5 technology tips to navigate winter travel

Being stuck at an airport due to winter weather can be a real downer, but with an assortment of devices, apps and other instruments for connecting to the world, you can make that down time pass in a jiffy.

With today’s technology, gone are the days where you nearly go bonkers doing endless crossword puzzles or reading one celebrity magazine after another to pass away the time, or where you go nuts wondering when you’ll be able to board a plane home. Following are common concerns and their tech solutions.

Juicing up

Being stuck in an airport for hours is no reason to be disconnected from the cyber world.

• Check out the terminal’s tech shops where you can buy a smartphone case that also doubles as a battery pack.
• They may also sell a battery pack that’s pre-charged.
• You can also use a kiosk that charges devices for a cheap fee.

Entertainment

Here are some fun suggestions that will help pass time:

• Dots: A low-cost puzzle game in which you try to connect as many same-colored dots as you can within one minute.
• Minecraft Pocket Edition: This simulates building in a virtual world, and you can make it as simple or as complicated as you choose.
• Angry Birds Star Wars II: This is a puzzle video game involving 30 different characters. 

Navigating

• An app for Android and iOS, called Airport Life, will help you get around large, confusing airports. This app includes a feature that updates automatically flight information and other data.

Flight Status

• See if your preferred airline provides mobile apps through which you can book a flight, check its status and even select seats.
• Visit the FlightAware website to track flights.
• The Misery Map site provides an interactive graphic that shows detailed flight information for various airports. It also displays weather information.

Stranded overnight?

• Hotel Tonight is a free app for the iOS mobile that displays vacant hotel rooms for a discount in over 150 markets.