Posted: 05 Apr 2019 12:00 AM PDT

Smartphones are now indispensable when traveling. Domestic and overseas travel alike require food, navigation, translation, and so much more to make work or vacation successful. Gone are the days of lugging multiple tourist books around with you everywhere you go — you need to let your smartphone handle the dirty work.

We've dived into all the apps and settings you need to download and check to make sure you travel like a pro. Need to ask for the bathrooms in French? We have you covered. Want to find the best Tex-Mex joint in Austin? Done. Need to compare whether it'd be faster and cheaper to take a plane or train to your European vacation? This might sound insane to Americans, but that's actually a good question that we can easily help you solve.

Everyone's travel plans are different, so you might find some areas of this article more helpful than others. We've broken the entire thing into specific sections for any travel needs. Feel free to simply read through the entire piece or, if you have specific questions, click on any section in the quick list below to see answers.

Jump to a section:

Tip 1: Getting the Basics Set Up

While no two trips are quite alike, there are steps every traveler can take to ensure their smartphone is primed for adventure. The last thing you need, whether one city over or an ocean away, is to have your iPhone or Android phone fail you with basic tasks.

1. Update Your System Software

Your phone should always be updated to the latest system software available. Not only are you missing out on any new features in later updates, but OEMs and carriers add security patches to updates to squash vulnerabilities found in previous software versions.

While using an outdated phone can pose its own issues at home, while traveling, it can result in an all-out nightmare. If you need to update your phone, but find yourself in a location where you can't download the latest update, you're totally out of luck. We talk about finding free Wi-Fi later in the article, but even then, your closest option might not be fast enough for downloads.

Trust us — before you step out your front door, update your phone. On iPhone, do this from Settings –> General –> Software Update. On Android, either go to Settings –> Software Update or Settings –> System –> System update. It may vary slightly across Android devices since there are so many different types.

2. Update All Apps You'll Use

In the same vein, make sure all of the apps on your device — or, at least the apps you know you'll use on your trip — are fully updated. You don't want old bugs or issues stopping you from finding the best pizzeria around. Some apps won't even let you continue using the app until you update. The best deterrent is to update, update, update.

New updates come out all the time. Best practice? Reload that updates page minutes before you leave the comfort of your home Wi-Fi. That way, you'll be as up-to-date as you can be, and won't need to worry about your ride-sharing app betraying you in a strange, new city.

The Ultimate Checklist for Getting Your Phone Travel-Ready — iOS (left) vs. Android (right).

Sometimes, you might be in a rush to get out the door. In those cases, it's better to prepare now by making sure your apps are set to auto-update. On iPhone, go to Settings –> iTunes & App Stores –> Updates (under Automatic Downloads). On Android, open up the Play Store, tap the hamburger icon, select "Settings," and you'll find the "Auto-update apps" setting there.

3. Take Control of Your Date & Time Settings

If you're traveling across time zones, whether domestically or internationally, it can mess with your phone and its apps. Make sure before you leave your home time that your phone's "Date & Time" settings are set to "Automatic." You can also manually change the settings to your new time zone.

On iPhone, you'll find these settings in Settings –> General –> Date & Time (note: "Date & Time" is locked to "Set Automatically" if using Screen Time). On some Android devices, they'll be in Settings –> System –> Date & time. On others, in Settings –> General Management –> Date and time. Again, it may vary slightly across Android devices.

Tip 2: Preparing to Spend Money

Money is a universal language, even if currencies differ. No matter your trip, you're going to be spending your cash — cabs, food, accommodations, maybe a little shopping — they all require a method of payment. Setting up your phone to handle these payments, no matter where in the world you may be, can make paying for your trip much easier.

1. Set Up Mobile Wallet

Digital wallets increase security when making payments. You aren't sharing your card or bank info with the vendor, so you don't need to worry about card or identify theft. Scammers hate this one neat trick. Even if you lose your phone, no one will be able to use your digital money without your fingerprint or face.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay is the only way to go on iPhone. The service is remarkably secure, to the point that cash almost feels more dangerous (DNA, man). In the future, you'll even be able to sign up for an Apple Card, a credit card via Apple, but that's not until Summer 2019.

If you have an iPhone, make sure to set up Apple Pay before heading out on your trip. More and more stores and countries are accepting this form of mobile payment, so do yourself a favor and protect your payments. Plus, unlike some chip readers, its lightning fast. To set up Apple Pay, go to Settings –> Wallet & Apple Pay. You can add debit and credit cards here, as well as set up Apple Pay Cash.

Google Pay & Samsung Pay

On the flipside of the smartphone spectrum, we have Google Pay (previously called Android Pay). To set it up, just open up the Google Pay app on your device (install it first if you don't have it).

Unlike iPhones, you might have some flexibility in digital payments on Android. For example, if you have a Samsung Galaxy device, there's the "Samsung Pay" app. It's actually better than Google Pay since it can be used anywhere, not just at tap-and-pay terminals, since it has both NFC and MST instead of just NFC.

2. Know the Limitations

Mobile payments are a no-brainer. At least, if you're traveling in your home country. Going abroad complicates the situation. While mobile payments can make it easy to avoid exchanging your country's currency for another, you might find that your bank or credit card issuer will charge you fees for using cards in other countries.

While you always should contact your financial institutions before traveling out of the country, you should also check in about any unknown fees that come with using your card with vendors abroad. If you have the opportunity, it's best to sign up for a card with no international transaction fees. However, that will be impractical for many people. Just make sure you catch up on your card's rules and regulations, so any fees you do incur aren't unexpected.

3. Convert Currency in Seconds

If you're traveling internationally, you don't want to make blind purchases. Currencies vary between all countries, so you can never be sure just by looking at how much something really costs based on your country's currency.

You don't need to make too big a deal about it, though. Just use your phone to convert the price of the item you'd like to purchase to your home dollar. There are a couple of ways to accomplish that:

Your Phone's Digital Assistant

Whether you have an iPhone or an Android device, you have a personal converter on hand at all times. Both Siri and Google Assistant can convert currencies for you on the fly, so just ask if you need to know. If you use a different voice assistant on your phone, it's likely to be able to convert currency as well. (PS: While Siri is only available on iOS, Google Assistant is available on both operating systems).

Currency Converter Apps

If you're looking for something a bit more feature-filled, try a proper currency converter app. Not only can you convert individual transactions, but you can get a quick glance at multiple countries and how their currency stacks up to yours.

There are plenty of options on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store to choose from, but we've included three of the highest rated options below to get you started.

Tip 3: Enabling Personal Safety Features

Traveling can be a lot of fun, but, like most things in life, it comes with some risks. Before you go, you'll want to protect both yourself and your phone with the following tips.

1. Quickly Disable Biometric Login

Our friends at both Apple and Google know that the data on your phone is valuable and shouldn't be easily accessible to anyone other than yourself. That's why both iPhone and Android comes with ways to immediately lock up your device, to stop others from using you and your biometrics to break into your own device.

iPhone (Face ID or Touch ID)

On iOS, Face ID and Touch ID are secure, convenient options for unlocking your iPhone. However, because it just takes your face or fingerprint to crack the code, bad actors can force you to open your device against your will.

Luckily, Apple makes it very easy to quickly disable both Face ID and Touch ID. If you ever feel threatened, or are worried your phone's biometric authentication will be used against you, make sure to use these tips.

Android (Lockdown Mode in Android 9.0 Pie & Up)

Lockdown mode is a relatively new feature of the Android world. Introduced in last year's 9.0 Pie update, Lockdown mode disables both your fingerprint reader as well as extended options in the power menu. This locks up vulnerable entry points to your device, making it more difficult for intruders to exploit you or your phone to access your data. As an added bonus, it also hides all notifications on the lock screen until unlocked.

