After months of miserable weather condition, summertime has finally shown up, and visiting the countryside to camp, hike and check out is starting to seem like a great idea once more. A Samsung GALAXY S4 can be the perfect companion when exploring the open airs– here are our favorite features to obtain you going when you are out and about.
Apps
CoPilot GPS
Free – get it here
The built-in Google Maps app that features your GALAXY S4 is wonderful for when you’ve a good mobile signal, but you can’t constantly count on having a 3G or 4G signal when you head off the beaten track. Sure, Google Maps also boasts offline mapping for when you’re lost in the woods without a connection, however CoPilot GPS is another really good option that’s geared to discovering when you’re off the grid.
The app is free to download with a single country’s map data and you can upgrade to include even more countries and complete voice navigation.
2013 AA Caravan & Camping Guide
Free – get it here
The Automobile Association has been recommending accommodation, campsites and caravan parks to its members for over one hundred years. That wealth of understanding is now readily available in handy app form so you can quickly find the nearby campsite or caravan park using your GALAXY S4.
Over 850 websites have actually been examined and ranked, and you’ll likewise get short descriptions of the site in addition to details of offered facilities. You can call or email each website workplace with just one tap and place details can be sent directly to either Google Maps or to another app such as CoPilot GPS (see above).
Geocaching
£6.99 – buy it here
Geocaching is a hobby that’s grown in popularity in the last few years with the simple availability of GPS gadgets. A cross in between treasure hunting and orienteering, the idea is to try to find ‘caches’ (normally sealed containers with little gifts or messages in) hidden by other geocaching enthusiasts making use of GPS coordinates.
By loading this app you can plan geocaching journeys, try to find close-by caches for a quick jaunt or use your GALAXY S4 to navigate to a certain cache. Plus, with the S4’s quick 1.9 GHz Quad-Core processor, you’re sure to be the first get those important hints to help you find the precise hiding place and log your adventures.
Camping Journal
£1.29 – buy it here
Logs are not just for the campfire. If you love to head into the open airs, this app will certainly turn your Samsung GALAXY S4 into a journal for taping your experiences.
The app immediately logs the location (and altitude!) of your campsite and you can add descriptions of exactly what you got up to in addition to images of your time there.
Camp Compass
Free – get it here
The GALAXY S4 consists of a magnetometer which can spot the Earth’s magnetic field. This app turns your phone into a fully-fledged compass all prepared for old-school navigation. In addition to the compass dial for pointing out magnetic North, the Camp Compass likewise includes a flashlight (utilizing the S4’s LED flash) and an SOS alarm system that sounds a shrieking whistle.
First Aid by British Red Cross
Free – get it here
Being cut off from civilization, even for a couple of hours, can carry some risks. With the British Red Cross First Aid app you’ll have a wealth of first aid knowledge within your reaches, all set to tackle any medical emergency situation.
As well as detailed directions for taking care of the majority of kinds of injury or sudden disease, the app consists of video walkthroughs, which look superb on the GALAXY S4’s 5-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, as well as a test to test your emergency treatment expertise.
Hardware and Peripherals
The Samsung GALAXY S4 Active
If you’re severe about the outdoor life, you may be fretted that a smartphone like the GALAXY S4 will get damaged, despite its toughened Gorilla Glass 3 screen.
This is why Samsung has actually developed the GALAXY S4 Active.
The S4 Active is wrapped in a challenging external case that’s developed to absorb shock and shrug off damage that might break a normal smartphone. It’s also IP67 ranked, suggesting it’s both dustproof and water resistant in depths up to a metre. You can in fact drop the S4 Active into a bath of water and it’ll certainly come out unharmed. Even the headset jack is water resistant, without the requirement for a special cover.
The rear electronic camera of the S4 Active is a reputable 8 megapixels and includes an unique Aqua Mode that enables you to take pictures underwater, instantly fixing for the distortion and light diffraction.
Rugged case – the Otterbox Defender
£39.99 – buy it here
The GALAXY S4 Active may be a tough cookie however wrapping a regular S4 in a rugged case, such as the Protector, can likewise provide additional protection for outdoor pursuits.
The Defender completely encases the S4 to provide dust, shock and splash resistance while keeping the responsive touch screen usable with a thin however challenging safety layer.
Solar charger – the PowerFreaks 2500 Solar Charger
One substantial trouble facing anybody who wants to make use of a smartphone while camping is ways to keep the battery charged.
The GALAXY S4 has a truly excellent battery life. Thankfully, for those celebrations when you ultimately run low of mobile power, there are some great devices offered that can help keep you at full capacity.
For good weather, solar chargers such as the PowerFreaks 2500 Solar Charger (₤ 49.99) can completely charge your GALAXY S4 utilizing just the power of the sun. It can keep power in its internal battery too, so you can expose it to the sun’s rays all the time and utilize it to charge your S4 up after dark.
Hand-cranked charger – the Eton BoostTurbine 2000v
If the weather condition is a little more, shall we state, British, then a better alternative may be a hand-cranked mechanical charger such as the Eton BoostTurbine 2000v (₤ 44.90). This environment-friendly gadget will certainly turn your effort into electrical energy– perfect for keeping you topped up in the evening or on a rainy day.