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I had another fun week writing about the iPhone and travel. Another seven days to further solidify my love of the incredible world we live in.

Thanks for reading and enjoy this week’s 52 Weekly. I’ll see you on Monday.

The app also records your service history and even offers service reminders reminders, which is great. You know those plastic clings that the mechanic puts on your windshield? The ones that always fall off? Forget about them. I won’t forget to get that 7,500 mile checkup done when Gas Cubby reminds me.

The app’s search feature is also well-implemented and there’s ample support for international units, like MPG (Canada), MPG (UK), MPG (Imperial), L/100km, gal/100mi (US), gal/100mi (Imperial), km/L, km/gal (US), km/gal (Imperial), and mi/L, for all of you folks who drive on the wrong side of the road.

Do you like charts and graphs? I know you do. Tilt your iPhone to the landscape orientation and view data on your vehicle’s average MPG, typical gas price you pay, automotive expenses and service expenses. Nice!

Gas Cubby has been in my travel folder for years. It’s fast, good-looking and, most importantly, useful. Go and grab Gas Cubby now.

iPhone As Alarm Clock

Your iPhone lets you create multiple repeating alarms, smart alarms that are aware of the day and more. Plus, your iPhone notices when you change time zones and adjusts itself accordingly. It’s super handy. Let’s get started.

Automatic Time Zone Detection

Before we create an alarm, let’s enable automatic time zone detection. Once turned on, your iPhone will “notice” where it is and adjust its clock accordingly. That way, you don’t have to do it manually (though, if you want to, that’s an option, too). Follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General, then Date and Time.
3. Move the Set Automatically slider to the On position.

That’s it. Now your iPhone will adjust for time zone changes on its own.

Create An Alarm

It’s easy to create a reliable alarm with your iPhone, and even apply some customization. You’ll notice that, even if your iPhone is in silent mode with the mute switch in the quiet position, the alarm will still sound. To create an alarm, follow these steps:

1. Open the Clock app.
2. Tap Alarms
3. Tap the “+” in the upper right-hand corner.
4. The Add Alarm screen appears with several options. Select the repeat options that you want and he sound you’d like to wake you. Use to slider to turn the snooze option on or off (the iPhone’s snooze duration is nine minutes) and finally add a custom label to your alarm. Custom labels make them easy to identify, like “work,” “the lake house” or “afternoon nap.”
5. Tap Save and you’re done.

You can make as many alarms as you like and turn them on or off with the slider.

Alarm Clock Apps

There are several alarm clock apps available in the App Store, many of which do far more than Apple’s built-in Clocks app. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Alarm Clock Pro ($0.99)

This great app by iHandy, Inc. makes a great night stand replacement and is my favorite. It lets you create and name repeating and non-repeating alarms as Clocks does, and adds so much more. It will display the weather for your current location and even give a five-day forecast. It features a full-screen “LCD” display with seven color options. There’s support for both a 12-hour and 24-hour clock, and the display shows the day of the week.

Two very clever features include a gesture-based dimmer. Slide your finger up or down on the screen to make the display brighter or dimmer. You can also pick the phone up and shake it to enable a flashlight mode. Shake it again to return to the clock display.

Nightstand Central ($1.99)

Here’s another wonderfully useful nightstand replacement app. Nightstand Central offers many of the features that make Alarm Clock Pro great, like customizable alarms, snooze and iPod music as an alarm sound. It differs in key ways, too. First of all, it’s beautiful. If the LCD look isn’t your thing, consider Nighstand Central. The default display is beautiful and you can even use your own photos. When not acting as a clock, Nightstand Central becomes a digital photo frame and weather station. It’s definitely worth checking out.

Hardware: The Glif
Cost: $30
Compatibility: iPhone 4, 4S and 5

Those apps (and many others) are great but less than useful if your iPhone’s display is pointed towards the ceiling. Use a stand to keep it facing you. As usual, there are many to choose from but my favorite is the Glif by Studio Neat. This simple stand will hold your iPhone 4, 4S or 5 in either landscape or portrait orientation. Slide up and down to adjust the viewing angle. It’s small, sturdy and lightweight.

