iPod and Other MP3 Player Tips: 2009
MP3 players (like iPods) aren't just for music anymore. These days, you can download podcasts, watch TV shows and movies, and even let Rick Steves guide you though the sights of Paris, London, Rome, and more with our audio tours.
What are your favorite tips for using an MP3 player as you travel?
- Please don't post questions here. Use our Travelers Helpline.
Valuable item for those with IPODS/IPhones
For those of you with IPOD touch, or an IPhone that you do not want to have to pay outrageous roaming charges, I recommend a Cradlepoint CTR500 "cellular-ready" travel router. In the states, I use my Verizon broadband card as the input; internationally I use a hardwired internet connection (connect this to the wall instead of your laptop). Takes either WAN connection and creates a hotspot, so you can use wifi with all of your devices (SKYPE, upload pics, etc)
Rick
Dallas, TX USA Mon 12/28/2009
MetrO app
I have an iPhone instead of an iPod, but I believe the apps are the same. The most helpful app by far has been the Metro app. You enter your starting station and your destination station and it tells you which trains to take and where to transfer. It saved me loads of time and confusion in Paris and worked just as well in Brussels. There are lots of available cities, probably hundreds to choose from. Then, once loaded you don't need a wifi connection. This app is making my trip so much easier
Frank Cody
Jackson, CA USA Wed 10/14/2009
Microsoft Zune HD-Wireless Capabilities
I recently purchased a Zune HD mp3 player. Besides being great for music, it has wireless that you can connect to check e-mail and other websites. I have used it extensively in the US and will be taking it to Europe with me.
Italian Traveler
TX USA Sun 10/04/2009
Sandisk Sansa FM recorder
My Sandisk Sansa can record FM radio recordings. However it uses the WAV format so it takes a large amount of space. Be sure to buy one with a capacity of 8 GB (minimum) or 16 GB (preferred) for a two-week vacation. Otherwise you may need to bring along a memory flash drive and be very patient with the internet cafe's USB connections, if they even have such connections. Even better - why not bring along a netbook or similar laptop and save time and disk space (if you have audio compression software)?
You never know of the audio treasures you might bring back. It's better than recording the old way with C-90 tapes and lots of AA-batteries, like I did in the "old" days - not a light way to pack!
Josh Hanz
Plano, TX USA Sun 09/20/2009
iPod
There are many free and paid Language Guides for iPod Touch and iPhone such as Phrase Books, and Wi-Fi enabled translators. I took a trip to Paris in April and my French Guide from World Nomads made the French a lot more friendly.
Ben Hoffman
Minneapolis, MN USA Wed 09/09/2009
iPod cover
I bought an iSkin in hot pink because I liked the color. Then I found out that if I clip it to my jeans belt loop, it is convenient and virtually theft-proof - an extra benefit.
Chani
Tel Aviv, Israel Thu 08/27/2009
free London audio walks
I regularly download free walking tours of London from http://londonwalks.libsyn.com/ Robert Wright does a wide variety of walks, from "introductory" overview walks of central London to more "off the beaten path" walks. The walks are interesting and easy to follow....I highly recommend them. It's also fun to listen to the walks at home, when I can't get to London!
Alison
Chicago, IL USA Sat 08/15/2009
iPod and MP3 Player Tips
I have downloaded a number of walking tours for my iPod. MP Tours has some great tours of Buenos Aires neighborhoods. Tourcaster has quite a selection of MP3 tours. I've downloaded good tours of Barcelona and Madrid and just recently one on hidden corners of Vienna. It's great, alone or shared with a willing traveling companion! Tourcaster lets you listen to a sample of each tour so you can determine whether you like the voice or style of the tour, as they are of uneven quality/interest.
Linda Tracy
Sebastopol, CA USA Fri 07/24/2009
iPod and MP3 Player Tips
When I travel, I put interesting Audio CD books from the public library on my iPod. You can match them to your trip. I listened to Nory's Song, about the potato famine, when we were in Ireland and Alice Hoffman's Incantation, about Jews and the Inquisition, while we were in Spain. Another wonderful resource has been the Teaching Company. I listened to their lectures on Spain and the Middle Ages (there are several pertinent courses) in Spain and their course on Asia Minor while in Turkey. Nothing like looking out a bus window and seeing what you are hearing. Also, big advantage, you don't have to lug books along. You have the luxury of choosing whatever you're in the mood to listen to at any moment. Lastly, if you are an early riser and your traveling companion is not, you have a quiet way to entertain yourself during that interim time.
Linda Tracy
Sebastopol, CA USA Fri 07/24/2009
London Walking Tours.Pod Casts
The British History Channel has some interesting walking tour pod casts for those who are history buffs like myself. I downloaded the How London was built and and Jack the Ripper pod casts and intend to use them when I go to London in November. The website is www.historychannel.co.uk/podcasts
Rich M
Littleton, CO USA Tue 06/30/2009
Keeping your Ipod safe!
When you take your ipod or mp3 player out of the country make sure to keep it safe. My name is Jackie and I am 12 years old and I took my mothers ipod to Italy. I knew i would need to keep it safe other wise she would make me buy her a new one. In order to protect the ipod I got a money belt to not only hold my mother's ipod in, but also my money. I kept it in the money belt most of the trip and when I wanted to use it i kept it in my money belt and put the earplugs up through the top of my shirt so pick pocketers could not only get the ipod from me, but they couldn't tell i was using it. At night I tend to listen to music and when you are in a hostel just about anyone could walk right into your room and take it. What I did to keep it safe was put the ipod under the pillow and turn up the music just enough so I could here it and no one else could. I had no problems loosing the ipod once using these simple tips. Thanks and have a good trip!
