I was inspired to start this segment by a friend who is heading to Alaska. She has been asking for tips and tricks of the trade and here we are. Being nomadic and traveling from place to place does not mean that an individual is out of touch with the rest of the world. This sort of depends on the person. For me, technology is a part of my life and how I keep in touch with people and it is integral to have certain technologies whilst traveling. I mean now more than ever most things can be found online - how to get from point A to point B (no I am not talking about google... o_O)
Alright - tip #1 - Invest in an unlocked Quad-band cell phone.
I know - sounds stupid right!? Well, if you are here in the U.S. and you're planning to travel soon - specially overseas, I really recommend an unlocked phone!? Why!? Saving $$$ - have you ever traveled overseas with your smartphone?! The roaming charges are ridiculous - especially for texting and data. AT&T charges an INSANE amount for DATA!! $199.99 for 800MB - and if you have AT&T you're probably paying $30 for 3GB (3,000 GB). Seriously AT&T?! Not to mention that 2 year contract. EW. (seriously!?)
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| Courtesy: AT&T website (04/19/2012) |
My number one pick for a world phone is none other than a Blackberry.
I love an unlocked quadband blackberry if you are traveling to Central or South America or India. Blackberries may not be as popular as they once were here in the U.S., but overseas they are great. Most places you can get a pre-paid SIM card and you pay a really inexpensive plan. In Guatemala, I was paying $20/month for Blackberry plan with 100 minutes. Most of the people in Central and South America has a Blackberry, so you can use an application BBM (Blackberry Messenger) so securely IM other people for free - it doesn't count as a SMS.
Well, you might be saying, I'm not going to use a Blackberry here in the U.S. and I want a phone that works here and overseas. You are correct! My #2 recommendation is any unlocked Quad-band Android device.
While we are on the subject, I might as well save you some $$. You should buy a phone outright with cash. Sounds ridiculous right?! Well, you can head to eBay and buy an unlocked Blackberry ($100-$200) or an unlocked Android device ($200-$400). You might be paying more upfront, but you can save money here in the U.S. as well. If you have an unlocked phone you can pick your carrier (one that takes SIM cards). I personally recommend SIMPLE mobile. $40/month unlimited SMS (including international SMS), phone calls and internet. No tax or other hidden fees. A comparable plan with Sprint, AT&T, T-mobile or Verizon will cost you at least twice as much!!
Alright, I know its probably not what you expected for the first tip of being nomadic, but hey, keeping is touch very important. You never know where you will be in the world and who you'll run into.
Mahalo for reading.
Until next time.
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