2. Quickly Call Emergency Services & Send Contacts Your Location

Just as you can quickly activate security settings to protect your phone's data, your phone has ways to quickly alert law enforcement in case there's an emergency. If you have an iPhone, you already have this feature built-in, and all it takes to activate it is a certain combo of physical button presses. Bonus: If you have emergency contacts set up, after the emergency call, they'll be texted your location.

If you have an Android device, your options here are unfortunately pretty slim. While you can search for "Emergency SOS" apps on the Play Store, most of the options are outdated or lowly rated, anchors you don't want to see on an Emergency SOS app. Your best bet is to simply dial emergency services via the "Emergency" option on the lock screen's PIN unlock screen.

However, when it comes to sending your location to your emergency contacts, it doesn't happen automatically as it can in iOS. Samsung has an SOS feature for Galaxy phones where you can click the power button three times to send location data to those you trust with your life. For other Android phones, an app like Call For Help does something similar.

3. Set Up an Emergency Medical Card

It's tough to think about, but there may come a time where you aren't capable of speaking for yourself. In that case, it may be essential for first responders or doctors to know some important personal medical information.

That's where medical cards come in. You can set these digital cards up on your phone, easily accessible from the lock screen. That way, even if your phone is hopelessly locked, your information is open to the people who need it most.

Apple has this feature built into iOS, as does Android. On Android, search "Emergency" in the Settings, then tap "Emergency Information." Here, tap "Add Information" to enter your medical info to your Android device's Medical ID. You can find your Medical ID on the lock screen by swiping up to reveal the number pad, tapping "Emergency," then "Emergency Information" twice.

4. Set Up Quick Call for Emergency Contacts

If you have an Android device, there's a way to make calling specific contacts during an emergency faster than searching through your phone app. On stock Android, get back to the "Emergency" settings detailed in the step above. Next, select "Emergency contacts," then add contacts under Emergency contacts. Now, from the lock screen, you can swipe up to reveal the number pad, tap "Emergency," tap "Emergency Information" twice, then tap "Contacts." Tap on the contact's name to call them.

On iOS, you can add emergency contacts to your Medical ID card in the Health app. These contacts are used for Emergency SOS if you enable that option, but they can also be found on the lock screen. Just tap the contact's name on the Medical ID to begin a call.

Alternatively, on iOS, you can add a "Favorites" widget to the Today View. While not a perfect solution, you can prioritize emergency contacts to your favorites, so you can easily reach these contacts from the home screen.

5. Use Password Managers to Secure Passwords, Notes & More

When traveling, you don't want to worry about remembering all of your different account passwords. If you keep your passwords written down by hand, you don't want to take them with you, as one simple mistake can result in all of your passwords lost forever.

Instead, place your trust in a password manager. These services store your many passwords in a highly-secure, encrypted vault, protected by one single password. Once you add all of your passwords to your vault, you just need to remember that one master password, and you'll be all set, no matter where you are.

Our advice? Check out LastPass for both iOS and Android. Native AutoFill, competitive pricing, and top-notch security are just a few of the reasons why LastPass is king.

Tip 4: Getting Through Security & Customs Without a Hitch

What's worse than a 14-hour international flight? Going through customs at the end. The country you're traveling to doesn't know you, and as such, doesn't trust you one bit. Ideally, they'd like to know everything there is to know about you, though, more specifically, everything you have on you.

Those more interested in who you are will be at security checkpoints before you're flight. Both can be very interested in your phone, but you can use these tips to protect your data while your device is being handled by others.

1. Disable Biometrics

Always use a lock screen passcode, PIN, or password, in addition to biometric authentication. Before going through security or customs, either turn off the device or disable biometrics quickly as described above, that way no one can force you to use your fingerprint or face to unlock the device.

2. Protect Your Data

When traveling internationally, you should only leave with the data you need. Don't take sensitive materials with you that you aren't going to need on your trip. Border and security officers can only seize what's available to them, after all.

You'll also want to use encryption services where possible. These services can protect messages, calls, photos, files, and more behind a mathematical firewall. For instance, Signal is a good communication platform that's secure, and you can set it so it needs to be unlocked via a passcode, PIN, password, or biometric authentication.

You can also disable notification previews on the lock screen, which can also be done device-wide on both Android and iOS, not just for Signal. And if you use Android's "Lockdown mode" (mentioned previously), it's a quick way to hide notifications in a just a few seconds.

3. Use a Mobile Passport

Want to expedite your custom's visit and aren't afraid of government agents trying to access your data? Try using Mobile Passport. You might be surprised to learn that the app is recognized by 26 US airports and cruise ports. That's because the app is officially authorized by US Customs and Border Protection.

It works with both US and Canadian (B1 or B2 visa) passports, so if this applies to you, give it a whirl. The app walks you through exactly what to do when arriving in the US, and it will eventually produce a digital customs receipt good for up to four hours. Let's just hope that customs line isn't any longer than that.

Install Mobile Passport: Android (free) | iOS (free)

4. Use myTSA to Breeze Through Security

You might also want to check out the myTSA app, which lets you check in on security wait times and what items you can bring on the plane, among other pressing TSA questions. This app will make check-in and security a breeze (aside from the lines, of course).

5. Make Sure Your Device Is as Secure as Possible

At the end of the day, you'll want to make sure your iPhone or Android device is as protected as it can be. There are dozens upon dozens of apps and settings for you to explore that will help keep the information on your device in the right hands. Whether it be customs enforcement or hackers online, you can take steps right now to ensure that no matter what the situation, your phone is as secure as it possibly can be.

Tip 5: Making Air Travel Less Stressful

Flying might be the safest way to travel, but it's far from the most relaxing. Even if you don't have a fear of flying, everything about this type of transit can be stressful. Cramped seating, lack of storage space, and unruly passengers, not to mention all that comes with getting to and from the airport in the first place.

Keep your cortisol levels down by preparing with the following tips ahead of time. Who knows — you might even find an enjoyable flight in your future.

1. Use Apps to Track Flight Status & Long Lines

Your smartphone is an integral part of your travel itinerary. Don't discredit it as a great flight tool. Your phone can aid in the overall flying experience, to help keep things streamlined and organized.

You should download your airline's app, first of all. This will let you track your flight, stay on top of any alerts, and even download a digital boarding pass to your phone's Wallet app. There are other apps such as FlightStats for iOS and Android that let you track your flight, and you can even Google your flight number to see the same result.

Additionally, you'll want to use the myTSA app, as mentioned previously, which can show you how long lines are likely to be based of historical data. It also will show delay information as well as current weather conditions. You can even ask for live assistance if you need it.

2. Map Your Airport for a Successful Layover

Once you pass through security, open up FLIO, Apple Maps, or Google Maps to see a full map of your gate. If you want to find the nearest bar to help with some preflight jitters, all three can help you on your way. Maybe you'd like to do a little shopping instead? Whatever you need from your airport experience, a good map can help you find your way.

3. Distract Yourself from Your Fear of Flying

Flying is a scary thing — 35,000 feet in the air is nothing to sneeze at. If you have a fear of flying or are otherwise uncomfortable when airborne, here are a couple of tricks you can try to make yourself feel better.

Meditate

Meditiation can help with general anxiety and stress, so it seems a perfect fit with any flying fears you may have. Two of the most popular meditiations apps, Headspace and Calm, offer simple guided meditation sessions. Just pop in your headphones, press play, and focus on your breathing.

Headspace running on an iPhone.

Other Entertainment

We use entertainment to escape, so why not escape the confines of the plane for a good movie, TV show, or audiobook? There are so many different forms of digital entertainment you can stuff on your phone, and with a little planning, you can keep yourself booked all the way through the flight.

Most planes don't have Wi-Fi capable of streaming on your device, at least, without having to pay, so you'll need to download this content ahead of time. Jump down to Tip 9 below to learn all about downloading different media to your phone before your trip.

