Tag: #travel

Plan your next adventure with Google Maps. #Travel #Tips #Summer

Summer is well and truly here and rain, hail or shine,  it’s time to start planning your next adventure. This summer is all about getting out and about, whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip, hunting down the best hiking or bike trails, or mapping out your next meal, Google Maps is on hand to plan your long awaited outdoor adventure or staycation.

Google Maps can help guide the way — no matter where you’re going. Feeling adventurous? Here are some tips on how Google Maps can help you discover new experiences across the country or just around the corner.

Curate your bucket list: Easily create lists of places you want to go, and add notes to the places you’ve saved. You can keep these lists private, share them with close friends, or share them publicly. You can also browse through lists created by publishers, Local Guides or Google.

Tabs are your new tick list: Use the tabs at the bottom of the app to keep track of your bucket list and find your next must-see destination! Check out the Updates tab to see trending, must-see spots from local experts and publishers — so you can find the best things to do no matter where you are.

Reserve your spot: Set your plan in stone by making a reservation through Google Maps. Save your spot at restaurants, classes, activities and more using Reserve with Google. Find the perfect place for you by using the search filter to search by price, rating, cuisine and opening times. Have a question about your chosen spot? You can communicate directly with businesses through their Business Profiles on Google Maps.

Use Google Maps as your tour guide this Summer: You can search for areas of interest, local events, trendy restaurants, things to do, or notable locations in Google Maps. Find places like nearby museums, new restaurants, and popular bars. As you use Google Maps more often, you’ll see matches for various places. These matches show how well a place matches your preferences and displays places and events in areas that interest you.

Find parks and hiking trails on Google Maps: Search outdoor terms like “hiking trails” or “parks near me” to find nearby treks. For most hiking trails, you’ll be able to find ratings, reviews and photos from other hikers. Some may also have useful details like open hours and phone numbers. You can also use the Lists feature on Google Maps to see curated recommendations.

Keep your friends and family updated: You can choose who can find your location and how long to share your location with Google Location Sharing. People you share your location with can see your name, profile picture, and real-time location. Your shared location may include information about where you are, where you’ve just been, what you’re doing (like driving or walking), and where you’re visiting next.

Share your hidden Gems: Come across a cool spot? Why not write a review? Using Google Maps, you can write reviews for places you’ve visited. You can also leave information or post photo updates about a place, like if it’s quiet and romantic, or even if it’s under renovation.

Remember where you’ve been: From the new trailhead you found to the hidden campground you want to revisit, why not use Saved Places to view all these spots in one place. It’s perfect for reminiscing and sharing recommendations with friends.

Pedal to your next adventure: Planning a hill climb or just looking to explore? Check how flat or steep a route will be, bicycle friendly roads and dedicated bike lanes with biking directions. Cycling in Dublin? You can check how many bikes are available at each Dublin Bikes station through Google Maps, as well as if there are any empty spaces to return a bike.

Keep tabs on the restaurant scene: Whether you’re hungry for an adventure, or just hungry! Google Maps has you covered. Why not map out your next meal with Google Maps? Along with details like operating hours and COVID-19 safety precautions in Google Maps, you can also see every foodie’s favorite info: trending dishes. Check out a restaurant’s Business Profile on Maps to get the scoop on things like a restaurant’s most popular dishes along with other information like pricing, images and reviews

FREE NOW and Pinergy partner in drive to help facilitate more electric rides by 2030 #evs #Pinergy #FREENOW

