Virtuoso Life - March/April 2018 - 34
Passport TECH SUPPORT Go in the Know Earbuds, apps, and hacks that make finding your way in the world easier than ever. Google's Pixel Buds are the most exciting translation gizmo to come along in a while. Pop them in like any other earbud and open the Google Translate app on your phone. Locals can then speak into your phone in their native tongue, and you'll hear it in your preferred language. Reply, and your phone translates and "speaks" your response. The earbuds also streamline the process of working with Google Assistant: Tap the right earpiece, request information, such as "Directions to the Louvre," and you can read the results on your phone or hear them through the earbuds. The catch: For now, live translation only works with Pixel phones. $159; store.google.com. Detour takes the museum audio-tour model outdoors, with some 150 audio walks in 17 cities worldwide. The app uses a phone's STYLISH TRAVELER Coat of Armor No other single garment can cover so many vacation needs like a great travel sports coat. We asked personal stylist Lisa Powers of Houston's River Oaks District shops for her pick for this spring and summer. "There's no better option on the market than Theory's partially lined Semi Tech Blazer," she says. Its slim, modern cut and clean lines make it versatile enough to go as well with a T-shirt, jeans, and loafers as it does with slacks and a tie, and its cotton-polyester blend has a subtle wool texture that won't need pressing after a red-eye. "I have balled this blazer up and released it, and not one wrinkle," Powers says. $595 at Theory, River Oaks District and at theory.com. 34 V I RT U O S O L I F E GPS location data to "know" the highlight you're standing near, so the narration dovetails with your pace and progress. Ken Burns, chef Marcus Samuelsson, and other famous personalities narrate many of the tours, which include a map (to guide you directly to the tour's starting point from your hotel), a total time for each tour, and useful footnotes. Android/iOS; free, individual tours $8. Chances are you have Google Maps on your phone. Here's a hack that can save you a pile in roaming charges abroad. While connected to Wi-Fi, search for the area you're about to explore, click on the three horizontal bars in the upper left of the screen, tap on "Offline Maps," then tap "Custom," and download a map of the area. From that point on, whenever you open the app at the destination, you'll be able to plot routes with live navigation while in airplane mode. Since phone GPS chips don't require cell signals, you're good to go even without cell coverage. Tip: Google Maps also includes hundreds of indoor locations, ranging from department stores and malls in Japan to Copenhagen's National Museum of Art. Android/iOS; free. Casual adventurers and backcountry enthusiasts will love Gaia GPS for their next outing. Users can select their preferred topo maps, such as those of the U.S. Forest Service and numerous others in North America and around the world, and apply layers for satellite views, trails, campsites, and more. A bonus: In the event of trouble, if you have a cell signal, you can text your exact latitude and longitude to rescuers. Android/iOS; from $9.99.