December, 2011:

As we wrote what Airplane mode is all about, you know that there is usually no Internet access or radio communications on the plane. So here are a few ideas, how to use that time on board to your advantage, or just to pass the time:

The CIA World Factbook -Going abroad? Do not know that country’s currency? Or where the capital is located? The more you know about a place, the more the locals will appreciate you for taking the time to learn a bit about their country. So why not use that spare time on the plane to learn a few facts and figures about your travel destination and its

A Phrase book – If you never traveled overseas you might be disappointed to discover that (unlike how most Hollywood films might portray) not all foreigners speak English perfectly, or at all for that matter. Knowing a few key phrases to get your message across might make the difference between getting back to the airport on time, or missing your flight. Download the appropriate Phrase book and use the spare time to practice your travel destination’s local language.

Evernote – This has to be one of the best apps out there to organize your thoughts. As most flights these days can only be described as a  ”voluntary mobile prison” (bad food, no communication with the outside world, constant crying in the background, etc.)- you are left with a lot of free time to think. So why not use that time to organize your thoughts/plans in the meantime? Evernote will help you achieve this.

The Bible (Any version you prefer) – It does not matter what is your religion (or even if you belong to one) – the Bible makes for a great read. And if your plane is constantly shaking, you can always use it to pray for a safe landing!

Zinio – The Zinio app allows you to read newspapers and magazines on the go. The biggest advantage is that you can download the material to your phone, and use it even if you do not have internet access. You save a lot of physical space with this app, and if you have an iPad, then you will enjoy it even more.

Stanza – A logical continuation of the Zinio app is an app that allows you read books offline. That is exactly what we have for you here.  Stanza allows you to download reading material to your phone and use it anywhere, anytime. It stores it on your iPhone or iPad, and provides you with endless amounts of titles- limited only by your available space.

All-in Pedometer - Now we know what you are thinking, “working out on the plane?!” Actually, no. All we are saying is that should you get up from time to time, and just walk around for a few minutes. This will help make sure that you get your blood flowing and keep yourself healthier when you are flying.  Honestly, you do not even need an app for that.

And when you land on solid ground, enjoy 3Ging…

So you are in the terminal. Buying yourself some book to read on the plane. Or charging your laptop one last time before the flight (unless you are flying Business, ye high roller, then you don’t have to worry about that). You board the plane and take your seat. Turn off your phone like the flight attendant politely asks you to and you buckle your belt.

Wait, back it up a bit! Why did you turn off your phone? I mean, if your phone can keep you entertained on the ground, why not keep you un-bored high up in the skies as well?!

That is what “Airplane mode” is meant for. Long before the age of the smartphones, when dumb phones roamed the earth, passengers would be instructed to completely turn off their devices (in order to avoid a clash between their phone’s and the plane’s radio systems). That made sense when all your phone could do is make calls. But as our phones evolved and became bona fide cameras, mp3 players, gaming devices and more- the need to use your phone, without using the radio capabilities was evident.

“Airplane mode” is here to do just that- it allows you to completely turn of the radio communication features on your phone – in a nut shell, it will let you keep the “smart” and lose the “phone”. So how do we make it happen? Easy as pie! Just follow these 3 simple steps.

So how was it? Did you enjoy your time abroad?

Really, you still prefer your local Pizza place over “that Italian version”?! I get that.

Now that you are safely back home, you probably want to use your phone with your local carrier, right?  Since, if you keep the same APN settings, you will not be able to use your carrier’s 3G services like web browsing, VoIP and everything else.

If you used our APNChanger service on your iPhone/iPad then your APN settings have been changed, to allow for 3G internet access while you were abroad. Now that you are back home, you will need to change it back to your carrier’s APN settings.

Here is how to do it:

1 – Go to “Settings” and choose “General”

2 – Scroll down to “Profile” and click it to access APNChanger

3 – Click “Remove” to remove APNChanger settings

4 – Confirm the remove of the profile by clicking “Remove”

As you can see, the “Profile” field which belongs to APNChanger has disappeared, meaning you are now back to your carrier’s APN settings.

If you wish to set new APN settings (same procedure as before your trip), simply go to m.apnchanger.org and follow the process.

Enjoy 3Ging…