iPhone and Social Media Tips for Travelers

by Willy Lim
(Co-Founder, NetProfitQuest)

Original article appears in February 2011 issue of SME & Entrepreneurship Magazine

In my November article “Marketing Tips for Location Based Social Networks”, I shared about the business potential of location based social network “foursquare”. After that, I took a holiday in Australia in December. In this issue, I will share with you, from a traveler’s point of view, how I have leveraged on my iPhone and social media to have the perfect holiday.
Most Important Pre-flight Check: Low-Cost Internet Connection!

I was preparing to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Gold Coast, so before I flew, I “googled” for the cheapest 3G prepaid data plan in Australia. What good is an iPhone without internet access? (Some say a brick would be more useful.) After some “googling”, I found Optus Dollar Days, which would allow me to have unlimited 3G internet access on my iPhone for just A$2/day.

Taking Photos: Mobility and Speed to Capture is King; not Megapixels
On my flight to Gold Coast, I took some amazing photos with the built-in 3-megapixel camera on the iPhone 3GS. Although iPhone photos aren’t as clear as a full-blown digital camera, iPhone’s size and “instant-on” camera function, allows me to flick the iPhone out of my pocket and capture many unique moments, which I would miss if I had needed to fumble around my backpack for the digital camera. Check out this picture of Gold Coast which I took as the plane was about to land at Coolangatta Airport. I would have missed this shot, if I was just one second slower in whipping out the camera. Being able to spot a fleeting moment and quickly capture it on photo, more than make up for iPhone’s lack of megapixels.

Driving Around: Transform iPhone into a GPS
Together with my partner KC, we planned to drive 1,000 km southwards from Brisbane to Sydney over two days, stopping by Port Macquarie for the night. KC already have a Garmin GPS; however I prefer the iPhone GPS app “TomTom” as it offers much clearer turn-by-turn voice instructions for navigating less travelled scenic routes.

Discovering the Best Food: Foursquare & Google Maps
En-route from Brisbane to Port Macquarie, we stopped by Byron Bay halfway for lunch. Whipping out my iPhone, I looked up the tips about Byron Bay using Foursquare app. I found an interesting comment about a restaurant called “Mongers” that was serving “awesome food and good price”, and decided to check it out.

Switching to Google Maps app on iPhone, I located Mongers and Google Map told me that it was only 133m away from my current location.
One minute and 133 meters later, I arrived at Mongers, and discovered that many newspapers have reviewed this restaurant as it serves the BEST Fish & Chips in Brisbane.

Finding a Place to Stay: “TripAdvisor” on iPhone
As we drove southwards after lunch, I was tasked to look for a place to stay when we arrive in Sydney the next day. Using “TripAdvisor” app, I researched for hotels in Sydney by reading the reviews by other travelers. When I had decided on which hotel to stay, I proceeded to book online using my iPhone. All these were done while my partner KC was driving down the Pacific Highway.

Keeping Connected: Converting iPhone into a Wifi Hotspot
Once we checked into the hotel, my partner KC needed an internet connection to check his emails. Instead of paying exorbitant fees for hotel internet access, I downloaded an iPhone app “MyWi”, which transforms my iPhone into a wireless WiFi router. KC, whose room is in another block fifty metres away, can then connect his laptop to my iPhone via WiFi and access the internet via my iPhone’s A$2/day 3G connection. Geeky, but so cool that it feels like a scene right out of Mission Impossible.

Just Like Being There: Panorama!
This is where the humble iPhone camera really shines when compared to more expensive professional counterparts. Using the iPhone app “AutoStitch”, I was able to combine eight separate photos into a single panoramic shot of Sydney’s famous Circular Quay.

To share a totally immersive picture, I also use “360 panorama” app. This is an amazing application that allows you to generate a 360 panorama view of your location in real time and share it with your friends. Check out the 360 panorama view of the Three Sisters near Sydney

So the next time you make a trip, be sure to bring your iPhone and load it up with all these amazing apps. And don’t forget to google for low cost 3G prepaid card before you fly!