Our favorite apps when traveling

One thing we have discovered when traveling is that technology has made our lives much easier and more complicated simultaneously. Learning how to utilize any new technology can be a frustrating experience; just when you think you have it mastered, it changes. You know the story.

On the other hand it keeps us from getting lost, helps us find whatever we need or want, allows us to pay bills and take care of financial matters, stay in touch with friends and family, and on and on.  Once you figure out what it is you need to do, you can probably find an app for that. Here are some of our favorite apps. Some are native to our iPhones, iPads and Nexus. Others are available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

iPad (top), Nexus 7 and iPhone.
All my devices have a protective skin on them.

GPS and maps - your mobile device (tablet or smartphone) probably came with a map app. The Google Map app is particularly good. On an iPhone, with the app open, tap the forked arrow to enter to and from points, then tap the arrow with "Start" under it and voila, you have a GPS. I think most phones have a GPS receiver built into them, so using them as a miniature GPS is usually possible.  This is particularly handy if you find yourself in a situation where your primary GPS is not working for some reason. In a previous post I explained how I use my Nexus 7 as a big screen GPS. Check it out. I have also downloaded some topo maps as well for our off road adventures.

Financial - banking business no longer has to be conducted over a counter with a teller. We can pay anybody or any business with our bank's app. If they can be paid by an electronic funds transfer, that's what happens, if not, the bank will print and mail them a paper check on my behalf. We can also deposit checks by simply taking a picture of it with my phone and tapping "Make Deposit". It's that simple. USAA pioneered that technology, but Bank of America and others now offer it as well. Credit cards can be paid online, too. Just get the app for your credit card provider and set up the account you want the payments to come out of.

Books - Amazon is well known for their selection of books, but did you know many public libraries now offer e-books? Check with your local library and see if they do. You'll need to ask what device and app works with their system. If you have the right device, the app is free. Overdrive is what some libraries use and 3M Cloud Library is another. I have both apps on my iPad and my Nexus. You can check out books which are then downloaded to your device and return them when you are finished, otherwise they return automatically at the end of the lending period....from anywhere with a wi-fi connection. Amazon, which sells the Kindle, also has an app which allows you to download and read their books without having to buy a Kindle.  Amazon, Apple and Google all offer books, magazines, music and videos for sale, but they also have a lot of books that are free.  Another source for free books is  Project Gutenberg. It is a website where thousands of books (42,000 at last count) have been digitized and are available to download for free.

Fuel - Finding fuel in an unfamiliar place can be a chore sometimes. There are several apps to help, but the one I use is Gas Buddy. It needs a device with GPS capability and a data connection in order to work best. Just open the app, tap the "Find gas near me" icon and in a few seconds it displays stations and their prices. You can sort them by price or distance from your current location and view a map to find the station you select.  This is really helpful and can save you a bundle on fuel costs. Many stations have a photo as well, so you can tell if the rig you are driving can access the pumps or not. The app is free.

Google Drive - Drive is a free service provided by Google which allows a user to store documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc on Google's servers. You can then access your documents from anywhere with any device. Mobile devices will need the Drive app (free).  Currently creating and editing from a mobile device is a little limited, but that is changing rapidly.

Weather - I use two apps for this. Weather+ gives great current and forecast weather for multiple locations. The free version has ads and limits the number of locations you can store. My Radar is the other app I use. It shows an almost real time display of current radar. Both of these apps can be very helpful in planning, especially if you are in an area without TV reception.  We camped along the Mexican border last spring and for several days we only got one TV station and it was all Spanish speaking.  These apps were really useful then.

First Aid - Here is an app I have never used, but its nice to know its there if I need it. I haven't taken a first aid class in many years. I can see it now, "let me get you out of this burning car first, then I've gotta run get my tablet to find out what to do about that severed arm there! YIKES! Does that hurt?"  The app is free from the American Red Cross and is packed with useful information.

Communication - Skype is a great way to communicate with and see how much the grandkids have grown. With Apple users we can use Face Time to place and receive video calls from other iPhone or iPad users. For Android devices there is Google +.   Google Voice allows you to pick a free phone number and make free domestic phone calls from a wi-if connection or you can give that number to others and have it ring whatever number(s) you designate. Direct TV has an app that lets me communicate with my receiver at the cabin so I can select shows to record, etc. All free apps.

Camping - These two are not apps but rather websites you'll have to access with your browser.  Since this blog is about RVs and camping I felt they ought to be  included.  RVpark Reviews (www.rvparkreviews.com) is great for getting honest information about almost any campground you can think of.  Actual users tell anything from the personalities of the employees to the condition of the restrooms and everything in between.  Campsite Photos (www.campsitephotos.com) has photographs of individual campsites in hundreds of campgrounds.  When making reservations in advance at an unknown campground this is a big help in choosing a site.  You can usually see where the hookups are,  where the trees are, if the site is paved, etc.

We also have a few games on our mobile devices for the grand kids to play with when we get to see them along with some other apps that we have just because they were there. I would love to hear what you use or like and see where that might fit in with your travels. Now what I REALLY need is an app to mow the yard while I'm gone.....hmm, let's see.....

We hope to see you on the road soon!