

To save yourself time and hassle, you can save points on the map ahead of time. You can star certain places, or create lists of places, depending on how you’d like to organise your places. Then you can quickly access them later, finding directions from your current location, or even sharing points on a map with others in your travel group.

You’ll find Google’s instructions on how to do that here.

Save parking spaces

Many parking areas are already on Google Maps. From a handy inner-city parking building to the parking lot at the start of well-known hikes, all you need to do is enter the name to find it.

However, not all parking spaces are easily found on maps. This is especially true for less well-known hiking trails and tiny towns. In this case, switch your Google Maps to Street View. You can scroll up and down the street to find a parking space on the side of the road, then mark it so you can quickly find directions to the exact spot later.

Watch our videos on how to save parking with Google Maps 

Want more smartphone tips & tricks on the go?

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