4. Opt for a Train Ride Instead

If it makes sense to do so, you might want to add a train trip to your itinerary. Many times, train travel can be both cheaper and faster than air travel — it just depends on your destination. Even in the States, you're better off taking a train between cities that are close enough together.

To see if it's worth taking a train, open up your navigation app of choice, and see how long a train would take to reach your destination. If it competes well with what a flight would take, take note of the company that runs the train. Download their app, then use the app for ticket prices and scheduling.

If the combination of time and price works out, a train might just be the better way to go. Below are a few examples for long-distance train companies and their apps. If you're not sure about the railway operators in the country you'll be visiting, Wikipedia has a good list of all the long-distance train services for each country, which should help you on the way to finding the right app.

Install Amtrak (for US): Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Southern Railway (for UK): Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Thameslink (for UK): Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install KorailTalk (South Korea): Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install V/Line (for Australia): Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Trenes Argentinos (for Argentina): Android (free) | iOS (free)

Tip 6: Getting Around a New Place

So, you've found yourself in a new city. If only you knew your way around! Well, don't worry — with the right prep, your phone is the only companion you'll need to explore.

1. Use Ground Transportation in the City

At home, you've got your transportation routine down pat. When traveling? Things can fall apart. Sure, if you drive at home, driving in a new city might feel the same. But there's a big difference between driving in Denver and driving in London. If you aren't driving, navigating a new public transportation system can be daunting. You can take a cab, but even that requires some foresight. Follow the tips below to make sure you get everywhere you need to be on your trip.

Maps Apps

Whether you're behind the wheel or on foot, a good navigation app is essential when traveling. A paper map can't tell you which roads are blocked off for construction, nor can it tell you the exact subway car to enter for full travel efficiency. If you want to know which apps are the best for telling you where to go — and why — make sure to check out our full comparison.

Apple Maps (left), Waze (middle), and MapQuest (right). Images by Amboy Manalo/Gadget Hacks

Ride-Hailing Services

If you happen to be car-less, and the local public transportation just isn't doing it for you one way or the other, just call a cab. Of course, different cities operate differently — does the city you're in support Uber or Lyft more? Which one is cheaper? Are they both even options? This is the research you need to do before heading out to your destination. Of course, keeping both apps on your phone isn't a bad idea either.

If you happen to be in New York, DC, or Chicago, you have an even cheaper option than Uber or Lyft. Try VIA, a ride-share service that acts as a bus. Every open seat in a VIA is available to any VIA rider along the route. Because so many VIA riders share the same car, costs go way down. It's a great option for saving money but, because of all the stops, it's not the best for time.

Alternative Modes of Transporation

If the city you're visiting has decent publication transportation, it might be one of the 39 supported by CityMappper. CityMapper is like Google Maps but specifically for public transport, and we mean specifically. CityMapper will tell you which side of the street your subway entrance is on, which subway car you should enter, where you should exit, etc. It wants you to know the nitty-gritty to get you where you're going as quick as humanly possible.

CityMapper being used on an iPhone.

Don't forget to check out the apps made by the transportation services in the country and/or city you're visiting. Cities like Paris and London have excellent official apps for finding your train and getting around efficiently. Just Google your destination, and see if they have an official app for you to use.

Install Visit London: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install RAPT — Subway Paris: Android (free) | iOS (free)

If the city supports Bird or Lime, you might be interested to give them a try. Both services offer scooter-sharing — you locate a scooter, ride it to your destination, then leave it for the next rider to use.

Offline Street & Metro Maps

We'll talk about saving data in another section, but if you know you're going to be traveling to an area where a cellular network is few and far between or where you need to conserve your data due to steep international fees, you'll want to use offline mode in your navigation app.

Apple Maps and Google Maps both have easy ways to activate offline mode, to ensure safe navigation regardless of your current cellular connection. Waze used to offer offline mode, but scrapped the feature. It makes sense to a degree, as the app is all about real-time traffic information.

Previously mentioned apps like CityMapper and Visit London offer offline maps as well. Double check the city's metro app to see if it also supports offline maps and navigation. Better yet, try out Ulmon's CityMaps2Go app. It lets you download interactive maps from all over the world for offline use. You only get one free map download, however, so make it count if you don't want to spend your change (we recommend downloading a map for the entire country you're in, not just the city, to maximize that free download).

CityMapps2Go being used on an iPhone.

2. Find Cheap Gas When You're Behind the Wheel

If you do have a car on your trip, one major expense — unless your company pays for it — is gasoline. While gas prices have certainly been higher, they've also been cheaper. Instead of driving around aimlessly looking for the best gas deal, why not let your phone do the work for you?

GasBuddy is a great solution for finding the cheapest gas in the US or Canada. Not only is it super easy to sort local gas stations from cheapest to most expensive, but the app also offers fun features, like "GasBack" rewards and challenges offering winners free gas. For other countries, you may have to just trust your gut, and Apple Maps, Google Maps, and the like can help you find the stations (Google Maps sometimes displays gas prices too, but not everywhere).

GasBuddy in use on an iPhone.

3. Use Language Translation Services

Easy — download Google Translate. There's nothing better for real-time communication. Using Google Translate's audio input, you can speak in English, and your friend can read your words in their native language. Then, they can speak in their language, and you can read what they're saying in English. This can all happen in a real-time conversation, no need to switch back-and-forth in the app.

Install Google Translate: Android (free) | iOS (free)

If you aren't in need of full conversations, your phone's digital assistant should do just fine. In fact, Google Assistant has Google Translate built right in, so you'll have access to Google's large library of languages. Siri, on the other hand, can now translate English into nine languages, and eight foreign languages into English — it's not nearly as useful as Google, but if you're on iOS, it's certainly better than nothing.

Learn Other Languages

If you have the time to dedicate to learning your temporary country's language, try downloading DuoLingo to pick up some vocab. DuoLingo offers you a fun and interactive way to learn languages, using bright illustration, smart lessons, and an overall engaging experience to do so. The app features 68 courses over 28 different languages, so there's a high chance the language you need is covered here.

DuoLingo being used on an iPhone.

4. Find Cheap, Last-Minute Accommodations

Hotel plans fall through? Forget to book a room? Look, anything can happen when traveling abroad. Luckily, there's Hostelworld, an app that offers an easy way to book cheap hostels in your area. You book in-app, using your current location to find the cheapest yet highest-rated bookings around.

Even better, Hostelworld includes a feature called "Speak the World," translating up to 37 languages without needing to leave the app. If you forgot to download Google Translate, this option will certainly come in handy.

If you're looking for something a bit less bohemian, Airbnb can be a good option. Just make sure to double-check the reviews for each accommodation, and make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. Some units are private houses or apartments, but many times, you're simply renting a room in an occupied home.

5. Convert Measurement Units Abroad

Yes, America insists on using the imperial system while nearly the entire world relies on metric units. We're special, right? Unfortunately, that specialness doesn't make converting units easy. Who has time to change miles to kilometers in their head? Do you know how much 550 mL of beer is? No, of course not.

Enter: your phone. For quick conversions, just ask Siri or Google Assistant. For most conversions, you should have an answer as soon as you ask. Of course, sometimes you need something with more control. If you're looking to make some serious calculations, go with a true conversion app.

While the marketplace is rife with cheap apps for conversion, we've found one on each platform that's highly trusted amongst users. You should feel secure using whichever app applies to your phone.

Tip 7: Finding Cool Things to Do in a New Country

Getting to your destination is just half the battle. What you're going to do when you get there is the other half. New countries are daunting, and it can be difficult to know what the best things to do are just by winging it. Use the following apps, however, and you won't have to.

1. Let Review Apps Plan Your Entire Stay

Food, museums, tours, bars, hotspots, and more. Every country has its own, but it takes a local to know the best from the lame. Luckily, you don't need to actually know a local to find these places — just download a crowdsourced review app. Let people who have experienced your current country let you know what's what. If that bar sucks, they'll let you know. If that gelato stand rocks, you'll see that right away.