Pinergy, the smart energy provider of clean electricity, has today announced a new energy partnership with FREE NOW, Ireland’s leading ride-hailing app, which will see Pinergy provide expert support to FREE NOW drivers who want to make the transition to electric vehicles. The initiative supports FREE NOW’s goal of having 100% zero emission rides in all key FREE NOW markets across Europe by 2030 with plans to have at least 50% fully electric vehicle rides by 2025.
As part of this new partnership, Pinergy will provide advice and services to FREE NOW partner drivers, including the installation of electric vehicle (EV) home charging points and guidance. Pinergy’s newly launched smart energy ‘Lifestyle’ plans will also be available, with exclusive benefits for FREE NOW drivers to make the most of Pinergy’s smart tariffs.
Today’s announcement supports FREE NOW’s Green Pledge for 100% of trips to be zero emission by 2030 in all key European cities. As part of this, FREE NOW is investing €6million in an effort to encourage more drivers to switch to electric vehicles (EVs), by enabling them to install home chargers. FREE NOW has also recently launched its brand new EV expert team, which is dedicated to helping drivers make the move to an electric vehicle and avail of the generous grants now available. In addition, FREE NOW last year launched its ‘Eco’ booking option, which enables passengers to choose electric or hybrid taxis to support Ireland’s drive to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to better air quality.
FREE NOW offers every driver who successfully avails of the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) Home Charging Grant Scheme an opportunity to save an additional €600 through the FREE NOW EV Home Charger Grant Match. As part of this partnership Pinergy can supply and install the home EV charger at drivers’ homes while also advising and consulting drivers to help them manage their energy supply efficiently and in a cost-effective manner. FREE NOW drivers that have already made the switch to electric report saving up to as much as €5,000 a year on running costs on top of the savings made by taking advantage of the various grants available.
Jon Jerromes, Head of Sales at Pinergy commenting on the partnership, said: “We at Pinergy are always excited to partner with forward thinking and innovative companies like FREE NOW who share our vision of an electric future and are committed to taking positive action in playing their part for a sustainable energy future. FREE NOW is leading the way in the electrification of Ireland’s taxi fleet and today’s announcement marks another important step towards the rollout of greener vehicles and achieving their zero emission rates targets.”
Niall Carson, Irish Country Manager at FREE NOW said: “Making the decision to partner with Pinergy to help FREE NOW partner drivers that want to transition to electric vehicles was an easy decision. At FREE NOW we’re excited to help and incentivise our drivers to move to electric vehicles as part of our Green Pledge commitments to push further the drive towards a greener, zero-carbon community. It is great to receive Pinergy’s knowledge and support to help our partner drivers, amplifying FREE NOW’s efforts to be a greener company.”
Pinergy’s recently announced Lifestyle Plans, designed around smart meter technology and its award-winning app, will also be available to FREE NOW drivers as part of the exclusive energy partnership deal between the two companies. Pinergy’s Lifestyle Plans are comprised of a choice of different discounted time-of-use tariffs to suit the particular lifestyle needs of energy consumers and include a “Work from Home” plan, a “Family Time” plan and a “Drive Time” plan for those families looking to charge their electric vehicles overnight, when energy supply is typically at its cheapest rates. Further information about Pinergy Lifestyle is available online at: https://pinergy.ie/home-electricity/fixed-price-plans/

Tech Review – Konftel Ego bluetooth speakerphone #Konftel #Tech

Having the right tools be it in the office or on the move is an important factor for many folk including myself and being in the tech space I consider myself lucky to have that equipment and get to test such out. Over the years I have tried many conference speakers and as expected they are getting better, more compact and more features and of course the price is getting better too which is a win for the consumer.

The Konftel Ego is the latest to drop on my desk and this is ideal for home use and indeed the office and with the work from home trend boom it is an ideal kit to have for more than just work duties this can be used in a personal capacity too for playing music on so you are not just buying a product for one use case scenario but two and to top it off it is portable and it is one of the slimmest ones I have used and the shape and design of this speaker is something different compared to the circular models which are popular and it stands out, several people have asked what it is here in the house and they all agreed with my thoughts on it. You can see the unboxing over on our You Tube

You get a travel pouch to store it in and the required cable to connect to your pc/laptop to charge up then you have the bluetooth connection of course keeping things wireless which I like and if you are one to be doing lots of zoom calls etc and you have the Konftel Cam 10 you have the ideal kit be it at home or if you are travelling and so on you have the ideal kit right here. It also works with works seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Zoom, Avaya IX Workplace and many other collaborative tools.

