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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 08:30 AM
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1st time travel w/smart phone

We're taking a Trafalgar motorcoach tour of European alps in Oct. Just got our smart phone 2 mo. ago so know almost nothing about use when traveling. My main concern is charging it in Europe. I don't plan to facebook, call home, etc. due to the cost. But when we get back home we need to make some calls so need it charged. How do I charge it in order for it to be ready for use back in Dallas at the airport? Forgive my ignorance! And thank you for any info.
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 08:37 AM
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Plug in in using an adaptor that costs as little as $1:
http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/ca...ntId=126&id=24

~Liz
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 08:37 AM
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Bring your current charger. Did it not come with one? You need a plug adapter. It looks like this http://www.amazon.com/EU-PLUG-i-Trek...ords=euro+plug.
Just a few dollar and available from practically any store that carry gadgets or travel items.
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 08:40 AM
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Just make sure you leave it in airport mode so that data is turned off. If it has a GPS function, it will constantly update -- expensively.
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 08:52 AM
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GPS doesn't cost money. Data services do. Most mapping apps, such as Google Maps, use both GPS (to find your location) and data services (to download the maps). However, Google Maps now lets you download the maps ahead of time, using wifi, so that you can use GPS without any data costs at all.

I keep GPS turned off unless I'm using it, because it runs my battery down quickly.
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 08:59 AM
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What type of "smart phone" is it? The Apple iPhone allows you to message from one iPhone to another, or to an iPad or iPod at no cost when in a WiFi zone.

If you have T-Mobile as a service provider, then data roaming and messaging are free, and calls would only cost you $0.20/minute, locally or back home. No roaming charges!
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 09:16 AM
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If you aren't planning on using it at all in Europe you could charge it before leaving home, then completely power it off. The battery should hold the charge for the time you are travelling.
The charger takes up little room, and an adaptor is also really small, so you could take them with you just in case.
Depending on your airline you can probably charge it in your seat if you need to. It can be either in flight mode, or still switched off.
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 12:02 PM
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Thank you all. Much good information.
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Old Feb 10th, 2014, 12:46 PM
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There are many ways to send messages from one phone to another using wifi, and you don't need an iPhone to do that.

Many members of our family use What's App, which has versions for both iOS and Android. This is only one of several solutions. However, as Iberian traveler said, with all of these apps, you have to be connected to wifi to send the message and the other person has to be on wifi to receive it.
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