Undoubtedly, the international kings of digital tour guides are TripAdvisor and Yelp. In many, many countries, these two apps can be the difference between an incredible vacation and one where you get food poisoning.

Of course, there are other options than these apps for help getting around. Navigation apps do more than GPS — Apple Maps shows reviews from popular local apps such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, Foursquare, and Pages Jaunes, and lets you book tables directly in-app. Google Maps shows Google Reviews, a highly popular platform which can be extremely helpful when trying to book dinner or an event. You can even buy tickets like you can with TripAdvisor.

2. Try More Local-Specific Review Apps

So, your temporary country doesn't support Yelp and Apple Maps isn't much help. Bummer. Before you wander into restaurants willy-nilly, think — what would the locals use? For example, OpenRice is the Yelp of Asia, Zomato has the market concerned in Australia and New Zealand, and FoodPanda covers a wide variety of countries like Austria, Canada, Finland, France, India, Bulgaria, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Pakistan.

When it comes down to it, you need to do a little research into the country you're heading to. What food apps does it support? Download whichever ones it does, and you'll be eating like a king.

OpenRice (left), Zomato (middle), FoodPanda (right).

3. Be Led by a Pro with Travel Guides

While the above apps are all great in their own right, sometimes it's best to ask a professional. True travel guide apps are fantastic ways of hearing from experts in the city you're visiting. These apps use true-and-tested testimonials from people who know the cities inside and out. You know you're in good hands when you use one of these apps.

Ulmon, created of CityMaps2Go, has a travel app named Ulmon Guides. In it, you can download offline travel guides to the cities of your choice, so no matter your data situation, you can follow the advice of someone who knows what they're talking about. Funny enough, it appears Ulmon makes on iOS app for all guides but makes individual apps for each city for Android. If you use Android, you'll just have to search the Play Store for your city.

Lonely Planet has a similar app, featuring guides to over 200 cities, all in one app on either platform. Michelin also has a Michelin Travel app that has 30,000 points of interest covered in about 80 countries, with reviews from professional Michelin writers and its trademark ratings for restaurants, tours, and other destinations.

If you're in the mood for an audio tour, you can give Rick Steve's Audio Europe a spin, featuring over a hundred tours in 17 regions and countries of Europe. While the app hasn't been optimized for newer iPhones in quite some time, the audio is still as relevant as always, and they make a great companion to Rick's famous guidebooks.

Install Ulmon Guides: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Guides by Lonely Planet: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Michelin Travel: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Rick Steves Audio Europe: Android (free) | iOS (free)

Ulmon Guides (left), Guides by Lonely Planet (middle), Rick Steves (right).

Tip 8: Staying Connected in a Foreign Country

If you're traveling out of the country you'll have to decide on how you'll stay connected. There are three main ways: 1. Stick with your local data provider and check out their international plan; 2. Get a local SIM card; or 3. Stick with Wi-Fi only.

1. Use International Data Plans

If you think carrier plans in the US are expensive and confusing, just wait until you try working with them abroad. It can be truly difficult to pick the right data plans for your travel needs. Carriers make things perplexing seemingly on purpose, don't give the full story, overcharge while abroad, etc. To pick the plan that's right for you, you'll need a little guidance, and we can help you out with that.

2. Use Your SIM Card/s Wisely

Do you think much about your SIM card? Perhaps not — most of us know it's tucked away in our phones, but never really think about it until we need to switch devices. When traveling internationally, however, SIMs are a major consideration. Your phone is your lifeline, but your SIM is what keeps it useful.

You have plenty of options when it comes to the types of SIM cards you go with for your trip. Firstly, you'll want to look into unlocking your iPhone or Android device to untie it from your carrier. Why trap yourself with AT&T when there's a whole world of SIM possibilities out there?

Now, let's talk SIMs. You can always wait until you get to your destination and buy a local SIM card if your phone is unlocked. Airports, subways, and other tourist areas have SIMs readily available to buy, so you shouldn't have trouble finding one. That isn't the only option, however. Consider Flexiroam — the SIM designed for phones without dual SIM capabilities. Flexiroam adds a microSIM to the SIM already in your phone and allows you to purchase international data plans at your leisure. Pretty convenient.

If you have a dual SIM device — such as the iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR — you could also go for an eSIM. Well, that language is a bit misleading. These phones already have an eSIM embedded into the device itself. What you need is a service, like GigSky or Truphone that can activate that eSIM and give you access to international carriers while abroad. See this list from Apple for eSIM supporters.

Don't have an iPhone? Well, while not the most popular feature in the US, there are plenty of Android devices that have dual-SIM capabilities. The only problem is, they need to be the unlocked or international versions, usually GSM-only (not good if your US carrier uses CDMA), as most US-based models omit dual-SIM functionality. Unlocked models of the OnePlus 5, 5T, 6, and 6T have dual SIMs, and the Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL, as long as it's running Android 10.0 or higher, is similar to iPhone with a physical SIM and eSIM. You can do a search on Amazon easily for "dual-SIM" Android phones.

3. Connect via Wi-Fi Only

Look, data plans are expensive, even when going through alternative sources. Unlimited data is a luxury, but one that you might not really need. If you want to save some money and choose a plan that gives you a small amount of essential data, you'll want to spend most of your trip connected to Wi-Fi only.

Staying connected to Wi-Fi can be tricky when in a new place, but it isn't impossible. Consider services like WiFi Finder or even Facebook — both offer users ways to locate the nearest public Wi-Fi hotspots, including the name of the actual network you'll connect to.

"Why don't I just use the hotel's Wi-Fi?" you ask, justifiably. Of course, you can connect to your own hotel's network, but you might not want to. While free hotel Wi-Fi is the norm in the States, traveling abroad is another story. Depending on the country and the hotel selection, Wi-Fi might be charged by the hour or day. Why not take a page from many hotels in the US, where the free Wi-Fi is awful, but with better speeds locked behind a paywall?

4. Save on Your Limited Data Plan

You can try your best to stick just to Wi-Fi use but, just like at home, Wi-Fi isn't everywhere. Eventually, you're going to need to use your purchased data plan. That doesn't mean you need to waste it.

Background App Refresh

Ah, background data refresh. As a retail tech employee, one of my most-asked questions was about this confusing setting. "Do I need this enabled?" "Will I lose functionality if I disable it?"

Here's a brief refresher: The setting allows your apps to act as if they're open, even when you're doing something else on your phone. Twitter will be able to check for new tweets, so when you return to the app, you'll see them right away instead of needing to wait or reload. It's a handy feature for efficiency, but not one for conservative data use.

Disabling this background feature is a bit of a reverse devil's bargain. Yes, you might need to refresh your apps by hand, but you'll save both data and battery life (all those apps pinging their servers takes its toll on your phone's energy).

On iOS, you'll find "Background App Refresh" in Settings –> General –> Background App Refresh. While you can pick and choose the apps to disable Background App Refresh for, we recommend tapping "Background App Refresh" up top and setting it to "Wi-Fi" or "Off," especially when traveling.

You'll find similar options on Android by heading to Settings –> Network & internet –> Data usage –> Mobile data usage. On some devices, it may be in Settings –> Connections –> Data usage –> Mobile data usage. Other Android phones may be slightly different. Tap on an app's name from this list, then disable something like "Background data" or "Allow background data usage." If your phone has a "Data saver" setting, you can toggle that on to limit data in the background overall.

Fetch Data

Like the above settings, Fetch attempts to pull data for certain apps in the background. Fetch differs slightly, however, as it involves apps that pull data from a server at regular intervals, like email or calendar apps.

Make sure these apps don't drain your data while traveling. On iOS, you'll find Fetch in Settings –> Passwords & Accounts –> Fetch New Data. Here, you'll see all accounts and apps on your iPhone that use Fetch. First of all, ensure "Push" is disabled. That will block these services from getting new data as soon as it becomes available. Once you do, move down to "Fetch." You'll need to select "Manually" here, as this option will ensure data is only pulled when you request it.