There is a cool LCD screen underneath the grille on top that shows status/function alongside the LEDs on the side in different colours to indicate the function and then you have the simple controls on the left and right which makes it a non complicated tool to have at your disposal.

You also can connect to a smartphone or tablet so it is not just a pc based product it can be used almost anywhere, the sound that comes from the speakerphone is omnidirectional so a meeting with up to six people in a room is a breeze for this and you can hear crystal clear and the sounds pack a punch too when playing music and if you want you can connect your headphones so overall it is a win win for both office and home use and then the portability factor just tops it off for having such a compact tool that looks good and gives a great audio experience for you or anyone in your meetings.

BUY HERE 

 

 

Lonely Planet & Sony reveal incredible Irish locations. #sony #travel #lonelyplanet #staycation

With us all looking ahead for 2021 travel inspiration once lockdown measures have lifted; the top lesser-known locations across Ireland show we have unparalleled levels of beauty on our shores, Snapped on the Xperia 5 II; the handset comes with a professional-quality triple lens camera; complete with the Photography Pro feature which brings Alpha technology to the palm of your hand for fast and accurate AF/AE – allowing us all the opportunity to take incredible imagery from our everyday devices

From luscious green hills to quaint towns with colourful vibrance, Ireland is rich in stunning destinations. It’s no surprise then that with the restrictions on international travel, there was a significant rise in people staycationing; as well as an increase in search requests for places that were off the beaten track throughout 2020.

Sony Mobile and Lonely Planet have paired up to publish a photo series revealing the top less-frequented destinations in Ireland for 2021 so travellers can escape the mundane of lockdown once measures have been lifted and reignite the sense of wonder and discovery – including the pristine sandy shores of Lackan Sands and the sub-tropical Garnish Island, home to exotic plants and foliage from around the world.

Too often, these lesser-known tourist spots are overlooked with staycationers opting for the bigger cities to satisfy their wanderlust; they try to find places that are off the beaten track rather than opting for the bigger tourist spots, such as Dublin. With 2021 now underway, this photo series gives inspiration for the future to encourage us to explore our own shores; along with photography you can easily recreate yourselves.

Mizen Head Cliffs, Co. Cork, Ireland
Mizen Head Cliffs, Co. Cork, Ireland

Top lesser-known post-lockdown destinations from around Ireland  

  1. Mizen Head Cliffs, Co. Cork, Ireland (above)
  2. Lackan Strand, Co Mayo, Ireland
  3. Sky Garden, Russagh, Co. Cork, Ireland
  4. Birr Castle, Co Offaly, Ireland
  5. Garnish Island, Bantry Bay, Ireland
  6. Slieve Bloom Mountains, Co Laois, Ireland
  7. Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) Cliffs, Co Donegal
  8. Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland

Tom Hall from Lonely Planet, said: “The pandemic caused us all to pause and re-evaluate how we travel, and now is the perfect time to update that bucket list with some of these under-the-radar places you might have overlooked in the past.”

Offered in Black, Xperia 5 II is available from retailers across Ireland.

GAMMA Jacket Brings All-Climate Graphene Technology to Clothing

In Ireland, there’s no such thing as the right jacket. Whatever the weather presenter says, you know the weather is guaranteed to take a turn.

If you leave home with a windbreaker, it will rain. If you bring a raincoat, the sun will shine. 

Now, there’s a jacket to fix our weather woes. It’s called GAMMA, and it’s a graphene jacket that can tackle any weather and keep you warm or cool in any climate. 

Graphene is one of the most advanced materials on Earth. It’s a powerful insulator, and it’s waterproof, windproof, UV-proof, antimicrobial and a whole lot more. With Graphene’s help, GAMMA can do much more than a normal jacket. In fact, it may be the only jacket you need for the rest of your life. 

Below, I’ll tell you a bit more about graphene and the properties it brings to the GAMMA jacket. You can also see GAMMA in action here. If you pre-order in the next couple of weeks, you’ll save over 40% on your GAMMA jacket. 

Let’s dig into this next-gen jacket. 

What is Graphene?