That’s great, but what earned the Glif a spot in my travel bag is its multitasking capabilities. It’s a great stand but it’s also a tripod mount. Use it to capture low-light photos, time-delayed shots or hands-free video. And of course, it props up your night stand app at the perfect angle. It’s a handy little chunk of rubber for sure.

iPhone As Camera

The iPhone is a capable point-and-shoot camera and video camera. The iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 shoot 8 MP still photos and video at 1080p, while the iPhone 4 has a 5 MP camera and shoots video at 720p. All three models feature an LED flash, autofocus and tap-to-focus. It probably won’t replace the high-end DSLR in your bag, but I bet it could give your inexpensive point-and-shoot a run for its money. Especially the 4S and the 5.

While the iPhone is a good camera, a few accessories can make it even better. Here are some of my favorites.

The Glif
Cost: $30
Compatibility: iPhone 4, 4S and 5

I mentioned the Glif earlier, and here it is again. It’s a small iPhone stand that also mounts on a standard tripod. It will hold the iPhone in either landscape or portrait orientation. It’s inexpensive and very handy.

GripTight GorillaPod Stand
Cost: $29.95
Compatibility: All models

This articulated mini tripod is extremely versatile. Instead of a tripod mount, it features a little clip that’s designed to hold the iPhone. The legs can be bent into almost any shape and hold it firmly. Use it to get dramatic angles or even attach to something else. I often use the Gorilla Mobile when placing FaceTime video calls for hands-free chatting.

iPhone Rangefinder
Cost: $55 for just the case, $95 for case and magnetic lens
Compatibility: iPhone 4, 4S

This clever accessory combines a case, a rangefinder and swappable lenses all in one. It fits onto your iPhone 4, 4S or 5 like a typical case. However, the forward-facing side resembles a camera. There’s a top-mounted shutter button that actually works, just like you’d find on a real camera, and it accommodates magnetic cell lenses. These add-ons fit over the iPhone’s camera and let you play with effects like fisheye and wide angle.

Owle Video rig
Cost: $169 for iPhone 4, 4S; $130 for iPhone 5

The Owle Video Rig is one of my favorite iPhone accessories. More than a case, this precision-carved chunk of aluminum can accommodate the iPhone 4, 4S and iPhone 5. It’s got two handles, four tripod mount points and even a forward-facing, external mic. The weight really helps you record smooth video. I’ve spend some time using one and like it a lot.

iPhone As Navigation Assistant

Your iPhone is more than capable of offering turn-by-turn driving directions, thanks to the App Store and the iPhone’s built-in GPS receiver. Its small speaker is plenty loud enough to be heard in a car, as long as music isn’t blaring, but listening is only half the benefit of a GPS app. Watch the map by mounting the iPhone in your car with a hardware mount. There are several models to choose from, including those that stick to the windshield, mount on the dashboard or rest in a cup holder. Here’s a look at three models I really like.

Many companies make hardware to mount your iPhone in your car, like Belkin, Griffin, Arkon and more. My favorites come from a company called RAM Mounts. They’re sturdy and well-built. Many RAM mounts feature a modular design. That means you can mix and match the part that holds your iPhone (holder) with the part that attaches to your car (base), for a fit and arrangement that works best for you.

RAM also builds holders that will accommodate an iPhone with or without a case or skin. That way, you needn’t take your iPhone out of its case each time you want to secure it in the car. That’s especially useful if the case in question is also a battery pack, meant to keep that power-hungry GPS app running.

RAM Universal X-Grip™ Cell Phone Holder with 1″ Ball
Cost: About $23
Compatibility: iPhone 3G, 3GS 4, 4S, 5

This holder’s unique four-prong design holds your iPhone very securely without getting in the way. It’s compatible with a huge number of iPhone models plus all models of the iPod touch, with our without a sleeve. Just a great all-round car mount for the iPhone and iPod touch.

RAM-A-CAN II™ Universal Cup Holder Mount with Universal X-Grip™ Cell Phone Holder
Cost: $37
Compatibility: iPhone 4, 4S

This little device rests in your car’s cup holder and an articulated arm allows you to position the iPhone just so. Great if you don’t want something up on the dashboard.

Today, I’m talking about data roaming. Data roaming refers to using the Internet, email and other similar data connections outside your carrier’s coverage. Essentially, you’re “roaming” outside of your coverage zone.

Roaming costs can be quite very high. Even the simple act of checking email once a day can be costly. It’s a good practice to disable data roaming while traveling internationally. Fortunately, your iPhone has it switched off by default.

