Public Wi-Fi networks allow us to connect to the Internet in an easy and fast way, since usually they do not require a password. However, connecting to an open WiFi is not always safe, there can be anyone behind these networks, even a cybercriminal. When we connect to these networks, we are losing control of what is being transmitted and who is connected.
With public wifi networks offered by libraries, buses, trains, airports, hotels and other services, we can be sure that the administrator of the WiFi network is safe, but really anyone connected to this network can easily use techniques to steal information from us. The data traffic that takes place within these networks will be visible to sniffers, which are computer programs that record all the information sent and received by our devices.
While browsing on secure pages (those starting with https) or using familiar applications, our data will not be at risk, but if not, we must be especially careful with passwords, since, if we are in an unsecured network (do not start with https), a tracker could detect our data traffic without the need for encryption. If we access any account or subscription with the same username and password that we use for everything, a cybercriminal could enter our Facebook, email, Twitter, etc and could extort our contacts to get money. A well-known fraud is the one in which the extortioner contacts our friends or relatives through Facebook and tells them that we are abroad and we’ve been robbed, so we need a large amount of money to be able to return. That’s why it is very important not to use the same credentials for all our accounts.
We must always make sure to connect to the correct network, it is very common for cyber-criminals to create false WiFi networks with a similar name to the secure network to fool users.
To prevent any unpleasant situations it’s better to always deactivate from our device any synchronization process if we are connecting to a public network. Always keep the device updated, with the antivirus installed correctly and, if possible, use a firewall.
Avoid completely doing bank transactions, online purchases or any other task that involves the exchange of private data in public Wi-Fi networks.
To avoid all these dangers, it is preferable not to connect to public wireless networks and instead access only private Wi-Fi networks, Wifivox is the best option if you are concerned about the security of your online accounts and private data since it is a totally private and secure network.
Looking for a way to keep track of the public transportation network of a specific city of Spain? Then look no more because we have the right method just for you, and it’s only a click away with your phone!
Urban Step is a free application and available for both Android and iOS systems, which allows you to use the GPS positioning of your mobile phone and covers the bus lines of the most touristic cities in the country such as Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Bilbao, Valencia, Zaragoza, Murcia, Valladolid and Donostia. It provides a detailed map of the lines, shows the remaining time before your designated transport arrives and indicates the closest bus stops by number so you can set your route for the day and catch whatever bus you need as you’ll be constantly updated. Also there’s the possibility of creating a list of your favourite stops to make the access even simpler and quicker!
Urban Step allows to geo-positionate us in map and find the closest bus stops and underground stations. In the image below we see that the closest bus stop is number 3341 and if we click on it, it will show a full list of stops with the remaining time for the bus to arrive. It seems that bus number H10 will arrive in just 2 minutes. If we don’t get this bus, next one will arrive in 18 minutes. Let’s hurry up!
You can even see on a map the specific route of the desired bus line together with it’s stops.
However there’s one missing feature in this great app: you can’t get a route from the place where you are located to the place you want to go. To do so you need to open Google Maps and search how to get there using public transportation. Then with Urban Step you can check the estimated arrival times and all kind of details regarding the bus routes.
This application is definitely a life saver for those who easily get confused when it comes to public transport so we highly recommend it. Whether you need a ride to your hotel, apartment, airport or just the city center, make sure to check on this app and you’ll definitely never miss a bus again!
Whether you are coming to Spain as a tourist or for business matters, full time Internet access will always be something desired. After years of having a smartphone, tablet or laptop in our hands we have developed a natural instinct for looking for WiFis while abroad.
Before travelling to Spain, a traveller 2.0 will normally book a room in a Hotel offering free WiFi. It wasn’t easy in the early years, when WiFi was in its infancy, to find a Hotel offering it for free in the guest rooms or lobbies. Now, pretty much every hotel in Spain has WiFi. However the problems we had years ago still remain today. It is not always reliable and it is not always free.
Furthermore some new issues have popped up, you may only connect one single device per room, as some WiFi networks are too old to handle several devices at once. Other problems come from bandwidth demand, which has direct relation with the Internet access speed that Hotels have contracted. During the last years there has been an extremely quick rise on customer bandwidth voracious applications, which are saturating their networks and forcing them to invest more money for higher bandwidth. This is the main reason explaining why some Hotels still charge per day and in some cases per device.