Before we jump into everything that GAMMA can do, we should take a minute to talk about graphene. Graphene is the material behind all of GAMMA’s superpowers. 

If you haven’t heard of it, you’re not alone. Graphene was just discovered in 2004. It was such a huge breakthrough that it won its discoverers a Nobel Prize.

Graphene is a nano-particle made of latticed carbon, so it’s completely natural and safe. It’s made of the same stuff we are. It’s just a lot stronger.  

In fact, graphene is the strongest, thinnest and most flexible material on Earth. It’s both an excellent conductor and insulator, and it’s got a long list of impressive properties, such as being impermeable to liquid and gas, antimicrobial, UV-proof, hypoallergenic and a lot more. 

Scientists hope to use graphene in everything from spaceships to solar panels. Recently, they’ve started adding it to fabric to produce indestructible clothes that can keep you comfortable in any climate.  

GAMMA is Graphene-Infused Clothing


When graphene is added to clothing, it brings all of its abilities to your wardrobe. It makes clothing so strong that it lasts for life but also reduces its weight. It makes everything you wear waterproof, odour-proof and temperature-regulated.

GAMMA is one of the first graphene jackets ever made, and it showcases just what graphene can do for clothing. GAMMA is an all-climate jacket that lasts for life. Here are some of its most interesting features:

 

  • Graphene insulation: Graphene insulates like a second skin. It absorbs your body heat and distributes it equally throughout the jacket, keeping your entire upper body warm. In hot weather, it expels excess heat and maintains a cool surface. 
  • Waterproof: GAMMA is completely waterproof. It will keep you dry no matter how rainy the weather gets. It also comes with a hood, rain hem and drawstrings for especially dreary days. 
  • Windproof: Graphene is so impermeable that not even gas can pass through it. It will protect you from the chill of the wind better than any windbreaker. 
  • UV-Proof: If you’re Irish, you have sensitive skin! GAMMA will keep UV rays away, unlike other light jackets that don’t prevent skin irritation and burns. 
  • Moisture-wicking: Graphene won’t let liquid in the jacket, but it will absorb moisture from within and release it on the exterior of the jacket. This prevents you from overheating or feeling sticky when you’re hiking or running. 
  • Antimicrobial: GAMMA is like a shield against germs of all kinds. Graphene kills bacteria, mould, fungus, viruses and more on contact. 
  • Odour-proof: Because GAMMA is antimicrobial, it will never develop odours. You can wear it on your morning jog and then wear it to work—your jacket will smell like new with or without a wash (though it is machine-washable).
  • Hypoallergenic: Keep allergens away with GAMMA. Graphene won’t allow allergens to get close to you or to attach themselves to your jacket for a free ride to your home. 
  • Insect repellent: Graphene makes you invisible to bugs by blocking insects’ ability to sense your skin. GAMMA will keep annoying insects like mosquitoes away without the need for chemical sprays.
  • Indestructible: Graphene is stronger than diamond, which makes GAMMA practically indestructible. It’s so strong that it can stop a knife. 

All of these features make GAMMA a jacket that you can wear for any type of activity, anywhere on Earth. But it’s especially beneficial in wet and windy countries like ours. 

With GAMMA, you won’t need to scratch your head in the morning trying to decide whether to wear a light jacket, a raincoat, a windbreaker or a heavy coat. GAMMA is all of these jackets wrapped into one.

Carbon Fiber Heaters

Graphene isn’t the only thing GAMMA has going for it. It also has added carbon fibre heating elements to keep you warm in sub-freezing temperatures. 

Graphene is an amazing insulator, but it relies on your body heat. That’s not enough to keep you warm when it gets really cold. When you turn GAMMA’s heaters on, graphene takes that heat and distributes it evenly across your body to keep you toasty in the coldest places. 

There are three heat settings to choose from. GAMMA can heat up to 50˚C in less than 30 seconds, and it’s able to keep you warm in temperatures as low as -30˚C despite weighing just 500 g. 

The heaters are safe and contain no electrical parts. To use them, you need to plug a power bank into one of the jacket pockets. Then, you turn them on by pushing a button on the jacket interior.