Fetch on iOS.

On Android, head to Settings –> Accounts, or it could be in Settings –> Cloud and accounts –> Accounts. Here, you'll see all accounts on your device that sync data in the background. There could also be an "Auto sync data" or "Automatically sync data" toggle. If you turn that off, fetch will no longer be an issue. If you only want to do individual items, tap each account, then tap each connected service. Ensure the slider in each service is disabled. If no slider appears, your job is done for you.

Podcast Downloads

Listen to podcasts? That's great. What's not great is how huge podcast files are. These things are massive, and, unfortunately, podcast apps love to automatically download new episodes for "your convenience." Over Wi-Fi, this isn't usually an issue, unless your phone's internal storage is tiny (looking at you, 16 GB iPhone models). But if the app happens to be set to download over cellular, that's when you run into trouble.

Don't let your podcast app of choice drain your valuable international data. Dive into its settings, and make sure automatic downloads are either set to off or, at the very least, set to "Wi-Fi Only." Each app will have a different way to access the settings, so we can't show them all.

5. Use a VPN to Stay Incognito Online

Do you use a VPN? Do you like being spied on? We know you don't, but if aren't using a VPN, you're just opening your internet traffic for anyone with a cause to see.

The problem is, VPNs, in general, are pretty confusing. There's a lot of misinformation out there, obfuscating what VPNs are really all about. That's why we spent a long time working on our VPN guide, to ensure you get the most accurate picture of how VPNs work and how they can help you stay private online.

Protect your browsing abroad — download a VPN before your trip.

6. Message Freely, No Matter Where You Are

Apple's iMessage is equal parts awesome and a pain. The actual service itself is excellent, chock-full of features to make communicating across your Apple devices fun and engaging. However, it's easily the reason it's so difficult to switch between iPhone and Android. Not only that, iPhone and Android friends have a difficult time communicating on the same platform unless you want to stick with — shudders — SMS.

That's why going with a popular third-party messaging app is good for so many people. Whether you're on Android or iOS, communicating with the same app is ubiquitous. You just need to be on the same app. Easier said than done.

Before heading out for your trip, check in with the friends and family you'd like to stay in touch with. See what platform everyone uses, and go with the one that's most popular. Or, start a campaign to get everyone on the same page.

Undoubtedly, the most popular messaging apps when traveling abroad are WhatsApp, Viber, and Facebook Messenger. If you're not short on space, we'd recommend you download all three. That way, you'll have more options for messaging, in case you make friends who use one app over another.

Tip 9: Keeping Yourself Entertained During Downtime

Long flight? Have some time to kill in the hotel? Gone are the days of being restricted to airport books, magazines, and local TV. Your phone is a personal curator of your favorite media. Make sure to set yourself up for entertainment success before hitting the road.

1. Download Movies & TV for Offline Viewing

Thanks to the ease of streaming movies and TV have never been better or more accessible. Of course, it's not just streaming. You can download these titles to take on the go as well, saving mightily on your data plan and keeping entertainment in reach when service is nonexistent.

2. Try Some Offline Games

An annoying trend in mobile games is the need for your phone to be connected to cellular data in order to play the game. Game Boys never gave us this much trouble. Luckily, there are still developers out there who aren't so greedy that their games need to send ads to your device to work. Go ahead and give their games a try on your next trip. Just remember to play with the internet when possible to give them some ad revenue.

3. Download Books for Quiet Relaxation

Contrary to popular sentiment, millennials aren't killing books. In fact, both digital and print books are alive and well. If you'd prefer to keep the reading materials to your mobile device, you have plenty of options to do so on both Android and iOS.

If you want to stick to native apps, both devices have their own digital bookstores — Apple Books and Google Play Books — to download titles from. If you want to try one of their competitors, however, Kindle is always an option on either platform. Amazon's option is often cheaper than Apple or Google's, so it's good to check prices across platforms.

4. Have Someone Else Read to You

Don't feel like reading yourself? Hire someone else to do it. More specifically, download an audiobook. Apple and Google both sell audiobooks on their platforms, but you can find more options on Audible as well (like Kindle, owned by Amazon).

Audible is free to download, but does require a monthly subscription starting at $14.95/month, which gives you a credit (or credits) for audiobooks, in addition to discounts on additional audiobooks. If you listen to enough podcasts, however, you're bound to run into a free trial for the service.

5. Download Podcasts Beforehand

Speaking of podcasts, download some before your trip! If you aren't into podcasts, don't worry — there is literally something for everyone. What are you into? History? True crime? Politics? Talk shows? There's a podcast — scratch that, tons of podcasts — for any interest you could possibly have.

Just as there's a never-ending supply of podcasts to explore, there's a never-ending supply of podcast apps as well. Of course, Google and Apple both have stock podcast apps, but each platform has plenty of third-party alternatives. Here's just a taste of some of the best you can download:

6. Download Music You Know You'll Want to Listen To

Portable music was really the first step into these digital media machines we carry around in our pockets. Napster and MP3 players, iTunes and the iPod. Today, we have iPhone and Android, but they still have the same basic principles when it comes to downloading music — plug in some headphones, sit back, and let the tunes wash over you.

Subscriptions

Nowadays, the trend is less about buying music and more about subscribing to services that let us listen to virtually anything we want whenever we want. And the majority of streaming services allow for downloads to listen to music offline, so you can download all your favorite music — or music you want to try out — before you head on your trip.

No doubt, Apple Music and Spotify are the kings in this field, directly competing for users as the two grow bigger and bigger. Still, Google puts up a good fight with YouTube Music, as the service includes YouTube Premium as well. It's not quite as good as the former, but it's tough to argue with offline and background playback for both YouTube Music and videos.

Another service you gain access to with YouTube Music is Google Play Music. You might not want to use it, though. Google Play Music is essentially the same as YouTube Music, but a bit of a relic, as Google has unabashedly put all their development into YouTube Music. The former is much more up-to-date aesthetically. Still, Google Play Music works, so feel free to use it instead if you want a little nostalgia kick.

Tidal is another good service that allows offline playback, even for its high-fidelity tracks. But for those lossless hi-fi tracks, you'll be paying double ($19.99/month) than for the service without it ($9.99/month). Either way, both versions have over 75,000 music videos and a song database of more than 60 million.

Possibly the black sheep of the group is Amazon's service, but if you subscribe to Prime, you get Prime Music for free. It's limited to about two million songs but might offer a nice way to save some money by cutting out one of the other services here. However, Amazon also has Amazon Music Unlimited with over 50 million songs, which is available without a Prime account, and Prime users can get a discount on its $9.99/month price tag.

Install Apple Music: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Spotify Music: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install YouTube Music: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Tidal Music: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Google Play Music: Android (free) | iOS (free)
Install Amazon Music: Android (free) | iOS (free)

Purchased Music

If you have music on your iTunes library on your computer, you can sync that content with your phone as you always have. However, if you use iTunes Match or simply buy music from iTunes, you may have all of your music in iCloud, and in either scenario, you can download those tracks onto your phone for offline use.

The same is true if you buy from and store music on Amazon or Google's cloud music services. And while you can purchase music on Tidal, you cannot download those files on your phone via its app. Downloading your tracks on supported services works similarly to downloading subscription tracks.

Tip 10: Logging Everything You Do

What's the point of going on vacation if you can't brag about it to your friends back home? We're just kidding, but logging your trip can be a fun way to both relive the memories when you're back at the office or to share with your followers on social media. There are plenty of ways to make sure your trip is properly cataloged:

1. Use Camera & Editing Apps to Make Your Shots Look Great

Need a short list of apps and services that can transform your vacation pics? We have plenty of guides on the subject, from apps you can download to the apps already on your device. You don't need to go far to totally transform your phone's pictures:

2. Use These Apps to Make a Great Story

The apps above will help you take and make some great shots. But what if you want to take those shots to social media? We know all the apps you need to download to make a perfect story, from extra photo apps, to collage and template apps, to video croppers and editors. We know where the best stickers can be found and, overall, how to make your stories look professional.