But being able to connect to the Internet effectively in the hotel is just the first step. Let’s say you have some business to do and need to leave the Hotel for a meeting, or wish to do some tourism around the city. Isn’t it so natural to leave the Hotel at some time? Of course you can be offline for about 12 hours until you are back… But wouldn’t it be comfortable to carry with you a WiFi Hotspot anywhere you go?
Well, this is exactly what Wifivox provides. By carrying a little pocket-sized device, what we call a Wifivox, you will be able to enjoy Internet access anywhere you go in Spain. To give you a rough idea this would be like shrinking your home’s WiFi router, putting a battery in it and carrying it around with you. The Wifivox is the longest lasting device, with up to 10-12 hours of battery life. It creates a secured WiFi Hotspot 15 meters around you. You can then share the same connection with up to 10 devices or people (family, friends, groups…) at once, enjoying prepaid unlimited Internet for a daily price of 6.99€.
Either if your Hotel’s WiFi is inexistent, not reliable enough or simply offers a too limited signal range for you, Wifivox will fit you perfectly. Once connected, when you are in the Hotel or out in the city, you will be able to enjoy the full capacity of your smartphones’ and tablets’ apps. Anyone has experienced Google Maps or Trip Advisor apps when travelling? Well, this is just the beginning on what you really could do with a Wifivox in your pocket. If you want to be a traveller 2.0 you just need to rent a pocket WiFi for the days you will be spending in Spain… and enjoy!
We are so used to using Whatsapp or Line to chat with our family and friends. Send or check emails. Use Skype for calling our contacts for free. Use Google Maps to locate any places and find our way. Or get lost in the city knowing we will be able to use our smartphone’s GPS. Share our status on Facebook or Twitter. Upload our cool photos on Instagram. Use Trip Advisor or Booking or so many other useful apps for travelling.
We are used to being connected at all times in our home countries. However, we usually forget that when travelling abroad, most of this cool and super useful functionality will be offline.
Wouldn’t it be cool to visit a new country while having Internet access anywhere you go on the move? Well, this is now no utopia with Wifivox, the Pocket Wifi rental in Spain.
With Wifivox, based in Barcelona, you will be able to rent a little portable mobile device for the days you will be spending in Spain. Once you have the device on your hands you will create a mobile WiFi hotspot and be able to connect up to 10 devices at the same time. You will get unlimited bandwidth, a fixed price per day and full coverage in Spain.
There are so many great apps that you can use for your trip to Spain. In this post we will talk about a special kind of hotel reservation mobile applications. There are now three different options, usually called ‘Same day hotel booking apps’. These applications will let you book a selection of daily refreshed cool hotels at a special price. The only condition is… you can only book from noon on the same day of the reservation.
The first one to ever be created was Hotel Tonight (www.hoteltonight.com). The app launched back in January 2011, being initially focused on the US market. This astonishingly well-designed app has recently landed to Spain. The cities with daily hotel offers are however still limited to Barcelona, Madrid and Málaga (Costa del Sol). It is still unclear if the company is planning to expand their offer to other regions in Spain. There are indeed many other cities around the word available; you can check them out right from the app.
Blink (www.blinkbooking.com) is considered to be the first Spanish app for reserving hotels on the same day. The app has expanded its reach to 7 countries and 163 cities. Blink has a greater penetration in Spain and includes hotels in many different cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Cuenca and Santiago de Compostela among many others. Blink offers the option to get the first night for the day after, as well as selecting up to 7 nights. Each city is divided into different areas containing up to 4 different hotels.
Really Late Booking (www.reallylatebooking.com) is also a Spanish initiative. It promises to take no more than 10 seconds to reserve a room. The app only accepts payments via Visa, American Express and Mastercard, not through Paypal. You will be able to find hotels in 25 cities in Spain. It uses the smartphone’s GPS to find the nearest hotels around you, which makes it really fast to use if you are already in the area where you wish to spend the night.
You can check how this amazing app works in the following video:
If you are that kind of tourist who doesn’t like to plan everything in detail or somebody who likes the taste of a bit of extra adventure every now and then, then these hotel reservation apps are made for you. Why not discovering something unexpected? When you come to Spain, if you want to fully experience the great advantages of these same day reservations apps don’t forget to rent a Wifivox, your personal Wifi hotspot.