Activewear at Heart 

GAMMA can do so much, but at heart, it’s a soft shell activewear jacket. The look is quite sleek and stylish, so I can imagine wearing it out or to work (if you work in a business-casual office). 

But I think it would be most at home while hiking, skiing, boating,  jogging or doing other sporty activities. 

The moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating properties make it easy to train harder. You’ll also be able to train in very cold weather without having to wear lots of layers.



Ideal for Travellers

Frequent travellers and backpackers will get a lot of use from GAMMA. It’s the ideal jacket to bring on a trip, as it can keep you comfortable in any climate. It’s also lightweight and packs down to the size of a t-shirt. 

You won’t need to stuff multiple jackets in your suitcase just to keep protected from the elements.

GAMMA also has loads of pockets—10 in total. Two of the pockets are hidden. For a traveller, this means more room to stash your documents, money, snacks and electronics while on the go. And, GAMMA will protect everything you put in its pockets from rain, sun and cold. 


Try Graphene Clothing with GAMMA Now

Wouldn’t it be nice to put on just one jacket every day and know that you’re ready for any weather? That’s not something I ever thought was possible in Ireland! 

With GAMMA, you’re guaranteed to be comfortable all day long no matter what the weather has in store. And you can wear it anywhere else in the world and expect the same level of comfort. 

Graphene clothing is brand new, and it’s not very affordable. But, if you pre-order GAMMA, you can get a jacket for over 40% off the retail price. That’s quite a deal for a jacket that will last you a lifetime. 

There’s not much time left to pre-order, so click the link above and get your GAMMA jacket soon. Or, you can visit weargraphene.com to learn more. 

 

Tech Review – Epson WF-110W mobile printer. #Epson #Printing #Tech

Printers come in all shapes and sizes the price of course applies but there is various options available for the consumer to buy and especially businesses. For the office printer some can be huge and cumbersome and I have always found them too big and feel they could be made smaller. I have seen many printers the public would not be use to seeing such as our government’s printer that still has not printed a page and cost the taxpayer a colossal amount of money and printers to create maps and plans and so on and the need for those is different however I still find office printers and home printers on the large side but it is what it is I guess.

Mobile printers have been around some years, I remember signing documents printed off one years ago for life insurance and it was a strange looking device and awkward to say the least to set up never mind print a page but things have changed over the years with technology advancing and we now see more mobile printers in use today than ever before and some look the part and do the job whilst some look awful.

The Epson WF-110W mobile printer is a new option and advanced compared to others I have seen and does the job and more and is ideal for conducting business on the go, sales reps, insurance you name it now all sport mobile printers as they call to your home at late hours to get the paperwork signed rather than email it, this is portable, not cumbersome and easy enough to carry in your bag whilst you are on the go, of course you do need to carry paper but that can be left in the car and only a few sheets are required in most cases for printing in someone’s home or office on the road. this comes with WI-FI cloud services and more and has a small screen where you set up to your needs.

I had this set up in 5 minutes which was good and there is little tech know how required here if you just want to print paper or files off or files from your phone or Google cloud services it is simple and the quality is quite good too especially for documents but not so much on images this maybe due to the ink levels I had left on my review unit but overall they are good and that is what matters when your spending such money on a device. Personally I have no printer in the office and must invest in one, I have had printers in the past and they have been just too big and in the way where as this one will sit neatly in any home setting and furthermore you dont need to touch it once set up to get documents or files printed, it works well with the cloud service and general use and an ideal piece of kit to have at your disposal.

BUY HERE 

Tech Review – Gaston Luga SPLÄSH 13″ BLACK backpack. #anyhwerewithgl

In need a of a new backpack/tech pack that looks nice well Gaston Luga have launched a new range of bags to check out and these backs are made with quality materials look great and offer a wide range of designs for the customer with premium materials used they look great too for those who are fashion conscious. The Splash 13 Black which we have checked out is ideal for those trips to college or just to the local park or internet cafe when normal time resume and is a comfortable fit too and has padding in all the right areas it is also waterproof and made from vegan leather and feels really nice to the touch.

