After my 2-part article "They're Called Smartphones for Good Reason" ran in the February and March 2018 issues, a number of readers wrote with suggestions and comments about using smartphones for saving critical itinerary information and navigating with maps, especially while offline.

The following are the most helpful tips, along with my own comments. All my comments pertain to using an iPhone with iOS version 11.4.1 and the latest update of Google Maps as of 8/8/18....

Smartphones have a number of functions that travelers find most useful, and I began describing a few of them last month, including the camera, the Geotagging feature and Google Maps. I’ve been referencing the iPhone 6’s functionality, since that’s what I use, but Android phones are similarly capable, if not more so. 

Uber

Like millions of other people, I’ve become a big fan of Uber, the phone app where you tap a button and get a ride that’s...

There is a lot of confusion and fear among consumers when it comes to protecting their personal information on credit cards containing computer chips and on US passports with RFID chips buried inside. Also, some states issue so-called “enhanced driver’s licenses” with RFID chips. 

Here’s a simple explanation of this technology and how you can guard against data theft.

Credit cards with chips

As a means to combat counterfeiting of credit...