Phone vs Tablet – Which Is Better To Take When Abroad?

The thought of travelling without being able to stay connected might be a scary thought for a lot of us. Literally everything we do these days involves being able to go online – whether that’s updating our status on social media, checking out a destination on Google Maps, looking up flight times or playing games. So when we’re packing for a trip do we take our smartphone or tablet, or do we take both? Let’s look at the pros and cons of each device.

Smartphone – Literally all of us own a smartphone now. They’re compact, easy to fit in the pocket and are great if we’re travelling light.

Positives:

• We can use them to access apps and downloads which also work offline to help us on our travels – like translation tools and maps.
• They are easy to carry.
• They’ve got a number of devices in one – a clock, alarm, music player, calculator and sometimes a torch too.
• You can use them to connect to local WiFi by turning off roaming data so you can keep playing your favourite games online without racking up data charges.

Negatives:

• Tiny screens – okay for checking texts or your Facebook newsfeed but not great for watching movies or reading a book.
• Limited battery life – if you’re using lots of apps or media on your phone it tends to drain the battery down quickly (a pain if you’re on a long bus trip with no way of recharging your phone).
• A small keypad – if you want to update your travel blog or are keeping a digital diary it can be quite tedious typing on a phone.

Tablet – These are becoming more and more popular thanks to bigger screens and easy-to-use apps.

Positives:

• More portable than a laptop and much better than a phone for watching movies or reading.
• If you have an Android tablet you can sync your email or texts to be able to check your messages on the go (check your network provider’s charges on using this service before travelling).
• A good quality tablet often has a more advanced processor than a mobile – this makes downloading and surfing the web online quicker than on some mobile phones.

Negatives:

• Bulkier than a phone and takes up more space and weight in your backpack.
• Awkward for taking photos – the size of a tablet makes it difficult to hold and it’s often hard to see what you’re photographing due to the glare from the sun on the screen.
• Again, typing can be a bit slow but you can purchase a separate keypad that works with your tablet via Bluetooth.

Whichever device you choose to take on holiday make sure you’ve got insurance to cover it. Also, get an up-to-date anti-virus protection installed on it to keep your personal data as safe as possible. Be aware that using mobile data can be very expensive overseas so either take out your SIM or turn off the ‘roaming’ option and use local WiFi instead. In some places this is free to use, otherwise there will be a small charge payable locally. If you remove your SIM card your device will still work if you are connecting to local WiFi.

Most importantly, when you take a device on holiday, make sure you don’t spend all your time looking down at a screen and instead enjoy the real scenery around you and immerse yourself in the experience.