Coupled with simple AI and chatbot platforms,
voice-enabled applications provide the
tech-savvy traveller with a seamless way of
interacting with digital travel services.FLIGHT & ITINERARY MANAGEMENT
Many travel sites, like Kayak and Expedia,
now provide smart speaker skills and apps
that enable you to make bookings and check
itineraries and departure status using voice.HOTEL SMART SPEAKERS
A growing number of hotels and guesthouses
offer visitors the opportunity to control their
room via a smart speaker. The Marriott hotel
chain is leading the charge here, having made
a huge commitment to in-room smart-speakers
across its properties.REAL TIME TRANSLATIONS
Voice-controlled chatbot concierge services
offer 24-hour customer care in any language.
This year, Google piloted its Interpreter Mode
translator at hotel check-in desks, including
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.TOP TIPS FOR...
talking travelIf you want to keep your smartphone
safely tucked away when travelling, a
pair of wireless in-ear headphones with
built-in voice assistant can help.
Groov-e’s SoundBuds (groov-e.co.uk,
£64.99) are a fantastic budget alternative
to the big brands, as long as you’re
prepared to compromise a little on
sound quality. You can access your
phone’s voice assistant via the touch
button on each bud, enabling you to
play music, listen to podcasts and issue
voice commands to travel apps while
your phone is out of sight. Meanwhile,
safety conscious travellers can now
reach for the Ekster 3.0 smart wallet
(ekster.com, from $60 [£50] to $100
[£82]), which bills itself as the ‘world’s
fi rst voice-activated and solar-powered
smart wallet’. With room for a fold of
banknotes and up to 10 credit cards,
the RFID protective casing will keep
your cards safe from hackers scanning
crowded places for NFC payment
strips. For an extra $49 (£40), you can
add the global tracker card, which is
solar powered and links up to Google
Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so you can
ask these assistants where you le your
wallet should you lose it.SAFELY TUCKED AWAY
@katerussell
katerussell.co.ukActiv5 is a pocket-sized strength and
fi tness training aid that connects to a
smartphone app coach — the perfect
antidote to long fl ights and inactive
holidays. It’s a smart-looking and tactile
gizmo that’s great for those who want
to work out while they travel, but don’t
want the fuss of fi nding a gym. The
Activ5 app guides you through more
than 100 isometric workouts that centre
around li ing, holding and squeezing
the device with various parts of your
GET THE GADGET
Activ5
Tech trave er
TECHNOLOGY REPORTER FOR ¤BBCCLICK
AND AUTHOR OF WORKING THE CLOUD,
KATE RUSSELL PICKS THE LATEST INNOVATIONSUSING A FEW SIMPLE GADGETS CAN HELP YOU KEEP VALUABLES
SAFE, SOUND AND OUT OF SIGHT ON YOUR TRAVELS
body. Use it to focus on specifi c areas
— like arms, neck, legs and back — or
choose a whole body workout. As well as
improving muscle strength and stamina,
the workouts are geared towards better
fl exibility, balance and mobility. The
routines are easy to follow and can
be completed in fi ve minutes almost
anywhere. RRP: £119.95. activ5.comTRAVEL GEEKS
October 2019 183