When you turn data roaming off, your iPhone will be unable to connect to a foreign data network. That means you won’t receive emails, browse the Internet, or use Internet-based services like Twitter or Facebook via a cellular network. Other functions will remain intact, like taking and browsing photos, recording video, creating notes, and using other apps that don’t depend on an Internet connection to function. Think of it as sitting in a car with no gas in the tank. You can still use the radio, A/C, and such, but you can’t drive anywhere. In other words, you can’t run up a data bill if you aren’t connected!

That doesn’t mean you must forego Internet access, as I’ll explain in a bit. For now, here’s how to disable data roaming.

To ensure that data roaming is disabled, follow these steps:

Use the sliders to disable cellular data and data roaming.

1. Tap the Settings app
2. Tap General
3. Tap Cellular
4. Move the Data Roaming slider to the Off position

That’s it. This really is the most important move to make if you want to avoid huge fees.
If you have an international plan with your carrier, contact that company before leaving to see what your options are. Those without an international carrier plan will absolutely want to disable data roaming when traveling abroad — even international plans can be expensive. Contact your carrier for specifics.

The next step you can take is to disable cellular data. This will restrict your iPhone to a Wi-Fi Internet connection only. To disable cellular data, follow these steps:

1. Tap the Settings app
2. Tap General
3. Tap Cellular
4. Move the Cellular Data slider to the Off position

You’ll know you’ve turned both off successfully when you do not see a cellular indicator in the upper left-hand corner of the status bar.

Disabling data roaming and cellular data doesn’t mean you’re completely disconnected. You can keep Wi-Fi enabled and make use of wireless Internet via Wi-Fi. While traveling internationally with your iOS device, enable Airplane Mode, flick Wi-Fi back on and video chat via FaceTime or Skype for significantly less money than an international calling plan.

The first step is to turn on Airplane Mode. Airplane Mode terminates all communication to and from your iPhone. Specifically, it switches off:

1. Cellular (voice and data)
2. Wi-Fi
3. Bluetooth
4. GPS
5. Location services

To enable Airplane Mode, follow these steps:

Move the slider to enable Airplane Mode.

1. Tap Settings
2. Move the Airplane Mode slider to the On position

You’ll know you’ve done it when an orange airplane icon appears in the upper left-hand corner of your iPhone’s screen (see above).Now enable Wi-Fi while keeping those other protocols shut down. Follow these steps while in Airplane Mode:

1. Tap Settings
2. Tap Wi-Fi
3. Move the slider to the On position

Your iPhone will look for an available or known Wi-Fi network as it typically does. The Wi-Fi indicator appears next to the orange airplane icon.

Now you can make video calls to far-flung friends and loved ones with FaceTime or Skype for iOS via Wi-Fi without incurring huge data roaming costs. FaceTime requires both participants to have an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac, while Skype removes that restriction. FaceTime is free, but even Skype Premium and monthly subscriptions are nothing compared to international roaming fees. Imagine video chatting from Barcelona with family back home for free! My sister and I recently had a video chat between Amsterdam and Massachusetts and it didn’t cost either of us a thing.

What Can I Do With Data Roaming and Cellular Data Disabled?

You probably have questions about how useful your iPhone will be with data disabled (which essentially makes it an iPod touch). That’s a valid concern, as many of the apps are crippled or even useless without an Internet connection.

1. What’s the difference between having data roaming turned off and cellular data turned off? Frankly, cellular data becomes less significant with data roaming turned off, as you likely won’t have a local SIM. Cellular data refers to data that passes to your phone, regardless of network (even your own carrier), so when it’s off, you don’t get get data services. Data Roaming means that, when the phone notices you’re on a network other than its original carrier network (w/ your regular carrier SIM card in the phone), it won’t pass data since you’re outside of your carrier’s limits. Or, more simply, disable cellular data to halt the Internet full stop. Home or abroad. Keep data roaming off to halt the Internet abroad. Still, it’s best to turn both off.
2. Will I be able to send and receive text messages with roaming/cellular data turned off? The answer is yes and no. You will be able to use Apple’s iMessage service to send and receive text messages over Wi-Fi, provided that you and your recipient both have an iPhone 4, 4S or 5 and at least iOS 5.0 installed. Typical text messages (SMS) travel on your carrier’s network, so “regular” (read: carrier-based) text messages will not work.
3. How do I access the Internet? Via Wi-Fi. Find a reliable and trustworthy Wi-Fi network and browse, email, etc. As usual. See my post on iPhone security for related security concerns.
   In short, your iPhone is essentially an iPod touch when it’s in this state. Which, for purposes of international travel, is a good thing.

