Pack the right smartphone accessories to help ensure a smooth trip

Smartphones provide us with a wealth of information, and we heavily rely on them on a daily basis.  Therefore, when traveling, it’s important to prepare and pack the right accessories to avoid running out of power or discovering the smartphone doesn’t work as expected. 

• An external battery pack: Many travelers user their phones significantly more while away from home compared to a normal day. This will drain your phone battery more quickly, so bringing a small lightweight external battery pack is essential.
• Extra power cables: Consider one phone power cable that stays in the hotel room and a second one that can connect to your backup battery pack. A third cable is useful for recharging the external battery pack.
• A multi-port wall charger. Instead of packing multiple power bricks, you can travel lighter by bringing a multi-port wall charger that can power/charge all your devices at the same time.
• Noise cancelling headphones: While not mandatory for maintaining full function of your phone, noise-cancelling headphones can truly enhance sound quality while drowning out background noises.

If traveling abroad, consider the following items:

• A plug adapter: Because different countries use different styles of power outlets, check to see if the power outlets at your destination are compatible with your plugs. You can purchase a kit that has adaptors for every type of outlet.
• Foreign SIM Card: Using a foreign SIM card may be cheaper than paying for international roaming. You can order a foreign SIM card in advance or purchase one in the airport or local cellphone store at your destination. Note that your phone needs to be unlocked in order to use a foreign SIM card. While many newer smartphones come automatically unlocked, you may need to contact your carrier to verify the status of your phone.
• SIM card ejector: If you are going to use a foreign SIM card, you will want to bring something to eject the SIM card. You likely received a small metal pin-like device when you purchased your phone. However, if you lost it, you can try using a safety pin or paperclip.

Don’t forget to prepare your content

• Download crucial apps, maps and other information or content ahead of time. Another location’s cell service can be slow, spotty or even non-existent, so it is highly recommended that you download to your device important media ahead of time.
• Have a backup plan for logging into important services or apps. Many people use a two-factor authentication system that requires entering a special code that is texted to their phone number. However, if you are using a foreign SIM card, you won’t have access to your usual phone number so you may need to set an alternative way to log in to a particular service or app.