Best apps and gadgets for Android to rock your road trip
Nothing quite beats the feeling of exploring the world. Venturing from one city to the next, through different countries and even having a journey across the continents. Travelling is, quite simply, one of the greatest freedoms we can offer ourselves. Whether you want to travel the world or go on a road trip across the States, look no further than these apps and gadgets below to help you on your way.
ANDROID APPS:
Waze Social GPS Maps & Traffic
First up we have Waze. This is a great alternative to Google Maps and is constantly updated by other users, giving you a complete stream of real-time traffic updates. Users also add on where speed traps might be which is always handy on a road trip. You can input routes, add different stop off points and it automatically updates to the best route if your original plan has problems (road closures, accidents etc). It’s got millions upon millions of downloads, and over 5 million positive reviews so definitely add this to your Android device before you set off.
Citymapper- London,NYC,PAR,BER
Sticking slightly to the map theme, Citymapper brings up tons of detailed information from some the biggest cities in the world. Trying to navigate London or New York is surprisingly simple with the app and you can discover different public transport schedules. It’s updated frequently, and although it might not be useful for everyone, if your trip involves a city that’s been covered by the app, you’ll be glad you downloaded it.
GasBuddy – Find Cheap Gas
GasBuddy is a rather self-explanatory app, but for those who haven’t quite made up there minds about it I’ll explain. The basic concept is that it helps you find cheap gas while on the road. Obviously, if you’re desperately low on fuel then you won’t mind where the nearest gas station is however if you have the luxury of choice, this app will help you save the cents where possible by directing you to the cheapest places. It might not be much good for hikers, but for road trips it certainly offers a helping hand.
TripAdvisor Hotels Flights
Practically everyone will have heard of TripAdvisor. It’s turned into a huge global entity with a massive user-base. That’s good news for us. The app itself offers you an incredibly easy way to find restaurants, hotels, flights, attractions and everything else in-between. You can even specify whether you’re hungry for breakfast or dinner. It’s also packed with reviews and ratings from other users so you can figure out whether that place you’ve always wanted to go to is worth the trip or just over-rated.
Preparture
I won’t lie, Preparture hasn’t been swept with millions of downloads, yet. It’s pretty new to the scene but it has everything needed of a solid travel app all wrapped up in one smooth package. It might not be perfect, but it’s definitely something I’ll be using whenever I travel again. With the app you can organize your trip effortlessly with a few taps. Whether you’re looking for transport, accommodation, things to do, places to eat at and pretty much anything else you can think of, this app can sort it out. It can even estimate how long you get to enjoy your new found activity before the next part of your plan needs to begin.
GADGETS:
So there are five fantastic travel apps that’ll come in handy during a road trip (or any kind of travel adventure for that matter). But that’s not where this party ends. Keep reading to discover a couple of really useful gadgets that should find their way to your belongings.
1. Solar Chargers
So these might not be overly important if you have a vehicle to charge up your gear with, but there is nothing handier than have a small little sun-powered battery that you can just plug your Android device into to charge it up. They are especially helpful if you’re going to be spending a lot of time out on foot, whether that’s a hiking adventure nestled in somewhere on your road trip or a few days camping. Failing a solar charger, make sure to at least get a car charger. You can find great models today that support multiple devices too.
2. Phone Mount
Investing in a phone mount for your Android device is just common sense. I don’t need to explain why you shouldn’t use your phone and drive at the same time, but get a good mount for your window screen and you’ll be flying in no time. A lot of navigation apps all use voice-commands too so you’ll be pretty sorted in communicating with your Android
3. SD Card / USB Stick
Even with all of the excitement that travelling offers, sometimes you’ll just want to kick back and enjoy a good movie or TV show. Chances are the hotel you’re staying at falls short in this department, especially if you’re travelling on a budget. Before you get going on your journey make sure to cram a couple of SD cards with your favorite movies or shows so you can keep watching them when you take a break from driving (or so your kids are entertained in the back of the car). If you’d prefer you can use a USB stick with an adapter to fit your Android device although SD cards are easier in my opinion.