This article is part of a series on traveling with your iPhone. You’ll find the other articles here.

There’s more at Gadling so go check it out.

Shawn Throop shares this great photo of a region of Bavaria, Germany near Castle Neueschwanstein. Taken with an iPhone 5.

Travel iPhoneography is a weekly series of photos of our beautiful world, taken with an iPhone. If you have one you’d like to share, let me know at [comments at 52tiger dot net]. I’d love to feature it.

—–

Don’t the the movie Planes, Trains & Automobiles happen to you.

A bad day of travel cannot be completely avoided, but the misery can be minimized when the traveler is prepared for the worst and has backup plans. A great tool is at our fingertips in the iPhone (or in my case, an iPod touch and an iPad mini). We have come a long way from Del (John Candy) and Neil (Steve Martin) in arguably the best Thanksgiving travel movie.

There are two app lists below. The first is a list of the apps I use while at work.

The second is a collection of apps that passengers should consider. Remember, pilots travel as working crew members and as passengers. The second list includes apps that airline pilots use when traveling as a passenger. Each can provide tips on making things flow better for you and those around you.

My Apps

1. Weather + ($0.99, universal) It’s ideal for multiple destinations and go-to app for determining what to pack.
2. MyRadar Weather Radar (Free, universal). I use My Radar to see what my driving conditions will be while traveling to and/or from the airport.
3. I–95 Exit Guide (On sale for $0.99 as of this writing) My real go-to is Traffic.com to prepare for time to leave for the airport. [Note: Erin’s home airport is Newark, NJ. Hence the route-specific app. Use traffic.com for information outside that area. -Dave]
4. Path: An easy, additional way to communicate your whereabouts and availability. The “awake” and “sleep” modes are especially helpful for you loved ones back at home in other time zones.
5. Alarm Clock Pro ($0.99): An alarm clock app is a good back-up to wake up calls from the hotel. I also use the timer feature a lot. Instead of adjusting time zones, I note the local time and set the timer for however long I want to sleep.
6. Trip Adviser app (Free, universal) I’ve never had a bad meal or city tour when following the recommendations in Trip Advisor.
7. Free WiFi Finder (Free, universal) I like to use this internationally with my iPod touch.
8. Live ACT Air Radio ($2.99) Select an airport and phase of flight (Departure – initial climb out from airport, Center-cruise, Approach – initial descent to airport, Final Approach, Tower – immediate takeoff and landing, Ground Control – taxing on the ground, either to/from the runway or from the gate). I use this simply for my own entertainment. It can be streamed in the background while other programs are used. Be sure to log out when done or it will drain your battery quickly.
9. Skype (Free): Good alternative to FaceTime.

Recommendations for travelers

Now for the apps that I and many of my colleagues recommend for travelers. I tried to cover everything from planning to packing to arrival.

• The United app (Free) It offers alerts that will alert you and/or others when a flight has pushed from your departure gate and when it arrives at the destination gate. It is handy when you don’t have time between connections to call a loved one, or when your hands are full of bags.
• FlightTrack Pro ($9,99, universal) This is a great way to follow a loved one’s flight with the flight number. The flight could divert to another airport for numerous reasons (add fuel, sick passenger, inclement weather, maintenance). Those on the ground awaiting your arrival can stay informed, so that the infamous scene in Trains, Planes & Automobiles – when Neal calls home to say he is in Wichita, Kansas instead of Chicago, baffling his wife — doesn’t get played out in real life.
• MyRadar Weather Radar (Free, universal) This app is great because, instead of relying on a distant relative on the end of the phone telling you the weather, you can see for yourself. It aids from what to pack, drive time to the airport and expectant delays for the drive and/or departure from the airport. Depending on your booking schedule, you may reschedule your trip. Neil may have done this if he knew the magnitude of the snow storm in Chicago before he left NYC, ending up in Wichita.
• Traffic reports in any form are great. Use apps that benefit your location. Check before you head out and have a backup route in place before you leave, avoiding stress on the already challenging ride. Taking a photo of the page in unfamiliar areas helps.
• Airline-specific apps and websites have great reminder, update, and status alerts to take advantage off. Look for “flight status” or some variation of that language on the home page. You can get info about where an aircraft is coming from, etc. Flight number or departure & destination information can be used. Copy the the booking page from the airline site or app by photo capture. Or, select and paste information into your favorite travel list app. That info could be helpful if you need to be rebooked on a flight and need to know your schedule without needing to get on the website again. This frees you slightly from feeling powerless in the hands of the ticket or gate agent.