3. Document Your Trip with a Journaling App

You don't just need to use your phone's stock notes app to record your journeys. Journaling apps can provide plenty of features to ensure each moment you want to document is properly conveyed. Rich text formatting, images, colors, organization, and more can help take your trip from your experience to the digital page.

Day One Journal is what you'd expect from a good journaling app — plenty of options, easy to navigate, an overall joy to document with. Reflectly is the same way, but adds another element with fun, automated journaling features. The app basically interviews you to streamline the journaling process — it asks how certain parts of your day made you feel, what you did, etc. It's a lot of fun, but does include a $29.99 yearly fee after the seven-day free trial.

If you'd rather not pay, Day One Journal might be more up your alley.

4. Prepare to Take Lots of Video

If you checked out our story apps roundup, you'll see there are apps to help you take and edit amazing video on your trip. However, none of that will be useful if you don't take the time to prep your phone first.

Here's the thing — video files are big today, where 4K videos on iPhone take up as much as 400 MB a minute, meaning a base model 64 GB iPhone can store roughly 2.6 hours of video (and that's ignoring system resources, so the number will really be a lot smaller). Android devices will take up similar amounts of space. We know you're going to keep apps and other media on your phone, so if you want to take a lot of video on your trip, make sure to leave room to do so.

Another tip? Lower the resolution of your video. Shoting 4K video at 60 fps will take up 400 MB per minute on iPhone, but 1080p 60 fps will only take up 90 MB. Again, Android phones will be similar. Still, this is your vacation we're talking about here. You want your video as high quality as possible. In that case, we recommend lowering your frame rate only if possible. Shoot at 4K/30 or 4K/24. The video files will still be large, but much smaller than 4K/60.

If you don't want to lose any quality and still have little built-in storage, if you have an Android device that supports microSD cards, make sure to buy one of those and use that to store all your video files on. If you don't have an option for internal expandable storage, you're next best option is USB flash drives. Depending on the port on your phone, that could be Lightning (iPhone), Micro-USB (Android), or USB Type-C (Android).

Conclusion — Traveling Requires a Lot of Phone Care

You can't leave for a trip and expect everything to be the same as it as home. You need to make sure you have the tools necessary to keep yourself on task, entertained, and secure.

Apps like TripAdvisor can ensure you hit up the restaurants and hotspots the locals do. Uber can get you home safe when you don't know where you are. And navigation apps like Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze can do the same when you're the one behind the wheel.

Making sure you download the right entertainment ahead of time isn't just good for keeping yourself busy during long flights or restless nights in the hotel room — you'll make sure you avoid crazy data charges from your network as well.

Your phone can also keep you secure — digital wallets can encrypt your payments, Emergency SOS can attract law enforcement in times of need, and there's plenty you can do to make sure your data is safe whether in a thief's hand or in security's.

Traveling can be tough, but with the right prep, your phone can keep you grounded. Just make sure to keep it charged.

Cover image and screenshots by Jake Peterson/Gadget Hacks, unless otherwise noted

Google Fi (aka Project Fi): The complete FAQ - Computerworld

Posted: 04 Dec 2018 12:00 AM PST

Google Fi may sound like some weird sort of initiation ritual ("Whoa, what happened to Rick? I heard he got Googlefied!") — but if you can get past its silly-sounding name, the recently rebranded wireless service can both save you money and step up your smartphone security situation.

Make no mistake about it: Google Fi — known as Project Fi up until last week — is a pretty unusual proposition. And it absolutely won't make sense for everyone. If you fall into a certain style of smartphone usage, though, it can eliminate a lot of the downsides that typically come with a traditional wireless plan.

So how does Fi actually work, and could it be right for you? Let's tackle it question by burning question and figure that out together.

What exactly is Google Fi — or Project Fi, or whatever you want to call it?

Google Fi is technically what's known as an MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator. That's a fancy name for an entity that provides wireless service — y'know, the thing that allows you to make and receive calls and use mobile data from that shiny rectangle in your pocket — without actually owning the network infrastructure behind it.

In other words, it's kinda like a high-tech landlord. It doesn't have its own network like AT&T or Verizon; instead, it has an arrangement with those very sorts of carriers that allows it to tap into their networks and repackage access to those pipes under its own brand and arrangement.

What networks does Google Fi actually use, then?

In the U.S., Fi uses a combination of T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular. That's one of its distinguishing features, in fact: When you use Google Fi with a phone that's designed for the service, it's able to seamlessly switch you between those networks based on which one has the strongest service at any given moment.

Ooookay. How does this network switching mumbo-jumbo even work?!

Automatically and silently; on a day-to-day basis, you'll never even think about it or be aware that it's happening. Your phone just shows that you're connected to Google Fi. But behind the scenes, the device continuously seeks out the best possible network for your location and switches you around as needed.

Will I get good coverage, then? How will it compare to what I have now?

That's an important question — and unfortunately, there's no simple nor universal answer, as it ultimately all depends on where you are and how Fi's networks perform in your area.

So where to begin in figuring that out? Well, you can start by checking Google's official Fi coverage map. It lets you put in specific addresses and see what kind of combined coverage you can expect for any given city or neighborhood. (Don't forget to check any places where you travel in addition to your homefront, particularly if you visit certain regions regularly for work.)

If you want to get even more specific, snag the free OpenSignal app for your phone. The app can show you detailed coverage maps for any set of networks in any area — based on user-submitted data — and even rank overall connectivity strength for different networks where you are (or where you might be).

Or, heck, you can simply ask around — or mull over your own past experiences. Think of it this way: If you know you can get solid service with, say, T-Mobile in your area, then Google Fi should be fine for you; the addition of Sprint and U.S. Cellular as possibilities will only flesh out that coverage further and fill in any gaps. As long as at least one of Fi's networks is a viable option wherever you are, you're good to go.

What about the Wi-Fi part of the process? Doesn't Fi also connect to public Wi-Fi networks sometimes?

Well, I'll be. Go get yourself a cookie, you brilliant little koala. You're on the ball today!

Google Fi does indeed incorporate public Wi-Fi networks into its coverage — for phones designed for Fi — which is another unusual and noteworthy part of its proposition. And just like with the mobile network switching, it all happens automatically and without any effort on your behalf.

Here's how it works: Anytime you're in range of a publicly available Wi-Fi network that Google has determined to be "high-quality and reliable" (a phrase you should probably not borrow for your next dating app profile), your Fi phone will switch over to that instead of your regular mobile network. You'll see it happen in retail establishments with open Wi-Fi networks or anywhere else that has its Wi-Fi available without the need for any sort of sign-in.

Fi automatically encrypts your data anytime it's connected to a network in that manner, using a special Google-provided virtual private network (VPN) — which means that no one else on the network could snoop on your connection and see what you're doing (in the way you often hear described as a risk of using public Wi-Fi networks).

But just like with the service's mobile network switching, you don't really think about any of that stuff in day-to-day use. With the Wi-Fi, you do see a special icon in your status bar showing that you're connected to Wi-Fi with the Google-provided encryption enabled, but other than that, things just work — and you don't put much thought into what network or type of network your phone has attached itself to at any given moment.

Is there any way I can get that same VPN encryption all the time?

Why, yes, my insightful amigo! Google just announced a new feature that enables that for phones designed for Fi and running Android 9 Pie. (Go get yourself another cookie. I'll wait.)

