iPod and Other MP3 Player Tips: 2011
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.
Android apps and Thinkfree Lite and Netbooks
I have noticed that most references on this site refer to Ipod related products.
Just so people are aware Android based devices have the same functionality using similar apps.
Oh 1 last thing. If you go to the DK Travel Guide website you can create your own PDF travel giodes for major cities that come with excellent local tips. Another great PDf resource for the traveller.
We have just returned from a 5 month intensive trip through western and eastern Europe (and beyond) as well as north Africa and Turkey. 22K by motorcycle. So we had to be very efficient in our use of space and technology.
The planning phase of our trip saw us develop a Word document 46 pgs long, that had all our sights to see info on it as well as an itinerary schedule containing detailed day by day destinations and mileages and travel times on an excel spreedsheet.
These were converted to PDF's and saved on our Android phone and netbook for back-up and viewed using an app called Think Free Office Lite. Now we have discovered another benefit of the Android/Google relationship and that is Google Docs.
Google docs lets you upload these same types of Word or Excel docs online, and save an offline version to your PC/IMac. You can access these same docs on your Android device as well and you can download them to your micro-SD card. An additional benefit is that with Think Free Office Lite for viewing they are formatted much better than the conversion from Word to PDF, and you can also make changes and re-save the file locally or in Docs.
Likely Ipod/PAd has a similar app. but the seamlessness of these apps for travel is exceptional.
BTW, our netbook was invaluable since it served as a host for our Garmin Map sets. Europe NT11, Turkey and Morocco topo as well as a backup for our photos from our 14mpx. camera and for doing online blogging. seen here at http://vstromadventures.blogspot.com
A note re: free wi-fi hotspots. They are available at McD's but you have to ask for an access PW. But it is free.
Brian Smith
Ladysmith, BC Canada Thu 11/24/2011
IPOD TOUCH KINDLE VS KOBO
Ordered Rick Steves' Germany 2011 for my IPOD Touch from KOBO. Did not work very well, did not get a credit, was told to PRINT my copy as a solution. Switched to KINDLE and repurchased Germany 2011 and it worked great. Lesson learned don't buy KOBO version as the software has less functionality than KINDLE. All readers are not equal, recommend buy KINDLE. Also bought Italy 2011 and it worked great on KINDLE.
Used the IPOD Touch as our computer for a month long trip to Germany, Austria and Italy. Travel Guides at your finger tips at all times, plus email, browser and other apps such as Skype at hotels with WIFI.
Ross Maloney
Toronto, canada Wed 06/22/2011
Extending ITouch memory
My friend works at the local Apple store. I was telling him how frustrating it is on trips when I'm playing games or watching videos and my battery runs out so fast. He suggested getting a back-up battery device called "Mophie". My ITouch fits right into it. You power it up separately and turn it on if you need more power. Amazing gadget!
Lois
San Diego, CA USA Mon 06/13/2011
audio tour PDF map saves the day
We took Rick's audio tours and PDF maps on our recent trip to Italy. Mostly, we simply listened on our MP3 players. However, in Pompeii we forgot to pick up a site map. The printed guide can be difficult to follow without the site map. Having Rick's audio tour and PDF map on our iPad saved us from what would have been a frustrating visit. We loved all of Rick's audio tours!
Dianne
Denver, CO USA Tue 05/03/2011
GoodReader iPad app lightens the load
The GoodReader iPad app is great for storing copies of important documents, such as PDFs of city guides, train schedules, hotel booking confirmations, trip insurance coverage, rental car confirmation, etc. No more carrying around a huge wad of papers. All we had to print and carry were entry vouchers for attractions and our train tickets.
Dianne
Denver, CO USA Tue 05/03/2011
IPod and Skype
My companion and I ,carring backpacks, traveled by rail from Budapest to Vienna, Salzburg, Prague, Krakow, and Berlin. I carried an IPod touch with which I called my wife regularly using Skype. My wife does not do computers, so I placed a $10 deposit with Skype allowing me to call her land line. Cost was about 5 cents/minute. I had no trouble finding hot spots in each hotel in which we stayed. Did require a headset with a microphone. Was completely suprised by the clarity of sound.
CBenny
Greenville, NC USA Thu 04/28/2011
Language App
An excellent translation app is Jibbigo - resides on device so does not need a wi-fi connection. Really liked the Spanish version.
whisper
USA Wed 04/20/2011
Ipad and Learning Italian
Prior to the Ipad, my IPod was my Italian teacher. With the IPad, I have been able to download both audio and PDF lessons and study the spoken and written word. One of the best sources is http://www.learnitalianpod.com which I have subscribed to on and off for several years. Take a look at it. Another good Italian Language course is from Pimsleur. They have Italian 1 -4 on CD, or you can download from Audible. Used courses are available on EBay. One great APP for the IPad is Italian Audio Flash Cards, which has a couple of thousand words arranged by type with areas for audible, visual, and spelling. It is worth the expense.
