Thought during one of my last trips to London Olympic Games I started to think about smart phone purchase. It was so many information online: games schedules and results, available tickets, traffic information, sightseeing routes and etc.  I could carry laptop or iPad, but I like to keep my backpack very light and smart phone would be perfect choice. Of course such events like London Olympics doesn’t happen very often and I still could survive without any smart phone, but features of the latest iPhone 5 made me think again. May be I should get one?

I am not keen to share on social networks (aka twitter, facebook or google+) my current location and all activities I am doing at the moment as I think it is not safe, so didn’t have smart phone up to now, but three features of  iPhone 5 interested me:

1. iPhone 5 has improved iSight camera and with new A6 chip it will capture photos quicker. The new panorama feature lets you shoot up to an impressive 240 degrees high-resolution panorama up to 28 megapixels. New camera with improved video stabilization helps record stunning 1080p HD video. This camera won’t change my Canon DSLR, but I really started to think iPhone 5 could be replacement of my P&S camera.

1. Apple ditched Google Maps and introduced its own Apple Maps application. It is new product and still there are no reviews, but I hope it will be good and will require less bandwidth. Maps application is done in partnership with TomTom know as world’s leading supplier of location and navigation products and services.
2. Passbook application is the most interested new application in latest iOS 6. In the middle of this year Apple announced its Passbook program which could replace all tickets and gift cards in your wallet.  But most importantly it can store your boarding passes, so you won’t need seek printer during your travels.
   

   

   With Passbook, you can scan your iPhone to check in for a flight. Wake your iPhone and passes appear on your Lock screen at the appropriate time and place when you reach the airport. If your departure gate changes after you’ve checked in for your flight, Passbook will alert you to make sure you’re not relaxing in the wrong terminal. This application seems will be irreplaceable companion for a lot of frequent travelers. Of course it will take some time until major airlines adopt this technology. American Airlines, Delta, United and Virgin airlines are among the early partners and hopefully other will follow.

Will I buy iPhone 5 tomorrow when the phone will be released at Apple store? I am not sure yet. I probably will wait for more reviews of all these application I am interested in, but I feel I will buy one at the end.

UPDATE Sep 21

It seems travellers should wait with purchase of new iPhone, as there are lot of problems with their mapping application. You can check some reviews here and here. Surprisingly bad quality of  satellite shots and it give wrong directions.

The post iPhone 5 is not ready for travelers yet appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

I was looking to that phone number and for a second couldn’t understand that is this and why it sending something to it because I have totally different phone number. After some thought I remembered what is this. It did happen exactly a year ago and for some reason I entered my cell phone number I had at that moment because Facebook asked it for some reasons. Of course I could easy to skip that step, but I didn’t, as I didn’t think about circumstances.  The phone number was temporary. During my trips I often buy prepaid phone SIM card in the country I am staying for a week or longer as it much cheaper to make local phone calls or send messages. Some weeks later my trip was over I trough away my temporary SIM card as I didn’t need it any more and forgot I entered that number somewhere on the web. But that SIM card would be useless even if I would have it with me now because the phone number expires after awhile if account is not recharged.

What to do now? I found this form

I filled this form and send it but got such answer:

Hi,

Unfortunately, we can’t assist you until you reply and attach identification that verifies the name submitted in your request.

Please attach a copy of one government-issued ID (ex: driver’s license or passport) or two documents from a respected institution or business. Together these documents must show your full name, photo, and date of birth.

Some examples of acceptable documents include:

– School or work ID
– Utility bill
– Marriage license
– Legal name change paperwork
– Credit card (with the number blacked out)
– Birth certificate

If possible, save this file as a JPEG and cover up any personal information that we don’t need to verify your identity (ex: address, license number). We also recommend sending your attachments over a secure connection. Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/help/?page=148993491850191

Note that we won’t be able to assist you until we receive the proper documents.

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

It looks like everything should be ok, but… It is not in my case. I have a little paranoia about storing my personal information on internet. Thought it is against facebook rules, but I never provide my full personal details for such sites especially because they tend to change privacy rules quite often and you never know what will be available for public tomorrow.  Even in this case, because I didn’t provide my full name I can’t access my account and it means I have no access to any data I entered. I didn’t lose a lot because of my paranoia there are no personal data there. I can create another account and find all my friends again. It will take time, but it is not a big lost, as my primary communication is email and I can be totally offline during my travels as I commented on Lis’s travel blog.

But…if you are addicted to social networks like Facebook you should make sure all your contact information – cell phone numbers, emails are up to date in case you’ll get the message I got from Facebook about security check. Of course you can send all required information and get your account restored, but it works only if you have your full name provided to Facebook. For other people who are using their nick names instead of real name it can be nightmare. Especially if somebody is using FB as only communication way to reach friends and family. It is hard to image when you want contact somebody, but you can’t reach person because don’t have access to your account and can’t see contact details of that person.

It was interesting lesson for me and at the end I did lost something. The biggest lost of this story I can’t access my FB pages any more and need to create if from scratch. Here is my new page.  Please take a visit and like it.

The post How you can loose your Facebook account while traveling appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

Did you already read this recent story about British couple sent back home by US Department for Homeland Security because of tweet made by the guy?

Be always careful what your are posting on social networks.   It doesn’t matter is it Twitter or Facebook or Google+ or any other social network. It public space which can be read by anybody. Especially with privacy rules changed so frequently by these networks (Facebook is the worst on this list) any information you think is hidden can suddenly become available to millions. May be all these networks should introduce some warning system to inform you about existence of some inappropriate information in your message you are ready to post or tweet?

Share this story with your friends to make them alert.

The post Be careful what you are posting on social networks appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

The post Checking your email in internet cafe? Don’t forget to LOG OFF appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

The post Free wireless internet in Bangkok airport (BKK) appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

Internet in Singapore is free, but….you need to register before you can use Wireless@SG. Of course you’ll find more free wireless networks in Singapore, but Wireless@SG is covering most of the city. Problem is that you can’t do it in Singapore online if you don’t have working mobile phone with local number.  So before you will head to Singapore, check Wireless@SG registration information, as most likely you will need to register in person on arrival.

The post Internet in Singapore. It is free, but.. appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout international terminal T1 and domestic terminal T2. Simply select “-FREE SYD WiFi-” from the list of available networks, answer the questions, read the terms and conditions and click “Proceed”. You will be shown a sponsored message then directed to a website.

It was in year 2009

You probably already found about free internet kiosks in Sydney airport (unfortunately only in international T1 terminal).  Just checked-in, it is almost two hours until your boarding, so you have more then enough time check your email, update status on facebook. But what is happening? Why it is not possible to enter password into box [1]? Don’t know what is happening, but best way pass this, just press on “Login” [2] button without any password entered.

Will be shown next window with error message of course: “Incorrect Email/Password Combination
Facebook passwords are case sensitive. Please check your CAPS lock key. You can reset your password here.”

Surprisingly in this window it is possible enter password into [3] box.

Then press “Login” button [4] and you are in.

The post How to check your Facebook in Sydney airport appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.