General “airline pilot tips and tricks.”

1. Pack light. Take advantage of laundry service or a washer and dryer.

2. ANYTHING BROUGHT CAN BE LOST OR FORGOTTEN. “Do I really need it with me?” should be your mantra.

3. Keep certain items always packed, meaning it never leaves the bag once you’re back at home:

• Umbrella.
• Hat.
• Charging cords and international charger converters.
• Portable iPad/iPod/iPhone speakers.
• Paper copies of your birth certificate, passport, license in your CARRY-ON LUGGAGE ONLY.
• Toiletry kit. Get doubles of what you have at home, and you will essentially always be packed.
• Extra zip-lock bags for liquids in the event yours is damaged or lost.

Considerations for getting through security:

• Slip-on shoes.
• No belt.
• No large jewelry.

That’s it from me. Happy traveling!

This article is part of a series on traveling with your iPhone. You’ll find the other articles here.

I’ve gotten numerous requests for a post on using the iPhone internationally since I started this travel series. It’s a big topic that deserves special attention. So, I’m going to dedicate this entire week to using the iPhone internationally. I’ll share my own research, interviews with others who travel quite a bit and more. After a week, we’ll have a very nice resource on international iPhone use.

To get us started, here are a few paragraphs from my TUAW colleague and newspaper designer for The Patriot-News in near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Megan Lavey-Heaton. Megan shared some of her experiences and practices. Enjoy, and keep watching the site for hands-on information.

“I’ve taken my iPhone out of the country to Canada and the United Kingdom. Traveling to Canada is just like being in the U.S. – so much so that you really have to make sure you turn off your data at the border. There were some places of Ontario very close to the U.S. border that I was able to pick up an AT&T signal, but to make absolutely sure, I didn’t use my phone much until I was back on the U.S. side. If you are driving into Canada, make sure that you’ve downloaded any navigation maps needed before the service switches to international.

The United Kingdom was a different story. With the iPhone 4, it kept bouncing from service to service (usually O2 or Orange) and was spending a lot of time searching for the closest provider when I turned Airplane Mode off. That’s OK, because you want to stay away from using the local networks whenever possible. The moment I leave the country, the phone goes into Airplane Mode and for the most part stays there until I get back to the U.S.

The absolute biggest potential hit to your wallet will come from your data plan. When I was lost in Toronto a few years ago, I turned on data long enough to find where I needed to go from Maps, then turned the data back off. That 30 seconds of search and download added $18 to my bill. Stick to Wi-Fi, but it’s harder to find it for free than in the U.S. if you don’t live there. For free Wi-Fi in the UK, the best places to get it are actually American food chains: Starbucks, McDonald’s and Burger King. In Canada, I found more free Wi-Fi spots. AT&T and Verizon have international data plans that you can add to and then remove from your plan if you want a safety net, but I’ve never used them.

The second biggest financial hit, ironically, comes from text messages. My husband texted me a few times to pin down my location in a Liverpool museum, and that added on several dollars to the following month’s bill. Set up iMessages before you go, and make sure you have it so that does not send via text message if it fails. That way, if you do need to text someone with an iPhone running iOS 5, it’ll default to Wi-Fi and not hit your text or data plans.

Traveling with an iPhone out of the country is great as long as you keep a vigilant eye on the costs. Keep the phone in Airplane Mode whenever possible, make sure everything you need is pre-loaded. Skip the iOS and app updates until you get home, because you don’t want to risk accidentally doing something to your phone that can’t be fixed.”

Comments are open, so feel free to share your international travel experiences.

This article is part of a series on traveling with your iPhone. You’ll find the other articles here.