It's actually a pretty powerful perk, too, especially for anyone serious about Android security — which, ahem, we all should be. But if you ever transmit sensitive company data, always-on encryption is not only smart; it's practically a necessity. And unless your company provides its own custom VPN service, you end up having to rely on a third-party service for said protection — something that's costly, complicated, and difficult to evaluate and remain fully confident in over time.

With Fi's new built-in encryption option, that challenge is no more: Your VPN is provided directly by Google and bundled into your basic wireless service. All you do is flip a little toggle in the Fi app on your phone to turn it on, and you can then rest easy knowing all your data will always be encrypted, no matter where you are or what sort of network you're using.

What about cost? Will I actually save money with this Google Fi service?

Again, there's no simple universal answer, as everyone's needs and habits are different — and the competition from other carriers is constantly evolving. There are, however, some good general guidelines that can help you figure out if Fi might make financial (get it — fi-nancial?!) sense for you.

Most broadly, I'd say this: Fi tends to be best for people who use a relatively small amount of mobile data. If you burn through gigs upon gigs of mobile data each month, you'd probably do better with a different sort of setup.

Now, specifically, here's how it works: Fi charges you 20 bucks a month for your basic service, which gives you unlimited calling and texting. On top of that, you pay $10 for every gigabyte of mobile data you use each month — or whatever percentage of that number ends up being relevant, all the way down to the third decimal. So for instance, if you used 2.202GB of mobile data in a month, you'd pay $22.02.

You pay only for the amount of mobile data you actually use, without any sneaky fees or obnoxious add-ons other than the unavoidable taxes and government-mandated surcharges. In that 2.202GB example, then, your total bill would be $22.02 plus the $20 base cost and tax — so probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 or a little less, all combined. (Google says the taxes and surcharges vary by state but are generally between 10 and 20%.)

There are a couple of noteworthy asterisks here. First, remember that automatic Wi-Fi connection part of Fi's service? Keep it mind that that actively works to help you use less mobile data all throughout the day. In assessing your typical monthly mobile data use, think about whether you tend to be in or near places with public Wi-Fi that might help reduce your regular usage, as you currently know it.

Second, Fi will charge you only up to the 6GB mark, with an individual account. If you manage to go over 6GB of mobile data in any given month, you'll pay only $60 — $10 per gig times six — for that month's usage. You can go all the way up to 15GB without paying another dime; once you hit that 15GB mark (something Google says less than 1% of individual Fi users ever do), you'll have the choice to get slower than usual mobile data speeds at no extra cost or to start paying $10 per gig again for regular mobile data speeds from that point forward.

So, yeah: If you're routinely using 25GB of mobile data each month, you'd probably come out ahead with another carrier's "unlimited" option. But if you can keep your monthly usage in the lower to mid-single-digit gigabyte count, on average, you could end up saving quite a bit of dough with Fi's arrangement.

Does Google Fi offer any group plans or anything like that?

It does! Fi rolled out a group plan option a couple years ago, and it's really a no-brainer if you have family members or even co-workers who are using the service and might want to combine.

The Fi group plan has the same core setup as the regular plan, but each additional person on the plan has a $15 base fee instead of $20. Then you still pay that same per-gigabyte rate for however much data is used, collectively. And your "max payment" amount bumps up to 10GB, so any usage past that point doesn't cost you any additional money (up to that same 15GB mark, at which point any individual within the plan has the same option to either get slowed down speeds or to start paying the per-gigabyte rate again).

The Fi app even has an option to set it up so that members of your plan get "billed" for their portion of the total each month and can pay you back with a couple of taps using Google Pay. As the primary account-holder, you also have the ability to pause any member's service or data at any point in a billing cycle, should the need or inspiration (bwah hah hah) ever strike.

What about roaming? Surely Fi screws you when you go out of the country, like every other carrier — right?

Amazingly, no; this is another one of the service's most valuable features, particularly if you travel internationally with any regularity (you lucky son of a dolphin, you).

So here it is: Fi charges you the same standard per-gigabyte rate all over the world — in 170 countries. You get free texting in all those places, too. You do end up paying for cellular voice calls, but even those rates aren't generally that bad, relatively speaking.

Can I use my phone as a mobile hotspot?

Yes, indeedly. And there's no extra charge for doing so; you just pay that same standard flat per-gigabyte rate for any data you use, regardless of or how you're sharing it or what device is actually tapping into it.

Contracts? Commitments? Cancellation fees? There's gotta be some way this thing is out to get me...

Your skepticism is understandable, Mr. and/or Mrs. Crankypants, but Fi really doesn't play the typical carrier games. Other than the fact that if you use a ton of mobile data per month, it probably won't make financial sense to you, there are honestly no hidden fees, asterisks, or other "gotchas" to report. (I've been using the service myself for just over three years now, so if there were any such catches, I'd certainly have noticed them by now.)

You pay ahead just one month at a time — so in December, for example, you'll prepay for January's usage based on your own estimate of how much mobile data you'll need. But you still end up paying only for the amount you actually use; anything above that mark comes back as a credit on your next bill. Similarly, if you go over your estimated data usage, you get charged for the precise extra amount the following month.

What if I want to put a SIM card into a tablet, laptop, or other connected device? How much does Fi charge for that privilege?

Nada — zero, zip, zilch, zebra. (That last word was a test to see if you were still paying attention. If you noticed it, congratulations. If not, WAKE UP!)

Google Fi lets you claim up to nine data-only SIMs for your account and use them in any devices you want. You can order the SIMs free from the Fi app or website, and all you pay is the same per-gigabyte rate you'd pay for mobile data use from your main phone. That means any extra devices essentially become extensions of your main Fi phone — which is another powerful perk that opens up plenty of interesting possibilities.

Can I port in my existing number to Google Fi?

Yup — whether it's a cell number or even a landline number. Nothin' to it.

What if I'm using Google Voice now?

The short answer is yes, you can absolutely port in a Google Voice number to Project Fi — and you'll still get most (but not all) of the significant Voice features, albeit in slightly different Fi forms (fo, fum). You can also always transfer your number back out later, if you decide to stop using Fi and want to go back to Google Voice down the road.

The long is answer is — well, it's complicated. Like, really complicated. I put together a detailed FAQ dedicated entirely to this very subject a while back, though, and it probably has the answer to any question you've got.

Can I use any texting app I want with Google Fi?

Sure can. Officially, Google suggests using its own Messages app (naturally) or Hangouts (still?), but any Android texting app will work just fine. I use Pulse, personally, based mostly on the recommendation of this one super smart and suspiciously handsome writer I know.

This all sounds dandy, Randy, but what if I need some help along the way?

Well, Gilby, lemme tell ya: Google Fi doesn't have any physical retail stores (yet), but it does have 24/7 phone, chat, and email support — which has generally been quite good in my experience and far less likely to make me want to gouge my eyes out than any other carrier support system I've had the displeasure of using.

Will any phone work with Fi?

More or less — and kind of.

Let me explain: Fi has a small number of phones that are explicitly designed for its service — including Google's own Pixel devices, as you'd expect, and a handful of other specially adapted handsets. Those phones give you the full Fi experience, with the multi-network switching, the automatic public Wi-Fi connecting, and the always-on VPN protection option.

You can, however, also use Fi with most other reasonably recent Android phones or even iPhones. As long as a device is unlocked and compatible with GSM networks (like T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular), in fact, it'll almost certainly work on Fi — at least, from a technical perspective. That's always been true, despite the fact that Google just now started promoting it and officially supporting such widespread compatibility.

But take note: With a phone that isn't designed explicitly to be used with Google Fi, you won't get that aforementioned full Fi experience. That means no multi-network switching — instead, your device will connect only to T-Mobile, in the U.S. — plus no automatic public Wi-Fi connecting and no always-on VPN protection.

What you will get is the pay-only-for-what-you-use, hidden-fee-free billing setup along with the standard-rate international data cost. But you're essentially getting that with regular T-Mobile service here in the States, which takes a bit of the shine off of Fi's appeal.

