Jump to content
  • Please note, Blogs are intended for stories about your RV travels.  Please post technical questions/comments in the forums located at:

    https://community.fmca.com/

  • entries
    353
  • comments
    105
  • views
    347660

RVing and My New Smartphone

Roadtrekingmike

3398 views

blog-0452821001374850619.pngI’ve switched smartphones and it’s all because of RVing.

I now use the Samsung Galaxy S 4. I traded my iPhone 5 in at my local Verizon store and now am tasked with learning a new system. I feel a little guilty about it. I have been told that the iPhone I bought at 6PM EST on June 29, 2007 was the first one sold. It was part of a TV live shot I was doing and I had stood all night long, first in a long line. Working with the manager of at AT&T store, we arranged for me to be standing at the counter and my credit card was processed at 6:00:08.

Regardless, I have loyally bought and used every iPhone since then. But over the past year, as innovation with the Android operating system began to ellipse Apple’s, I began to have smartphone envy as I saw some of the many features available on newer models. The Galaxy S 4, with it’s much larger screen and 13 megapixel camera (compared to the iPhone’s 8 megapixels), was an immediate draw. Add to that wireless charging, a much tougher glass display, 2GB of RAM (double the iPhone’s) and a faster CPU and slightly more apps than Apple has and the appeal was very strong.

Probably the final straw for me was my iPhone battery was starting to fail. A full charge only lasted half a day. But the battery on the iPhone is not user accessible. I had to send to to Apple to be replaced. What a needless hassle. The battery on the Galaxy S 4 can be easily replaced by the user.

Even though a new version of the iPhone will be coming by Christmas, it’s not here yet. The Galaxy S 4 has all these features I want now.

The decision was made.

I rely on my smartphone more than ever because of all the RV traveling I do.

I especially like the Allstays Camp and RV – All Campgrounds app. Yes, I know, there is an iPhone version of it. But because I use this app so often to find Walmart’s, campgrounds, dump stations and the like, I found myself squinting at the iPhone screen a lot. It’s much easier to read on a Galaxy. I’ll write more about my favorite RV apps in a later post.

I use my smartphone all the time. For email from readers of this blog. To update our Facebook Page and Facebook Group. To tweet updates on Twitter. To take and share photos and video and to stay in touch with news while traveling.

I also travel with an iPad but, truthfully, it’s a bit too big for me while on the go. Jennifer may use it for checking maps but we prefer the smartphone for convenience.

So my iPhone is gone.

Jennifer still has hers.

But I’m spending the next couple days getting used to the Galaxy and the Android operating system and enjoying the learning process. I love playing with tech gizmos.

One of the coolest things is the way the Galaxy 4 lets you wave your hand at the screen to accept calls with Air Gesture, read content by tilting your head or phone with Smart Scroll and preview content by barely touching the screen with Air View. It can be touch free.

I’ll put the new smartphone to good use starting next week when we head west on another RV adventure.

Meantime, how do you use your smartphone?



4 Comments


Recommended Comments

I use GAS BUDDY APP all the time on the road. You can really save a lot of money with GAS BUDDY.

I totally agree however there was the time I went to a station that had it's prices updated on GAS Buddy 5 minutes earlier only to find the price was 10 cents higher than posted.

Share this comment


Link to comment

I hope you get good use out of the Galaxy. There will be a new/better/shinier phone available as soon you have figured it all out.

My favorite iPhone APPS for RV travel:

1. YELP - for food suggestions

2. iEXIT - for what's up at the next exit.

3. GAS Buddy - of course

4. MAG Light - For reading menus/manuals - flashlight and magnification

5. Waze - for crowd based traffic reporting.

6. Roadtrippers - for route planning (web site) and activity planning (iPhone)

7. MyPilot - Flying J/Pilot location finder

8. I am trying the Garmin RV 760LMT and iPhone app Smart Link

Share this comment


Link to comment

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...