There’s a lot to remember when packing for a road trip. Sometimes, you might forget about what you need to keep your tech running smoothly. Here are some of the ways to keep devices in great shape and avoid any hiccups on the road this summer.
Have a Holder for Your Phone
Before your road trip, shop for a holder that can either be attached to your dashboard, windshield, or heating/cooling vent. This will be especially helpful if you are using the phone as a GPS.
Have a Mobile Charger with Multiple Ports
If you’re traveling with others, consider a mobile phone charger with multiple ports. This will allow other passengers to charge their devices at the same time.
Don’t Leave Electronics in Your Car When You Exit
Have you ever received a temperature warning on your phone? Hot cars can cause your devices to shut down due to overheating. Since cars get extremely hot, it’s a good idea to take your devices with you. This also reduces the risk of having your device stolen.
Consider Purchasing a Battery Pack with Jumper Cables
There’s nothing worse than being stuck on the side of an unfamiliar road with a dead battery. You can find portable jump starter and battery packs to provide power without the assistance of another driver.
Download or Print Out Your Maps
Your road trip may take you through areas with limited cell signals. If you’re driving out of the country, there’s a chance that you may have to pay a significant amount to use data for GPS apps. It’s not a bad idea to have a printed copy of directions just in case you end up losing power on your phone, or you lose a signal. For offline mode, here’s how to get to it on the most popular GPS apps for your smartphone.
Waze (Android only, no feature at this time for Apple Maps):
- Click the search bar, then click on the gear that appears on the top left corner of your screen.
- Select “Display & map” > “Data Transfer” > “Refresh map of my area.” This will allow Waze to download maps and store them in your cache.
Google Maps:
1) Sign into your Google Account online.
2) Search for the zip code or city that you want to save.
3) Tap the sidebar and select “offline maps.”
4) Select “custom map” to save spots within a specific area. You will then open up a map with a box with a blue outline, where anything inside the blue box will be saved to your device. You’ll be able to save areas up to approximately the size of New Jersey.
5) Hit download and you will receive a notification once complete.
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