Also, with new accounts, Google Fi is currently limiting you to a certain subset of approved devices. (You can search the full list here.) Even if an older phone is technically compatible with Fi — and would work with it, if you were to slap an active SIM card inside — Google won't activate an account unless you have one of those whitelisted phones.

Do I have to buy a Fi-designed phone from Google Fi directly in order for it to work right?

No — for instance, you could buy a Pixel phone from Google, from Best Buy, or wherever, and it'd still work fine and give you the full Fi experience as soon as you slide that SIM card inside. The same applies for most other Fi-designed phones, too, though if you're thinking of getting anything other than a device's unlocked model, you may want to check the Fi compatibility site just to make sure it shows up as having full "designed for Fi" support.

Fi does sell all such devices directly through its website, with options for financing, trade-ins, and device protection plans. It also tends to run a fair amount of deals — including dropped prices and bundled-in Fi credits with new device purchases (both of which are present on several of its phones as of this writing). So it's certainly worth shopping around a bit but also seeing how Fi's own offerings compare to what you find elsewhere.

Okay, I think I've got this. Very important query before we wrap up, though: Does Fi ever make you crave pie or rye?

Aye.

And mai tai? Eh, guy?

I won't dignify with a reply.

What about Thai? Or chicken thigh (after a fry)?

Sigh. Goodbye.

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[Android Intelligence videos at Computerworld]

Meet Bluetana, the Scourge of Pump Skimmers - Krebs on Security

Posted: 14 Aug 2019 12:00 AM PDT

"Bluetana," a new mobile app that looks for Bluetooth-based payment card skimmers hidden inside gas pumps, is helping police and state employees more rapidly and accurately locate compromised fuel stations across the nation, a study released this week suggests. Data collected in the course of the investigation also reveals some fascinating details that may help explain why these pump skimmers are so lucrative and ubiquitous.

The new app, now being used by agencies in several states, is the brainchild of computer scientists from the University of California San Diego and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who say they developed the software in tandem with technical input from the U.S. Secret Service (the federal agency most commonly called in to investigate pump skimming rings).

The Bluetooth pump skimmer scanner app 'Bluetana' in action.

Gas pumps are a perennial target of skimmer thieves for several reasons. They are usually unattended, and in too many cases a handful of master keys will open a great many pumps at a variety of filling stations.

The skimming devices can then be attached to electronics inside the pumps in a matter of seconds, and because they're also wired to the pump's internal power supply the skimmers can operate indefinitely without the need of short-lived batteries.

And increasingly, these pump skimmers are fashioned to relay stolen card data and PINs via Bluetooth wireless technology, meaning the thieves who install them can periodically download stolen card data just by pulling up to a compromised pump and remotely connecting to it from a Bluetooth-enabled mobile device or laptop.

According to the study, some 44 volunteers — mostly law enforcement officials and state employees — were equipped with Bluetana over a year-long experiment to test the effectiveness of the scanning app.

The researchers said their volunteers collected Bluetooth scans at 1,185 gas stations across six states, and that Bluetana detected a total of 64 skimmers across four of those states. All of the skimmers were later collected by law enforcement, including two that were reportedly missed in manual safety inspections of the pumps six months earlier.

While several other Android-based apps designed to find pump skimmers are already available, the researchers said Bluetana was developed with an eye toward eliminating false-positives that some of these other apps can fail to distinguish.

"Bluetooth technology used in these skimmers are also used for legitimate products commonly seen at and near gas stations such as speed-limit signs, weather sensors and fleet tracking systems," said Nishant Bhaskar, UC San Diego Ph.D. student and principal author of the study. "These products can be mistaken for skimmers by existing detection apps."

BLACK MARKET VALUE

The fuel skimmer study also helps explain how quickly these hidden devices can generate huge profits for the organized gangs that typically deploy them. The researchers found the skimmers their app found collected data from roughly 20 -25 payment cards each day — evenly distributed between debit and credit cards (although they note estimates from payment fraud prevention companies and the Secret Service that put the average figure closer to 50-100 cards daily per compromised machine).

The academics also studied court documents which revealed that skimmer scammers often are only able to "cashout" stolen cards — either through selling them on the black market or using them for fraudulent purchases — a little less than half of the time. This can result from the skimmers sometimes incorrectly reading card data, daily withdrawal limits, or fraud alerts at the issuing bank.

"Based on the prior figures, we estimate the range of per-day revenue from a skimmer is $4,253 (25 cards per day, cashout of $362 per card, and 47% cashout success rate), and our high end estimate is $63,638 (100 cards per day per day, $1,354 cashout per card, and cashout success rate of 47%)," the study notes.

Not a bad haul either way, considering these skimmers typically cost about $25 to produce.

Those earnings estimates assume an even distribution of credit and debit card use among customers of a compromised pump: The more customers pay with a debit card, the more profitable the whole criminal scheme may become. Armed with your PIN and debit card data, skimmer thieves or those who purchase stolen cards can clone your card and pull money out of your account at an ATM.

"Availability of a PIN code with a stolen debit card in particular, can increase its value five-fold on the black market," the researchers wrote.

This highlights a warning that KrebsOnSecurity has relayed to readers in many previous stories on pump skimming attacks: Using a debit card at the pump can be way riskier than paying with cash or a credit card.

The black market value, impact to consumers and banks, and liability associated with different types of card fraud.

And as the above graphic from the report illustrates, there are different legal protections for fraudulent transactions on debit vs. credit cards. With a credit card, your maximum loss on any transactions you report as fraud is $50; with a debit card, that protection only extends for within two days of the unauthorized transaction. After that, the maximum consumer liability can increase to $500 within 60 days, and to an unlimited amount after 60 days.

In practice, your bank or debit card issuer may still waive additional liabilities, and many do. But even then, having your checking account emptied of cash while your bank sorts out the situation can still be a huge hassle and create secondary problems (bounced checks, for instance).

Interestingly, this advice against using debit cards at the pump often runs counter to the messaging pushed by fuel station owners themselves, many of whom offer lower prices for cash or debit card transactions. That's because credit card transactions typically are more expensive to process.

For all its skimmer-skewering prowess, Bluetana will not be released to the public. The researchers said the primary reason for this is highlighted in the core findings of the study.

"There are many legitimate devices near gas stations that look exactly like skimmers do in Bluetooth scans," said UCSD Assistant Professor Aaron Schulman, in an email to KrebsOnSecurity. "Flagging suspicious devices in Bluetana is a only a way of notifying inspectors that they need to gather more data around the gas station to determine if the Bluetooth transmissions appear to be emanating from a device inside of of the pumps. If it does, they can then open the pump door and confirm that the signal strength rises, and begin their visual inspection for the skimmer."

One of the best tips for avoiding fuel card skimmers is to favor filling stations that have updated security features, such as custom keys for each pump, better compartmentalization of individual components within the machine, and tamper protections that physically shut down a pump if the machine is improperly accessed.

How can you spot a gas station with these updated features, you ask? As noted in last summer's story, How to Avoid Card Skimmers at the Pumps, these newer-model machines typically feature a horizontal card acceptance slot along with a raised metallic keypad. In contrast, older, less secure pumps usually have a vertical card reader a flat, membrane-based keypad.

Newer, more tamper-resistant fuel pumps include pump-specific key locks, raised metallic keypads, and horizontal card readers.

The researchers will present their work on Bluetana later today at the USENIX Security 2019 conference in Santa Clara, Calif. A copy of their paper is available here (PDF).

If you enjoyed this story, check out my series on all things skimmer-related: All About Skimmers. Looking for more information on fuel pump skimming? Have a look at some of these stories.

Tags: Aaron Schulman, Bluetana, Nishant Bhaskar, pump skimmers, U.S. Secret Service, University of California San Diego, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USENIX

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 14th, 2019 at 8:25 am and is filed under A Little Sunshine, All About Skimmers. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.