With easy to clean material and padded zipper pockets your good are safe inside the backpack and it is spacious you can easily fit in a laptop, notebook jacket, power cables and a portable charger and it is ideal for anyone who wants something that looks current and that has just the right amount of storage space to pack what you need rather than overpack carrying things you may not necessarily need..

Check out the video below for more on the backpack and also get 15% discount on the entire range is  TECHBUZZZ15  by shopping here –  https://gastonluga.com/se/

Tech Review – The TimeKettle MK2 translator earbuds. #TimeKettle #TWS #Tech #Travel

Every once in a while a product crosses my desk that I just love and this is one of them and that is a rare thing for me and if you are a person that travels this simply is a must have piece of technology in your pocket, OK one could argue there is standalone translators out there and you can use you voice assistants and so on but these do a great job plus they sound dam good too so they are a 2-in-one product that just delivers.

When to company contacted me I was a bit dubious however once I gave these a test run I was more than impressed and these for the two reasons outlined above they work quite well and they deliver on sound yet they are on the large size and one might feel they are too big you can forgive it and they are also light they will not fall out of your ears and you will forget they are there, I do wish they came in different colours and perhaps the next model will be smaller but overall they are a worthy investment particularly for those who travel and is learning a language.

The build quality here is fine although just like your typical earbud and the build is just plastic but they are durable, they are light, bigger than conventional earbuds but overall fine and you will forget they are there after a few minutes use.

Controls are minimal when it comes to use but the basics are there you have to remember they are not a music focussed product too you can skip tracks, play and pause and you can also access your voice assistant and the controls work really well due to their size we go through all this in the hands on review below and all the functions on offer they are really intuitive and I love the idea. When it comes to using as a traditional pair of true wireless these are actually good, they are loud well balanced and I would certainly use them on a daily basis and if travelling these would certainly be in my tech bag without a doubt.

When it comes to the translation this is where they do the job they aim to do and they can be used in several ways to use the translation functions and all is simple to do and no real tech know how to get going and you will need your smartphone to implement the functions. Check out the options you have and the detailed video review below for more.

FEATURES

  • 【40 languages ​​/ 93 dialects】 The WT2Plus portable translator can reach 40 languages ​​and 93 dialects with an accuracy of 95%. Voice Translator can meet the translation needs of 85% of the world’s population. Partial list: German, English, French, Spanish, Swedish, Italian, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Turkish, Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese), Russian, Portuguese, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Greek, Romanian, Czech …
  • 【Translator + bluetooth headphones】 Timekettle is a smart translator and also a wireless bluetooth headphones. The M2 voice translator has Qualcomm aptX audio technology to ensure you get the most out of music and phone calls. The M2 portable translator is powered by the Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.0 chip and offers intelligent, responsive playback while connecting quickly and consistently to all devices.
  • 【Three modes with APP】 Touch mode: tap the headset to recognize the voice, translate all the sentences at the same time and convert them to text in the APP for you. Listening mode: put the phone on the table to record a short conversation in the group and then listen to the translation played on the M2 headset. Loudspeaker mode: belongs to 1 headphones and 1 smartphone so that more people can talk.
  • Bluetooth 5.0 for IOS & Android: Supports IOS11 and above, Android 7 and above, Bluetooth 4.2 and above, and the earbuds are compatible with most major brands cellphones. Easy connection with IOS & Android operating system in seconds by turning on Bluetooth in APP. A true Bluetooth wireless connection enables fast and stable audio transmission for up to 20 feet. Its stable connection makes it a good choice for language learning devices
  • 【Smart Touch ＆ Long battery life】 Play your favorite music with intelligent touch sensors or answer or reject a call conveniently. Play / pause / skip tracks, activate voice assistant with a short touch (compatible with Apple and Google). The M2 translation headphones support up to 6 hours of listening and translation per charge. With a portable charging box, the playback time can be extended to 30 hours.