Don't forget the Rick Steve's APP, you can tailor it to your trip and has some of his greatest inverviews.
Ciao
Greg Speck
Branford, CT USA Sun 04/03/2011
Podcasts
Rick Steves offers great pod casts, but do NOT try to share an ipod to listen. My husband and I tried to limit what we brought overseas but it was a mistake. It was too hard to coordinate our walking and his talking to something that was feasible. In the end we were both just frustrated. 2 ipods 2 podcasts next time.
Shannon Fonferko
Schaumburg, IL USA Mon 03/21/2011
Fav OFFLINE Apps!
World traveling ipod touch and/or ipad users may benefit from my time and money spent on OFFLINE travel apps that require no internet connection. My two very best workhorse apps are 1.) Lingopal 44: Communicates essential travel phrases to and from 44 languages QUICKLY, AUDIBLY and VISUALLY and 2.) Cityscouter iPhone/iPad Travel Guides: An utterly amazing swiss army knife all in one app... need nothing else. Aside from these two stalwarts, I also recommend these very comprehensive high quality offline apps a.) Direct U offline country maps and b.) MetrO by Kinevia for offline point to point metro and other transportation calculations.. pretty amazing c.) Play & Tour Audio Guides and d.) mPassport for an offline directory of English speaking doctors, dentists, etc... be prepared!
Jack
Quincy, FL USA Sun 03/20/2011
IPod Touch is a smart traveler's best friend.
I just bought a new IPod Touch 4th Generation 64GB. If you want free texting to most carriers in the USA use the free App Textnow you just enter the phone number. For those with Google Accounts you can send and receive free texts.
For those who want to use Google Voice on their Ipod Touch get the free app Talkatone and set it up to forward all calls to your Google Chat. You can make calls free to the USA and Canada from anywhere in the world. For International calls or calls within a country load up your account in American Dollars from anywhere you are. Just add enough for the calls and you can manage it. With a lot of free WiFi Hotspots you can save the cost of Data/Cellphone costs and incompatible CDMA phones on the GSM network.
I love the Rick Steves App for Podcasts and tours of cities.
To listen to online radio I like the VTuner App 99 cents and you can listen to radio from home or from the country you are visiting.
Just be sure to purchase a wall adapter plug,car adapter plug, skins and screen cover. You can get this from KrazyOnDigital.com for a good cost. Just be sure to bring the adapters for the countries you are visiting.
If you wand a GPS on the IPod Touch look for a $80 adapter that plugs into where you would charge the Ipod and it will charge the IPod at the same time. Then download the app.
For E-books I love the Kindle,Nook,Borders and Stanza. Load up the books and read.
If you have important documents or want to upload photos use the IPod Touche's camera and get a [INVALID]box account(They give 2GB free and will give you up to 8GB for those you recommend to the service. For more GB you can purchase it.
Save Documents,music,photos etc without using up the memory on the Touch.
I like JiWires free Wifi Hotspot that lists the free WiFi Hotspots. Make sure you download the directory for off-line viewing and voilla you have found a place with free WiFi. Paris has Orange Mobile Hotspots which is free. You log on for 2 hour sessions at a time and can keep logging on after the 2 hours.
Want to write e-mails, take photos/video and send it to Facebook you can do this although the Ipod Touch's camera is not as good as a Cannon it gets the job done and its portable. You don't really need to carry around a heavy laptop.
Be sure you password protect your device and download the free App Find my IPhone/Ipod device so if you loose it and its registered with Apple you can see where it is and remotely delete the data.
Enjoy and I hope you will get the IPod Touch 4G 64GB. Its an expensive purchase at the outset but once you use it you can save money.
Daniel
Saratoga, CA USA Fri 03/18/2011
Podcasts for France and Ireland
I took all of Rick's podcasts for Paris and they were fabulous. i listen to them now, 2 years later for a fun replay of my museum visits. Too bad they don't work for the remodeled museums. Please do them again, Rick!
I'm going to Ireland in 2 weeks and taking all the podcasts with his travel guide friends for a nice prelude to the trip. I'll listen again on the plane.
My kindle3 is loaded with the Ireland guide book and the Dingle and Dublin supplements.
Thanks, Rick
Thanks, Rick.
Cheryl
Charlestown, RI USA Thu 02/03/2011