At the end of July 2022, I decided to diversify my life and went on a big trip to the nearest countries. The first stop was planned after almost 4000 kilometers. I loaded a Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner, a large Marshall home speaker, a pair of MacBooks, about the same number of suitcases with clothes, a dokatka (the standard one is not provided here) and other essentials into the trunk of my favorite BMW troika. I surrounded myself with the closest people and with their active support traveled 4 countries in almost 4 days. At first, such a “march” seemed too difficult, but it turned out to be quite possible. A set of applications for the iPhone helped to bring it to life, among other things.
💡 curiousthat almost all the applications presented in this material, except for the music streaming service with its own subscription and virtual SIM cards with payment for traffic, turned out to be free. And nothing supernatural, by and large, is not needed on such trips.
Navigation
Of course, without a set of navigation applications for all occasions, a long journey is impossible. Yes, it is without a set, because, as practice shows, one cartographic service cannot be dispensed with. Some solution is more convenient on the highway, another will help in the city, and for the third, you don’t even need the Internet.
Waze
I am sincerely surprised that not all motorists know about the Waze navigation service. I hope that after reading this article, the situation will change for the better, because the application is really worthwhile. By and large, it is not so much a mapping system as a social network for those who are driving. Absolutely all Waze users can share the situation on the road, mark the presence of potholes, checkpoints, cameras and other emergencies. Plus, the program analyzes traffic and intelligently changes the route, depending on the traffic load.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
“Google Maps”
Why “Google Maps” if Waze was praised so much above in the text? The fact is that the navigation system of the search giant compares favorably with competitors with a huge base with a mass of cafes, restaurants, gas stations and any other institutions. In the card of each of them there is not only geolocation with the ability to get directions, but also working hours, phone numbers, as well as reviews with photos. Moreover, if you navigate in a purely urban mode, Google Maps seems to be simpler and more convenient than Waze. And the latter does not have such a wide geography in the countries of the world.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
MAPS.ME
Another navigation service that focuses on the use of maps without an Internet connection. Cities and countries must first be loaded into the memory of the mobile device. Russia as a whole will take up more than 4 GB of free space, and Kazakhstan – about 150 MB. It seems like a lot, but it is important to understand that MAPS.ME can help out at any moment. For example, when I was driving around Spain about a year ago, I found myself without the Internet, and only this cartographic service was able to show me the right path. After this incident, I download maps of all the countries that I plan to visit in advance, and I don’t worry about the frequency of mobile Internet breaks.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
translators
A long time ago I was convinced that English abroad will not always help. Each country has its own language of communication, and the concept of one international is, by and large, a soap bubble. Ordering a couple of mugs of green tea in the nearest cafe will definitely work, but for more serious tasks, smart translators are needed.
“Google Translator”
The most banal translator you could think of. However, he quite regularly copes with all his duties. The main thing is that it easily downloads all the necessary dictionaries offline, and it also knows how to recognize text from a photo. The latter is especially true when shopping in a supermarket in any other country. Of course, there are well-known international brands everywhere, but sometimes it is still more logical to purchase local goods, the inscriptions on the packages of which can, to put it mildly, put you in a stupor. This is where a normal translator comes to the rescue. By the way, the built-in one from Apple disappointed me in this regard – even corny without the Internet does not always work.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
DeepL
An interesting find that came to hand not so long ago. This is a translator that uses neural networks in its work. Due to them, the result obtained is more accurate and, if I may say so, humane. I use it in correspondence – especially in official ones via e-mail.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
Content
In order for the road to be successful, not only the voices of passengers must be heard in the passenger compartment. Favorite content will also help to overcome a long distance: music, audio books and even films along with TV shows that can be occupied by those who do not need to look at the road. It’s hard without all this.
Apple Music
Without a music streaming service, there is no way on a long journey. Despite all the questions that arise today with paying for Apple branded solutions, it is the standard “Music” that I still like the most. Firstly, here is a traditional media library with a normal division into artists, albums and individual tracks. Secondly, on the iPhone, it is possible to enable automatic downloading of musical compositions that fall into the media library – in this case, audio can be added to the Mac, and new offline music will automatically be downloaded to the smartphone. The latter is very cool for autotravel.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
- To the point: How the internet killed music and why Apple Music (and not the competition) is its last hope
VLC
One of the most banal applications in this material. However, it’s important to note that it remains one of the more user-friendly multimedia combiners for the iPhone. With it, you can not only watch videos, but also listen to music and even books in audio format. Great for any offline content.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
Another “vintage” instrument that many today may not even remember. This is a delayed reading service that downloads text and other Internet materials for further access to them offline. I upload here interesting articles and instructions that I can read in the future in absolutely any place at a convenient time for myself. A lot of interesting materials appear on the same Treshbox, many of which confidently fly into my Pocket, and then re-read, including on the road. It’s great that they don’t need internet.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
Utilities
Ultimately, you need to take a few essential mobile utilities with you on the road, which will provide low-cost mobile data, as well as protect you on free Wi-Fi networks. For this journey, it turned out to be more than enough for me with just a couple of small programs.
Airalo
An application that fully reveals the main feature of the latest iPhone models. We are talking about virtual “sim cards” eSIM, which can be added to the device only if you have access to the network. Airalo offers the purchase of digital cards from dozens of different countries around the world. Voice calls are not provided for in them – but there are packages of fairly affordable mobile Internet traffic. Of course, purchasing local SIMs in each individual state can be more beneficial, but if you do not intend to stay for a long time, Airalo can be a great option. The only thing you need is an international means of online payments.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
WireGuard
VPN on the road is relevant for two reasons: on the one hand, it helps to bypass inconvenient local blocking of international services; on the other hand, it makes it possible to secure your traffic when connecting to dubious Wi-Fi access points that are not protected by anything. WireGuard is a client that allows you to add and configure your own VPN server to a device. Yes, this is not a VPN service in the usual sense, but anyone who has already acquired a personal “tunnel” will definitely choose this option. By the way, the site has instructions on how to raise it in just half an hour – it is further down the text.
📲 Download app for iPhone (is free)
- To the point: Making your own VPN in 30 minutes – step by step instructions for beginners
Summing up
I didn’t even use any other apps on the trip. Of course, I simply don’t write about Telegram and banking programs – it’s obvious that they were also launched from time to time. Nothing more was needed on the busy road. The main thing is that the car did not disappoint, but this is already the merit of its preparation, which is worth talking about in a completely different material.
Source: Trash Box
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