BUY HERE    INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN 

 

The Best Travel Apps for English Teachers Abroad. #Travel #Apps #Teachers

Moving abroad and navigating your way around doesn’t have to be so daunting when you’ve got access to a wealth of information in the palm of your hand – your mobile phone! With the help of a few apps that we’d class as travel essentials, you’re guaranteed to feel more at ease as you explore the unfamiliar.

Whether it’s how you manage your finances while you’re away from home, if you need instant clarification when faced with a language barrier, or simply just need pointed in the right direction, there are apps designed to help you do just that. 

When you qualify to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) you can travel all over the world while getting paid! Picking up your life and moving it to another country is enough stress for anyone. Below are a few apps that can help alleviate some of that inevitable moving stress by making your day to day life abroad that little bit more straight-forward. 

Finances

Keeping a close eye on your finances from the moment you set off will be essential to managing your money effectively. With the help of certain apps, you can do just that.

Revolut 

Revolut is a remote international banking app. An account can be set up for free in minutes, all you have to pay for is the debit card itself. Its main perks include being able to exchange money for free, fee-free international bank transfers, as well as the option to store multiple currencies in your account at one time. 

 It’s easy to keep track of your spending too, with an option to receive instant spending notifications, as well as the option to disable the card at any time if lost or stolen.

 Monzo

 Monzo is similar to Revolut in that it offers a highly efficient banking app. However, it doesn’t allow you to store multiple currencies at a time. But unlike Revolut, it does allow you to have an overdraft and savings account.

 Plum

With a little help from Plum you could find yourself regularly topping up your savings without even noticing. Using AI, Plum learns your spending habits by monitoring your typical income and expenditure. It uses this information to calculate what you can afford to save before transferring small amounts of money into your savings every few days. You’ll be amazed how much you can save up in a short period of time. 

Teachers deserve to treat themselves once in a while, and the savings you could make with Plum may just help you take that well-deserved break.

 Language

 Overcoming language barriers has never been easier thanks to the development of countless translation apps. Whether you need a helping hand learning a new language or instant translation assistance, fear not – with a simple search on your phone your problems can be solved.

Google Translate

Google Translate is easily the most popular translation app. With the option to easily translate to and from over 100 languages, conduct offline translations, and its ability to interpret speech and text within images, it’s popularity is understandable! 

However, don’t solely rely on Google Translate for all your translation queries. It can be great for capturing the gist of things and for quick, short translations but it is unfortunately prone to the odd error. It struggles with ambiguity, meaning that you can’t insert entire pages of text and expect perfect results. It’s easy to use but can be difficult to spot errors when you don’t have any prior knowledge of the language you’re translating. 

WordReference

WordReference is a fantastic, free, dictionary-style translating app. It tackles the ambiguous nature of translating languages by providing multiple meanings of a word and examples of the contexts you might find it in. It also provides you with verb conjugations in all the tenses – anyone learning a language knows how tricky getting to grips with them can be!

Unlike Google Translate, only individual words can be translated rather than phrases and blocks of text. However, it features an active language forum where you’ll likely find others who have similar queries. 

However, WordReference only deals with a few languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. 

Transport

Public transport can be pretty difficult to get your head around if you’re both overcoming a language barrier, and aren’t used to it. Thankfully there are plenty of apps available to calculate routes on your behalf.

 Citymapper

Citymapper is a highly functional travel app that helps users find the most practical transport routes. The app operates in 39 major cities around the world – and counting. 

It uses GPS to locate your closest public transport links. Citymapper also takes a number of things into consideration in order to give you accurate journey times, whether that’s by foot, bus, cycling or the underground. 

Keeping you in the loop with departures and arrivals, as well as live in-app updates about delays and time changes makes for a very convenient, must-have travel app.

Local transport apps

Wherever TEFL takes you, it’s worth finding out if the local transport system you’ll be frequenting has an app. As local travel apps focus on a particular area, they could provide the best, most accurate information for planning journeys.

These are just a few of the many great travel apps out there. Trust us, there are many! The more you acquaint yourself with apps like these, the easier the move you’re about to make will be.