Jackie Loutzenheiser
Boise , Idaho USA Wed 06/03/2009
Italian on your I-pod
On I-Tunes you can download Italian lessons. They are really handy. In your spare time or on they plane ride there you can listen to it and it will help you a lot with your Itlaian.
Emma
Star, Idaho USA Wed 06/03/2009
iPod - It's not just for podcasts
I have an iPod Touch and it came in handy for so many things.
The wi-fi capability is the best. We used it for emails to keep in touch with family instead of having to use a cell phone or phone cards.
We scanned our passports, emailed them to our gmail account (or other easily accessible email account), and downloaded them to the iPod in case we lost ours. We could just show the image.
I also forwarded emails with our hotel and other travel details. It came in handy when we had to contact the hotel when our train arrived late.
While we were traveling in Hungary, my husband came down with a cold. I downloaded a translation app while at the hotel, entered a few phrases we would need to speak to a pharmacist, saved them and later showed them to the clerk.
I also had downloaded a conversions app to keep up with currency prices, measurements, temperatures, etc.
My husband used the Safari browser to keep up with baseball scores - something not frequently covered in European news reports.
And it plays music while waiting at the airport too!
Diane
San Bernardino, CA USA Mon 05/25/2009
Connecting your MP3 player to a hotel TV
We recently stayed in Juan-les-Pins, France for two weeks. With only one English-speaking TV station(BBC News). I hooked up my Zune to the TV and was able to watch full-length feature movies that I had previously downloaded. Don't forget to pack the cable that connects your MP3 player to the TV.
Bart Brady Ciampa
Vancouver, WA USA Mon 05/11/2009
Good MP3 plaer
We purchased a Sansa Clip MP3 player on a graffiti wall recommendation. It is fantastic! Very small, very light, but it has a navigation screen (unlike the iPod Shuffle). Also, it charges through the USB port of a computer, so no need for an additional wall charger!
Seth
Boise, ID USA Sun 05/03/2009
Skype for iPod
There is a stand alone Skype application so Truphone is no longer needed.
HankH
Waterbury, CT USA Sat 04/18/2009
ipod touch or iphone and skype
You have to download a free application called "Truphone" to you ipod touch or iphone first, then add skype or messenger(s) to truphone. It works great with a wi-fi connection
Pattie
Wa USA Thu 04/16/2009
Skype on your ipod
With an Ipod touch or Iphone, an Iphone headset w/mic (this works with both and is available from Apple for $29.00) a wifi connection and the skype application you can call home(or anywhere else) for pennies. I'll take that over $1.50 plus per minute with a cell or the hassle of calling cards any day.
Kathy
Anaheim, Ca USA Tue 04/14/2009
I -Tunes University
I-Tunes University/Podcasts
I-Tunes has a section that you can download free lectures/video/interviews via their ITunes University. There is a wealth of information from The Metropolitan Museum,Oxford, Cambridge, Open College, American Public Media, Duke, etc for subjects ranging from Science, Fine Arts, Humanities, History, Politics for FREE!
I just downloaded a lecture from the Metropolitan on Islamic Art/ Rumi culture to prepare me for an upcoming trip to Turkey.
There are wonderful podcasts from Lonely Planet, Rick Steves (of course!) , National Geographic, PRI,NPR that are also FREE. You may spend a little time "digging thru" the I-Tunes University and I-Tunes Podcast- but it is goldmine of finds.
Karen
Schaumburg, IL USA Sat 04/11/2009
Rick's Books on Kindle
When will all of Rick's books be available for the Amazon Kindle??? Talk about packing light.
SouthernTraveler
Atlanta, GA USA Mon 03/09/2009
Rick's 2009 London, Paris, Rome and Tuscany
If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, the Amazon Kindle reader is now available for free. Using this software, you can load the electronic versions of Rick's London, Paris, Rome and Tuscany 2009 guides. Very handy having these guides in such a small device.
Nathan Margason
Staunton, VA USA Thu 03/05/2009
Louvre In Under Three Hours
My wife and I had 36 hours in Paris during a stopover on our way to London. We decided to make the most of it while we were there. I downloaded Rick's Louvre tour to our iPod Touch, and we covered the majority of the museum in just under 3 hours! It was perfect. I used the same audio guides in Rome and Venice. We loaded some other travel shows on it to watch in our hotel or on the train to our next town.
It's also nice to download a movie or some TV shows to pass the time during down time or when relaxing on the train.
An iPod Touch gives you wifi and comes in handy when you need to get online and have found a hotspot.
Andrew
Alexandria, VA USA Mon 03/02/2009
www.audioguide2go.com portal to mp3 tours
www.audioguide2go.com lists Rick Steves tours and many other fascinating tours and walks that can be downloaded onto an ipod or accessed by mobile phone.
As well as city tours it accesses many country walks, nature trails, and heritage trails. There are such a wide range and you can leave a review.
Trailblazer
Cheshire, UK Fri 01/30/2009
MP3 downloands
My best tip would be to download all of Rick Steves podcasts available. They were accurate and saved us ALOT of money. It was SO nice to go at our own pace, rewind when necessary and skip :) when necessary.
Jennifer
Anaheim Hills, Ca USA Mon 01/26/2009